The 5 Priorities That Will Dominate the Fall Legislature Session
Along with cold weather, turkey dinners and beautiful scenery, the fall also heralds the return of Ontario policymakers to Queen’s Park. A lot has happened over the summer –tariffs continue to cause damage to jobs and the local economy, with some signs of renewed momentum around a trade deal, school boards find themselves fully under the microscope, and the government is slamming the brakes on speed cameras. Summer is over. Queen’s Park is back, and five big priorities are on the Ford Government’s fall to-do list.
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More tariff relief measures
Despite a friendlier approach to the Trump Administration by the Carney Government in recent weeks, there has been no respite on the damage that the tariff war is dealing to Canada’s steel, aluminum, auto and manufacturing sectors. Ford has taken a hardline approach on companies shifting production to the US by calling them out and even threatening their market access in the province. Look for the Ford Government to promote and enhance programs to assist wounded companies and support affected workers.
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Buy Ontario to Protect Ontario
The Ford Government’s upcoming Buy Ontario bill is a direct response to tariffs. Premier Ford is doubling down on keeping things local and making sure taxpayer dollars directly benefit Ontarians. The idea is simple: if the province or your city is a product or service, it should come from Ontario whenever possible. It’s a clear message from Queen’s Park to all governments and government agencies: support local jobs, boost homegrown industries, and stop sending money across the border. While the trade-off may limit competition and drive up costs, this measure will be welcomed by many Ontarians who will largely say it is long, long overdue.
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Education Oversight
Bill 33 is the Ford Government’s latest move to tighten the screws on Ontario’s education system. After years of headlines about school board dysfunction, this Bill sends a clear message: get the focus back to the classroom and away from political activism. From shining the light on trustees’ expenses, cleaning up admissions practices and giving the Ombudsman more teeth, it is clear that the government wants to tighten oversight on all levels of education. It is part of a consistent Ford Government theme of customer service, accountability and cutting waste with little to no hesitation to clean house when school boards or agencies fail to deliver.
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Energy For Generations
The government’s big energy bill for the session was introduced right before the legislature adjourned for the summer. It is part of an ambitious energy strategy shift that sees energy primarily as an economic driver. The government is betting big on nuclear and enhancing hydrogen specifically to meet future demands, hold average energy prices down and open export markets for clean, cost-competitive electricity. Notably, Ontario will become the first jurisdiction in the G7 to begin construction of a grid-scale small modular reactor at its Darlington plant.
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Speed Cameras
Premier Ford and Transportation Minister Sarkaria announced pending legislation to ban speed cameras in Ontario due to widespread concerns that municipalities misused the Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) program. Originally intended to enhance road safety, ASE evolved into a revenue-generating tool that contradicted the province’s values of fairness and fiscal restraint. Many (generally large) municipalities sharply disagree with the Government’s view and will fight to keep speed cameras subject to higher, more consistent standards. The odds are long on a Ford Government reversal, however, given that the speed camera ban has been driven primarily by the Premier himself.
As Ontario’s lawmakers settle back into Queen’s Park, the fall session promises to be anything but quiet. Whether it’s shielding local industries from foreign pressure or pulling the plug on speed cameras deemed more lucrative than lawful, the message is clear: the Ford Government is gearing up to drive these five issues aggressively and it is not afraid of some turbulence along the way.