Ford Calls Jet Purchase a 'Mistake' — But the Damage May Already Be Done
For Ottawa residents watching Queen's Park from afar, the optics couldn't be worse: Premier Doug Ford signed off on a $28.9 million Challenger 650 private jet for the provincial government, then turned around and called it a mistake — all while Ontario families are still struggling with the cost of living.
Now, members of his own Progressive Conservative party are sounding the alarm, with some privately (and not so privately) worried that the jet scandal could be the beginning of Ford's political undoing.
What Happened
The province quietly purchased the Challenger 650 aircraft, a luxury business jet typically favoured by corporations and heads of state. When the purchase came to light, Ford acknowledged it was poorly timed — a rare moment of self-criticism from a premier known for his blunt, everyman persona.
"It was a mistake," Ford said, recognizing that the optics of buying a multimillion-dollar jet land badly when grocery bills are still squeezing Ontario households and housing remains unaffordable for many.
But saying sorry doesn't always make the headlines go away, and PC insiders are concerned this one has legs.
Party Insiders Are Nervous
Progressive Conservative sources have told Global News that the jet purchase is more than a one-day story — it cuts directly against the brand Ford has spent years building: the guy who gets regular people, who shops at Costco, who talks about keeping costs down for the little guy.
Spending nearly $29 million on a government jet — even if there are operational justifications — is a hard thing to defend when your government is under constant pressure on affordability. Several PC members worry the image damage could compound if the party stumbles on other files heading into the next election cycle.
"This is the kind of thing that defines a politician in voters' minds," one party source noted. "It becomes shorthand for something bigger."
The Timing Problem
What makes this particularly sticky for Ford isn't just the dollar figure — it's the moment. Canadians from Ottawa to Thunder Bay are watching their budgets carefully. Inflation may have cooled from its peak, but the cumulative price increases on food, rent, and gas haven't gone away. For a premier who built his brand on being the anti-elitist, a luxury jet purchase at this moment reads as profoundly tone-deaf.
Opposition parties have wasted no time piling on, calling the purchase an example of a government that has lost touch with the people it governs.
What Comes Next
Ford insists the matter is settled — he called it a mistake, and he's moved on. But if PC insiders are right, the story could stick in a way that other controversies haven't. The next provincial election will eventually come, and Ontarians — including the hundreds of thousands in Ottawa and the surrounding region — will be taking stock of what this government stands for.
For now, the jet is a symbol the opposition will keep flying for as long as it stays airborne in the public conversation.
Source: Global News Ottawa
