THUNDER BAY — Doug Ford addressed a litany of issues while in Thunder Bay on Thursday.
The premier was in the city to announce $880,000 in funding from the province’s Building Faster Fund, aimed at supporting new home construction in Thunder Bay. Ford also announced $4 million in funding to advance skilled trade programs for six organizations in the region.
During those stops, he touched on a few other topics and responded to questions from reporters on a wide range of issues.
Wildland Firefighting
“We have 640 some odd firefighters out in the field right now. They told me they have close to 70 helicopters and water bombers." Ford said in response to a question about forest fire preparedness. "We have more water bombers on order, and to get one, there’s a four-year wait, but we have a fair fleet."
Ford emphasized the province’s commitment to providing quick and sufficient resources.
“I’ll do anything for our great firefighters and invest as much as we can to make sure we have the equipment to knock out these fires as quickly as they come,” he added.
Ford talked bout the cause of the fires: “It’s disturbing for everyone to hear this, but some of these are careless man-made fires, and they just take off. It’s catastrophic.”
Internet Connectivity in Remote First Nations
Premier Ford acknowledged the cancellation of Ontario’s contract with Starlink, citing concerns over the company’s leadership. “The guy was attacking our country and I just couldn’t do it,” he said of CEO Elon Musk.
Work is underway to find a new provider, he said: “I’m talking to the other big companies, Rogers and Bells, I had meetings with them last week and saying, hey, we got to get moving on this.”
Landlord-Tenant Board
Premier Doug Ford acknowledged the delays at Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) and said they have hired new adjudicators to help tackle the backlog. “We’ve hired 77 adjudicators,” he said, adding that the province is actively working with the Attorney General’s office to speed up decisions.
He stressed the need for fairness in rental disputes, particularly for small landlords hit hard by non-paying tenants:
“You got to pay rent, you know, you just have to, and if you're falling hard times, you got to talk to the landlord,” Ford said. “A lot of people that buy that investment property, they’re losing it now because they can’t keep up with the mortgage. So it’s just not fair.”
Highway Safety
Ford expressed strong support for four-laning highways in the region, including the stretch between Thunder Bay and Nipigon, saying, “I’m all in” on the idea.
He passed question about the city's designated truck route to local MPP Kevin Holland. “I’m not supportive of the DTR." Holland said.
He added that he wants to work with communities to create a safe and effective plan for truck and highway safety in Thunder Bay.
Supporting Local Jobs
“Ontario tax dollars should support Ontario workers. So I’m urging the city of Toronto and the federal government to reach a deal with Alstom,” Ford said.
He also talked about the $500 million contact to refurbish 180 bi-level rail coaches at the Thunder Bay plant, announced in January. and reiterated his government's position that the $758 million contract to build new subway trains for Toronto should go to Alstom.
Ford said he is urging both the federal and municipal governments to ensure these transit vehicles are manufactured in Ontario
Protecting youth from exploitation
Ford touched on the government's recent announcement of $6 million in funding over three years to the Kenora Children at Risk of Exploitation Unit.
He emphasized the seriousness of the issue, stating, “I give credit to Greg Rickford, and I know Kevin (Holland) will be working on that. We’ll do that as quickly as possible because it’s a serious issue. We’ll be jumping on it.”
U.S. Tariffs
Ford condemned tariffs imposed by the U.S. under former President Trump, emphasizing the threat to Ontario jobs and businesses, and how Ontario is not "going to roll over"
He pledged, “I will fight like I’ve never fought before and we’re gonna continue fighting against President Trump and his radical views.”
