Doug Ford’s government is considering a change to the slogan on some Ontario licence plates, according to several reports.
“This initiative will see us refresh a licence plate design that’s been relatively unchanged since the 1960s and — depending on the slogan chosen — help to rebrand Ontario as a business-friendly province,” documents about the project say, according to Global News.
Multiple sources report that the new licence plate slogan for commercial vehicles will probably be “Open For Business,” to match the 25 signs that the government placed at Ontario border crossings in November.
The plans will reportedly be presented to cabinet next week, according to Global News.
Unclear what will happen to passenger vehicles
The premier’s office denied that the change is being targeted at all vehicles, despite some reports to the contrary.
“While no decision has been made, that is a slogan that the government is considering for commercial vehicles only,” Simon Jeffries, a spokesperson for the premier, told HuffPost Canada via email.
While Global News said a source confirmed the slogan would eventually appear on all vehicles, the Toronto Star said the province would actually replace the slogan on passenger vehicles with something else.
The Progressive-Conservatives are also considering ditching front licence plates, the Star reported.
Our licence plates should be a symbol of what Ontario has to offer — including our stunning natural environment — not a billboard for a petty premier that puts partisan interests above people.NDP MPP Catherine Fife
NDP MPP Catherine Fife said the prospective change in plates is “self-serving” and a “colossal waste of money.”
“This is a bizarre ego-driven attempt to turn every licence plate into a Ford vanity plate,” Fife said in a statement. Our licence plates should be a symbol of what Ontario has to offer — including our stunning natural environment — not a billboard for a petty premier that puts partisan interests above people.”
Ontario licence plates have been bearing the slogan, “Yours To Discover,” since 1982. From 1973 to 1982, they said “Keep It Beautiful,” and prior to that, the plates had no phrases on them.