Hello politicos, and welcome to the Trill. Our friends at TVO thought it would be fun to do a crossover episode — the Trillium and TVO, together at last. We talk about an update on the Greenbelt Scandal and that has the opposition leaders licking their chops with giddiness. And about mayoral endorsements — Doug Ford has received endorsements aplenty during the campaign. And we investigate why Ontario Progressive Conservative candidates are skipping out on local debates. The answer ma...

Hello politicos. Municipal affairs reporter Jack Hauen hosts this episode of The Trill. That's because there’s a big brewing trade war about to break out with our enormous neighbour to the south, federal politics has been upended by the coming resignation of the prime minister, and Ontario will be in an election campaign any day now — so we thought, who better to talk about what really matters than a smart group of municipal leaders? We're joined by Timmins Mayor Michelle Boileau, Bur...

It's the last sitting week of the year, and on this week's podcast, we're bringing you the top five stories of the year that will still be in the news next year. Our guests are the brilliant reporters who are The Trillium. Here are the stories we talk about on the pod: Here's where the primary care crisis is hitting Ontario hardest'Identity politics is dead': Bonnie Crombie seeks to centre LiberalsDoug Ford suggests Canada should cut Mexico out of North American trade dealInternal Ontario gov...

This week we examine Ontario's family doctor shortage and the province's promise to connect all Ontarians to primary care within five years. We talk with Liberal MPP and family doctor Adil Shamji about a leaked report he shared with the media this week and with NDP MPP Jessica Bell about the privatization of care in her riding. We also hear from Trillium reporter Jack Hauen and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones. "Lost in Translation" theme music by Wendy Marcini and Elvin Vangaurd.

Hello politicos. This week, we dive into Ontario polling with two very smart guys. The first is Joseph Angolano, who does polling for The Trillium as head of Pallas Data. Philippe J. Fournier, editor-in-chief of 338Canada and an astrophysicist to boot, joins us as well. We talk about the state of play, what motivates voters, and why polls are the modern-day voice of God. "Lost in Translation" theme music by Wendy Marcini and Elvin Vangaurd.

Hello politicos. It's the first week of the fall sitting, and The Trill breaks it down with MPPs Catherine Fife and John Fraser. The tunnel? Booze? Booze bags? Health care and education? We talk about what matters — and what doesn't. "Lost in Translation" theme music by Wendy Marcini and Elvin Vangaurd.

The most ambitious infrastructure project in Canadian history? Or the biggest potential boondoggle since Muskrat Falls? By now, almost everyone has an opinion on the tunnel Premier Doug Ford promised to build under the 401. But we don't have any real details. Thankfully, a smart guy who knows a thing or two about infrastructure projects — University of Toronto professor Matti Siemiatycki — joined the pod to talk about what we know, what we don't, and where the proposed proj...

A two-parter! First, Mike Moffatt joins us once again to go over the latest federal crackdown on international students. How will it affect Ontario's housing market, particularly in places that have seen rents surge alongside a boom in the international student population? Can Ontario's colleges, which heavily rely on international student's tuition, survive? Next, we welcome first-time guest Andrew Perez to recap the news out of the Ontario Liberal's annual convention in London over ...

Today on the podcast, McMillan Vantage's Ashley Csanady and StrategyCorp's Fraser Macdonald break down all the reasons why we may — or may not — have an early election. We also touch on how the tumult in Ottawa could affect when the vote is called. "Lost in Translation" theme music by Wendy Marcini and Elvin Vangaurd.

The Ontario Science Centre is no more — at least as Ontarians have known it for the last 55 years. On June 21, the provincial government closed the building, citing an engineering report that said small parts of the roof were unsafe and needed urgent repairs. The government chose to shut everything down rather than try to fix the problems and keep the institution open while a new science centre is built at Ontario Place. Critics, however, haven't drawn the same conclusions from t...

