MPP Stan Cho resigns from cabinet after hotel expense saga: Ford

MPP Stan Cho resigns from cabinet after hotel expense controversy: Ford

Ford released a statement Friday saying Cho would continue to be MPP of Willowdale

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has accepted the resignation of cabinet minister Stan Cho, amid criticism for expensing hotel stays in Toronto despite living in the city.

Ford says in a statement today that Cho, who had been serving as minister of tourism, culture and gaming, has resigned from cabinet, effective immediately.

Cho plans to continue as the member of provincial parliament for Willowdale, a north Toronto riding, he said.

"He has acknowledged and taken responsibility for his mistake," said Ford.

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Publicly available expense records show that some of Ford's cabinet ministers and other caucus members who live in and near Toronto had been using a so-called special circumstances rule on Toronto hotel expenses since about 2023.

Cho did not rack up the largest bills, but his riding is much closer to Queen's Park than the other top spenders.

Ford also said Minister of Sport Neil Lumsden has announced that he is retiring from cabinet and the legislature on Aug. 4.