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
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
NEW 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire': A crowd pleaser that turns it up to 11
Hot on the heels of last year's 'Godzilla Minus One' comes 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,' the first ever Academy Award winner in the giant reptile's decades-long film career.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.