Ontario’s $28.9-million private jet purchase is facing renewed scrutiny after an analysis found the aircraft could only operate from about 10 per cent of the province’s airports at full capacity.
The Bombardier Challenger 650 requires a takeoff distance of approximately 5,650 feet when fully loaded — longer than the runway length at most Ontario airports. As a result, the jet would have been able to use only 19 out of 179 operational airports across the province, raising questions about its practicality for regional travel.
Premier Doug Ford had justified the purchase by citing the need for faster travel across Ontario, including emergency response situations such as evacuations during wildfires and floods. However, the aircraft’s runway limitations cast doubt on its usefulness in remote or northern regions, where shorter airstrips are common.
While aviation experts note that the jet could operate on shorter runways when not fully loaded, many airports still fall significantly below the required distance, limiting flexibility.
Comparisons have also been drawn with smaller aircraft already in use. The Ontario Provincial Police’s Pilatus PC-24 jet, for instance, requires just over 3,000 feet for takeoff and can access nearly 100 more airports than the Challenger 650.
Following public backlash, Ford has committed to selling the jet “as quickly as possible,” and says he will return to using commercial flights, chartered aircraft, and existing government planes for travel.
The controversy has sparked broader debate about government spending and whether the aircraft was suited to Ontario’s geographic and infrastructure needs.
