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May 15, 2023

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

vol. A

Hansard Transcripts

vol. B

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2023-May-15 vol. A (PDF)

L077A - Mon 15 May 2023 / Lun 15 mai 2023

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Monday 15 May 2023 Lundi 15 mai 2023

Members’ Statements

Ruby Kerr

Dementia

Amateur hockey

Youth services

Public transit

Affordable housing

Vaisakhi

Ferry service

Women’s Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham Region

Public safety

Introduction of Visitors

Question Period

Government accountability

Emergency services / Doctor shortage

First Nations consultation

Economic development

Automotive industry

GO Transit

Landlord and Tenant Board

Electricity supply

Forest firefighting

Housing

Electricity supply

Autism treatment

Red tape reduction

Sexual assault crisis centres

Reception

Member’s birthday

Reception

Member’s birthday

House sittings

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy

Introduction of Bills

9-1-1 Everywhere in Ontario Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 sur le 9-1-1 partout en Ontario

Visitor

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Police Week / Semaine de la police

Petitions

Land using planning

Services for children and youth

Hospital services

Social assistance

Seniors

Affordable housing

Animal protection

Hospital services

Alzheimer’s disease

Health care workers

Hospital services

Consideration of Bill Pr25

Orders of the Day

Building a Strong Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2023 / Loi de 2023 visant à bâtir un Ontario fort (mesures budgétaires)

The House met at 1015.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Good morning. Let us pray.

Prayers.

Members’ Statements

Ruby Kerr

Mr. Ross Romano: This weekend, we had a very, very significant scare in Sault Ste. Marie. On Friday, May 12, a grade 6 class from Holy Cross Catholic School in Sault Ste. Marie had a day planned at St. Kateri Outdoor Learning Centre. St. Kateri is located on the outskirts of Sault Ste. Marie near Nettleton Lake. Myself, my kids and just about every single kid in Sault Ste. Marie has visited St. Kateri. It used to be called Camp Korah. It’s a place where all classes go for field trips in those younger elementary school ages.

Eleven-year-old Ruby Kerr was one of those grade 6 students on Friday. At 11 a.m. that day, she went missing from St. Kateri. An intense search effort began immediately. I even had occasion to deal with it in some capacity as a result of having coached against her in soccer. I was involved with family and coaches with respect to—there was just a massive search, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have a lot of time to go through it but to say that it impacted us all in our community greatly.

I was on the sidelines of the soccer field coaching my oldest son and middle son when her coach came to me and stopped me on the sidelines at half-time to tell me, thankfully, that Ruby had just been found. I really want to place a huge thank you to Sault Ste. Marie Police and the Ontario Provincial Police, especially their aerial helicopter pilots, who helped discover Ruby by just the miraculous finding of a footprint, which became the lead that located her almost 10 kilometres away from Camp Kateri, where she walked through the night.

Beyond the blisters on her feet and scrapes all over her legs and a very, very long, scary night, she was able to be reunited with her mom and dad almost 24 hours after going missing.

Dementia

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: Let me begin this short statement by wishing all mothers here and everywhere a happy belated Mother’s Day. I hope yesterday was a wonderful day for you and the special mothers in your life.

But, Speaker, just as I proclaim these well wishes today, I draw attention to a serious matter affecting our parents and grandparents everywhere. It is a disease called dementia, which captures the set of symptoms associated with cognitive decline. This disease affects over 600,000 Canadians today. A dementia diagnosis is life-altering for both the person affected and their families, and we must do more to help them.

Here in Ontario, we need a better strategy, a better plan. We must spread better dementia awareness and test for it early, because earlier detection can help the rate of decline and help families better prepare. We must create more dementia support programs and better support the ones that exist so more people can participate sooner. We must do more to support their caregivers—the vast majority are their own adult children and spouses—and we must make outside support much more affordable.

A new era of dementia drugs is on the horizon—which seek to finally address root causes rather than just the symptoms of dementia. When these drugs are shown to work, we must make them available here as fast as possible.

And finally, we must fix long-term care in this province once and for all. We owe it to our grandparents and parents. We owe it to ourselves, and we owe it to our children, who we wish will long outlive us, hopefully in a better world where this disease is finally eradicated.

Amateur hockey

Mr. Brian Saunderson: It is certainly a pleasure today to rise in the House and talk about two championship hockey teams in Simcoe–Grey. First off, congratulations to the Mike Jackson Collingwood Junior A Blues for winning the Ontario junior league title and the Buckland Cup last week. They are now in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, for the Centennial Cup playdowns. After two games in that championship series, they have a record of 2 and 0, beating the Steinbach Pistons and the Battlefords North Stars.

Mr. Speaker, there’s another championship junior team in the riding that I’d like to talk about, and that’s the Stayner Siskins, who are the winners of the North Conference final of the Junior C hockey series. The Siskins defeated the Midland Flyers, Orillia Terriers, Alliston Hornets and the Mount Forest Patriots to win the North Conference finals and earn a spot to compete in the Schmalz Cup Final Four tournament in Woodstock. And on Saturday, they lost in a very close semifinal game to the Clarington Eagles. The Siskins and the Alliston Hornets have a very proud and long successful history of winning for decades in Simcoe–Grey.

But before I sit down, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to mention the character of these boys both off and on the ice. The Collingwood Junior A Blues went grocery shopping in Portage la Prairie and gave $700 to the food drive that was matched by the grocery store for a total of $1,400 to the local food bank. Speaker, this speaks to the character of the players and their franchises and shows they’re champions both on and off the ice.

Youth services

Ms. Peggy Sattler: Speaker, at a time when kids are struggling more than ever before, I want to recognize some dedicated organizations, teachers, business owners and families who are supporting London West youth:

—organizations like Western University and its faculty, students and staff, who this weekend welcomed thousands of London-area families to campus to experience the joy and fun of discovery during the sixth annual Science Rendezvous;

—teachers like Michelle Massaro at the London District Catholic School Board, who this year launched Ontario’s first secondary school competitive robotics league, developing students’ skills, teamwork and confidence that were spotlighted this month at the Robotics World Championships in Texas and with gold and silver medals at Skills Ontario;

—businesses like Code Ninjas in Hyde Park, owned by Ammar Sokhon and his wife Amani, which this month celebrated the awarding of seven back belts to youth who had created a video game from concept to delivery, including the first black belt in Canada and the first female black belt; and

—families like the parents of a multiple World Karate champion, 13-year-old Kaleb “The Hype” Boyle, who helped pump up the crowd at the Kids Help Phone walk on May 7 and spoke about his own experiences with bullying and the importance of finding someone who will have your back and cheer you on.

Deepest thanks, Speaker, to all those who are helping young people find their passions and soar.

Public transit

Mr. Todd J. McCarthy: This past Friday, May 12, I was very honoured to welcome Premier Doug Ford to Durham region. I was joined, as a member of the Durham four, by the Minister of Finance, the member for Pickering–Uxbridge, the member for Ajax and the member for Whitby—also with the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Energy present—for the announcement of new electric double-decker GO buses for our GO system. And I can proudly say that it is warmly welcomed within Durham region, of course, and across this great province.

We are making new investments, record investments, in public transit across Ontario and in Durham region. The future is bright and the future is electric, and that is because we are charging forward with a great plan for clean energy and for record investments in public transit. I thank the Premier for joining me this past Friday.

Affordable housing

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: I stand here today, shoulder to shoulder, with the good people of St. Catharines. In fact, I’m going to hand you a letter after question period. There’s an elephant in the room that we cannot ignore: affordable housing and mental health resources. Our dedicated mayor has sounded the alarm for emergency support. I stand with him. We must protect and celebrate our vibrant community.

Premier, when asked about this support last week, the response was that we need more rehabilitation facilities. That misunderstands the problem. Homelessness is not just about addiction; it is more a mental health and housing issue. It is complex and we need to face it with a comprehensive solution. We cannot stigmatize our people by oversimplifying the issue. They need our help, not our judgment. You cannot rehabilitate a person if they do not have a roof over their head.

St. Catharines’s downtown is a hub for Niagara’s large festivals and sporting events. Take a stroll down our lively streets rich with culture and history. From the charming boutiques on James Street to the culinary delights of St. Paul Street, St. Catharines is a gem that must be supported. This is why we fight.

Our community stands united, calling for immediate funding to protect our region, our city, our people. When we stand together, we serve our constituents the best. I ask you to stand with us.

Vaisakhi

Mr. Graham McGregor: It’s a privilege to rise in the House today and stand with my Sikh brothers and sisters as they continue to celebrate Vaisakhi, with Nagar Kirtans being held across the GTA. The Sikh community is one that is proud, strong, humble and selfless. In my riding of Brampton North, and even having grown up in Brampton, this is something that I see first-hand every single day.

We have parades and festivals across Canada, and at many of these, a bottle of water costs you $3, a pop might be even more, and a hot dog might run you well over five bucks. But at a Nagar Kirtan, everything is given freely. The only money you can spend is actually donating back to the community and donating back to your gurdwara. You can get water, pop, pizza, chai, freezies—you name it. These are donated for the Nagar Kirtan out of the goodness of one’s heart and with the key Sikh principle of “seva” in mind.

Seva in Sikhism means selfless and voluntary service for the benefit of humanity, without any personal gain. At every Nagar Kirtan, you will see this on full display. The community will offer so much to their neighbours, all are welcome, and after the parade, you won’t see any garbage or mess left behind because the community gets together to clean up the neighbourhood.

I think we can all learn these important values from the Sikh community. I hope everyone had or takes the opportunity to attend a Nagar Kirtan this year. If you need a recommendation, the Guru Nanak Mission Centre in my riding will be hosting on Sunday, June 4. Hope to see you there.

Ferry service

Mr. Ted Hsu: Yesterday afternoon, the Wolfe Island ferry announced that they couldn’t find workers and that the ferry would shut down from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. yet again. That shutdown included emergency services, because last night a coast guard ship was needed to bring paramedics to the island. And this morning, there are long lineups on both the mainland and the island docks. There were engine issues that prevented the ferry from running until just about an hour ago. Add to that all the people who had to stay overnight on the wrong side of the water and all the people that are waiting to start their day and it’s a total mess.

Under this government, we have a new ferry which arrived one and a half years ago and still isn’t in use and new docks whose construction has been delayed by years. The government has paid two to three times the regular cost to hire temporary workers, but still, the lives of those who live or work on Wolfe Island and Kingston are being continually disrupted.

I call on this government to realize that workers have choices, to pay competitive salaries and to expedite the training of more licensed ferry operators, and I call on the minister to give her personal attention and to take personal responsibility for managing the Wolfe Island ferry situation until it stabilizes.

Women’s Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham Region

Mr. Lorne Coe: The Women’s Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham celebrated its 30th anniversary this past Saturday at its inspiring hope and rebuilding lives gala. I was joined at the gala by MPP Patrice Barnes from Ajax and the Honourable Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity.

Speaker, over the years, the counselling centre has served thousands of women across the region of Durham. Our government is pleased to be able to fund the Women’s Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham so that executive director Esther Enyolu, the board of directors and staff are able to assist women in the Durham region who have experienced social and economic barriers to access services and develop the skills needed to gain financial security and live safely with a greater sense of security.

