QP Briefing has learned that Ontario’s Big City Mayors will publicly endorse mandatory treatment at their next meeting, scheduled to run from Aug. 16-19 in Ottawa.

Asked on Wednesday whether he had ever told Ford he would proceed with the expansion, Carney gave a one-word answer.

"No."

Scarborough Southwest has been vacant since February when Doly Begum, who held the riding provincially for the NDP, resigned to successfully run for the federal Liberals there.

Ontario’s lobbying registry drew a mix of familiar corporate heavyweights, politically connected consultants and more unexpected entrants over the past week, as organizations positioned themselves on files ranging from housing and health care to energy, artificial intelligence and even whale protection.