QP Briefing

TThe federal and Ontario governments are pitching a multi-billion dollar plan to lower the upfront cost of building homes, but key questions remain about how the program will work in practice, and whether municipalities will fully buy in. 

Prime Minister Mark Carney is clearing the runway for Premier Doug Ford’s proposed expansion of Billy Bishop airport — despite Mayor Olivia Chow’s opposition. 

The Ford government introduced its latest omnibus housing bill hours after announcing billions of dollars to reduce development charges in a bid to improve a homebuilding sector that is “on its back.” 

Salaries at the top of Ontario’s struggling colleges remained steady last year, according to the Sunshine List, after another bruising 12 months of layoffs and restructuring ended with a potential tuition fee hike and sweeping changes to student loans. 

Ontario is proposing to dramatically increase fines for fare evasion on GO Transit, allow rideshare services in some northern communities, and ban municipalities from requiring EV charging stations and other outdoor features as part of development standards. 

Premier Doug Ford’s office grew in size and salaries in 2025, according to the latest edition of the Sunshine List, which shows 50 top employees earned a combined $8.1 million last year. 

Liberal MP Michael Ma is facing criticism for an aggressive set of questions at a parliamentary committee where he appeared to downplay forced labour in China. 

The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has approved an $8.5-billion agreement that will give First Nations in Ontario authority to lead their own children and family services in a long-term deal with the federal government. 

 about how Avi Lewis’s shaky start could soon rattle Doug Ford’s Ontario .

And Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria wrote an op-ed in The Star

 about the reasons behind the government’s decision of taking over the Billy Bishop airport.

A roundup of news and agenda items for Tuesday, March 31.

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