It's been 460 days since Marit Stiles took the NDP's top job. It's been quite the ride. She came in at the height of the Greenbelt scandal and has faced her fair share of intraparty turmoil, like kicking two MPPs from caucus. Recent byelections also haven't been pretty. The Leader of the Official Opposition now has to contend with a Liberal Party under Bonnie Crombie looking to regain its footing after two disastrous elections. Stiles joined us for a half-hour chat to run t...

There's been more than a bit of housing news in the past few weeks. The federal government made it the centrepiece of the 2024 budget and announced key measures ahead of time. Ontario Housing Minister Paul Calandra also introduced his first major bill aimed at getting the province on the path to building 1.5 million homes by 2031. Mike Moffatt joined us again to talk about development charges, third-party appeals, use-it-or-lose-it rules, and the noteworthy taxation changes from the bud...

Axe the tax. Spike the hike. Judging by how much we hear the Tories talk about carbon pricing, you'd be excused for thinking we're a federal politics publication. The Ford government has made opposition to the carbon tax their central message for months. Since the Greenbelt scandal, they've been laser-focused on it. They've tried to tie Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie to the policy, calling her the "queen of the carbon tax." Crombie responded to those attacks this week with a...

International students have been dominating headlines ever since federal immigration minister Marc Miller announced a cap on student visas to cool overheated rental markets. The decision will hurt post-secondary schools' bottom lines at a time when they've been facing stagnant provincial funding and flat tuition revenues. Earlier this week, Colleges and Universities Minister Jill Dunlop announced a bailout package that came in well short of what a provincially-appointed expert pan...

Bonnie Crombie hasn't been Liberal leader for three weeks and the Progressive Conservatives are already rolling out the attack ads. She sat down to talk to us and started with her warm welcome from Premier Doug Ford — including clearing the air about developers, private jets and second homes in fancy locales. We touch on the Peel dissolution, whether she'd pursue it as premier, her evolution on housing and yes-in-my-backyard politics, and why Christmas Eve is the big holiday in the Cro...

After months of campaigning Ontario Liberals are set to vote on their next leader. Members go to the poll this weekend, Nov. 25 and Nov. 26, before the results are announced in Toronto on Dec. 2 and the new leader is crowned. Dan Moulton, longtime Ontario Liberal and partner at Crestview Strategies, joined the pod to talk about the biggest moments in the campaign, what to expect over the next couple of weeks, and how the new leader can unify the party and set themselves up for success i...

Brian Lewis was the top economist at Ontario's Ministry of Finance from 2015 to 2022. Before that, he served nearly 30 years in senior positions across government. His time in the civil service spanned Liberal, NDP and Conservative governments. So who better to have on to discuss the fall economic statement and Ontario's financial future? No one. That's who. We touch on the Ford government's evolving approach to provincial finances, what the fall economic statement tells us about the...

One of the newest members of the Ontario legislature sat down with us for an interview you won't want to miss. She's not a typical politician. Liberal MPP Andrea Hazell kept Scarborough—Guildwood red in the July 27 byelection to replace Mitzie Hunter. Hazell is new to politics but has a long history in community activism. We talk about her unconventional path to becoming an MPP, her boundless energy, the Liberal leadership race, and more. "Lost in Translation" them...

Doug Ford's stunning decision to reverse the Greenbelt land swap has dominated the last two weeks of provincial politics. The 11-month scandal claimed two ministers, two senior staff, and several points in the polls. On today's podcast, Hill and Knowlton's Will Stewart and StrategyCorp's Aidan Grove-White give their thoughts on the move and how it could still affect the Tories going forward. Plus, we hit on what it means for the government's housing agenda. How can Ford rega...

The Trillium took a field trip out to Bowling Green for one of the biggest events on Ontario's political calendar. The International Plow Match and Rural Expo! What's normally a good-vibes-only event had a slightly different feel to it this year as the Greenbelt scandal continues to plague the Progressive Conservative government, especially with farming communities. We spoke to some folks who aren't exactly thrilled with how the government treated rural Ontarians and farmla...