Ford government asks Toronto to have new subway cars built in Thunder Bay amid Trump tariffs
The Ford government is putting some pressure on the city to ensure new, sorely needed subway cars for Line 2 are built in Thunder Bay.
In a letter to Mayor Olivia Chow viewed by the Star, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria is asking the city — in the face of the economic uncertainty caused by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs — to 'recognize this historic opportunity and consider a sole-source procurement with Alstom, which would support Ontario workers in Thunder Bay and across our province.'
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Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Does the EV Industry Have a Truck Problem?
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Toronto Star
20 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Doug Ford won't be the only one feeling the heat this summer
Ontario's long, hot summer of 2025 just got hotter. And longer. Not just for Doug Ford. The premier's political rivals will also be facing the heat, each in their own way. MPPs headed home this week with a surprise: Ford's Tories told them to stay away until Oct. 20. That's a sweet summer break lasting nearly 20 weeks for provincial politicians who sat in their legislative seats for only six weeks this year. Another seven weeks of work awaits them upon their return, after which they're back home for the Christmas break. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Total time at work in the legislature: 13 weeks out of 52 for the whole year. The ready excuse? Ford's Tories argue they've produced so much 'ambitious' legislation to date that they need more time to recharge. The real explanation? The premier has provoked so much antagonism to his controversial plan for 'special economic zones' — a new law to dilute old laws — that he's better off lying low. Ford's mishandling of the issue sparked warnings from Indigenous leaders that protests will flare over the summer. Away from the daily question period in the legislature, Ford can talk about standing up to Donald Trump instead of taking questions about trampling on rights of First Nations. All that said, if tensions rise, it could complicate Ford's plans to host his fellow premiers in Muskoka at their annual summit meeting in mid-July. Instead of the usual banter, there could be blockades pitting protesters against politicians — and cottagers. Ford won't be the only one on the firing line. Any highway blockades would also put Ontario's opposition leaders on the spot, forcing them to pick a lane — or, more precisely, restate their stance when the stakes are high. New Democratic Party Leader Marit Stiles and Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, choosing their words carefully, have said they won't side with civil disobedience on the highways. Not when motorists are fuming under the baking sun. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW As Ontario's populist premier has noted, blockades rarely win public support. Either way, Ford will spend much of the summer watching his rivals face the heat while he cools off at his cottage. With or without the drumbeat of First Nations protests, both Stiles and Crombie will be facing the music in leadership reviews mandated by their parties after every election. New Democrats will meet on Sept. 20 in Niagara Falls — Canada's honeymoon capital — to vote on the post-honeymoon future of Stiles after the Feb. 27 loss to Ford. Despite losing seats and stature in the election — her party stumbled and tumbled in the popular vote — Stiles seems sure to prevail. Most activists understand their party was predestined to decline in an election called early by Ford to capitalize on anti-American animus. Provincially as federally, New Democrats suffered from a political squeeze play as polarized voters opted for a binary choice between Tories and Liberals to cope with economic uncertainty. In the aftermath, the NDP fell from a competitive 23.7 per cent of the popular vote in the 2022 election to a dismal 18.6 per cent this time. The only saving grace was the final seat count. While New Democrats dropped to 27 seats from 31, the Liberals came third with only 14 seats — despite winning a far higher 30 per cent of the popular vote (up from 23.9 per cent in 2022). For Crombie, the failure to win her own riding — or any seats — in her home base of Mississauga, where she once served as mayor, proved an embarrassment. In truth, Stiles was dragged down by the declining fortunes of the federal NDP under former leader Jagmeet Singh. So too, Crombie was lifted up by the remarkable popularity of Carney's federal Liberals. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW While federal-provincial crossover is a constant in Ontario politics, Crombie's Mississauga shutout leaves her with a lot of explaining to do. Now, she too faces a party leadership review in September — and a long, hot summer of reaching out to provincial Liberals who are wondering who does what next. Yet her future depends less on past performance than on future prospects. The problem for both Stiles and Crombie is that if another election were held now, Ford would do even better. A key difference is that Crombie's Liberals are positioned to fare better than the New Democrats under Stiles. The latest Leger poll shows Ford's Tories preferred by 45 per cent of respondents (up from 43 per cent in the February vote). That compares to 32 per cent for the Liberals (up from 30 per cent), versus 15 per cent for the NDP (down from 18.6 per cent in the election). You can do the math. Crombie's Liberals are more than twice as popular as the New Democrats, and Ford's Tories are precisely three times more popular. Which explains why Ford will be sitting pretty this summer while Stiles and Crombie will be stuck in their respective hot seats, looking over their shoulders. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? 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CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Toronto receives $67M from province for meeting housing targets
Video Premier Doug Ford presented Mayor Olivia Chow with a $67M cheque as part of Ontario's Building Faster Fund, rewarding Toronto for surpassing 80 per cent of its housing goal.
