The Ontario government has confirmed it has purchased a used Challenger 650 jet to support the premier’s travel across the province, Canada, and the United States.
In a statement from the Premier’s Office, officials said the decision was driven by the scale of travel required for the role and the need for secure, flexible transportation.
“As part of the job of being Premier of Ontario, there is extensive travel within Ontario, a province twice the landmass of Texas,” the statement reads.
“This is in addition to travel across Canada for Council of the Federation and First Ministers’ Meetings, which have increased in frequency, as well as travel to the United States to help make the case against President [Donald] Trump’s tariffs.”
The province purchased a pre‑owned, 2016-made-in-Canada Challenger 650 for $28.9 million. The Premier’s Office emphasized that the cost is significantly lower than what other governments have paid for similar aircraft, noting that Quebec spent $107 million on a fleet that included one used and two new Challenger 650s, while the federal government paid $753 million for six new Global 6500 jets.
Ford’s jet will operate out of Toronto Pearson International Airport, the Premier’s office confirmed.
‘Ridiculous’: Ontario politicians react to jet purchase
According to the statement, the government sought an aircraft that would provide more predictable scheduling, greater flexibility for rapid travel, enhanced security and confidentiality for sensitive government business.
Toronto councillor Josh Matlow (Toronto-St. Paul’s) was critical of the province’s purchase, saying, “Ontario deserves better than this.”
“Doug Ford is spending 29 million tax dollars to buy himself a private jet. And another several billion tax dollars to expand a massive concrete runway, and build a huge blast wall, on the lake- all to bring another Pearson to our waterfront where Doug can land his new ride,” Matlow wrote on X. “All paid for by you.”
Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles, a frequent critic of the Ford government, called the move “ridiculous.”
“While Ford puts his hands in the taxpayer’s pocket to buy himself a private jet and build luxury spas, families are struggling to buy groceries,” Stiles said in a statement. “Ford ran on a promise to stop the gravy train only to spend millions of taxpayer dollars on his gravy plane.”
“At a time when people can’t afford to buy groceries or gas, Doug Ford is buying himself a private jet,” said interim Liberal leader John Fraser.
“It doesn’t get much more out of touch than that, and I guess the gravy train just wasn’t enough, now he’s got to get a gravy plane.”‘
Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner demanded Ford backtrack on the purchase.
“This government’s priorities are so out of touch with the lives of everyday people,” he said. “Time and time again, he puts himself and his wealthy friends first, and the people of Ontario last.”
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has also demanded Ford reverse his decision to buy the plane.
“It is completely unacceptable Ford is billing taxpayers for a private jet so he can fly around the province in luxury,” said Noah Jarvis, the Ontario director of the federation, in a statement.
“Especially when this government is borrowing billions of dollars this year and wasting more than a billion dollars a month on debt interest charges.”
Ford’s fickle fear of flying
In 2019, Ford brushed off the idea of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a plane. Instead, he wanted a customized van to roam the province in, which led to its own controversy.
Former New Democrat Taras Natyshak needled Ford over the van, which he dubbed a “souped-up man cave on wheels” and the “pleasure wagon.”
“Can the premier explain how equipping a van with a mini fridge, a 32-inch television with a Blu-ray player and a leather power-reclining sofa is a cost-cutting measure for the taxpayers of Ontario?” Natyshak asked Ford during question period on Feb. 27, 2019.
“Through you, Mr. Speaker, I know it’s important to the opposition to talk about a van, but let me tell you something about that,” Ford responded.
“Mr. Speaker, I requested a used van that is one-third the cost of the regular suburban. I’m the only premier in history that refuses to use the premier’s plane, the King Air, that costs the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. I prefer to drive around and talk to the people about things that matter.”
Ford has chartered flights to the United States in the past when on trips to promote Ontario and he often flies within the province on smaller OPP planes.
The premier is a notoriously fickle flyer with an intense fear of air travel.
Ford has said that’s the reason he has yet to visit the First Nations near Ontario’s mineral-rich Ring of Fire region.
Webequie First Nation and Marten Falls First Nation have both partnered with the province on building a road to a proposed mining area in the Ring of Fire that will also connect the fly-in communities to the provincial highway system farther south.
Ford spoke about his flying fears at several press conferences with those First Nations, explaining his inability to visit was partially due to his concerns about prop planes.
“You hit wind turbulence, and you’re — at least my heart — it just drops, and you drop 100 feet, and you’re holding on for dear life,” he said in late October.
“And why do we have to do single prop? Because jets can’t fly in.”
A month later, Ford said of single-propeller planes: “I’m terrified when I go on those things.”
The Challenger 650 — manufactured in Canada — is commonly used by governments and corporate fleets for medium‑range travel. Ontario previously operated government aircraft but sold off its fleet in 2015.
Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report