‘Despicable and disgusting’: Doug Ford rebuffs accusations that province is underfunding wildfire fight

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As nearly 200 wildfires burn in northern Ontario, Premier Doug Ford is lashing out at his political opponents who he says are putting out “false information” about the province’s firefighting 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,” Ford said at a news conference about the situation on Friday.

The Ontario NDP, the Ontario Liberals, and the Green Party of Ontario have all pointed the finger at the province for budgeting only $150 million for its firefighting efforts this year, when it spent $271 million in 2025.

However, this year’s budget marks a $15-million increase over the $135 million budgeted in both of the last two years.

Ford explained that firefighting in Ontario is based on need, so while the base budget this year is set at $150 million, he revealed that every year it spends “significantly more than that.”

”In a time of a crisis, all levels of government need to come together, no matter if you’re opposition or not. But to go out there and try to scare people and put out blatant lies about the amount is spent is absolutely disgusting on their behalf."

Ted Hsu, the Ontario Liberal critic for Rural Affairs Natural Resources, Mining & Forestry, said earlier this week that a “realistic base budget” would have helped the province prepare for this season’s wildfires.

In response to Ford’s criticism, he said in a statement to CTV News: “The Premier can try to fudge the numbers all he wants, the proof is in the budget, and it shows his government has underspent for years. These communities deserve the proper planning and preparation they deserve.”

Ford responds to U.S. critics

Ford was also asked about a number of American lawmakers who have publicly complained about the wildfire smoke that reached south of the border earlier this week.

In a post on social media Thursday, Ohio Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno said he would introduce a bill next week to sanction Canada for the smoke in Cleveland, which he called an “atrocity.”

Re. John James, a Republican from Michigan, posted a “final warning to Canada,” calling on the government to manage its forest to prevent these fires. “Sovereignty comes with responsibility, and the responsibility to prevent a foreseeable disaster from crossing into another country’s airspace has not been met,” he wrote.

Ford responded by reminding those lawmakers and others of Ontario’s willingness to assist California during its wildfires last year, and during the hurricane in Georgia in 2024.

“If there’s some politicians out there chirping away, well, maybe what you should do rather than complain is send support, send help, because we have done the exact same thing for our American friends, and that’s what you’re supposed to do.