Premier Doug Ford says the double-blue licence plate snafu “breaks my heart.”

The candid admission came Tuesday at a transit announcement in Scarborough after weeks of ridicule about the illegibility of the defective new licence plates in certain lighting conditions.

“We’re moving forward with it,” he told reporters, referring to efforts with plate supplier 3M to produce new foolproof plates that can be seen in all lighting conditions.

“We’re going to roll that out in the next little while,” said Ford, who is now turning his hand to a new push — selling ads on billboards along 400-series highways to raise “a couple hundred million” dollars in revenue for the province.

“It’s an idea out there,” added the premier, whose government’s second budget will be presented March 25 by Finance Minister Rod Phillips. “What’s not an option…is to raise taxes.”

Asked about his projection for “a couple hundred million” in advertising revenue, Ford said “we’ll see about that. We have a lot of highways, right? We have 401, 400, 427, all the 400 series up to Highway 11. And we’ll see what the market bears.”

Green Leader Mike Schreiner said he’s worried more billboards on the province’s busiest highways could further distract drivers.

“It’s just a wrong, boneheaded move,” Schreiner told reporters.

The billboard scheme comes as the Progressive Conservatives are still smarting from the licence plate imbroglio.

As the Star first reported, Ford was personally involved in choosing the blue plates with white lettering that are being scrapped in favour of a new plate with white background.

Conservative sources said Ford was presented with different designs to replace the traditional white plate with embossed blue lettering in use since the days of former Tory premier Bill Davis in 1973.

Ford’s choice has been widely mocked for looking like a Q-tip box.

New Democrat MPP Jennifer French (Oshawa) said there is an underlying theme and took aim at his heart break remark.

“Right out of the gate, it was buck-a-beer and (gas pump) stickers and border signs, licence plates and soon flashy billboards. All of these endeavours have attracted attention, arguably not the kind that a responsible, grown-up government would want,” she said in the legislature’s daily question period.

“It is giving up on the dream of PC-blue plates on every Ontario car that touches the core of this premier.”

Government and Consumer Services Minister Lisa Thompson promised an “enhanced plate” soon.

Ford, a former head of the family label-making company founded by his late father, has been sensitive about the so called “plategate” fiasco that has given opposition parties endless fodder and left members of the government privately shaking their heads.

Last week, his temper flared when reporters questioned him about the problems that new Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca has since said are symbolic of the government’s “incompetence.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m shocked you’re even asking me that,” Ford said at a mining conference on March 2. “I know the media wants to pound on little things. We’re looking at the big vision.”

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

He acknowledged being “frustrated.”

The licence plates are being changed because the white plates — which are still being distributed after the new double-blue plates were pulled off the market pending the revamp — are prone to peeling. The new plates will be flat, without raised numbers and letters, because they are less prone to peeling.

With files from Kristin Rushowy

Rob Ferguson is a Toronto-based reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robferguson1

Robert Benzie is the Star’s Queen’s Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

Read more about: