Ford government pushed looser rules for MPP hotel benefit it now plans to reverse

In the summer of 2024, as Progressive Conservative MPPs began charging taxpayers for hotel stays in downtown Toronto, members of the Ford government pushed quietly to update the expense rules for elected officials.

Specifically, members of the government were looking to expand the “special circumstances” category to go beyond extreme weather events and include night sittings at the Ontario legislature.

Elected MPPs are subject to a 50 km rule: anyone living within driving distance of Queen’s Park is not entitled to an accommodation benefit.

The only time they could bill taxpayers for a downtown Toronto hotel room was if the city was pummeled with a snowstorm so severe that it would impact their ability to travel.

Those expense categories are controlled by the Board of Internal Economy — a legislative body composed of members from all official parties along with the Speaker, which oversees financial affairs at Queen’s Park.

According to meeting minutes, accessed by Global News, Education Minister Paul Calandra and Government House Leader Steve Clark first raised the issue in May 2024 and tabled a motion to update the allowance.

Around the same time, some MPPs within the Progressive Conservative caucus, who live within the 50-km radius, began skipping the commute home and staying in Toronto hotels, charging Ontario taxpayers for the privilege.

In 2025, those claims took off.

Tourism Minister and Willowdale MPP Stan Cho charged $11,000 for downtown hotel rooms, Brampton East MPP Hardeep Grewal expensed $13,000, and Mississauga-Streetsville MPP Nina Tangri charged more than $8,500.

Then, in November 2025, Calandra and Clark raised the issue a second time at the Board of Internal Economy.

“Moved by Mr. Clark, seconded by Mr. Calandra, that Members who are ineligible for accommodations … be reimbursed for their actual cost of accommodation during days that the Assembly is authorized to sit until midnight,” the board’s documents read.

The motion was carried, allowing MPPs to use the “special circumstance“ designation to book a hotel room during a night sitting — when MPPs debate legislation until midnight to pass laws within a certain window. The regularity of those sittings is controlled by the government when they look to move legislation through quickly.

One month later, Minister Cho submitted more than $6,000 in hotel expenses — all of which were approved by the legislature.

As his government faced a wave of backlash, Premier Doug Ford told Global News he expected MPPs to pay back the funds, but also attempted to put the charges in context.

“It was a third-party; all three parties agreed to it,” Ford said. “We had late sittings, no excuse, they’re paying it back.”

NDP Leader Marit Stiles scoffed at the suggestion that government members would require special accommodation for night sittings and said most MPPs are always prepared for these situations.

“I had sheets in my office … I’ve slept on that couch a few times,” NDP Leader Stiles said. “And that’s what a lot of MPPs do if there’s a big night sitting.”

In an attempt to defuse the growing scandal, the Ford government announced it would look to change the rules that govern provincial MPPs by removing the “special category” designation.

In a letter to members of the board, Government House Leader Steve Clark said he would look to scrap the policy altogether, less than a year after pushing for the change.

Liberal MPP Stephanie Bowman, a member of the committee, said she would be willing to support the measure only if the PC party agreed to provide a full accounting of the hotel expenses.

“This was a policy that was ripe for abuse,” Bowman said. “There are lots of ways we can tighten up this policy and provide the necessary accommodation to Toronto-area MPPs in truly extraordinary circumstances.”

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.