Congratulations to the counselling centre on 30 years of service to Durham region, lifting up women and their families in Durham region. Thank you for your dedication to supporting women in crisis.

Public safety

Mr. Hardeep Singh Grewal: I’ve heard loud and clear from families in my riding of Brampton East and across the province about their concerns regarding the rise in violence and criminal activity over the last year. To better serve our constituents, our government has implemented several new measures to reassure Ontarians and safeguard families.

Our government is taking bold action to address this matter with our recent announcement of investing $51 million to crack down on auto theft and organized crime. A few short weeks ago, we moved a motion calling on the federal government to reform the Criminal Code of Canada and implement meaningful bail reform. Last July, we announced $75 million in funding for police forces to crack down on guns, gangs and violence. Since then, we’ve seen significant arrests, like the $10 million of stolen vehicles seized in Peel or the $3.1 million of drugs seized in Sarnia by the OPP and the RCMP.

I’d like to thank police officers across the province for the commendable work they do putting their lives on the line to serve and protect our communities and our families. I would like to commend the Peel Regional Police for working diligently in collaboration with the OPP to combat auto theft, which has been a growing concern for many residents, especially mine, those in Brampton.

Speaker, our government has heard from the residents, and we are taking bold action. We’ll always do whatever it takes to ensure the safety and protection of all families across Ontario.

Introduction of Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): We have a special guest with us in the members’ gallery today, a former member who was the representative of the riding of St. Catharines from the 31st to the 41st provincial Parliament and is now the chair of the regional municipality of Niagara. Jim Bradley is with us today. Welcome back.

Hon. Jill Dunlop: I would like to introduce two guests from my riding today: Jenna Craig and Anniston Deleary. They are grade 12 students from Chippewas of Rama First Nation and youth council members. Thank you for being here today and joining me.

Ms. Marit Stiles: It is Niagara Week, and I want to extend a warm welcome to Jim Bradley, chair of the Niagara region, and all my friends who are here with us today from the region. I know that you’ll be having great discussions about how we can work together to better grow Ontario and Niagara. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Dave Smith: Today is Peterborough Day at Queen’s Park, so I have the entire contingency up in the public gallery. I won’t name everyone, but I will name a few: Warden Bonnie Clark, Mayor Sherry Senis, Deputy Mayor Ron Black, Mayor Heather Watson, Mayor Jim Martin, Mayor Terry Lambshead, former member and mayor of the city of Peterborough Jeff Leal and Deputy Mayor Gary Baldwin. From my office I also have, in the Speaker’s gallery, Andrea Dodsworth, Jenna DePaiva, Sally Carson and Halle Kunjal.

Mrs. Robin Martin: I want to wish a warm welcome to my executive assistant from my constituency office, who is here today in the members’ gallery, Idan Yakobovitch, with his family visiting from Israel: Zvi and Orit, and his sister Anat Yakobovitch. Thank you very much for coming.

Ms. Sandy Shaw: It’s my pleasure to introduce members from my staff team in Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas: Nick Higgins and, on her very first day, Micaela Krawczuk. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Wayne Gates: It’s Niagara Week, and we’re very excited. I’d like to give a warm welcome to some of our elected representatives from Niagara who are here today. We’ve already met Regional Chair Jim Bradley, who I was looking for on this side; he’s over there, so I apologize for that. Also, I’d like to welcome the mayor of the town of Fort Erie, Wayne Redekop, the Lord Mayor—and the only Lord Mayor in the province of Ontario—from the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Gary Zalepa, and the mayor of the city Niagara Falls, Jim Diodati.

I’d also like to welcome my two staff members who are here today, Quinn and Gillian. Gillian is a student who has been working in our office for the last six weeks, and she’s now going on to university. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Brian Riddell: It’s my pleasure today to introduce Lisa, Brian and Brayden Vermet sitting over here. They’re family members of legislative page Olivia from St. Brigid Catholic school in Cambridge.

Ms. Jennifer K. French: As we’ve heard, it is Peterborough Day here at Queen’s Park. I wanted to remind everyone to visit the receptions in rooms 228 and 230 for lunch today. As someone who is fairly near to Peterborough, and Peterborough is near and dear to my heart—I remember skating on the canal as a child—I hope everyone comes to join us. Welcome, today.

Ms. Natalie Pierre: I’d like to introduce the executive director of Flowers Canada, Andrew Morse. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Trevor Jones: It’s my pleasure to welcome members of the Ontario Greenhouse Alliance to the Legislature today. Please join us, our advocates for fresh floral and fresh Ontario-grown produce, tonight in the legislative dining room at 5 p.m.

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: As we’ve all heard, it is Niagara Week here at Queen’s Park. So, in addition to welcoming those who have already been mentioned, I want to also note that we have the regional councillor for Lincoln, Rob Foster, in the House, and we also have Diana Huson, the regional councillor for the town of Pelham. I also want to acknowledge CAO Ron Tripp and Daryl Barnhart, who are here today. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Ric Bresee: It’s my pleasure today to introduce some of my constituency staff, some of whom have never been here before. I’ll start with Tiffany Lloyd, Jamie-Lynn McGarvey, Lixy Rolston and my long-suffering constituency manager Anita Ramski. Welcome to the House.

Hon. Stephen Lecce: I’m very honoured to introduce Maya Valente, her family and all the educators from St. John Bosco Catholic School. You may have heard that Maya faced a medical emergency while in school. Her educators were on the scene, really helping to support her through that difficulty. I want to thank her for her leadership and thank the staff and the families at the Hospital for Sick Children for supporting her. She’s back in school and she’s safe today. Thank you so much.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Unless there are objections, I’d like to continue with introduction of visitors.

Government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: Thank you, Speaker. I didn’t think there would be any objections.

Let me welcome Rafael Morales, Julie Reaume and Rosemary Chalmers, who are the parents and grandmother of page Maya from Markham–Stouffville.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): That concludes our introduction of visitors for this morning.

I understand the member for Ottawa–Vanier has a point of order.

M me Lucille Collard: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do.

I am seeking unanimous consent that, notwithstanding standing order 40(e), five minutes be allotted to the independent members as a group to respond during statements by the ministry and responses today.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Ottawa–Vanier is seeking unanimous consent of the House that, notwithstanding standing order 40(e), five minutes be allotted to the independent members as a group to respond during statements by the ministry and responses today. Agreed? I heard a no.

Question Period

Government accountability

Ms. Marit Stiles: Good morning, Speaker. This question is for the Premier.

Ontario’s greenbelt includes over two million acres of protected land, including some of the most fertile agricultural land in the country. The greenbelt generates nearly $9.6 billion in annual economic activity, and supports over 177,000 jobs. It also provides $3.2 billion a year in services like flood protection, water purification and stormwater management.

Speaker, does the Premier really think this is all a big scam?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: In fact, no, Mr. Speaker. In fact, it was a Progressive Conservative government, you will recall, that brought in the Oak Ridges Moraine Green Planning Act back in 2000. It was a federal Conservative government that brought in the Rouge National Urban Park back in 2014, despite the fact that the NDP voted against that. It was a Progressive Conservative government here at Queen’s Park that expanded the greenbelt. It was a Liberal government, supported by the NDP, that reopened the greenbelt 17 times without expanding the greenbelt.

That is the record of Progressive Conservative government when it comes to protecting the greenbelt, when it comes to protecting the environment.

But at the same time, Mr. Speaker, we understand that it is very, very important right now, the fact that there is a housing crisis—we have to do everything in our power to remove obstacles so that we can build more homes for the people of the province of Ontario. There are over 500,000 people coming to Ontario to participate in what is the economic revival of this province. They need a place to live and to call home, and we’re going to do that.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary question.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, the minister is clearly taking a different perspective on this than his Premier, and you can’t really blame the Premier for trying out some new lines to try to change the channel on a topic that has become a very sore point for him. As the questions and the evidence pile up, he is now calling into question the whole premise of the greenbelt.

Speaker, let’s talk about scams. How about the one where developers with close ties to the Conservatives somehow knew to buy protected land in the greenbelt long before the change was made? To the Premier: How did these developers get advance notice of his government’s intentions to carve up the greenbelt?

Hon. Paul Calandra: We talked about this last week, right? It is no secret to any of us sitting in this House today—it’s clearly no secret to Progressive Conservatives—that the NDP have an ideological disdain for building homes for the people of the province of Ontario.

It’s not just them here; it’s their federal cousins in Ottawa. They held the balance of power in Ottawa, like they did here, and they’re not talking in Ottawa about removing obstacles to build more homes, just like the NDP didn’t when they held the balance of power here.

So, Mr. Speaker, let me be clear to the Leader of the Opposition: We on this side of the House, Progressive Conservatives, don’t believe that the people of the province of Ontario should be reliant only on the government. We believe that the people should be given the tools to succeed, because when they are given the tools to succeed, that is when Ontario prospers most. In order to do that, we are bringing more jobs and opportunity to the province of Ontario.

But it is also completely unacceptable that young Canadians, young Ontarians, should be offering 10, 15, 21 times in one instance to buy a home and not be successful. That’s not Ontario, and we’re going to rectify that.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The final supplementary.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, we all know that ripping up the greenbelt for the benefit of a few wealthy insiders is not a housing plan.

Let’s get this straight: They won’t tell us who shared information about the greenbelt carve-up in advance of the November 2022 announcement. They won’t acknowledge that developers who benefited from this were at private family fundraisers of the Premier. They won’t release the records of who in the Premier’s office was sharing this information. And now, they’re trying to distract by saying that the greenbelt is not a thing.

Speaker, the Premier owes Ontarians a straight answer: Is he planning to open up more sections of the greenbelt for his developer friends, yes or no?

Hon. Paul Calandra: We’ve been very clear, right from the beginning, that we intend to remove obstacles. We intend to remove obstacles that are in the way of building new homes for the people of the province of Ontario. It is no secret that since we got elected, jobs and opportunity are coming back to the province of Ontario. It’s no secret we’ve added 300,000 jobs.

But the job isn’t done, Mr. Speaker. We have to continue to do more. As I said in my first answer, it is unacceptable that we have young Ontarians offering 16, 17, and in one instance, 21 times—a grandparent called me and said 21 times—for a home that they didn’t get. That is unacceptable. So we’re going to remove obstacles. We know that they like obstacles, but you know what that has resulted in, Mr. Speaker? In April 2023, this past April, we reached an annual rate of housing starts of over 110,664. That is one of the highest levels in decades. And do you know how we’re doing that?

We’re doing it by removing obstacles so that we can get more homes in the ground, so that people have the opportunity and so that all Ontarians can share in the same dream that all of us here have, Mr. Speaker—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you.

The next question.

Emergency services / Doctor shortage

Mr. Jeff Burch: Speaker, through you, to the Minister of Health: Between 2021 and 2022, Niagara experienced a 55% increase in EMS off-load delays, and in the latter half of 2022, a total of over $1.7 million of the regional levy was spent to address the record number of EMS calls. In 2022, Niagara EMS incurred almost 34,000 off-load delay hours, which is equivalent to 24 paramedics for 365 days. Will the minister commit to reimbursing the over $1.7 million spent on additional off-load delays and ensure that Niagara is funded for an additional health team to help address the underlying causes of our EMS crisis, as requested by Niagara’s municipal leaders?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Thank you to the member opposite for the question, because it is an important one. We know that the status quo is not acceptable. Having said that, of course, our government does fund ambulance partnerships with our municipal partners. But I want to go specifically to what we have done, because we know the status quo is not acceptable.

