Ford’s licence plate sticker refunds could be an election ploy or inflation fighter

Apr 6, 2022 | News

Along with setting a plan to send money back to nurses in motion, Doug Ford aims to make Ontario drivers his next target.

Doug Ford announced the move to scrap license plate stickers on Feb. 22 with them fully coming into effect on March 13. However, the timing of the move may have been a bit too convenient, as it comes months ahead of the provincial election.

Christopher Cochrane, a professor of political science at U of T’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, said he thinks the move serves to generate appeal for the Ford government come election time.

“I think it’s a targeted appeal to a segment of the conservative base that they want to get out and vote for them in the next election,” he said.

Since then, Ford has proposed removing tolls on Highways 412 and 418, extending Highway 407, a private toll road, upping the minimum wage by 50 cents after the election, and temporarily reducing the provincial gas tax on July 4, if elected.

Cochrane said the move to refund the stickers is one of many examples of the Ford government implementing something progressive.

“It’s not just the license plate stickers, you see them removing tolls on certain highways, for example,” he said.

“These are policies designed to appeal to the conservative base and to address concerns about decreasing affordability, especially in Toronto and the areas around it, but throughout the province more generally as well,” he said.

The sticker plan refunds to those who renewed their registration tag between March 1, 2020, and March 12, 2022, and net Canadians anywhere from an extra $60 to $120 or more, which by the way the economy is progressing now could be considered minor with inflation, interest rates, and even the housing market on the rise, but it’s still less money people will have to pay overtime.

“This license plate policy, I would call it more of a gesture than a meaningful policy that has a meaningful impact on improving people’s lives,” Cochrane said.

The scrapping of the stickers may not be enough to keep up with the cost-of-living economy that went through this change.

Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at U of T’s St. George campus, said Ford could have made the move sooner.

“Yes, he could have made this move earlier, even right after the Conservatives were elected four years ago, but people would have forgotten about it by this time. In June, the April cheques will be fresh in their memories,” he said.

Cochrane said he suspects one of the main reasons as to why this move wasn’t made earlier is because you want to remember actions or plans such as this one around election time.

Canadians are counting down the days until the move goes into effect, but both parties involved look to being benefited from this move.

Munk political science professor Mel Cappe said the move itself could benefit people but “there is no public policy rationale for returning the license fee.”