The Ontario government, led by Premier Doug Ford, faced backlash after expanding hotel expense rules for provincial MPPs to include night sittings at the legislature.

Initially, the policy allowed MPPs within the 50-km radius of Queen’s Park to claim reimbursement for downtown Toronto hotel stays during severe weather.

However, the Ford government quietly pushed to broaden the 'special circumstances' category to include night sittings, enabling MPPs to bill taxpayers for extended stays.This change led to significant expenses, with some MPPs charging over $13,000 for hotel stays.The Board of Internal Economy approved the motion, allowing MPPs to use the designation for night sittings.Despite criticism, Ford claimed the policy was a third-party agreement and that MPPs would repay the funds.The government later announced plans to reverse the policy, highlighting ongoing debates over transparency and accountability in public spending.