Ontario will revert back to white licence plates, scrub faulty blue plates

TORONTO, ON. Mar 9, 2020– New-look white Ontario licence plates to replace the redesigned ‘Tory-blue’ ones, which are difficult to read under certain light conditions, will be revealed in a few days, according to sources to the Toronto Star.

So everything old will be new again as Ontario goes back to its traditional white vehicle plates although it sounds like they will have a refreshed look from before and will retain the “A Place To Grow” slogan established with the blue mistakes. The commercial plates will also retain the new “Open for business” slogan.

The whole illegible blue plate controversy initially arose on social media when a police officer tweeted out a photo of how difficult it was to read the number at night. The white lettering actually appeared black under certain lighting, so combined with the already dark blue plate, it was difficult to read.

More than 70,000 blue plates are in circulation already, partly because the Ontario government initially said the plates were fine and continued to administer them.

“For almost two weeks now, the Ford government has knowingly issued tens of thousands of defective blue license plates,” said Jennifer French, New Democratic Party’s transportation critic. 

“This never should have happened, French went on to say in a statement. “It was clear from the beginning that the new blue plates were unsafe, but the Ford Conservatives have chosen to put public safety at risk, and their response to criticism has been denial and finger pointing.”

The Ford government eventually admitted there was an issue at the manufacturing level before finally scrapping the whole thing on Friday February 28, 2020, and then announcing they are reverting back to the traditional white.

3M Canada, which manufactured the plates, said it is “providing material to the province” to be tested by police and key stakeholders and the finalised plates will be provided to the province at no cost to taxpayers.

Drivers with blue plates will receive a letter in the mail detailing how to exchange for the white ones. But until the white ones are ready –which The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services says will be by Mar 16 – the older white licence plate design with the “Yours to Discover” slogan, will be issued.