Premier Doug Ford pushed back Friday against opposition criticism that Ontario has reduced spending on wildfire suppression as almost 200 wildfires burned across the province’s north.
Premier disputes opposition figures
At a news conference, Ford described accusations about the government’s wildfire budget as politically motivated and untrue, saying such claims were “despicable and disgusting.” He urged all levels of government to cooperate during emergencies rather than politicize response efforts.
“What I find despicable and disgusting is that the Opposition would politicize the amount of money being spent and going out there and putting false information out. It’s inaccurate, it’s untruthful,”
Opposition parties — the Ontario NDP, Ontario Liberals and the Green Party of Ontario — pointed to this year’s published base budget for firefighting of $150 million, and compared it with the $271 million spent in 2025. Party critics have said a larger baseline appropriation would better prepare communities for severe seasons.
Government says base funding is not the full story
Ford said the province budgets firefighting on a needs basis and that the formal base figure does not reflect total annual expenditures, which he said are “significantly more” than the published amount. He also noted the current fiscal plan shows a $15-million increase over the $135-million base that was listed in each of the previous two years.
Ted Hsu, the Ontario Liberal critic for Rural Affairs, Natural Resources, Mining & Forestry, countered the premier’s comments in a statement, saying the budget documents themselves show the government has underfunded wildfire preparedness for years and that communities deserve better planning.
Context and implications for communities
The dispute comes as smoke from Canadian wildfires has drawn attention beyond the province’s borders. U.S. lawmakers publicly complained about smoke drifting into their states, prompting questions about cross-border impacts and the need for a coordinated response.
- Base budget this year: $150 million (a $15-million increase from prior base years)
- 2025 wildfire spending: $271 million (as cited by opposition parties)
- Active fires: Nearly 200 in northern Ontario
The disagreement highlights a broader issue: the gap between a government’s published base budgets and the actual emergency expenditures that can be mobilized during a crisis. Opposition critics argue that relying on ad hoc supplementary spending can leave regions underprepared, while government officials point to the flexibility of needs-based allocations.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Published base budget (current year) | $150 million |
| Published base budget (previous two years) | $135 million |
| Reported spending in 2025 | $271 million |
Officials did not provide a detailed, line-by-line reconciliation of base budgets versus supplemental expenditures during the briefing. The public debate is likely to continue as communities and elected officials weigh whether budget structures provide sufficient, predictable resources for wildfire prevention, preparedness and response.
Coverage will continue as more information on total spending this season becomes available and as the wildfire situation evolves.