We’re returning ambulances to communities faster through the Dedicated Offload Nurses Program, and through that program, we’ve actually increased ambulance availability by over 600,000 hours. These are individuals whose patients are being directly passed over and looked after by the local hospitals and, equally important, we’re having paramedics who can now go back into community faster to make sure that we deal with these wait times and off-load delays.

We’re providing timely and appropriate care in the community through the expansion of a patient care model that allows paramedics to actually provide community-based care to some 911 patients. These are concrete, specific examples of what we have done as a government to assist and make sure that status quo—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you. The supplementary question? The member for Niagara Falls.

Mr. Wayne Gates: Back to the Premier: Those stats should be concerning to any government, and it’s the result of a health care crisis. This crisis, fuelled by the government’s disrespect of front-line health care workers, has created those significant off-load delays in our hospital. Niagara deserves to be refunded the $1.7 million of taxpayer dollars that have gone into the off-load delays. We can’t continue to go down this road. Three of Niagara’s hospitals consistently rank in the bottom quarter of off-load times.

Speaker, with the local leaders from Niagara here today, will the Premier listen to their solutions and commit to ensuring long-term solutions to EMS off-load delays immediately?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Mr. Speaker, a couple more examples of what we have been doing to ensure that our paramedic partners in community have the resources and services they need: We’re investing in new technologies across central ambulance communications centres, including, of course, in Niagara, to lower wait times and modernize dispatch services. That program in place in Niagara and Peel is making sure that people are triaged appropriately and getting the services they need as quickly as possible.

We’ve also increased non-ambulance transportation for medically stable patients. All of these things together are ensuring that we continue to train and hire more paramedics in community, because, of course, the Learn and Stay program also has a component for our ambulance operators and our paramedics. So we’re doing this work and we’re getting the job done because it has been sorely ignored for too long.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The final supplementary? The member for St. Catharines.

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: To the Premier: After the passing of a beloved physician, countless seniors, like Debbie Clark’s 89-year-old mother, are struggling to find care amid a shortage of 100 family doctors in Niagara. Despite reaching out to 50 clinics, the Clark family have found no relief. Our overworked, aging doctors cannot bear this burden alone. To alleviate this strain on hospitals and EMS, we urgently need increased support for doctor recruitment in Niagara region.

Speaker, to the Premier: Will you commit to reviewing and enhancing this crucial aid, ensuring our seniors have access to essential care when they need it the most?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: The member opposite is completely acknowledging that the status quo is not appropriate. With the passage of Bill 60, we now have as-of-right in the province of Ontario. What does as-of-right mean? It means that if you are a practising physician or clinician in any other Canadian jurisdiction and you have a job in Ontario, you can practise immediately and not have to delay.

It is our government, Speaker, that has now put in place two new medical schools in Brampton and in Scarborough. What does that mean? It means that we are planning ahead unlike, respectfully, the members from the NDP and the Liberals who actually cut residency spots. We now are facing 250 less physicians who are practising in the province of Ontario because of the previous work of the NDP and the Liberal government.

We’re getting it done. We’re making those changes.

First Nations consultation

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Last week, the Premier made very concerning statements about mining projects in the north, specifically the Ring of Fire. We know these projects cannot proceed without the free, prior and informed consent of First Nations. When the Premier says the Ring of Fire is going to get built without that consent, it will lead to conflict.

Why does the Premier think this is the right way to move forward?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs.

Hon. Greg Rickford: What the Premier and this government believe in is building consensus, Mr. Speaker, and shared and common interests around legacy infrastructure that will help develop northern Ontario. This has been something that we have said time and time again. We’re not dividing and conquering, pitting one community against the other like the member opposite appears to be. Instead, we want to have open and frank discussions about the kind of legacy infrastructure—energy, road access, all of those communities on diesel generation.

We have a rare opportunity here to move forward on legacy infrastructure for this region; bring communities a better opportunity economically and socially; bring them access to health and services programs; and build a world-class mining system that will serve the world over in the electric vehicle battery supply chain.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question.

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: The Premier needs to stop getting bad advice from this minister. First Nations are opposed to decisions that are being made on their treaty territories without their consent. First Nations are not going to stand up for this approach. We’ve been unequal partners for far too long. Besides, it’s very colonial.

Speaker, if First Nations come to a consensus that they do not want mining in their territories, then that needs to be respected. If this government gets told “no” by First Nations, will they respect that?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will please take their seats.

To reply, the Minister of Mines.

Hon. George Pirie: Thank you very much for that question. In an

article in Wawatay News, MPP Sol Mamakwa stated, “I think TKG is an example of what working together can look like. We can prosper together on some of the spinoffs happening in the work in northern Ontario.”

John Glover, the CEO of Minodahmun Development LP: “It’s all about three First Nations who have shared territory coming together to create a business that benefits all three communities. We’re very involved in the mining sector and the heavy construction sector.”

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock for a second.

Once again, I’m going to remind members to refer to each other by their riding name or their ministerial title, as applicable, not by their personal name.

Start the clock. The next question.

Economic development

Mr. Brian Riddell: My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Entrepreneurs and companies choose to plant their roots in communities in southwestern Ontario for many reasons. With a talented workforce and ample opportunities, there’s no shortage of reasons why it’s one of the best places to operate and grow a business.

With billions of dollars in investment that the government has been attracting across the province, my constituents want to know that they’re also getting a fair deal and that the government is there to help their business stay competitive. Speaker, can the minister explain what our government is doing to support businesses, namely manufacturers, in Ontario communities?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Speaker, we all know that Ontario communities are the most competitive places to invest and grow. By lowering the cost of business by $8 billion every year, we have attracted record investments here into Ontario.

Just last week, Trusscore in Palmerston announced a $10-million investment in a manufacturing facility. They make a unique, sustainable PVC-based wall and ceiling panel, which is a really modern replacement for traditional drywall. With a $1.5-million investment from the province, they’re adding 68 good-paying jobs. Speaker, Ontario has attracted $1 billion in new investments like that one from Trusscore through our Regional Development Program. This is the commitment we make to the people of southwestern Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary question.

Mr. Brian Riddell: Thank you to the minister for that answer. It’s great to hear the people of southwestern Ontario have not been forgotten by this government, and it’s no question that programs like the Regional Development Program help businesses power our province’s economy.

Beyond attracting the world’s investments, we need to ensure conditions are right for our own local businesses and entrepreneurs to succeed here at home. Speaker, can the minister further elaborate on how our government is supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs to start and grow?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: For years, the Liberals and their NDP partners stifled economic growth by making it too expensive to do business here in Ontario. They sent hundreds of thousands of jobs fleeing the province.

But our government has reversed all of that. We’ve eliminated red tape, lowered hydro rates and reduced the taxes that the Liberals and NDP piled on, sending those businesses running. We’ve attracted record levels of investments and jobs—$25 billion in auto investments, $3 billion in life sciences, and billions more in the tech sector. And we’re also helping entrepreneurs with support from our regional innovation centres, found all through Ontario, and our small business centres, found in most Ontario communities. Speaker, this is exactly what businesses and entrepreneurs needed to turn their dream into jobs.

Automotive industry

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: My question is to the Premier. Stellantis is now reconsidering their battery plant deal in Windsor. Thousands of new jobs are on the line. They’ve actually stopped construction.

The impact that this will have on my community is significant. The union representing these workers has successfully bargained in these investments, but they need all levels of government to use every tool they have to secure this investment. We can’t sit by idly and watch more good-paying auto jobs leave this province or, more specifically, my area.

What is the Premier doing to ensure that this deal does not fall through?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Speaker, we’ve been back in this Legislature for almost a year, and we’ve not had one question asked of us—not a peep—about how we landed $25 billion in auto investments here in Ontario, not one question on how we landed that $5-billion deal with Stellantis and what our commitment was.

Well, I will tell you, we have a signed agreement with Stellantis which we are honouring to the letter. It’s the same deal we made with Volkswagen, for your information. But now it’s up to the federal government to honour their commitment to Stellantis and the workers in Windsor.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question.

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: I’ve actually stood in this Legislature several times as the wife of an auto worker and told this government you need to give credit to the workers instead of taking it all for yourselves—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock. The member for Essex will come to order.

Start the clock. I recognize the member for Windsor West.

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: Thank you, Speaker. I’ve stood in this Legislature many, many times as the wife of an auto worker and told this government you need to give credit to the workers and not just—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Essex is warned.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The House will come to order.

Start the clock. The member for Windsor West.

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: The member for Essex can try and shout me down all he wants, but I’m the wife of an auto worker and I’ve been on the picket lines with these workers. I know they bargain in these deals, and you keep taking credit for all of it instead of giving it to the workers—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m going to interrupt the member to remind the member to make her comments through the Chair.

The member for Windsor West has the floor.

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: Speaker, this Premier has a track record of not acting when auto jobs were leaving this province or Windsor specifically. We saw this in Windsor with Nemak, the third shift at Windsor Assembly Plant—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Government side, come to order.

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: —and with General Motors in Oshawa.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock. The member for Brampton North will come to order. The Minister of Education will come to order.

The member for Windsor West has the floor. She has the right to ask her question, and I need to be able to hear it.

Start the clock. The member for Windsor West.

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: Thank you, Speaker. They can shout me down all they want, and I’ll continue to raise the voice of my community. This Premier has a track record of not acting when auto jobs were leaving this province. We saw this in Windsor with Nemak, the third shift at Windsor Assembly Plant and with General Motors in Oshawa. My community deserves a government that will do everything in its power to not only protect current auto jobs but secure new ones. These are good-paying auto jobs with benefits and pensions. Stellantis deserves the same consideration and government support as any other automaker in the province, and so do these workers.

What specifically is the Premier going to do to support Windsor workers and ensure we don’t lose this investment?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Again, it’s great to be able to rise for the very first time to a question from the NDP—in the last year, they did not ask about the fact that Bloomberg has now said that Canada is ranked second in the global EV battery supply chain. We went from zero to $25 billion without one question or comment from the NDP. They did not ask us the details back in March of 2022, when we did the $5 billion, they did not ask a question about the $7-billion Volkswagen deal, and I can tell you my signature is on that contract. I can tell you, as well, they did not ask a question about the deal we did with Ford, Honda, GM, Umicore, Magna, anything.

But I will tell you, Speaker: We have a signed agreement with Stellantis which we are honouring to the letter, and we encourage the federal government to live up to the commitment they made to—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The next question.

GO Transit

Mr. David Smith: My question is to the Minister of Transportation. GO Transit is a part of Ontario’s vital transportation network. In my riding of Scarborough Centre, many people rely on GO buses for easy, reliable travel across the GTA and beyond.

