Editor's note: You might notice something in our stories isn't popping like you're used to. QP Briefing is ending its style of bolding people's names as we and our pals at <a href="https://ipolitics.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iPolitics</a> work toward giving our subscribers a more consistent news-reading experience. Questions or comments? Email jscross@torstar.ca.
<h3>Headlines</h3>
Combining funding, fee rebates and tax cuts, Premier Doug Ford's government has promised at least $10.9 billion in a pre-election spending blitz, according to a tally <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-election-doug-ford-pc-party-promises-cost-1.6423524" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by CBC News</a>, and its upcoming budget could add a lot more.
Masks could be sticking around in long-term care homes, hospitals and other high-risk settings past the current April 27 deadline, according to Health Minister Christine Elliott's comments on Tuesday, that the <a href="https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/ontario-reports-1486-people-in-hospital-with-covid">Toronto Sun reported</a>.
Ford's government quietly canned parts of its once-in-a-generation overhaul of the province's curbside-recycling system, trashing several controversial parts of its plan, <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2022/04/19/ontario-quietly-bins-some-parts-of-its-blue-box-recycling-overhaul.html">the Toronto Star reports.</a>
In case you missed it:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2022/04/19/emails-show-fords-office-wanted-to-take-harsher-public-tone-with-epidemiologist-critic/">Emails show Ford’s office wanted to take harsher public tone with epidemiologist critic</a></li>
<li class="entry-title"><a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2022/04/19/ontario-liberals-promise-handgun-ban-but-need-team-trudeaus-help/">Ontario Liberals promise handgun ban — but need Team Trudeau’s help</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2022/04/19/in-brief-province-awards-25-year-contract-for-go-rail-expansion-project/">In brief: Province awards 25-year contract for GO Rail Expansion project</a></li>
</ul>
In other news:
A re-elected Progressive Conservative government will raise compensation for workers injured on the job, Labour Minister Monte McNaughton will announce today, <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/2022/04/20/ontario-pcs-intend-to-raise-injured-workers-compensation-if-re-elected.html">the Star reports</a>.
Pat King, perhaps the most notorious of the organizers of the so-called "Freedom Convoy," was given three new charges by an Ottawa judge on Tuesday: three counts apiece of perjury and obstruction of justice, <a href="https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/freedom-convoy-leader-pat-king-charged-with-perjury-obstruction-of-justice-1.5867415">CTV News reports</a>.
The number of patients in Ontario's hospitals and ICUs with COVID-19 continued slowly increasing on Tuesday, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/covid-19-ontario-april-19-2022-1.6423193">CBC reported</a>. There were 1,486 people hospitalized with the virus, and 206 in ICU with it, including 64 per cent who required intensive care due as a result of COVID.
Toronto's school board is investigating a teacher who was sidelined for sending an inflammatory email to students that threatened "detentions and other consequences" for not wearing a mask, <a href="https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/toronto-teacher-under-investigation-for-hostile-mask-email">the Sun reported.</a>
Meanwhile, our federal government's mask mandate on planes is sticking around even after the U.S.'s law was struck down by a Florida judge, <a href="https://ottawacitizen.com/news/canada/canada-to-keep-mask-mandate-for-travellers-after-judge-strikes-down-u-s-rule/wcm/e49c5e6b-b8c6-467e-9a3c-7bdf8428ac8d">Reuters reports</a>.
Your (possibly unmasked) Uber will be arriving on Friday, though. <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/uber-ending-mask-mandate-1.6424162">CBC has more</a> on its policy change.
To our latest recurring topic of doom and gloom: home ownership. A market research firm's new report found Toronto's squeezed rental market has returned to a similar state as pre-pandemic, as <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/04/19/toronto-condo-rental-prices-soar-key-vacancy-rate-drops-as-pandemic-recovery-picks-up-speed.html">the Star reported on</a>.
<a href="https://mikepmoffatt.medium.com/supply-demand-and-southern-ontarios-housing-market-70d73cfcd10e">Economist Mike Moffatt</a>, an informal housing adviser to many-a-government, explains the problems with southern Ontario's market by focusing on London-St. Thomas' huge price surge.
Federal Conservative leadership front-runner Pierre Poilievre held one of his signature rallies in Toronto on Tuesday and housing was No. 1 on his agenda, <a href="https://www.ipolitics.ca/news/poilievre-takes-his-housing-pitch-to-toronto">as iPolitics reported</a>.
A York cop was charged for allegedly fabricating evidence during a traffic stop, <a href="https://www.cp24.com/news/yrp-officer-facing-criminal-charges-for-allegedly-fabricating-evidence-during-traffic-stop-1.5867432">CP24 reports</a>.
<a href="https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/itineraries/2022/04/19/prime-ministers-itinerary-wednesday-april-20-2022">Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is bouncing</a> around the Waterloo region Wednesday to promote his government's 2022 budget.
About 100 workers at Toronto's Union Station, the city's transit hub, have gone on strike, meaning delays should be expected, <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/04/20/strike-could-cause-service-disruptions-at-torontos-union-station.html">the Star reports</a>.
In the opinion pages:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.tvo.org/article/del-duca-goes-off-half-cocked-with-pointless-handgun-ban">TVO’s Matt Gurney</a> thinks Steven Del Duca missed the mark by promising to ban handguns.</li>
<li><a href="https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/lilley-delduca-ford-handgun-ban">The Sun’s Brian Lilley</a> says action is needed to quell gun violence in Ontario, but the Liberal leader’s promise is a “cold, calculating, callous effort to play on emotions.”</li>
<li><a href="https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/lilley-charest-and-poilievre-campaigns-hit-toronto-in-very-different-ways">Lilley checked</a> in with the presumptive Nos. 1 and 2 in the CPC leadership race and reported the stark difference.</li>
<li>Ottawa's school board was right to defy the province and instate a mask mandate of its own, <a href="https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2022/04/19/ottawa-school-board-sets-an-example-of-putting-health-of-kids-and-teachers-first.html">a Star editorial says</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Events</h3>
10 a.m.
Premier Doug Ford, Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma, Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney and Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark will make an announcement. Thornhill.
10 a.m.
Long-Term Care Minister Paul Calandra and Education Minister Stephen Lecce will make an announcement. Vaughan.
10 a.m.
Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca will announce parts of the party's platform about community safety and combating racism. 251 Ferrand Drive, Toronto. Zoom.
10 a.m.
OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick and first vice-president/treasurer Laurie Nancekivell will deliver a "wake-up call" to Premier Doug Ford. Queen's Park media studio.
11 a.m.
Ontario Green Leader Mike Schreiner and candidate for Dufferin—Caledon Laura Campbell will make a "major announcement" on Highway 413 as part of the party's "Stop the Sprawl" tour. Mayfield Recreation Complex, 12087 Bramalea Rd, Caledon East. Zoom.

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