Summary#
Bill 54, the End the Public Funding of Partisan Government Advertising Act, 2025, would amend Ontario’s Government Advertising Act, 2004. Its stated goal is to reverse 2015 changes and return the Act substantially to its earlier form; it would also set limits on government advertising during election periods.
- Government offices could not publish, distribute or convey an item before receiving the Auditor General’s review result. They could not use it if the Auditor General finds it fails the Act’s standards. If the review deadline passes without notice, the item is deemed to meet the standards.
- The standards would require government items to serve one or more listed public purposes, say they are paid for by the Government of Ontario, and not use the name, voice or image of a cabinet minister or MPP. The name, voice and image rule would not apply to items mainly aimed at people outside Ontario.
- Items could not be partisan, or have as a primary objective creating a positive impression of the governing party or a negative impression of someone critical of the government. The Auditor General would decide whether an item is partisan, using factors set by regulation and any others the Auditor General considers appropriate.
- Government offices generally could not run items during the specified election periods, even if they passed review. Exceptions include items related to revenue-generating activity or that are time-sensitive. Ongoing items must stop unless the office head believes stopping them is not practicable.
- The Act’s provisions on review, notices and election-period limits would be administered through the Office of the Auditor General. Bill 54 would take effect on a date set by order; the text does not itself set that date.
What it means for you#
- Government offices: They would have to follow the review and publication limits. This bill does not itself set the number of days the Auditor General has to respond; that is to be set by regulation.
- Auditor General’s Office: It would have to review submitted items against the standards and notify the government office of the result within the prescribed time.
- Ontario residents: The bill does not directly change personal benefits, taxes or services. It would set rules for government advertising and other covered messages.
- Taxpayers: The title does not mean all public funding for government advertising would end. The bill would prohibit covered items that fail its standards; it does not ban government advertising generally.
Money#
No publicly available information on the bill’s cost.
- The bill would assign review and notice duties to the Auditor General’s Office, but gives no estimate of the staffing or spending needed.
- It does not set a new tax, fee, fine or benefit.
What is unclear#
- The bill leaves the review deadlines, some factors for judging partisan intent, and possible additional election-period exceptions to regulations.
- The bill does not specify how many items would be reviewed or what process applies if an office disputes a review result.
- The supplied material does not include the current Government Advertising Act, 2004. The explanatory note says the bill reverses 2015 changes, but the exact difference from current law could not be checked against the Act.
- The bill does not say how much the added review work would cost or what resources the Auditor General’s Office would receive.
Case for#
- A pre-publication review could help prevent public money from being used for advertising that fails the Act’s standards.
- The standards name purposes government advertising may serve and prohibit items whose primary objective is promoting the governing party’s partisan interests.
- Election-period limits could reduce government advertising during campaigns, while retaining exceptions for time-sensitive or revenue-generating items.
Case against#
- “Primary objective” and “partisan” require judgment. The Auditor General may consider factors beyond those set by regulation, so the bill does not fully define how those decisions will be made.
- If the review deadline passes without notice, an item is deemed to meet the standards. That could limit the practical effect of review when the Office cannot respond in time.
- Election-period exceptions and the office head’s ability to decide that stopping an ongoing item is not practicable leave room for items to continue during restricted periods.