With over 70 million riders using the GO service every year, that is why our province must keep pace with technology that will reduce emissions. Our government must continue to make investments in transportation technology that helps the environment and is good for people.

Mr. Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government is expanding clean, green transit options for Ontario?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I thank my colleague for the question. Zero-emission technology is the way of the future, and that’s why last week I joined the Premier and my colleagues from Durham to announce the addition of two brand-new electric buses. This is a first for GO Transit.

Speaker, these new electric buses are a significant step forward for our government’s plan to be a global leader in clean transportation. Starting May 15, these buses will hit the roads on four routes in my colleague’s riding of Scarborough Centre. The buses will be identifiable by their unique exterior, which features a lightning bolt. Once on board, commuters will experience a quieter ride and will have access to USB chargers.

Thanks to the leadership of the Premier, we’re making it easier and greener to travel on GO Transit.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): And the supplementary question.

Mr. David Smith: I thank the minister for giving the update to the House so they can be aware of what we’re doing. It’s good the government is taking steps to help the environment while also making travel easier for riders. People in my community are eager to be part of the eco-friendly transit that will lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Unlike the Liberals, who failed to invest in transit for Ontario’s hard-working people and families, our government must be focused on a better plan. These new electric buses are a good step forward as we build a cleaner province.

Mr. Speaker, can the minister please explain what our government is doing to build clean-energy transportation that works?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: Speaker, our plan for GO expansion will change the way that you travel on GO Transit. GO expansion will convert trains from diesel to electric-powered. They will be faster, quieter and greener. On top of that, thanks to the work of the Premier, we’re going to see thousands of Ontario-made electric vehicles on our roads in the next few years.

Despite the lack of interest or the opposition from the members opposite, our strong EV manufacturing sector that our government has been building, access to critical minerals that we have been spearheading and all-electric GO buses signal to the world that Ontario is a leader in electric vehicle technology. A clean transportation network is the future, and our government is at the forefront of this revolution every step of the way.

Landlord and Tenant Board

MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam: All of Ontario’s tribunals are in crisis. Since the Conservatives formed government in 2018, the Landlord and Tenant Board backlog has grown threefold to 38,000 people, the Human Rights Tribunal’s has grown twofold to 9,000 people and the Licence Appeal Tribunal’s has grown fourfold to over 16,204 persons.

How many more scathing Ombudsman’s reports does the Premier need to have on his desk before he takes immediate action to reduce the horrendous backlog by depoliticizing the appointment process and reinstating in-person hearings, as recommended by legal experts?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Attorney General.

Hon. Doug Downey: I’d like to thank my friend across the aisle for asking Tribunals Ontario’s question, Mr. Speaker, because we’ve been wondering at what point the opposition will support us in moving forward to double the number of adjudicators. We’ve been wondering at what point the opposition will support us in terms of updating technology that the Ombudsman said the Liberals—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock. The member for Ottawa South, come to order.

The Attorney General has the floor.

Hon. Doug Downey: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. He’s pre-empting the fact that the Ombudsman said that the Liberals left the place in shambles, Mr. Speaker. That’s what he’s pre-empting.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I would like to see the NDP stand up and support us in the investments we’re making in terms of the staffing, the adjudicators, the technology. I’ll have more to say in the supplementary.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question? The member for University–Rosedale.

Ms. Jessica Bell: My question is back to the Attorney General. Watchdog Tribunal Watch questions whether the Conservatives understand the depth of the crisis at the Landlord and Tenant Board—a crisis that has gotten worse under their term and continues to this very day. If you can’t even acknowledge a crisis, how are you going to fix it?

I quote Tribunal Watch: “It is difficult to have any confidence in the ability of Tribunals Ontario and the LTB to course-correct and address the serious issues raised by the Ombudsman.”

My question is to the minister: I am imploring this government to take their head out of the sand and work with groups like Tribunal Watch to fix our tribunal system. Can you do it?

Hon. Doug Downey: I’d like to welcome the opposition to the party, Mr. Speaker. We’re already getting the job done. We’ve doubled the number of adjudicators. We’ve put in a brand-new technology system. The Ombudsman says we’re on the right side of this. He sees optimism. He sees that we’re moving in the right direction. We’ve added more staff, Mr. Speaker. We’re making sure that we have the people in the places with the tools to get the job done.

I’m glad that the opposition has tuned in. If they were paying attention before, they might have actually supported us on some of these advancements.

Electricity supply

Mr. Ted Hsu: Mr. Speaker, apparently Electric Avenue is the new theme song for Ontario. I’m happy we are building electric vehicles in Ontario, but if everybody were to buy an electric vehicle and plug it in, most streets couldn’t handle it without local electricity grid infrastructure upgrades.

I want to spur on this government to plan ahead, but I don’t trust them to plan ahead because they started their term of office by pulling out EV chargers. Doug Ford talks about an electric avenue, but until he gets the grid infrastructure rocking down to Electric Avenue, he’s just Living on a Prayer.

Could the minister tell the House why the government hasn’t announced the long-term plans needed to build out the local electricity grid infrastructure for handling mass adoption of electric vehicles in Ontario?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock. Okay. The government side will come to order so that I can hear the member who has the floor—who legitimately has the floor and has the right to ask a question, which I need to hear.

Start the clock. The response? Minister of Energy.

Hon. Todd Smith: Well, I’d be pleased to respond to that question. Mr. Speaker, we endured 15 long years of Bad Medicine from that government—a Liberal government that drove up electricity prices across our province, drove jobs out of our province. Since we formed government in 2018, we’ve been bringing them back. We’ve been bringing them back by the thousands, Mr. Speaker.

And instead of a disastrous plan—a failed plan that even their former Premier admits was her biggest mistake, Mr. Speaker—we’re getting it right. The fundamentals are right: low hydro, low taxes, making sure that companies want to invest in Ontario’s wealth and growth. We’re seeing it on a record pace, including in the electric vehicle sector. And I’ll have more to say about the supply that’s coming, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question.

Mr. Ted Hsu: Speaker, in Palo Alto, California, one in five households have an electric vehicle. They’re way ahead of us, and they are encountering the fact that serious planning and years of work—for example, upgrading transformers—will be needed to electrify cars and home heating in their community.

We know that we have to burn less fossil fuels. We know that new nuclear power will take at least a decade to make a real difference. We know that part of the solution is communities using more electricity while generating and storing power themselves. That will require distributed energy systems.

I know the minister agrees with me that there’s a holy trinity of modern energy: reliable, affordable and sustainable. Will the minister commit today to work with local distribution companies and to aggressively pursue the piloting and build-out of the local electricity grid infrastructure needed for a green future?

Hon. Todd Smith: The member across is a good man, he’s a nice man, but he wants us to become California, Mr. Speaker? A jurisdiction that, on one day, mandates electric vehicles, and on the next day, sends out a notice to tell people that they shouldn’t charge their vehicles? We are not going to become California. That’s why we have a plan and one that’s working. We’re investing in our large nuclear facilities. We have four of our Candu reactors that are currently down for refurbishment. When they come back, that’s 3,400 megawatts of clean, reliable power that is going to power our future.

Those refurbishments alone at Bruce and Darlington are enough to power the city of Toronto for another 35 years.

But we’re not stopping there, Mr. Speaker. We’re building the first grid-scale small modular reactor in the G7 here in Ontario. We’re building the largest battery-storage facility in Canada here in Ontario. We’re procuring the power that we’re going to need to power our—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you.

The next question.

Forest firefighting

Ms. Goldie Ghamari: My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. Alberta’s provincial government recently declared a state of emergency due to an unprecedented early start to their wildfire season. As tens of thousands of hectares burn, smoke from these fires has already reached the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Several communities and rural areas have been evacuated, with more than 24,000 people forced to leave their homes.

Our government understands that now is the time for unity. We must stand with our fellow Canadians in Alberta and support them during this difficult time. Through you, Mr. Speaker, can the minister please share how our government is assisting the province of Alberta in fighting against these destructive wildfires?

Hon. Graydon Smith: Thanks to the member from Carleton for the question. As the member from Carleton mentioned, Alberta is going through an incredibly difficult and unprecedented wildfire season right now. Our thoughts are very much with the people of Alberta, but, Mr. Speaker, so are our actions. We’re proud to be part of numerous mutual aid agreements with provinces across Canada and countries around the world, and these agreements allow for the sharing of resources to minimize the burden on any single jurisdiction during exceptional fire seasons. Just as we’ve benefited from support from partners in our time of need, we offer our help when our friends need it.

My ministry has deployed over 177 staff, including crews and an incident management team, to support firefighting efforts in Alberta. We’ll continue to stay in close contact with Alberta as they continue their fight with wildfires so that Albertans displaced can return home sooner.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): And the supplementary question.

Ms. Goldie Ghamari: I am proud that our government is working across provincial borders to help the people of Alberta when they need it the most, and we are grateful to the Ontarians who are supporting these communities. However, the unfortunate reality is that summer in Ontario can also mean the risk of wildfire. Forest fires can be devastating for communities, people, businesses, property and livestock. That’s why our government must continue to build on the progress and investments that we have made and continue to put practices in place that will help to reduce risk and improve public safety.

Speaker, through you, can the minister please elaborate on the strategies our government has in place for wildland fire management?

Hon. Graydon Smith: Again, I want to thank the member for the question. If a province or a country is seeing increased fire activity, they can place requests for wildland fire support and resources through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, and they would coordinate the movement of personnel and equipment as needed. As the member opposite mentioned, Ontario has been fortunate to have a slow start to our wildfire season. Nevertheless, our ministry has been working hard to ensure we have ample resources to manage our own wildfire season.

In fact, Speaker, in 2023 our government launched a high-recruitment and retention program to help bolster our wildfire prevention force. This allows Ontario to provide our provincial counterparts in other parts of Canada with much-needed support while keeping enough personnel on standby across our province.

Speaker, our government is proud to lend a helping hand to the people of Alberta while continuing to protect Ontarians.

Housing

Ms. Doly Begum: My question is to the Premier. Speaker, my office hears from hundreds of constituents every day who are struggling to keep up with the cost of living. I’m sure the Premier does, too. We recently heard from Parveen, who moved to Ontario five years ago and has been living in a cramped one-bedroom apartment with her husband and three children. This is the reality for so many young families across the province as they are forced to make these difficult choices just to make ends meet.

So my question is, what concrete actions is this government taking to address the rental crisis in Ontario for such families?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Hon. Steve Clark: Speaker, through you to the member: Our plan is working. We just received the April numbers. On a year-to-date basis from January to April, we saw in Ontario 27,427 housing starts. It’s a 16% increase compared to the same period. Rental housing construction—directly to the member’s question—is right on track: over 7,000 starts so far this year, more than double the amount of rental starts we had in a similar period last year.

We’re going to continue to build upon that success with bills that we’ve got not just before the House—but also the fact that under the leadership of Premier Ford we committed to Ontarians last summer that every year of a re-elected government we would build upon our success. The numbers prove it, Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question.

Ms. Doly Begum: Speaker, the price of rent, groceries, gas, hydro have gone through the roof under this government. There is nothing to applaud. From the Liberals’ 60,000 wait-list for housing, we now have under the Conservatives, 85,000 who are waiting for housing, Speaker.

To rent a two-bedroom apartment in Scarborough now almost equals a family’s entire paycheque. Despite Parveen’s best efforts, she cannot find a home for her family. They’re worried that they actually have to leave behind the community they are part of, the health care services, the schools that her kids go to—they have to leave all of those things just to survive.

Again to the Premier, how will your government help families like Parveen’s survive so they are not driven out of their communities and out of our province?

Hon. Steve Clark: This is exactly why the government’s committed to a housing supply action plan bill every year under the leadership of Premier Ford.

You know what’s different, Speaker—it would be nice if New Democrats would actually stand up and support increased housing supply in our province. You directly, in your city—a 178% increase this year, to date, for housing starts. We’re going to continue to build upon that. But ever single measure, every bill, every initiative, you vote against, your party votes against.

We need to have collaboration and co-operation amongst all levels of government. We’re going to continue to build on these numbers. The numbers speak for themselves.

Electricity supply

Mr. Trevor Jones: Good morning, Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Energy. Ontario is seeing strong economic growth with incredible new investments into our province’s electric vehicle and EV battery manufacturing industries. Investments by our government in partnership with Volkswagen for the new gigafactory in St. Thomas and other major auto and battery manufacturing projects are all positive signs that the electrification of transportation continues and that manufacturing jobs are returning to Ontario finally.

However, there are concerns about the capacity of our current energy grid and its sustainability for long-term growth. Investments and partnerships with battery energy producers are leading to economic growth in our province, but Ontarians need assurance that our government is developing reliable energy solutions for the present and for the future.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government is addressing Ontario’s energy infrastructure needs?

Hon. Todd Smith: I want to thank the member from southwestern Ontario where there’s a lot of growth going on because of the environment we’ve created. I can assure him that, yes, we are going to have the power they need for all that growth and investment.

I’ve been working since day one, since becoming the Minister of Energy, to ensure that we had a plan so that our electricity grid could support the growing electrification and the growth in our economy that we’re seeing. Our work, again, includes building Canada’s first small modular reactor at Darlington, the first on-grid in the G7—it’s going to be online in late 2028—and the first battery storage facility, Oneida, in partnership with the Six Nations of the Grand River. We’ve also got the largest battery storage procurement out in the field right now with the Independent Electricity System Operator—the largest in the country’s history.

We’re leading the way, Mr. Speaker, on building energy. And the former Liberal government, as I mentioned earlier, that drove manufacturing jobs out of our province—we’re making sure that we’ve got the energy to bring them back.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary question.

Mr. Trevor Jones: It’s reassuring that our government has a solid plan in place to secure the electricity this province needs to continue to power the growth and prosperity of Ontario. The people of Ontario are pleased to see that there is increasing electrification across many sectors of our economy, such as transportation and green steelmaking.

In his response, the minister mentioned Ontario’s competitive procurement process for energy storage. The people of Ontario deserve an explanation about what actions our government is taking to help our province move forward in adopting additional forms of energy supply. Individuals also want information and assurances about the reliability of Ontario’s power grid.

Speaker, can the minister please explain what actions our government is taking to support Ontario’s overall energy strategy?

Hon. Todd Smith: Well thanks again to the member opposite. The experts at the IESO, the Independent Electricity System Operator, have indicated that generation from natural gas is our insurance policy to have the lights on, to ensure that when you walk into one of these new facilities, they’re going to be able to operate and that prices are going to stay low for the long-term.

But Ontario does have one of the cleanest electricity systems in the world, and we’re doing everything we can to ensure it stays that way by investing in our large nuclear reactors and our small nuclear reactors. As I mentioned earlier, we have four of our nuclear reactors that are down now for refurbishment. That’s 3,400 megawatts of power at the Darlington and Bruce sites that are going to be coming back on over the next number of years, ensuring clean, reliable energy for our system, energy that’s going to continue to be there for all of the new investments that come our way.

If the NDP had their way, those reactors wouldn’t have come back at all, and neither would the jobs that are flocking back to Ontario.

Autism treatment

Miss Monique Taylor: My question is for the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. The Dean family reached out to my office last week. Their three-year-old son, Weston, has been on a wait-list for an autism assessment for over a year at Ron Joyce. While stuck on this list, Weston has become increasingly dangerous and self-injurious. They are desperate to get this assessment done, knowing they will have another long wait to access services and funding through the OAP. Private assessments cost a minimum of $3,000—certainly out of reach for so many families.

Speaker, why are families still facing this enormous barrier to get their children the assessments they so desperately need?

Hon. Michael Parsa: I thank the member for the question, Mr. Speaker. When we formed government in 2018, we saw an Ontario Autism Program that was broken. Families and children and youth were not receiving the service. That was under that government, and it was always supported by the NDP. Only 25% of the children were receiving services.

This may have been okay and acceptable by them and the previous government. It isn’t acceptable under our government, which is why we doubled the Ontario Autism Program, which is why we created a program that was developed by the community for the community. Now, children, youth and families have access to more services than ever before. Before, they had access to one service.

I’m happy to announce that this year we are increasing the support in the program by an additional 10% so that we can get more children, more youth, more families service—no thanks to the NDP.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary question.

Miss Monique Taylor: Speaker, when this government came into place, the wait-list for autism was 24,000, and today the wait-list is over 60,000 children.

The Dean family lives in fear and stress of waiting for that assessment call and fear of their son suffering severe head injuries and bodily harm. This is a three-year-old child. They have been told that their wait will still be up to another two years, just to get the assessment—two more years of no hope in sight, of no supports for their child who is suffering.

Can the minister please tell families like the Deans what his new plans are for the assessment program, for the autism program, to ensure that they are done in a timely manner?

Hon. Michael Parsa: I thank the honourable member for the question.

To Weston and every single child, youth and family in this province: We told you from day one that we’re not going to leave anyone behind, which is why—again, the member referenced the wait-list. Mr. Speaker, 8,500 children were receiving services before, under the previous government, supported by the NDP. Today, more than 40,000 children and youth are receiving services. Why? Because we doubled the funding, and we’re further increasing that. Why? Because we want to make sure that children, youth and families are receiving the supports and services they need.

Again, the NDP, under the previous government, had the opportunity to expedite this. They didn’t do it. It took this Premier, it took this government to say, “We’re not going to leave anyone behind.”

We will continue to make sure that the programs—families, as I said, only had access to one program; now there are multiple pathways to service. And there’s more work to do. We’re going to get—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you.

The next question.

Red tape reduction

Ms. Goldie Ghamari: My question is for the Minister of Red Tape Reduction. Ontario was one of the most overly regulated jurisdictions, not just in Canada, but in North America, prior to this government getting elected in 2018. For 15 years, unnecessary regulations were stifling growth, limiting job opportunities and making life harder for everyone.

That’s why, under this Premier and government, we actually have a Ministry of Red Tape Reduction that is dedicated specifically to reducing unnecessary and burdensome red tape and making Ontario a place to live, grow and thrive. Under this Premier and this minister, we are seeing Ontario rejuvenate and grow, and improving the lives of everyone.

Through you, Mr. Speaker: Can the minister please provide us with some highlights of how our government’s actions under Premier Ford have benefited the great region of Niagara?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The parliamentary assistant and member for Niagara West.

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: My thanks to the member for the question.

The Niagara region has experienced a renaissance since this government came to office in 2018. We are experiencing, currently, record-low unemployment. Jobs are coming back to our region. We’re seeing investments in the areas that matter most.

Here are a couple of examples of this in various ministries: We are seeing a new hospital being built in my riding—the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital; we’re seeing new hospitals being built across the region, including the advancement of the new 1.3 million square feet being added to the South Niagara Hospital; we are seeing new long-term-care homes spring up across the region; when I first was elected, we had 16 hospice beds, and there are now 40 hospice beds in the Niagara region—incredible investments in health care. We’ve seen the Brock nursing school go from 300 students to 600 students.

And we’ve seen thousands of manufacturing jobs come back to a region that, for too long, was left behind.

The people of Niagara know that under this government, the world doesn’t end at the Burlington Skyway.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question.

Ms. Goldie Ghamari: Thank you to the parliamentary assistant for his response.

Mr. Speaker, as the minister has said, reducing red tape is a key part of building a stronger economy and improving services for Ontarians. That’s why our government is continuing to bring forward burden-reduction packages. This adds to our strong track record of improving access to government services and making it easier to invest and build in Ontario.

Through you, Mr. Speaker, can the parliamentary assistant provide us with some more highlights on how our government’s policies have helped grow and improve the renaissance in the Niagara region?

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: Again, my thanks to the member opposite. One of the crucial ways that our government makes the investments and the changes that are necessary to drive prosperity for our province and for the Niagara region is by listening. I know that today, members from the Niagara region are here to meet with cabinet ministers. I’ll be sitting down with them and Premier Ford later this afternoon to speak about the incredible investments that are coming into the Niagara region.

A couple of examples of this: the Homelessness Prevention Program was expanded by 86% to $20 million annualized, supports that go to the most vulnerable in our communities. We are building housing in the Niagara region to make sure that the dream of home ownership becomes a reality. We are expanding GO train service across the Niagara region to make sure that people can get from A to B faster, easier and smarter. We’re also making sure that all of these investments are focused on the well-being of our communities, building connected communities where people have the opportunity to build a better life for them and their family.

Under the leadership of this Premier and this government, we’re getting it done for the people of Niagara.

Sexual assault crisis centres

Ms. Catherine Fife: My question is to the Premier. A couple of weeks ago, the leader and I visited the Sexual Assault Support Centre in Kitchener, and we were both alarmed to learn about their lack of resources. Funding for sexual assault victims has not increased since 2011. In fact, funding is reduced by 17% compared to 10 years ago because of inflation and because of increased need. Some 40 people on a wait-list used to be a crisis, but now there are 270 people waiting for counselling. They’ve had the courage to come forward and ask for help, and that help is not there for them.

My question to the Premier, to this government: Why hasn’t funding been increased and annualized for sexual assault centres across the province of Ontario?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.

Hon. Michael Parsa: I thank the honourable member for the very important question. Our government is working across government to make sure that every single person in this province is supported. That is making sure the supports are there not just for the victims but for preventative measures.

This is a government that has increased investments in all levels, in every corner of this province to make sure that every single person is receiving this support. That means that, in the member’s region and all across the board, the funding has increased under our government. We’ll make sure those preventative measures are there to support and also to make sure that every single victim is receiving the support that they need throughout the process.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The supplementary question.

Ms. Catherine Fife: In fact, funding was cancelled in 2018 by this government, and that funding has not been caught up. Minister, SASC is frantically fundraising to try to keep their wait-list down. Demand is growing, with a 58% increase in counselling requests since the pandemic. They only have one bed for human trafficking survivors. SASC had secured two beds last year through temporary funding, and those two beds were always full. The need is so profound. Now, they’re down to one bed.

Because this crisis centre is in crisis, they spend so much time fundraising and chasing the money. Does the minister agree that trauma agencies shouldn’t have to fundraise to keep women and children safe in Niagara, in Peterborough, in Toronto, in Kitchener-Waterloo? It is just not right.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will take their seats.

Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.

