Isaac Callan

Ford considers filling part of Lake Ontario to build massive convention centre | Globalnews.ca Premier Doug Ford confirmed reporting he was considering filling part of the lake to build a new convention centre, which he has priced at 'a few billion' dollars.

NEW: Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he is considering filling part of Lake Ontario to accommodate his vision for a massive new convention centre in downtown Toronto. #OnPoli
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Metrolinx sheds 400-plus consultants as agency grapples with growing mandate | Globalnews.ca Michael Lindsay was tapped to lead the Crown corporation in 2025, tasked with refocusing its mandate and bringing years-delayed transit lines into service for the first time.

NEW: Metrolinx has let more than 400 consultants go since new CEO Michael Lindsay took over, bringing some in-house and severing ties with others altogether.

The agency says more are still expected to be let go. #Onpoli
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There are 72 school boards in Ontario, and the government is now in control of eight of them. They're also some of the biggest, meaning some 750,000 students are at school boards under supervision. #Onpoli
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Ford government takes over 8th Ontario school board, sidelining trustees | Globalnews.ca The news comes a little over a month after Peel District School Board was put under supervision and York Catholic District School Board was told it could be next.

NEW: The Ford government has confirmed the takeover of Peel District School Board with the appointment of a supervisor and added York Catholic to the list of boards now directly controlled from Queen's Park.

Total so far: eight. #OnPoli
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It's a fact two students were arrested. We were there. The story reports the facts of the protest.

Ford will file appeal against court ruling to release personal phone records | Globalnews.ca The latest twist in a three-year-old transparency battle means the government has now twice lost its argument Ford should not have to make parts of his phone records public.

In Windsor, Premier Doug Ford reminds people to call him, reading out his personal number.

Reminder: The province is appealing against a court ruling which found Ford is using his personal phone for work and should make some records public.#OnPoli
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Metrolinx looking to ‘build public trust’ after rocky launch for Finch West LRT | Globalnews.ca In late December, the Finch West LRT became the first transit system to open in Toronto since 2022, replacing the bus network with high-capacity rail.

NEW: Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay sat down with Global for an extended Focus Ontario interview this week.

Among other topics, he addressed the rocky launch of the Finch West LRT -- and what he'd change if he could. #ToPoli #OnPoli
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A year after it was removed from LCBO, $2M in U.S. booze is expiring | Globalnews.ca On March 4, 2025, in response to the first round of tariffs levied by U.S. President Donald Trump, the premier banned American booze from the LCBO.

NEW: A year after Ontario Premier Doug Ford ordered the LCBO to remove all products made in the United States, the government says roughly $2 million worth of booze has gone to waste. #Onpoli
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One of several basket weaving banners and placards on display at the student protests today at Queen's Park. #Onpoli

Police make 2 arrests during Toronto protest over OSAP changes | Globalnews.ca Students are planning a 'hands off our education' rally at Queen's Park in Toronto, beginning around 12 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4.

Update: police clarify it is two arrests and they relate to mischief, assaulting a police officer and obstructing police. No other details. globalnews.ca/news/1171470...

Police make ‘several’ arrests during Toronto protest over OSAP changes | Globalnews.ca Students are planning a 'hands off our education' rally at Queen's Park in Toronto, beginning around 12 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4.

NEW: Police say they made “several” arrests at the tail end of a raucous protest at the Ontario legislature, where hundreds of students were protesting the Ford government’s sweeping changes to OSAP. #OnPoli
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Ford government names advisers for potential EQAO test overhaul | Globalnews.ca Education Minister Paul Calandra released testing data at the end of last year after sitting on it for weeks to consider scores he acknowledged were 'not good enough.'

NEW: Ontario’s education minister has appointed members of a new expert panel who will advise him on whether standard testing is working in the province and how it may need to be changed. #OnPoli
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A view from above of the hundreds of students rallying on the lawns of Queen's Park this afternoon to protest the government's increase in tuition fees and move to substantially reduce the grants available through OSAP. #Onpoli

‪Stream of students still heading up to the legislature from TMU, U of T and the subway ‬

Happening now: Students arriving at Queen’s Park for a “Hands Off Our Education” protest against OSAP changes and tuition fee increases. #OnPoli

Oh very much

Thanks to the LCBO's FOI office for choosing not to redact this lovely stock image of cocktails in their U.S. alcohol briefing for the government.

All the other info? That could somehow harm Ontario's economy if released. #Onpoli

Toronto convention centre could be piece of Ontario Place puzzle, Ford hints | Globalnews.ca The premier has hinted he would like to rebuild Toronto's convention centre near Ontario Place, perhaps on the grounds of Exhibition Place.

