If this is true, it’s despicable. We’re following up and coming down hard. Stay tuned for an announcement later today. pic.twitter.com/CtRLmrMket — Doug Ford (@fordnation) March 28, 2020

Ford on Thursday pledged to tackle price gouging that has sprung up for high-value products across the province as the coronavirus epidemic continues.

Ford said he was working with his cabinet to make it illegal to unreasonably raise prices, after high costs for cleaning products at posh Toronto grocery store Pusateri's.

On Saturday, the premier announced strict measures to combat so-called price gouging that includes legal consequences for businesses that participate and unveiled a new online portal for reporting such incidents.

Individual offenders of price-gouging can face a ticket of $750, or if convicted, could face a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and one year in prison.

If convicted, a company director or officer could face a fine of up to $500,000 and up to a year in jail, and a corporation could face a fine of up to $10 million.

A new portal has been set up for those that spot price-gouging anywhere in the province, which Ford said would be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Guelph’s local member of provincial parliament has said he supports the move.

In response to Garth’s experience at Showcase, MPP Mike Schreiner told the Mercury Tribune he is requesting companies to avoid price gouging.

“You are doing your businesses a disservice,” he wrote in response to a request for comment.

“There are so many businesses stepping up to help people, and I encourage all businesses to do so. We’re all in this together.”

Earlier in March, Dixon's Distilled Spirits joined many brewers and distilleries across the province in utilizing its facilities to make hand sanitizer.

With files from the Toronto Star.