TORONTO — Ontario cabinet ministers are defending their refusal to disclose the payment made to SpaceX to cancel a satellite-internet agreement, The Canadian Press reported Wednesday.

The original $100-million contract was intended to connect about 15,000 customers, particularly rural communities and remote First Nations. That contract value is not the cancellation payment.

The province says the payment was substantially below the contract’s value, but a confidential settlement keeps the amount undisclosed.

Questions over public spending

Treasury Board President Kinga Surma argues disclosure could weaken Ontario’s position in future negotiations. Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce also cited the commercial sensitivity of the settlement.

Opposition representatives have questioned why the payment was not identifiable in the recently released public accounts. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation also called for disclosure.

Premier Doug Ford cancelled the agreement after U.S. tariffs took effect. Wednesday’s reporting concerns continuing scrutiny of the payment, rather than a newly announced cancellation.

Source: The Canadian Press via CHCH, September 30.

Supporting image: AI-generated editorial illustration, not a photograph of the reported event.