Ontario Minister Stan Cho Resigns Amid Expense Controversy
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced on Friday that Stan Cho, the Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Gaming, will be stepping down from his cabinet position. This decision comes after Cho faced criticism for charging over $16,000 in Toronto hotel expenses to taxpayers since 2023, despite residing in the city.
Ford confirmed in a statement, “Earlier today, I accepted the resignation of Stan Cho from Cabinet, effective immediately. He has acknowledged and taken responsibility for his mistake. He will continue to serve the people of Willowdale as their Member of Provincial Parliament.”
Cho, in a statement released on Friday, stated that he has repaid the full amount of the expenses. He explained that the accommodation claims were made for nights when the legislature sessions ran late and maintained that they adhered to the members’ guidelines.
However, Cho admitted, “Looking back now, I made a mistake. I am taking full responsibility, as I do not want to be a distraction from our plan to grow the economy, keep families safe, and build the province.”
In response to Cho’s resignation, Premier Ford announced that MPP Doug Downey will be temporarily assuming Cho’s cabinet duties.
The controversy surrounding the Toronto hotel expenses extends beyond Cho, with several cabinet members utilizing a special circumstances rule since around 2023. The government has pledged to abolish this rule, which allows members living within 50 kilometers of Queen’s Park to expense hotel stays in exceptional situations, such as severe weather conditions.
Ford expressed his disapproval, stating, “It is unacceptable that some Toronto-area cabinet ministers were charging taxpayers thousands of dollars for hotel stays in the city, despite residing nearby.”