The Ontario government purchased a $28.9 million pre-owned Bombardier Challenger 650 jet for Premier Doug Ford on Friday morning. Officials bought the plane to allow secure travel into the United States to lobby against a wave of escalating trade tariffs initiated by President Donald Trump.
The 2016-manufactured aircraft will operate out of Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. The Premier’s Office defended the expenditure by emphasizing the sheer geographic scale of the province. Officials also cited an increasing frequency of domestic Council of the Federation meetings. Opposition leaders immediately seized on the purchase, reviving the term “gravy plane” in direct contrast to the famous “stop the gravy train” catchphrase coined by Ford and his late brother, Rob Ford, according to a detailed report by CBC News.
The province operated a dedicated aviation fleet previously. They sold it completely in 2015. To mitigate public backlash, the provincial government compared the $28.9 million price tag with other Canadian administrations. Quebec recently spent $107 million on a fleet of three Challenger 650s. The federal administration spent $753 million on six new Global 6500 jets.
Provincial opposition condemned the move immediately. Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles and interim Liberal Leader John Fraser publicly blasted the acquisition. Stiles pointed to the crushing local cost of living. She noted groceries are up 30 percent and gas has surged 33 percent. She said the Premier should fly economy like the rest of the public. The province took formal possession of the aircraft today.