The Ontario government spent the highest recorded amount on advertising last year, the auditor found, a flurry of public spending the opposition parties accused the government of using to promote itself in an election year.
Auditor general Shelley Spence said government spending on advertising has traditionally spiked around elections, but in the fiscal 2024-25 year that rose to $111.9 million, the highest ever.
That is $8.4 million more than the previous year, which held the previous record for spending, she said.