Three Progressive Conservative MPPs representing Peel Region are facing criticism after billing Ontario taxpayers nearly $50,000 for hotel stays in downtown Toronto despite living within driving distance of Queen’s Park.
The expenses were claimed over the past two years by Brampton MPPs Charmaine Williams and Hardeep Singh Grewal, along with Mississauga MPP Nina Tangri. Together, the three politicians submitted approximately 30 accommodation claims for stays in Toronto.
Grewal recorded the highest total, charging $19,827.73 in hotel expenses. Williams claimed $16,151.70, while Tangri submitted expenses totalling $13,568.12.
Williams serves as Ontario’s Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, Tangri is the Associate Minister of Small Business, and Grewal is the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Transportation.
Their constituency offices are located between 36 and 45 kilometres from Queen’s Park. Under provincial expense rules, MPPs living within 50 kilometres of the legislature may claim accommodation only in special circumstances, such as severe weather or major transportation disruptions.
The expense reports indicated that special circumstances were cited for each stay. However, critics have questioned why the claims appeared regularly during the spring and fall periods when the Ontario legislature was sitting.
Interim Ontario Liberal Leader John Fraser said the policy was intended to cover exceptional situations and should not be treated as a routine accommodation allowance.
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles also criticized the spending and called on the Ford government to explain why ministers were staying in Toronto hotels at taxpayers’ expense instead of returning home.
The Premier’s Office defended the expense approval process, noting that the legislature is responsible for reviewing MPP expenses under its official guidelines. However, it also said any expenses that did not meet the intent of the rules would be repaid in full.
The Peel MPPs are not the only members of the Ford government facing questions over accommodation spending. Tourism Minister Stan Cho previously claimed more than $16,000 for Toronto hotel stays between 2023 and 2026. After initially offering to repay only part of the amount, Cho later announced that he would reimburse the full cost following public criticism.
An examination of available expense records found that similar hotel claims were not filed by GTA-area Liberal or NDP MPPs. Several other Progressive Conservative cabinet ministers also did not claim special-circumstance accommodation expenses.
The controversy has renewed calls for tighter oversight, greater transparency and clearer restrictions on when politicians living near Queen’s Park may charge taxpayers for hotel accommodations.
