Ontario Tourism, Culture and Gaming Minister Stan Cho says he will repay more than $16,000 in taxpayer-funded hotel expenses claimed for stays in Toronto, despite living less than six kilometres from Queen’s Park.
Cho, the Progressive Conservative MPP for Willowdale, billed the Ontario legislature $16,203 for “Toronto accommodation” between 2023 and 2026, according to publicly available expense disclosure records.
The cabinet minister initially said he would reimburse only expenses that did not meet the “spirit” of the legislature’s policy. However, following public criticism, Cho issued a second statement Tuesday pledging to repay the entire amount.
“I will be personally reimbursing the legislature for the entire amount of the expenses incurred,” Cho said.
Expense records show Cho’s Toronto accommodation claims increased sharply over the past three years. He claimed $1,431 in 2023-24, $3,081 in 2024-25 and $11,691 in 2025-26.
The largest monthly expense came in December 2025, when Cho billed taxpayers $6,367 for Toronto hotel stays. He also claimed $3,764 in May 2025 and $1,571 in November of that year.
Under Queen’s Park expense guidelines, MPPs living within 50 kilometres of the legislature may claim overnight accommodation in Toronto only under “special or unusual circumstances.”
Public expense disclosures do not identify the hotels Cho stayed at, the exact dates or length of the stays, or the specific circumstances that required the accommodation.
Cho’s office was asked to provide further details but did not offer specifics.
The expenses have drawn criticism because Cho represents the Toronto riding of Willowdale and publicly accessible property records indicate his primary residence is approximately 5.9 kilometres from Queen’s Park. As a cabinet minister, Cho also has access to a government-assigned vehicle, generally driven by a staff member.
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles called the expenses “outrageous” and accused Premier Doug Ford’s government of holding cabinet ministers to a different standard.
“You can get from Willowdale to Queen’s Park without even changing the subway train, so I don’t see any reason why a minister would have to have a hotel downtown as many times as Minister Cho has had,” Stiles said.
Cho did not claim Toronto overnight accommodation expenses between his election in 2018 and 2022. Records show the claims began in 2023 and rose substantially during 2025-26.
The minister’s office has maintained the expenses met the legislature’s criteria for special circumstances. Cho has now committed to personally reimbursing the legislature for the full $16,203.
