In the summer of 2024, as Progressive Conservative MPPs began charging taxpayers for hotel stays in downtown Toronto, members of Ford’s government quietly pushed to update spending rules for elected officials.
Specifically, government members were seeking to expand the category of “special circumstances” to go beyond extreme weather events and include night sittings of the Ontario legislature.
Elected MPPs are subject to a 50km rule: anyone living within driving distance of Queen’s Park is not eligible for an accommodation benefit.
The only time they could bill taxpayers for a hotel room in downtown Toronto was if the city was hit by a snowstorm severe enough to affect their ability to travel.
These categories of expenditure are controlled by the Board of Home Economics – a legislative body made up of members from all official parties together with the Speaker, who oversees financial matters at Queen’s Park.
According to the minutes of the meeting, accessed by Global News, Education Minister Paul Calandra and Head of Government House Steve Clark first raised the issue in May 2024 and tabled a motion to update the addendum.
Around the same time, some MPPs within the Progressive Conservative caucus who live within 50 km began skipping the commute home and staying in Toronto hotels, charging Ontario taxpayers for the privilege.
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In 2025, these claims were removed.
Tourism Minister and Willowdale MPP Stan Cho charged $11,000 for downtown hotel rooms, Brampton East MPP Hardeep Grewal spent $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 with the Home Economics Board.
“Moved by Mr. Clark, seconded by Mr. Calandra, that members who are not eligible for lodging … be reimbursed for their actual cost of lodging during the days the Assembly is authorized to stay until midnight,” the board documents read.
The motion passed, allowing MPPs to use the “special circumstances” designation to book a hotel room during an overnight stay — when MPPs debate legislation until midnight to pass laws within a certain window. The regularity of these sessions is controlled by the government as they seek to pass legislation quickly.
A month later, Minister Cho presented 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 the funds, but also tried to put the allegations in context.
“It was a third party; all three parties agreed to it,” Ford said. “We had late sessions, no excuse, they’re taking it back.”
NDP leader Marit Stiles scoffed at the suggestion that government members would seek special accommodation for night sessions 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 sitting night.”
In an effort to defuse the growing scandal, the Ford government announced it would seek to change the rules governing provincial MPPs by removing the “special category” designation.
In a letter to board members, House of Commons 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 only be willing to support the measure if the PC party agreed to provide a full accounting of the hotel’s expenses.
“This was a policy that was ripe for abuse,” Bowman said. “There are many ways we can strengthen this policy and provide needed accommodation to Toronto-area MPPs in truly exceptional circumstances.”
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
