Ontario MPP Stan Cho has resigned from Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet following public outcry over his hotel expenses, which totaled more than $16,000 over the past three years. The announcement came Friday, with Ford confirming Cho’s departure was effective immediately.

Resignation follows scrutiny of hotel spending

Cho, who served as minister of tourism, culture and gaming, represented the Toronto riding of Willowdale, located near the Ontario legislature. According to public disclosure documents, he and over a dozen other Progressive Conservative caucus members—including cabinet ministers—charged more than $120,000 in hotel stays since 2023.

The expenses were filed under “special circumstances,” a provision allowing legislators within 50 kilometers of Queen’s Park to claim accommodations for exceptional situations, such as late-night sittings or severe weather.

Opposition demands accountability for broader spending

Opposition leaders criticized the government, alleging entitlement and misuse of public funds. NDP Leader Marit Stiles questioned how Cho accumulated $16,000 in charges, while Liberal Leader John Fraser called for the release of all receipts, stating Cho’s resignation was “just the tip of the iceberg.”

Other notable expenses include:

  • Hardeep Grewal, parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Transportation, billed over $27,000 for Toronto accommodations since 2023.
  • Nina Tangri, associate minister of small business, expensed nearly $19,000.
  • Charmaine Williams, associate minister of women’s social and economic opportunity, claimed $15,865.

Ford pledges repayment as Cho acknowledges mistake

In a statement, Ford called the spending “unacceptable” and vowed that all expenses would be repaid in full. Cho, in a resignation letter posted to X, accepted responsibility, stating his claims met the criteria but acknowledged the optics were poor. “I made a choice that was easier for me. I did not stop to ask how it would look to a person in my riding working a double shift,” he wrote.

Cho, first elected in 2018, previously served as long-term care minister. Ford also announced the retirement of Sport Minister Neil Lumsden, effective August 4, with Attorney-General Doug Downey assuming his duties on an interim basis.