Calls mount to change Ontario licence plate sticker refund after big cheques issued
Calls are mounting to change Ontario’s licence plate sticker refund program in the wake of a CTV News investigation that showed millions in licence sticker refunds went to people with apparently deep pockets — including one $38,000 cheque.
Most Ontario drivers received less than $1,000 — but thousands of cheques worth millions of dollars went to drivers who had registered more than five cars, the investigation showed — a sign that the government should rethink the rebate and the cancelled fees going forward, said Green Party leader Mike Schriener.
“It’s outrageous at a time when we’re in a climate emergency that the government would be spending millions disproportionately subsidizing wealthy drivers,” said Green Party leader Mike Schreiner, pointing out that he voted against the subsidy when it was proposed.
“It was an election ploy all along, costing the treasury $2.4 billion that would be better spent on health-care … I have argued all along this money would be better spent making sure we could keep our emergency rooms open rather than a handout to the wealthy,” he said.
The government has defended the program, saying more than 99 per cent of the cheques went to people receiving less than $1,200.
“The purpose of the program was to deal with the rising cost of living that so many of us are dealing with,” said Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney at a press conference in Hamilton on Friday.
“The vast majority of Ontarians received a refund of under $1,200. Obviously, there are rare cases of people who have a large number of cars, but we are very pleased that we’ve been able to put so much money back in people’s pockets to help them when they need it most.”
The program, part of a suite designed to help Ontarians after a COVID-19 pandemic and enacted by the P-C government before the 2022 election, provided small cheques adding up to more than $2 billion.
While rates change by location and by type of vehicle, a typical passenger vehicle in Southern Ontario would have cost $120 each year to register. The refund covered two years of fees.
Just under 7 million drivers got $1,100 or less. When divided into $100 increments, the biggest group – 1.87 million people – got between $200 and $300.
But about 21,000 people were refunded more than $1,200 – the equivalent of registering about five cars – for a total of $32 million in that category, the data shows.
This still doesn’t come close to the highest refunds, which were in the tens of thousands of dollars. One person received $16,020.50, another received $19,096.50, and the largest refund was $38,779.50 — the equivalent of about 160 cars.
Ontario Liberal MPP Stephen Blais told CTV News he was surprised to see cheques that big.
“I was taken aback by some of the numbers,” he said. “In our home we got $700-800. We probably paid bills and went out for dinner. I don’t think it had an enormous impact on kick-starting the economy. It’s questionable whether that kind of intervention in the economy was needed in the first place. The billions it cost could have been better spent supporting our kids in schools or in emergency rooms.”
A map of where the funds ended up painted a picture of money heading largely to the vote-rich car-driving suburbs in Southern Ontario that propelled the Ford government to a majority. Northern Ontario gets less, in part because the typical passenger vehicle licence fee there would be about $60.
University of Toronto geography professor Matti Siemiatycki told CTV News that the refund policy fits in with the cancellation of some tolls and a gas tax cut — while avoiding benefits for non-drivers such as subsidized transit passes — as a sign that the benefits did filter through to people likely to be supporters.
“These policies have been so targeted at drivers and motorists as key parts of the electoral base of this government and critical to their coalition,” he said.
It would have been simple to find a way to design this program and avoid paying large cheques to people with many vehicles, he said.
“You could have the payouts decrease based on the number of vehicles you have,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.