License plate fiasco continues with concerns over readability at U.S. border

As concerns mount about the Ford government’s botched license plates, MPP Jennifer French, NDP critic for Transportation, continued to pressure the government to stop issuing the new blue plates, the latest criticism being that they are unreadable in bright sunlight and by various scanners.

This morning, WKBW Buffalo reported that the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol is having issues reading the new Ontario plates at border crossings. And durhamregion.com reported that new radar cameras being rolled out are having trouble making out the word “Ontario” on the plates because the font is too small, making it difficult to issue tickets to speeders.

“The government is doubling down on the roll-out of these partisan plates, while problems with the plates multiply,” French said. “The Ford Conservatives must stop putting these unsafe, problematic, partisan plates on our roads.”

The Ontario NDP has been calling on the government to give Ontarians answers about how many of the old white plates remain available for use. Despite increased concerns from various safety organizations, the government has refused to use the older model white plates that are reportedly still in storage.

French also asked the government how the plates got so botched in the first place.

“The minister said in an interview that this government did ‘exhaustive testing’ of the plates. Who was consulted during your government’s ‘exhaustive testing’ and where is the proof of this testing?”

French added: “Since they don’t work in bright light, dim light, at a distance, in Durham and Toronto intersections, or in the sun, where exactly do these license plates work?”

Ontario NDP