The Ontario government has sold back a used Bombardier Challenger 650 business jet that had been purchased for Premier Doug Ford’s travel, reversing a deal that drew sharp criticism over its cost.
The 2016 aircraft was bought for CAD 28.9 million to support the premier’s travel across the province and to the United States. The purchase was announced on April 17. At the time, a government representative said the jet would be reserved strictly for official business rather than personal trips, while Ford’s office argued the plane offered safer, more flexible and more confidential travel given the province’s size, along with the need for cross-border visits to the U.S.
Opposition Pushes Back on Cost
The purchase quickly became a political flashpoint. Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles labelled the aircraft a “gravy plane,” referencing Ford’s earlier pledges to cut wasteful government spending. She argued that spending roughly CAD 30 million on a private jet was hard to justify at a time when residents are dealing with rising housing and food costs.
Ontario Liberal interim leader John Fraser also criticized the purchase, calling it out of step with the financial pressures facing the public. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation urged the government to abandon the spending altogether, suggesting the premier could rely on commercial flights instead.
Government Reverses Course
Days after the purchase was announced, Ford acknowledged the timing of the spending was poor. He said he had taken note of public concerns and that the provincial government was working with Bombardier and other partners to resell the aircraft as quickly as possible.
The jet was ultimately sold back to Bombardier at the same CAD 28.9 million price the province had originally paid. However, the buy-back deal was not cost-free for Ontario’s budget: the purchase and subsequent resale together left the province with about CAD 200,000 in additional expenses.
Cost of Ontario's Bombardier Jet Purchase and Resale
The episode highlights how quickly a high-profile government purchase can become a liability once details of its cost become public, even when the asset is later resold without an apparent loss on the headline price.
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