After nearly five months of quiet halls at Queen’s Park, Ontario’s political spotlight turns back on Monday as Premier Doug Ford’s government returns to the legislature amid mounting questions about a controversial worker retraining fund.
The house has been adjourned since June 5, when Ford’s government wrapped up a session marked by rushed mining legislation and promises of fresh consultations with First Nations. Since then, the premier has dominated headlines with a summer of attention-grabbing moments — from hosting fellow premiers and the prime minister at his Huntsville cottage to theatrically pouring out a bottle of Crown Royal whisky in protest over a bottling plant closure.
Ford used the summer to preview a new wave of populist proposals: a ban on animal testing for cats and dogs, the removal of urban speed cameras, and new rules to prioritize Ontario-made products in government procurement. Still on the table are major reforms to the education system that could eliminate school board trustees — a move that remains highly contentious.
When MPPs return to their desks, however, it’s the government’s pandemic-era Skills Development Fund that will dominate debate. The program, intended to upskill workers during high unemployment, has been sharply criticized by Ontario’s auditor general for lacking fairness, transparency, and accountability. The report found that most funded projects received low or medium assessment scores, while nearly 700 higher-scoring applications were rejected.
The audit also revealed that some low-rated applicants who had hired lobbyists still secured funding through the minister’s office — in some cases without any written explanation. The auditor warned such actions “can create an appearance of real or potential preferential treatment.”
Further investigations deepened the controversy. Global News reported that a company previously tied to Ontario’s troubled home care program received nearly $20 million in retraining funds for projects whose evaluation scores were never disclosed. The Toronto Star found that groups supportive of the Progressive Conservatives collectively received over $200 million, while The Trillium revealed that Ontario’s labour minister attended the wedding of a lobbyist whose clients were major fund recipients.
Opposition leaders are expected to press Ford hard on these revelations as unemployment rises to 7.9 percent, compounded by new U.S. tariffs and Stellantis’ decision to move 3,000 Brampton auto jobs to Illinois.
Meanwhile, Ford’s critics face their own leadership turbulence. Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie resigned following a bruising review after failing to win a seat in February’s election, leaving her party heading into its third leadership contest since 2018. NDP Leader Marit Stiles survived her review with stronger support, reshuffled her inner circle, and pledged to refocus her party’s message.
With the legislature scheduled to sit for seven weeks before the December recess, Ford’s government will need to navigate a packed agenda — and a political storm likely to grow louder with every question period.