Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his government will contribute $50 million for patrol helicopters to beef up the province’s capacity to defend the border amid a tariff dispute with the United States.
The Progressive Conservatives’ border protection plan would see Ontario spend $50 million to purchase two H-135 helicopters to support the Niagara Regional Police and the Windsor Police Service.
The announcement comes in the wake of a months-long effort by Canadian political leaders to deter U.S. President Donald Trump from imposing a 25-per-cent tariff on Canadian goods.
While Ford said that pushback against the Trump administration is needed to protect the province, he emphasized the need for Ontario and Canada to address the concerns President Trump has pointed to concerning fentanyl trafficking.
“You know me, I’d never ever hold back. At the same time, we have to act when it’s the right thing to do for both countries. And protecting our border and making our communities more secure is the right thing to do,” said Ford.
“We need to do more to secure Canada’s border. It’s not only what President Trump has asked us, it’s the right thing to do.”
Ford says the additional helicopters will help expand patrols, security, and enforcement at key border crossings, preventing the illegal flow of migrants and fentanyl.
“This will allow them to patrol our border, two very important border towns, but this gives them the tools they need to enhance operation deterrence and increase patrols and enforcement at two key border crossings so we can detect more illegal activity and put more criminals behind bars,” said Ford.
The PC government would continue Operation Deterrence – a joint plan launched last month between the Ontario Provincial Police and RCMP to combat illegal border crossings, drugs and guns.
A Ford government would also support strict mandatory minimums for convicted drug traffickers and landlords who knowingly host drug production, though the federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over the criminal law.
In the two weeks since launching an election campaign, the PCs have portrayed themselves as the sole party capable of protecting Ontario from both Trump’s economic threats and criminal organizations importing and producing powerful opioids.
Approximately halfway through the provincial election campaign, the Progressive Conservatives are the only party to release a plan to secure Ontario’s southern border with the United States.
True North reached out to the Ontario Liberals and NDP for comment, though no response was given.
