Ford says he'll end 'unfair' insurance premiums based on Ontario postal codes
Ontario drivers could soon see the end of "unfair" insurance policies with premiums based on postal codes, Premier Doug Ford said Thursday.
The Ford government has been implementing driver-friendly policies lately by cancelling licence plate renewal fees, removing some tolls from highways and cutting the gas tax.
But there is another common complaint the government appears ready to tackle – postal code discrimination, and many drivers are upset their premiums could go up based on where they live, even if they have a clean driving record with no accidents or tickets.
At a Thursday press conference, Premier Doug Ford appeared ready to take on the issue, calling insurance premiums based on where you live “unfair” and saying they could be coming to an end.
"I know we’re working on a plan for insurance companies, as far as I’m concerned, that’s totally unfair for the people of Brampton, of Scarborough, they're going after these people based on their postal code,” he said at a press conference.
“That’s going to come to an end real quick. They have to treat people fairly.”
Matt Hands, director of insurance with RateHub, an insurance comparison website, told CTV News Toronto it “doesn’t make sense that someone with a clean driving record has to pay more because they live in a certain area.”
He said changing the insurance system will take time and he believes if people paying higher rates get an insurance decrease, other drivers may see their rates go up.
"They are going to have to spread the risk so it might mean that people who have been paying a lower rate in say London or Ottawa might see an increase to help offset the decreases in the other areas because insurance is all about balancing the risk,” he said.
In the provincial budget released in April the Ford government also said it plans to crack down on insurance fraud, create more choices for consumers and enhance fairness in the system.
While the premier said insurance reform is coming, there's no timeline as to when it could happen. Still, after years of talking about it, substantial changes could be coming to the province's insurance system.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.