Ontario Premier Doug Ford in the Ontario Legislature in Toronto on March 24.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is selling his private government jet just two days after the purchase was revealed publicly.
The preowned 2016 Challenger 650, made by Quebec company Bombardier Inc., cost $28.9-million. It was previously owned by a South American company. The purchase was finalized last week and revealed on Friday.
The decision to buy a jet for the Premier’s travel set off a wave of criticism across the political spectrum, with opposition members nicknaming it the gravy plane – a reference to the Toronto mayoral campaign slogan of Mr. Ford’s brother, the late Rob Ford, who pledged to stop the gravy train at city hall.
In a statement on Sunday, Mr. Ford said he had heard the public’s concerns.
“Despite the best of intentions, I have heard and agree that now is not the right time for the expense of a government plane. The province is working with Bombardier and other partners to sell the plane as quickly as possible,” he said.
“I will continue the work of building relationships with business and political leaders, both across Canada and in the United States, to fight tariffs, attract investments and create jobs for Ontario workers.”
On Friday, Mr. Ford’s office had defended the decision, saying the plane was necessary for “more certain, flexible, secure and confidential travel,” citing the Premier’s trips across the province as well as to meetings with fellow premiers and the Prime Minister. The purchase was first revealed by the Toronto Star.
Opposition parties at Queen’s Park said Sunday that Mr. Ford only decided to sell the jet after intense public backlash.
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles compared the reversal with Mr. Ford’s aborted decision to open up the protected Greenbelt land around the Greater Toronto Area to development, a move that has been under investigation by the RCMP since October, 2023.
“Doug Ford is turning the plane around mid-air for an emergency landing because he got caught living like a rockstar on your dime. Just like the Greenbelt: Ford only reverses when the heat gets too hot,” Ms. Stiles said Sunday in a post on X.
“The Premier’s buyer’s remorse isn’t good enough when it’s your money.”
Interim Ontario Liberal leader John Fraser said the jet could easily be sold at a loss and sit on the books as a liability for taxpayers for months.
“Doug Ford says now isn’t the right time? There’s never a right time to spend $28.9-million on a private jet,” Mr. Fraser said in a statement.
“How much is this going to cost Ontarians? We may never know.”
Mr. Ford also recently announced plans for the province to take over the City of Toronto’s stake in downtown’s Billy Bishop Airport, which he wants to expand to allow for jets.
The Ontario government’s decision to purchase an aircraft put it offside with many of its provincial counterparts, including Alberta and British Columbia, whose premiers fly on commercial airlines.
The Ontario government previously owned two King Air turboprop planes, but they have been sold.
Mr. Ford boasted in 2019 that he was the only Ontario Premier who hadn’t used the King Air.
Since then, Mr. Ford has taken to flying by private chartered jet, including on a recent trip to Texas. He said that trip was intended to shore up support for Ontario businesses and argue against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs. He is set to visit South Carolina in June and Utah in July to attend conferences with other premiers and meet with governors.
Mr. Ford is scheduled to attend a Canadian Chamber of Commerce business summit on Monday in Ottawa with the premiers of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Northwest Territories.