Hon. Michael Parsa: Again, all women deserve to live in safety and security. It’s that simple. Our government is constantly working to ensure that women can live free from the fear of threats, exploitation and violence. We have made investments. We have launched programs and have passed legislation aimed at ending violence against women. To the point, the investment that I was referring to earlier: $240 million invested for victims of violence, $10.2 million for violence-prevention initiatives that I was referring to earlier.

We have invested in a 24-hour hotline across the province in over 200 languages to help ensure those affected by violence or sexual exploitation can access the support they need anywhere, anytime. Also, to support shelters, we have invested $18.5 million over three years through the Transitional and Housing Support Program.

Once again, under this government, we’ll make sure no one is left behind.

M me Goldie Ghamari: Ma question s’adresse à la ministre des Affaires francophones.

Notre gouvernement est pleinement conscient qu’actuellement un Franco-Ontarien sur cinq a 65 ans ou plus. Nos aînés, véritables bâtisseurs de l’Ontario, se sont battus pour bâtir des fondations solides qui profitent à notre francophonie d’aujourd’hui. Monsieur le Président, nous savons que l’accès aux soins dans la langue de leur choix est très important pour les personnes âgées. Non seulement cela permet une meilleure communication avec les fournisseurs de soins, mais cela assure une meilleure qualité de vie aux résidents des établissements de soins de longue durée.

Monsieur le Président, la ministre peut-elle expliquer ce que fait notre gouvernement pour améliorer les soins aux aînés francophones?

L’hon. Caroline Mulroney: Je remercie ma collègue pour son excellente question. Contrairement au gouvernement libéral précédent, qui n’a rien fait en 15 ans, notre gouvernement déploie, pour la première fois dans l’histoire de l’Ontario, une stratégie francophone en soins de longue durée pour l’Ontario. Nous avons récemment inauguré l’agrandissement du Foyer Richelieu Welland dans la région de Niagara. La construction du Foyer Richelieu est l’un des 39 projets de soins de longue durée en développement à travers la province où les services aux résidents francophones seront offerts. La nouvelle résidence agrandie aura le double de sa capacité originale pour un total de 128 lits.

Monsieur le Président, le ministère des Affaires francophones travaille en collaboration avec le ministère des Soins de longue durée pour s’assurer que les personnes qui reçoivent des soins de longue durée obtiennent le soutien dont elles ont besoin, et ce, dans la langue de leur choix.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary question.

Monsieur le Président, il est important que les résidents, en plus de recevoir de soins dans la langue de leur choix, aient accès à des services qui contribuent à renforcer leur santé et leur bien-être. Monsieur le Président, la ministre peut-elle expliquer quels autres services seront offerts au Foyer Richelieu ainsi que son importance pour la communauté francophone de l’Ontario?

L’hon. Caroline Mulroney: Une fois terminé, l’agrandissement du Foyer Richelieu Welland offrira un véritable sentiment de communauté pour les résidents du centre de soins francophone. Pour la première fois en Ontario, il y aura des services parmi le continuum de soins, notamment la vie autonome, la vie assistée, les soins de longue durée, les soins palliatifs et un centre communautaire et culturel—le tout sur un seul campus.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Merci beaucoup. That concludes our question period for this morning.

Reception

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Peterborough–Kawartha has informed me he has a point of order.

Mr. Dave Smith: I’d like to invite everyone to rooms 228 and 230 for our Peterborough Day reception, where you can get your picture taken with the Eastern Conference OHL trophy, the Bobby Orr Trophy, as well as sample Ontario’s best ice cream. Central Smith Creamery is there.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Now we’re going to have a serious debate.

Member’s birthday

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of Red Tape Reduction has a point of order.

Hon. Parm Gill: I just want to take a moment and wish our colleague the government House leader a happy belated birthday. On Saturday, he turned 25, Mr. Speaker.

Reception

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Point of order, the member for Niagara West.

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: I would also invite everyone to rooms 228 and 230 this evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. for the Niagara reception.

Member’s birthday

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I gather the Premier has a point of order.

Hon. Doug Ford: Since we’re announcing birthdays, I want to wish Patrice Barnes a very happy birthday today. She’s 25 years old.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you.

There being no further business this morning, this House stands in recess until 1 p.m.

The House recessed from 1145 to 1300.

House sittings

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Point of order: the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

Hon. Monte McNaughton: Pursuant to standing order 7(e), I wish to inform the House that tonight’s evening meeting is cancelled.

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy

Mr. Graham McGregor: I beg leave to present a report from the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy on the estimates selected by the standing committee for consideration.

The Clerk-at-the-Table (Ms. Meghan Stenson): Mr. McGregor from the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy presents the committee’s report as follows:

Pursuant to standing order 63, your committee has selected the 2023-24 estimates of the following ministries and offices for consideration: Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing; Ministry of Infrastructure; Ministry of Transportation; Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport; Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism; Office of the Lieutenant Governor.

Report presented.

Introduction of Bills

Mr. Ted Hsu: I beg leave to introduce a bill entitled Education Statute Law Amendment Act (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), 2023.

The bill requires boards of education to develop policies and guidelines with respect to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, FASD.

Teachers’ colleges and early childhood education programs shall be required to provide training with respect to FASD.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Mr. Hsu has moved that leave be given to introduce a bill entitled Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder—and that it now be read for the first time—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m advised that the bill is not in order.

9-1-1 Everywhere in Ontario Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 sur le 9-1-1 partout en Ontario

Madame Gélinas moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 107,

An Act to enact the 9-1-1 Everywhere in Ontario Act, 2023 and to amend the Ombudsman Act to create an Assistant Ombudsman responsible for the oversight of 9-1-1 operations / Projet de loi 107, Loi édictant la Loi de 2023 sur le 9-1-1 partout en Ontario et modifiant la

Loi sur l’ombudsman pour créer le poste d’ombudsman adjoint chargé de surveiller les activités du système 9-1-1.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

First reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Would the member for Nickel Belt care to briefly explain her bill?

M me France Gélinas: This bill is being co-sponsored by MPPs Sol Mamakwa, John Vanthof and Lise Vaugeois.

Basically, the bill would make sure that the government brings the provision to ensure that 911 infrastructure is available throughout our province for landlines and cellphones, and that it also brings in call centre staffing supervision and training of staff to make sure that those calls are answered.

Finally, the bill amends the Ombudsman Act to establish the position of assistant Ombudsman so that people can make complaints against 911 if they are not satisfied with the services that they receive.

Visitor

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m pleased to inform the House that we have a special guest in the chamber with us today, a former member for the riding of Peterborough for the 38th to the 41st Parliaments: Jeff Leal.

Welcome back, Jeff. It’s good to see you.

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Police Week / Semaine de la police

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: It’s my privilege to rise in the House today in recognition of Ontario Police Week, which is taking place from May 14 to May 20. I want to thank the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police for organizing, and all police associations and police service boards for participating in this week’s awareness and advocacy.

Monsieur le Président, c’est un grand honneur pour moi, en tant que solliciteur général, de prendre la parole à la Chambre aujourd’hui à l’occasion de la Semaine de la police.

Mr. Speaker, this year’s Police Week comes in the shadow of tragedy. Ontario remains a province in mourning. We were all devastated to learn last week that two officers were injured and one was murdered while responding to a call in Bourget, Ontario. A veteran officer with 21 years of service, Sergeant Eric Mueller devoted his life to keeping his community safe so that we may all live, we may all work, we may all pray without fear. He will forever be remembered as a hero in life, not death.

Monsieur le Président, tous ont le droit de se sentir en sécurité chez eux et dans leur collectivité.

Mr. Speaker, along with all colleagues in this House from all sides of this House, I want to offer our deepest condolences to Sergeant Mueller’s family. We also wish a speedy recovery to Constables Marc Lauzon and François Gamache-Asselin and send our thoughts out to the entire Ontario police service community in this time of unassailable grief. We will mourn with them, and we will pray with them.

The Premier and I and my colleague, my parliamentary assistant, the member from Etobicoke–Lakeshore, stand with Ontario’s police community today and every day. For our government, the safety and well-being of our police officers is personal. Those who keep us safe deserve to go to work and come home safely to their loved ones each and every night.

Pour notre gouvernement, c’est personnel. Ces gens méritent de se rendre au travail et de rentrer chez eux en sécurité.

Mr. Speaker, just over a week ago, at the Ontario Police Memorial, the Premier and I, along with the members from Chatham-Kent–Leamington and Kitchener South–Hespeler, honoured police officers who have fallen in the line of duty. As we recall their names, we honour their sacrifice, and we think of their families: Police Constable Andrew Hong, 48, Toronto Police Service; Police Constable Morgan Russell, 54, South Simcoe Police Service; Police Constable Devon Northrup, 33, South Simcoe Police Service; Police Constable Grzegorz “Greg” Pierzchala, 28, Ontario Provincial Police.

We also remember Police Constable Vicki Lynn Wilson, who died in 1992—Durham Regional Police Service. They, too, will forever be our heroes in life. We hope and pray that their memories will always be for a blessing.

Mr. Speaker, the legacy of policing in Ontario is strong, and it’s proud, and it’s enduring. We see it every day—the dynamic, the vibrant, and the modern police services that we have all across Ontario, and I have seen a lot for myself. Ontarians know the institution of law enforcement is pivotal to our democracy, and I’m pleased to share that this policing institution remains strong.

As an example, recently, the Ontario Provincial Police headquarters welcomed two outstanding new deputy commissioners: Deputy Commissioner Kari Dart and Deputy Commissioner Marty Kearns. Between them, they have over 60 years of exemplary service to the OPP and the people of Ontario, and I was proud to be there as they received their new commissions just last week.

Our police are leaders. They are also role models. And I might add, they’re an extension of the communities they serve. We see the optimism on the faces of our cadets, who embark on a journey of public safety beginning at the Ontario Police College, a place that I am no stranger at, having had the honour to be part of three march pasts—and it’s an amazing thing to see. They join the special bond of the Ontario police community that links one generation to another, one police service to another, one person to another.

We’re making the dream of becoming a police officer more attainable for those who want to serve. Just a few weeks ago, the Premier and I announced that we’ve eliminated Ontario Police College basic constable training fees. We’re also adding more spots for recruits, so we can graduate up to 2,000 cadets a year. This means more people on the ground, more boots on the ground to protect our communities—a continuation of a time-honoured profession that is essential to keeping our province safe, peaceful and free. Together with our police partners, we honour the tradition while marching boldly towards the future.

As I’ve said on a number of occasions in this House, the most fundamental duty that we all have is to uphold the safety of all Ontarians. On that note, I am proud to say that there has never been a Premier or a government in my generation that has cared as much about our public safety as our government, under Premier Ford. We have made it a priority to keep everyone in Ontario safe. Our government’s support for Ontario police officers is absolute and constant, and we are proud to support our police officers and everyone else who keeps Ontario safe each day. Because of the work that police do, Ontarians feel safe in their communities.

Monsieur le Président, je suis fier de soutenir nos policiers et tous ceux qui assurent la sécurité de l’Ontario tous les jours. Grâce au travail de la police, les Ontariens et les Ontariennes se sentent en sécurité dans leurs communautés.

