Ontario NDP launches RespectForTaxpayers.ca to highlight PC MPPs’ taxpayer-funded luxury hotel stays

TORONTO — The Ontario NDP launched RespectForTaxpayers.ca to highlight the blatant misuse of tax dollars by PC MPPs who billed the people of Ontario a total of $121,000 for downtown Toronto hotel stays despite living in the GTA.

This follows media reporting about PC Minister Stan Cho, who billed taxpayers north of $16,000 to stay in hotels in downtown Toronto despite living less than six kilometres from Queen’s Park and along the subway line.

"In 2018, Doug Ford promised the party with the taxpayers' money was over," said Marit Stiles, Leader of the Ontario NDP. "Turns out, they just moved the party into luxury suites in downtown Toronto hotels. Why are the people of Ontario footing the bill for these MPPs’ lavish lifestyles?”

The top spenders include:

• Hardeep Grewal, MPP for Brampton East ($27,275)
• Nina Tangri, MPP for Mississauga—Streetsville ($18,976)
• Tourism Minister Stan Cho ($16,203)
• Charmaine Williams, MPP for Brampton Centre ($15,865)

"People in Brampton, Mississauga, Scarborough and Willowdale don't get free hotels to go to their jobs. They commute," said Stiles. "These MPPs need to come clean about their expenses and the Premier needs to make sure that every single penny is paid back to the people of Ontario.”

The website is available at RespectForTaxpayers.ca.