Ontario spent record $112M on taxpayer-funded advertising, auditor finds

Ontario spent a record $112 million on taxpayer-funded advertising last year, with the province’s auditor saying 38 per cent of the campaigns were meant to leave people with a “positive impression” of Premier Doug Ford’s government and came ahead of the snap election. 

Auditor General Shelley Spence outlines the spending in her latest annual report, noting that it surpasses the previous record for government ad buys the year before by $8.4 million. The deep dive into the spending looks at the 2024-25 fiscal year, which includes the months leading up to the last provincial election that saw the Progressive Conservatives win a third-straight majority government.

“There tends to be a little bit more government advertising right before an election,” Spence said. “And this time was no different.”

The auditor flagged nine campaigns totaling $43 million — or 38 per cent of the province’s total ad budget — where the primary objective was to foster a "positive impression" of the government or where the government did not provide evidence to back up some of their claims.

Spence said the goal of all taxpayer-funded advertising should be to inform Ontarians. 

“When I look at value-for-money for those ads, we look at, is this telling me anything I didn't know as a person in Ontario,” she said.

“Some of the ads are quite promotional for the governing party. They aren't really providing really good, solid information to the citizens of Ontario.”

The auditor flagged concerns with multi-million dollar campaigns the government ran, such as its $19.1 million "It's Happening Here" advertisements and a "Highways and Infrastructure" campaign that cost nearly $8 million.

Spence said in the "It's Happening Here" campaign, the ad is designed to improve the impression Ontarians have of the current state of the province. The spots boast of higher wages and levels of employment in the province, "the subtext of which promotes the governing party," her report notes.

In the "Highways and Infrastructure" ads, Spence found that government claims the projects would reduce gridlock did not "provide context or evidence" to back up their claims. She said the campaign was meant to foster a positive impression of the government.

Environment Minister Todd McCarthy defended the province’s advertising spend, saying it was needed to inform Ontarians and, in some instances, push back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff plans.

“That's important to have that educational piece and then to tell our story globally,” he said. “To the United States, we've educated the American public with our ads. That influences lawmakers. It influences the citizens, our friends, our allies in the United States, south of the border.”

NDP Leader Marit Stiles called the ad spending “taxpayer-funded propaganda” and questioned the Ford government’s priorities.

“These are taxpayer dollars,” Stiles said. “These are your hard-earned dollars spent on making Doug Ford look good while your life just gets harder.”