NEW: Premier Doug Ford is hinting that his idea for a brand new Toronto convention centre will be located near Ontario Place, promising an announcement once he has coordinated with other levels of government. #OnPoli
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Final plans taking shape as Toronto’s 1st FIFA World Cup match approaches - Toronto | Globalnews.ca With 100 days to go until its first FIFA World Cup game, Toronto is focused on the needs for transit and services for tens of thousands of soccer fans.

NEW: It's just 100 days away.

Canada's World Cup opener versus maybe Italy is closing in. City will release it's traffic plan this month. Expect parking restrictions, construction pauses and potential highway ramp closures. #ToPoli globalnews.ca/news/1171356...

Moving metrics: How the Ford government pulled back reporting its successes and failures | Globalnews.ca Targets, such as opening dates for transit lines and GHG emissions, have been removed from scrutiny, while a housing tracker set up a few years ago displays data from 2024.

You can read our full story on how the government's transparency and reporting appear to have evolved here 👇
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Ford government stops reports summarizing child welfare network deaths | Globalnews.ca The government said the 'information continues to be tracked in real time,' but appears to have ended reports summarizing trends and broader patterns.

From 2020, government staff created data roll ups summarizing the total number of deaths associated with the care network.

In 2024 (after we started reporting on them) those reports stopped. The government claims the process hasn't changed. #onpoli globalnews.ca/news/1169038...

Ford government sitting on housing start data for months, internal docs suggest | Globalnews.ca For the past two years, the Ford government has set targets for new homes in towns and cities around Ontario, promising them extra cash if they meet those goals.

After setting a goal of 1.5M homes by 2031, the government changed the definition of housing to include LTC beds, student dorms.

It set up a tracker to show its progress. And then stopped updating it regularly, sitting on the info for months. #OnPoli
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'Why hide the data?': Hallway health-care metric to be 'retired' Metric not included in latest Ontario Health annual report, with one emergency physician calling it ‘utter malpractice’ to not release the data publicly

Annual reports from Ontario Health used to track the number of patients treated in hallways. Then, the agency said it would "retire" the tracking measure from future reports. #onpoli

First reported by The Trillium #Onpoli
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Ontario Line opening date uncertain, construction to be finished in ‘early 2030s’ | Globalnews.ca The Ford government has broken ground on four stations and an elevated guideway for its signature Ontario Line subway, which could be finished sometime in the early 2030s.

Once upon a time, Metrolinx listed opening dates for its projects. Finch West LRT was due in 2023, Hurontario LRT in 2024.

Neither project hit those dates, and now the Ontario Line will be finished sometime in the "early 2030s" #OnPoli
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Ford government scrapping its own emissions targets and reporting requirements | Globalnews.ca Buried in the Fall Economic Statement on Thursday was the news that the government would be repealing sections of existing legislation.

Last year, as it looked like it would not be able to hit its emissions targets, the Ford government passed legislation to eliminate them. It is no longer required to set targets or track progress toward them. #Onpoli
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📈📊: Ontario appears to have pulled back on sharing data. That's an idea we put to the premier's office, which told us:

"To imply the government has reduced or removed process measures is factually incorrect and misleading to your readers.”

Here are the examples #OnPoli

Ring of Fire roads to be complete by 2031, ahead of schedule: Ford | Globalnews.ca Premier Doug Ford said construction will begin in June and finish several years ahead of schedule, though the province had never said when it had hoped to complete road.

Construction on the roads to the Ring of Fire in northern Ontario should start this year and be completed by 2031, the province announced Monday about a project that has divided several First Nations. #OnPoli
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Ontario Premier Doug Ford names new chief of staff | Globalnews.ca A statement issued by the premier's office confirmed that principal secretary Travis Kann will take on the top job, with current chief Patrick Sackville set to step aside.

NEW: Ontario Premier Doug Ford has shuffled his top team of advisors, naming a new chief of staff in his office before the return of the legislature. #ONPoli
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Ontario teacher, education worker unions call for contract talks to start early | Globalnews.ca Contracts for Ontario's teachers and education workers expire this summer and their union leaders are calling on the education minister to start the bargaining process early.

Contracts for Ontario’s teachers and education workers expire at the end of this summer and their union leaders are calling on the education minister to start the bargaining process early. #OnPoli
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Ontario, N.S. sign agreement to sell alcohol across provincial borders | Globalnews.ca The new deal flows from a broader framework agreed to by several provinces last year to try to reduce or do away with internal Canadian trade barriers altogether.

NEW: Ontario and Nova Scotia have signed an agreement that will let residents in both provinces buy alcohol directly from local producers in either jurisdiction. #onpoli
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