Mr. Speaker, the theme of this year’s Police Week is “Building Bridges: Celebrating Police-Community Partnerships.” Through partnerships, we make progress. When we foster connections between police services, social services and community, we are all much better off.

Just a couple of weeks ago, we marked Family Service Day. We recognized the work being done between police services, first responders and social services to address intimate partner violence, human trafficking, and to provide appropriate, timely crisis response.

Our government is funding meaningful partnerships, including mobile crisis response teams. These teams consist of police officers and crisis professionals working together to respond to situations where mental health or addictions may be a factor. They safely de-escalate dangerous situations, and this is important.

I also think about the work being done in the community because of the initiatives that police officers take to care for the communities they serve. Just a few months ago, Project Hope began, thanks to the leadership of Toronto Police Constable Farzad Ghotbi and Detective Constable Mustafa Popalzai. I met them both; they were actually here in the chamber, and we had a chance to speak with them after, as introduced by the member from Kitchener South–Hespeler. I had the honour of supporting their community work by volunteering for a supply drive to support our government’s humanitarian aid for victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

Again, police officers are our community heroes. Police officers enter a profession with inherent risk, and they deserve our respect.

In closing, we cannot take our safety for granted. Let us take a moment to thank police officers for their commitment to service and to keeping Ontario safe each and every day.

We’ve said this before: A safe Ontario is a strong Ontario. Qui dit Ontario sécuritaire dit Ontario fort.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Responses?

Mr. John Vanthof: It’s an honour, on behalf of the official opposition and our leader, to rise here today and recognize Police Week—but we do it with a heavy heart. As the Solicitor General mentioned, Sergeant Eric Mueller lost his life. He was ambushed. He will be laid to rest this week. We offer our condolences to his family and his friends, and we wish a speedy recovery to his colleagues. I don’t think there’s anyone in Ontario who doesn’t feel pain from what happened—and no one more than fellow police officers, people in the service, including people in our own Legislative Protective Service.

It’s a sad fact that since September 2022, 10 officers have lost their lives on duty in Canada, five of them in Ontario.

I often relate issues to personal things that happen, and I’m going to do the same today. On Saturday, my wife, Ria, and I stopped at a Crime Stoppers barbecue and car wash in front of the Temiskaming OPP. The flag was at half-mast. A uniformed officer approached us, and it turned out to be Martin Thibault. Martin Thibault is an officer in the OPP detachment in Temiskaming Shores. Martin grew up on a dairy farm not very far from our place. He has also been an officer for 21 years. I gave him my condolences, as well.

We started talking about what it was like to be a police officer, and one thing struck me very hard. He has been an officer for 21 years—he’s very well respected, very well liked in our community—but he said it has changed in the last five. And then he actually mentioned he knew exactly how long it was going to be before he could retire. That struck me too. In our conversation, he also talked about—I believe the figure—he said it was 35%, but I looked it up and it’s 33% of police officers who are on long-term stress leave have PTSD.

So it’s not just a case of bringing more police in; it’s about somehow protecting the police officers we have. It really struck me.

Something else in our conversation: He said that you always have to watch your back, and a few years ago, you wouldn’t have thought that in rural Ontario. I’m a country guy. You always think big cities are scary, but it turns out that it’s not just big cities. Police officers always have to—they protect us, but they don’t feel safe themselves in normal situations.

It’s incumbent on us to not only look at getting more police officers, but to find out what is changing in society that is making that change, and make sure the supports are in society that are driving those changes—that the mental health supports are there, not only for police officers but for others, because some of the things that are happening are due to breakdowns in other parts of our society.

In the official opposition, we fully support policing; we fully support that police officers need resources. But we also need to look at the resources that are needed to protect all members of society, including police officers. It’s a very complex issue. We have to do everything we can to prevent what’s happening, and we are willing to work with anyone who wants to do that.

Thank you very much for giving me this time.

Petitions

Land using planning

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: It’s an honour for me to present the petition entitled “Protect the Greenbelt and Repeal Bills 23 and 39.” It reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Bills 23 and 39 are the Ford government’s latest attempt to remove protected land from the greenbelt, allowing wealthy developers to profit over bulldozing over 7,000 acres of farmland;

“Whereas green spaces and farmland are what we rely on to grow our food, support natural habitats, prevent flooding, and mitigate from future climate disasters with Ontario losing 319.6 acres of farmland daily to development;

“Whereas the government’s Housing Affordability Task Force found there are plenty of places to build homes without destroying the greenbelt, showcasing that Bill 23 was never about housing but about making the rich richer;

“Whereas the power of conservation authorities will be taken away, weakening environmental protections, and preventing future development;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to immediately repeal Bills 23 and 39, stop all plans to further remove protected land from the greenbelt and protect existing farmland in the province.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my signature and deliver it with page Frederick to the Clerks.

Services for children and youth

Ms. Christine Hogarth: This is a petition:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas to address the actions that the government is taking to support youth in the foster care system, the government is investing $170 million over three years to support a new program aimed at improving long-term outcomes for youth leaving the child welfare system; and

“Whereas the government is also expanding eligibility, which currently ends at 21 years old, to include those up to 23 years old. This investment will help youth achieve financial independence through life skills development, supports to pursue post-secondary education, training and pathways to employment; and

“Whereas, under the Ready, Set, Go program, children’s aid societies will be required to help children plan for the future, beginning at age 13. This investment will help Ontario youth become adults who are more likely to achieve financial independence and contribute to their communities;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To urge all members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to support the passage of the Ontario budget bill, Bill 85, Building a Stronger Ontario.”

This is an excellent petition, and I’m happy to sign it and give it to Dominic.

Hospital services

Ms. Catherine Fife: It’s my pleasure to table this petition on behalf of the good people of Minden. It reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Haliburton Highlands Health Services board of directors has, without consultation with the affected stakeholders, announced the permanent closure of the emergency department located in the municipality of Minden Hills, Ontario, effective June 1, 2023;

“We, the undersigned, petition that a moratorium of this decision be implemented by the Ministries of Health and Long-Term Care immediately for a period of a minimum of one year to allow for consultations with all affected stakeholders to occur.”

It’s my pleasure to affix my signature in support of the good people of Minden and give it to page Kate.

Social assistance

Mr. Ted Hsu: I would like to table the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, which reads as follows:

“Whereas Ontario’s social assistance rates are well below Canada’s official Market Basket Measure poverty line and far from adequate to cover the rising costs of food and rent: $733 for individuals on OW and $1,227 for ODSP;

“Whereas an open letter to the Premier and two cabinet ministers, signed by over 230 organizations, recommends that social assistance rates be doubled for both Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP);

“Whereas the recent small budget increase of 5% for ODSP still leaves these citizens well below the poverty line, both they and those receiving the frozen OW rates are struggling to live in this time of alarming inflation;

“We, the undersigned citizens of Ontario, petition the Legislative Assembly to double social assistance rates for OW and ODSP.”

Seniors

Mr. Brian Saunderson: I have a petition that I will read in.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas to address the budget for seniors, the Ontario government has proposed to make changes to expand the eligibility for Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS), starting in July 2024, which would see about 100,000 more low-income seniors receive payments, for a 50% increase in recipients; and proposing to lower the rate at which the benefit is reduced from 50% to 25%, which means a senior can keep more of their benefit as their private income increases; and proposing to adjust the benefit annually to inflation to continually put more money in the pocket of eligible seniors; and

“Whereas investing more than $174 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to continue the Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care Program. This program leverages the skills of paramedics to provide additional care for seniors in the comfort of their own homes; and

“Whereas Ontario is continuing to make progress on its plan to build modern, safe and comfortable long-term-care homes for seniors and residents; and through planned investments that total a historic $6.4 billion since 2019, Ontario is on track to build more than 31,000 new and over 28,000 upgraded beds across the province by 2028; and the government is helping to increase long-term-care capacity in communities across the province by providing development loans and loan guarantees to select non-municipal not-for-profit homes;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To urge all members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario support the passage of the Ontario budget bill, Bill 85, Building a Stronger Ontario.”

I wholeheartedly support this petition, will sign it and give it to Liam.

Affordable housing

Ms. Doly Begum: “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Toronto city staff’s assessment of Bill 23 notes that it does not sufficiently address housing affordability, but instead decimates the city’s ability to fund services for new residents;

“Whereas the assessment from officials, including the chief planner, notes that this bill will harm the city’s ability to build affordable rentals and new homeless shelters;

“Whereas this bill does not present solutions that would push developers to build in ways that would save homebuyers any additional cost or address the skyrocketing cost of housing;

“Whereas this bill will push for a revenue loss for Toronto while the city is anticipating an $815-million budget shortfall and residents continue to struggle with not only day-to-day costs but also underfunded city services;

“Whereas this bill will impact the city’s ability to deliver on its 10-year housing targets, invest in new shelter services, and continue affordable housing development and protection programs that support vulnerable residents;

“Whereas this bill will decrease the amount of affordable housing required under the city’s zoning policies and deliver on the HousingNowTO targets and the annual financial impact of Bill 23 on Toronto would be approximately $200 million, $130 million of which would be removing housing services;

“Whereas Bill 23 will take away the powers of municipalities to protect tenants in the case of demovictions and harm renters, homeowners, and families who are looking to find safe and affordable homes and remove access to city services;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, call on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to repeal this harmful piece of legislation and engage in meaningful consultations with municipalities, conservation authorities, and communities to address the housing affordability crisis.”

Speaker, I fully support this petition. I will affix my signature to it and give it to page Sophie to take to the Clerks.

Animal protection

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I have another set of petitions that were collected at London’s amazing Earthfest. I want to read this into the record:

“Protect Migratory Birds.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas an estimated 25 million birds in Canada die each year due to collisions with windows on buildings, including many migratory and bird species at risk;

“Whereas materials to prevent the collision of birds into windows can proactively be incorporated into the designs of new buildings;

“Whereas the Canadian Standards Association has established a national standard for bird-friendly building design which has been adopted by some municipalities;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to incorporate the CSA 2019 bird-friendly building design standard into the Ontario building code, requiring bird-friendly materials to be used in new residential and commercial building windows.”

I fully support this petition. I’ll affix my signature and send it to the table with page Senna.

Hospital services

Ms. Jennifer K. French: I am pleased to be able to share some of the over 17,000 signatures that were collected to save the Minden ER.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Haliburton Highlands Health Services board of directors has, without consultation with the affected stakeholders, announced the permanent closure of the emergency department located in the municipality of Minden Hills, Ontario, effective June 1, 2023;

“We, the undersigned, petition that a moratorium of this decision be implemented by the Ministries of Health and Long-Term Care immediately for a period of a minimum of one year to allow for consultations with all affected stakeholders to occur.”

Of course, I support this petition, will affix my signature and send it to the table with page Randall.

