Ontario to Distribute $200 Checks to Taxpayers, Ford Government Announces $3 Billion Initiative
Ontario taxpayers can expect to receive $200 cheques in the mail early next year as part of a $3-billion initiative, Premier Doug Ford announced Tuesday. The premier insists the move is unrelated to speculation of a potential early election, though opposition leaders are skeptical.
The announcement by Premier Ford and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy came a day before Ontario’s fall economic statement, serving as a mini-budget. The plan will see $200 sent to every taxpayer who filed a 2023 tax return, with an additional $200 for each child.
“These $200 rebates will make a big difference for families across the province, with cheques arriving early in the new year,” Ford said. “It’s money families can use to pay off holiday expenses, buy winter gear for their kids, or help cover rising fuel costs impacted by the Liberal carbon tax.”
While Ford has stated he will not call an election this year, he has also refused to rule out an early election before the fixed date of June 2026. In response to speculation, Ford emphasized that this rebate is part of his government’s ongoing efforts to support Ontarians, alongside measures like transit fare cuts, gas tax reductions, and license plate fee rebates.
Ford also criticized opposition parties, claiming they would raise taxes. “The Liberals and NDP are basically the same party,” he said.
Opposition leaders, however, view the rebate as an election tactic. Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, who intends to donate her $200 to her party, described the plan as a “gimmick,” accusing Ford of “attempting to bribe Ontarians with their own money.”
New Democrat Leader Marit Stiles questioned the effectiveness of a one-time payment, arguing it does little to address Ontario’s affordability crisis. “A one-time payment right before an election isn’t going to solve the affordability crisis for Ontarians,” she said.
Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner criticized the lack of means-testing for the rebate, calling it “ridiculous” that high-income earners like Galen Weston will receive the payment while many Ontarians struggle with basic needs.
Ford defended the decision to distribute the cheques universally, stating, “They’re taxpayers, and these are tax dollars going back to them. Every single person in Ontario will receive it, with an additional $200 per child, because life’s too expensive right now.”
According to Ford and Bethlenfalvy, the province’s higher-than-expected revenues, partly due to inflation’s effect on provincial sales tax income, make the $3 billion in cheques feasible.
