Doug Ford blasted for bragging about rapid population growth
One year ago, Doug Ford bragged of Ontario's rapid population growth. What does the data show 12 months later? Juno News host Alexander Brown breaks down the raw numbers.
By Alexander Brown
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A clip of Ontario Premier Doug Ford from July 2024 has recently started going viral on social media once again, and for good reason.
In a July 22, 2024 press conference taking place in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ford bragged of Ontario’s rapid population growth:
“Last year, we brought in over 800,000 people. So we’re bringing in more people than Texas and Florida combined. We’re over 16 million people—we’ll surpass New York State in probably another 5-6 years.” (Doug Ford, July 22, 2024)
So how has Ontario fared since Ford’s boasting one year ago?
According to fresh data from Statistics Canada:
The province’s population has increased by 265,000 over the last 12 months, while only 45,100 new jobs were created over the same period.
Today, there are nearly 100,000 more Ontarians classified as ‘unemployed’ versus one year ago.
Ontario’s unemployment rate is now 7.9%, up a full percentage point from a year prior, leaving Ontario with the third highest unemployment rate in the nation (behind only Newfoundland & Labrador and Prince Edward Island). For comparison, following the pandemic in July 2022, Ontario’s unemployment rate was just 5.1%.
The unemployment rate for Metropolitan Toronto, Canada’s most populous region which has seen rapid population growth, is even higher at 9%. In July 2022, Toronto’s employment rate was 5.8%.
The youth labour market in Ontario has been hit particularly bad, with the unemployment rate amongst those aged 15-24 rate hitting 16% in July 2025. In July of 2022, the rate was 10.1%.
And if you think the ‘Conservative’ Ontario Premier’s 2024 comment is old news, don’t forget Ford’s much-panned plan from just weeks ago to grant asylum claimants work permits. You can read my response to that ill-conceived idea from Ford HERE, or watch below.
Alexander Brown is the Director of Communications & Campaigns for the National Citizens Coalition (NCC). Ever Tuesday, Brown hosts ‘Not “Sorry’” exclusively on Juno News.
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Doug Ford is NOT a Conservative. He has been behind Carney and the Liberals all the way. I am a Conservative but will never donate to the Conservatives in Ontario as long as Liberal Doug Ford is in power.
I don't believe Ford knows who he is these days. He never mentions about being a conservative. Don't think we would recognize him as one lately as he supports and condones Carney. He said Carney was the smartest and most intelligent leader he had known. I would suggest that Danielle Smith go back to Mar Lago to do her deals as Canada is not dependable. We"re going down... down... down fast.