Alzheimer’s disease

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: It’s my honour to present the petition entitled “Develop an Ontario Dementia Strategy.” It reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas it currently takes on average 18 months for people in Ontario to get an official dementia diagnosis, with some patients often waiting years to complete diagnostic testing;

“Whereas more than half of patients suspected of having dementia in Ontario never get a full diagnosis; research confirms that early diagnosis saves lives and reduces care-partner stress;

“Whereas a PET scan test approved in Ontario in 2017 which can be key to detecting Alzheimer’s early, is still not covered under OHIP in 2022;

“Whereas the Ontario government must work together with the federal government to prepare for the approval and rollout of future disease-modifying therapies and research;

“Whereas the Alzheimer Society projects that one million Canadians will be caregivers for people with dementia, with families providing approximately 1.4 billion hours of care per year by 2050;

“Whereas research findings show that Ontario will spend $27.8 billion between 2023 and 2043 on alternate-level-of-care (ALC) and long-term-care (LTC) costs associated with people living with dementia;

“Whereas the government must follow through with its commitment to ensure Ontario’s health care system has the capacity to meet the current and future needs of people living with dementia and their care partners;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, call on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to develop, commit and fund a comprehensive Ontario dementia strategy.”

I fully support this petition. I will affix my signature and deliver it with page Maya to the Clerks.

Health care workers

Ms. Doly Begum: I want to thank many of the internationally trained professionals who have been continuing to advocate for their ability to practise in Ontario, have been pushing this issue forward and have signed on this petition. It reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s health staffing crisis means people are waiting in pain for surgery and treatment because there aren’t enough doctors and nurses to care for us all;

“Whereas regulated health care professionals face a variety of barriers when entering their fields of practice, including lack of accessible processes to recognize international trainings and credentials;

“Whereas tens of thousands of highly trained internationally educated doctors and nurses are wading through Ontario’s complex, expensive and years-long program to be licensed in Ontario; and

“Whereas there are more than 10,000 internationally educated nurses in Ontario not yet allowed to work in the province and it has been reported that 1,200 internationally trained medical graduates have been unable to clear the hurdles needed to practise; and

“Whereas practice-ready assessment offers the most qualified internationally trained physicians a quicker route to being able to work in Ontario.

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to urgently work with colleges, regulators, and health care workers to implement pathways that allow internationally trained and educated health care workers to support our health care system.”

Speaker, I fully support this petition. I will affix my signature to it and give it to page Sophie to take to the Clerks.

Hospital services

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I am proud to present this petition on behalf of the people of Minden. It reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Haliburton Highlands Health Services board of directors has, without consultation with the affected stakeholders, announced the permanent closure of the emergency department located in the municipality of Minden Hills, Ontario, effective June 1, 2023;

“We, the undersigned, petition that a moratorium of this decision be implemented by the Ministries of Health and Long-Term Care immediately for a period of a minimum of one year to allow for consultations with all affected stakeholders to occur.”

I support this petition. I’ll affix my signature and send it to the table with page Sanskrati.

Consideration of Bill Pr25

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bhutila Karpoche): I beg to inform the House that, pursuant to standing order 89(a), the Clerk has received written request that Bill Pr25,

An Act to revive Superior Corporate Services Limited, be referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. The order for second reading of the bill is therefore discharged, and the bill is deemed referred to the committee.

Orders of the Day

Building a Strong Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2023 / Loi de 2023 visant à bâtir un Ontario fort (mesures budgétaires)

Mr. Pirie, on behalf of Mr. Bethlenfalvy, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 85,

An Act to implement Budget measures and to amend various statutes / Projet de loi 85, Loi visant à mettre en oeuvre les mesures budgétaires et à modifier diverses lois.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bhutila Karpoche): I turn to the minister.

Hon. George Pirie: It is always a pleasure to stand in this House to represent the good people of my riding, Timmins.

I’ll be sharing my time with the two parliamentary assistants to the Minister of Finance: the member for Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound and the member for Oakville. I look forward to hearing more from them about our great budget.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bhutila Karpoche): The member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound.

Mr. Rick Byers: Thank you so much to the minister for this opportunity to speak on the budget. We have a great Minister of Mines. He just recently led legislation this past—recently, as I mentioned. It’s such an example of the great impact that this government has had and is going to have in the communities in the north with the development of the Ring of Fire.

I’ll be talking a little bit about that in my remarks this afternoon, because this is a fundamental part of our economic development here and our vision for the province of Ontario, to create jobs in our great province, in all regions—not just here in the GTA or in mid- or southwestern Ontario, but throughout the province, right up north. That’s such an important part of who we are.

Today, it’s my privilege to rise and speak to the third reading of the Building a Strong Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2023. These legislative changes are a part of our plan to navigate the economic uncertainty facing the people of Ontario today, while laying a strong foundation for future generations. This is our plan to build a strong economy now and for the future. It’s our plan to build highways, roads, schools and hospitals for our growing population.

Interjection: Hear, hear.

Mr. Rick Byers: Hear, hear.

It is a plan with a better deal for workers, with better jobs and bigger paycheques, to build a strong health care system that connects people to the right care. Our plan focuses on these priorities and includes a path to balance the budget.

I want to outline a little further the long-term vision of this budget and turn to one of my favourite pages in the budget, page 17. It is difficult, because there are many, many pages in the budget that I do like very much, but I’ll begin with page 17, which is an outline of the infrastructure expenditures that our government is planning for the future.

It’s outlined by major sector: transportation, including transit and other transportation and highways; health, including hospitals and other health care priorities; education; post-secondary education, which includes colleges and universities; as well as social justice and other sectors. So it outlines the full range of sectors in the Ontario economy.

I started out my career as an accountant, so I find numbers exciting and motivating. Here are some numbers for you. The total infrastructure spending for 2023—in other words, the year that just passed—$17.3 billion; this year, the year that we’re in right now, $20.6 billion for 2023-24, and it will increase; then it’s $25 billion and $26.9 billion in 2025-26. Over 10 years, it’s $184 billion. What a massive expenditure program that is. It’s important from a couple of perspectives, in my opinion.

Number one, it does deal with the breadth of the Ontario economy, all of these sectors that are so critical to what matters to our province—health care, transit, transportation. But the other thing related to that is that not many governments have the courage to look that long-term—10 years. Most governments are just looking towards the next election, for that matter. This government has a decade plan, and that matters—a long-term vision to get stuff done.

Mr. Speaker, the people of Ontario are depending on our government to navigate the economic challenges of today. Ontario is not an island. We’re not immune to global forces, including geopolitical tension provoked by the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the reopening of China’s economy, the energy transition, and policies such as the United States Inflation Reduction Act. Families and workers are feeling the squeeze of inflation on their wallets.

But while the seas around us may be stormy, our prudent planning and strong foundations have given Ontario a path forward—a path forward leading to a balanced budget, a return to balance that would have never happened under the NDP or Liberals. As this budget shows, it is possible to balance the budget while investing more in health care, housing, highways, transit, manufacturing, the skilled trades, and in the north, as I mentioned earlier.

Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to relay that in the 2022-23 fiscal year, the Ontario deficit is projected to shrink to just $2.2 billion. This is thanks to robust revenue growth and our government’s prudent and disciplined planning and clear priorities. Moreover, in fiscal 2023-24, we plan to further reduce the deficit to $1.3 billion. And starting in fiscal 2024-25, we project Ontario’s return to being in the black, with an approximately $200 million surplus. These are very important steps that we’ve taken.

Over the past years, with all the spending that was necessary through COVID, we kind of lost the words “balanced budget,” which slipped to the bottom of the barrel. But this government knows they are a priority, not just for us but for our kids and for the next generation, to make sure they’re not paying our bills. So it’s very exciting news, and we’re anticipating surpluses in the future years past 2024-25. The people of Ontario can have confidence that tomorrow will be better than today. This plan and its fiscal and economic approach is supported by measures in the spring budget bill.

While I am as confident as ever about the future of Ontario, there is still much that we can do to build a strong, resilient, more competitive economy here at home. A key to Ontario’s future growth is found in the opportunities of the province’s northern region, as I mentioned earlier, and particularly the mining sector. Just look at the Ring of Fire. It’s one of the world’s most promising mineral deposits. It contains critical elements that are core to the global economy today—materials essential to batteries, electronics, electric vehicles and other clean technology.

The Ring of Fire can help reduce Ontario’s dependency on unstable or unfriendly foreign regimes. These critical minerals are an untapped potential that previous governments have failed to unlock for no other reason than that the work of developing them was too hard. Well, our government is not afraid of hard work. We do it all the time. But it can’t be done alone. We are working hand in hand with partners like the First Nations in northern Ontario—a true partnership to build the road to the Ring of Fire.

Building the road is one thing, but there are other legislative and regulatory and workforce considerations we need to account for, which is why our government is taking a comprehensive approach to accelerating the safe development of the north’s mineral resources. And while Ontario is investing $1 billion to unlock the critical minerals of the north, we continue to call on the federal government to match our commitment. Building the road is only one step in getting the minerals out of the ground.

We are also helping to get mines built. The Ontario government is increasing funding for the Ontario Junior Exploration Program to help more companies find critical minerals, such as nickel and cobalt, which are necessary to support the growing supply chain for electric vehicles and create jobs for northern and Indigenous communities. The funding, announced as part of the 2023 budget, includes an additional $6 million over the next two years for this successful program, bringing the government’s total investment to $35 million.

This approach is part of our government’s plan to build Ontario’s economy by attracting investment and creating jobs so we can lay a strong foundation for future generations. That’s what it’s all about. That’s why we’re here. It’s not about us; it’s about those who will follow us to ensure they have the economic foundation that we were lucky enough to have in our lives. This is part of our plan to build a strong Ontario now and in the future.

Launched in 2021, the program helps junior mining companies finance early exploration projects by covering eligible costs for critical and precious mineral exploration and development. So far, 48 junior mining companies have received funding and, in turn, they have invested an additional $17.5 million in these projects. That’s important work, and it matters on the ground. Once those minerals are out of the ground, they can be connected to Ontario’s world-class manufacturing sector.

Just look at the recent announcement by Volkswagen of its planned electric vehicle plant in St. Thomas. The German car company is investing $7 billion to make St. Thomas the home of its first overseas EV battery manufacturing plant—the first in the world outside of its own base. As has been observed, this is not only the largest electric vehicle-related investment in Canadian history, but it’s a huge vote of confidence in Ontario’s highly skilled workforce, our strong economic fundamentals and our competitive business environment.

In two and a half years, Ontario has attracted over $25 billion in investments from global automakers and electric vehicle batteries and battery suppliers. We heard today the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade cite these investments—$25 billion, a staggering number. But what really struck me was his additional comment about how Ontario is now number two in the world in this space. What an enormous achievement that is in such a short period of time.

It will not only benefit us in the short term, as I said—and I think one of the important themes of what we are doing as a government is a long-term perspective, the next generation. This generation and the next one and the next one after that will benefit from the economic development opportunities that come, but also in the resulting benefits to our environment from electric vehicles. It’s a great long-term vision.

And we aren’t stopping there. Ontario’s manufacturing sector is on a roll. We must keep that momentum going. The capacity is there to do more. For us as a government, we must continue supporting manufacturing and other businesses and the communities that depend on them.

One of the marquee pieces of the 2023 budget and spring budget bill is the proposed new Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit. If passed, this tax credit would provide a 10% refundable corporate income tax credit to help local manufacturers lower their costs, invest in workers, innovate and become more competitive. Why thi