From private jets to $16,000 hotel bills, Ontario's spending scandals keep piling up
Noah Jarvis from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says Queen's Park politicians are cashing in while delivering less value than their U.S. counterparts.
Ontario's provincial politicians are taking home more than double the salary of their American counterparts, according to a new report from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF).
Noah Jarvis, the CTF's Ontario director, told Ezra Levant on Monday that the median Canadian provincial politician earned roughly $113,000 in 2025, compared to $45,000 for the median American state representative. The average Ontario MPP was paid $157,000 last year.
Jarvis said the disparity is difficult to justify, given that most Ontario residents are, on average, poorer than most Americans. He argued the data undercuts the claim that higher salaries attract more capable politicians.
Canada’s provincial politicians are raking in two times the cash as their American counterparts, but taxpayers aren’t seeing the benefits.
— Noah Jarvis (@noahrjarvis) July 16, 2026
Check out the CTF’s new report comparing politician pay for more details. pic.twitter.com/kTnBtBtriq
The report also highlights how Ontario MPPs unanimously passed legislation in 2025 to raise their own pay by 35 per cent while reinstating automatic annual increases. Jarvis said the bill cleared all three legislative readings in under 10 minutes, with support from the Progressive Conservatives, NDP, Liberals and Greens.
The pay hike comes amid a series of expense controversies at Queen's Park, including revelations that former tourism minister Stan Cho billed taxpayers roughly $16,000 for Toronto hotel stays despite living about 20 minutes from the legislature. Cho has since resigned and repaid the money.
Premier Doug Ford has faced separate criticism after it was revealed he purchased a private jet for government use without public disclosure, adding to concerns about spending culture within his government.
Jarvis said the pattern reflects a broader culture of taxpayer-funded excess at Queen's Park that has developed over decades, despite the Ford government's original promise to cut government waste.
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