Premier Doug Ford of Ontario endorsed the opening of a Sanofi vaccine-manufacturing plant in Toronto, receiving criticism for using taxpayer money to attract investment. The article argues that the $415 million federal and $55 million provincial funding for the project is excessive given it creates only 300 jobs at a cost of nearly $1.6 million per job. Additionally, Ford faces scrutiny over his efforts to bring back car manufacturing jobs with no success, instead preferring to protect outdated industries like the closed Stellantis plant in Brampton. The piece also criticizes Ford’s support for Mark Carney's plan to privatize Pearson International Airport despite Ford previously pouring millions into Sanofi, highlighting inconsistencies in economic strategy.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.65, but every quote it verified points right, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 16758: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-09-17
Everything that’s wrong with Ontario’s approach to economic development was on full display Wednesday.
asserted
that → ’ → display
In just one public event, Premier Doug Ford demonstrated his belief that companies need a government handout to build in Ontario, endorsed the backward-looking approach that favours old, failing industries over new ones, and continued his vigorous cheerleading for Mark Carney, whether the prime minister’s economic plans are good for Ontario or not.
asserted
plans → demonstrate → Ontario
Recommended Videos
The occasion was the opening of a Toronto vaccine-manufacturing plant owned by the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi.
asserted
occasion → manufacture → company
Joining Ford on stage were Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly and sundry other politicians.
asserted
Joly → join → stage
After explaining how Ontario’s educated workforce, abundant power, good government, etc. made the province a compelling place to invest, Ford offered the Sanofi plant as proof.
asserted
Ford → explain → proof
OK, but if Ontario is such a great investment opportunity, why did it take $415 million in federal money and $55 million from the province to get Sanofi to build it?
asserted
Sanofi → take → it
That’s more than half of the plant’s $925 million cost.
asserted
That → ’ → cost
For all that expense, Ontario gets 300 jobs.
asserted
Ontario → get → jobs
That’s a subsidy of nearly $1.6 million a job.
asserted
That → ’ → million
“If you are going to invest in Ontario, we are going to invest in you,” Ford said.
asserted
Ford → go → you
Ford’s main preoccupation is fighting for past jobs, even ones that are already gone.
asserted
that → fight → jobs
This year’s provincial budget sets aside $30 billion for job protection and reducing the impact of U.S. tariffs.
asserted
budget → set → tariffs
Asked about the future of a closed Stellantis auto plant in Brampton, Ford had the chance to show a bit of economic common sense.
asserted
Ford → ask → sense
Stellantis has signed a memorandum of understanding to sell the plant to an armoured vehicle manufacturer called Roshel.
asserted
Stellantis → sign → manufacturer
The Brampton-based company is competing for a $4.9-billion federal contract.
asserted
company → base → contract
Roshel is a Canadian-owned company that makes a product for which there is a demand.
asserted
that → own → which
It wants to buy the plant and hire workers.
asserted
It → want → workers
Isn’t that better than griping over losing an American car company that doesn’t want to be here?
asserted
that → grip → company
Instead of pushing that deal, Ford and Joly persisted in their demand that Stellantis bring back production to the plant, which has been closed for three years.
asserted
which → push → years
Joly was more eager to recoup the $222 million the feds poured into the plan than she was to talk about a future for the building.
asserted
she → recoup → building
Both politicians are taking their cues from Unifor, the union that represents the auto workers.
asserted
that → take → workers
That’s not the first group one should turn to when considering the big picture.
asserted
one → ’ → picture
Then, Ford was asked about Carney’s plan to privatize the operation of Pearson International Airport, which Ford called “fabulous.”
asserted
Ford → ask → which
He said that airports should have been privatized years ago and that “times have changed.
asserted
times → say → ?
It’s not about government funding everything.
asserted
government → ’ → everything
It’s a surprising statement from a guy who had just poured millions of taxpayers’ dollars into a foreign-owned pharmaceutical company.
asserted
who → ’ → company
Ford might want to look a little more carefully at the Pearson proposal.
uncertain
Ford → want → proposal
Far from being a financial drain on government, Toronto’s non-profit airport authority paid the federal government $235 million last year for the right to operate the airport.
asserted
authority → pay → airport
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority has strong local representation as well as seats on the board for representatives of the federal and provincial governments.
asserted
Authority → have → governments
As a key economic driver for Toronto and Ontario, that’s as it should be.
asserted
it → ’ → Toronto
A private sector operator is almost certain to reduce local control.
asserted
operator → reduce → control
The federal plan relies on bringing in a for-profit operator, presumably paying the feds more while still making a profit.
asserted
plan → rely → profit
Carney is talking about reaping tens of billions of dollars from selling equity in Pearson.
asserted
Carney → talk → Pearson
It’s hard to see how that would work without passengers paying more.
asserted
passengers → ’ → more
The federal government’s planned sell-off at least offers some insight into why it hasn’t backed Ford’s desired Billy Bishop airport expansion.
asserted
it → plan → expansion
The feds don’t own that asset.
asserted
feds → own → asset
Far be it from Doug Ford to question a Mark Carney plan, however.
asserted
it → question → plan
The premier could haven’t been a better cheerleader for Carney if they’d given him pom-poms.
uncertain
they → give → poms
Carney is “on fire,” said Ford, enthusing over this week’s economic summit.
asserted
Ford → say → summit
The premier needs a reality check.
asserted
premier → need → check
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
