This morning, Doug Ford unveiled his brand new "Open for Business" signs at the Ontario-US border. The signs are supposed to promote more American business and investment in Ontario, but at what cost? Ford's reveal this morning was met with little enthusiasm by a number of Ontarians. Now that we finally know the cost of the signs, people are even less impressed. Premier Doug Ford's office say Ontario's "open for business" signs will cost taxpayers $106,700. #onpoli — Robert Benzie (@robertbenzie) 2 November 2018 A Queen's Park reporter, Robert Benzie shared the news of the signs' price tag on Twitter. According to his tweet, Doug Ford's office said that the signs will cost taxpayers $106,700. Understandably, Ontarians aren't happy about the relatively high price tag and the fact that they're the ones paying it. On Twitter, they say it's ridiculous, a total waste, and point out all the other things the money could have been used on, like school repairs. Regardless of cost it’s a waste. Ontario was never closed. — Paddy Anne 🇨🇦🏌🏼♀️ (@Paddy_Anne) 2 November 2018 But they couldn't find money to pay for school repairs! — MariaGF (@mmoals4) 2 November 2018 A government that would “Respect the taxpayer” he said... what a waste of taxpayer money. 😒 — Spencer -y (@Spence_OnSports) 2 November 2018 @ToddSmithPC thanks just what I want my taxpayers money to support. I mean it isn’t like the students in schools could use extra support. How many minimum wage hours would it take someone to make that much ? More now thanks to you and your government support — Melissa (@mllafrance) 2 November 2018 Another big drawback of the signs and their price tag is who some Ontarians think is on the receiving end of that $100K plus payout. A common complaint on Twitter is that the signs were reportedly made by Deco Labels, a Ford family business. Deco Labels was founded by Doug Ford Senior, a businessman and a former Conservative MPP himself. He also happens to be the Ontario Premier's father. However when Ford Sr. died in 2006, now Premier Doug Ford became the sole owner of the company. It is unclear if the company was actually used to make the signs or not, but when they were first announced, Jim Wilson, the MPP who has since resigned over sexual misconduct accusations, said Deco Labels would not be used. The first of the signs was unveiled this morning. Doug Ford announced that he intends to put the signs up at every single border crossing in the province.
