If you follow politics at Queen’s Park, you’ve likely heard of Ontario’s multi-billion-dollar Skills Development Fund (SDF) — a flagship initiative of the Ford government that awards taxpayer money to companies and organizations offering training and job-readiness programs. Premier Doug Ford has repeatedly praised it as “the best investment we’ve ever done in the province.”
But in recent weeks, the SDF has been at the centre of a growing political storm — largely because of investigative work by The Trillium, Village Media’s bureau at Queen’s Park. Their reporting has uncovered that several SDF recipients have close ties to the Ford government through political donations or high-profile lobbyists, raising urgent questions about transparency and accountability.
Much of this work has depended on freedom of information (FOI) requests — a tool that allows journalists to obtain internal government documents, emails, and records. While essential for holding government to account, FOIs can be costly. The Trillium recently filed five new FOI requests seeking detailed SDF-related information, only to receive a combined fee estimate of nearly $12,000 from the ministry.
To continue digging into how public money is being spent — and whether political connections are influencing funding decisions — The Trillium is launching a public crowdfunding campaign. The goal is to enlist support from readers who believe in independent journalism that doesn’t shy away from powerful institutions.
Editor-in-chief Jessica Smith Cross joined the Closer Look podcast to discuss the funding drive and provide the latest updates on the developing SDF controversy. The conversation highlights why this reporting matters and how community support can help uncover the full story.
Listeners can learn more about the campaign and contribute through the links provided. Closer Look — hosted by Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith and produced by Derek Turner — airs every weekday at 7 p.m., offering deeper context and insightful interviews beyond the day’s headlines. Episodes are available in your local news feed, on closerlookpodcast.ca, and on all major podcast platforms.
Anyone who wants updates can subscribe to the nightly newsletter or follow along on YouTube, X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Feedback and tips are welcome at closerlook@villagemedia.ca.