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April 17, 2025

44th Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2025-Apr-17 (PDF)

L004 - Thu 17 Apr 2025 / Jeu 17 avr 2025

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Thursday 17 April 2025 Jeudi 17 avril 2025

Estimates

Orders of the Day

Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour protéger l’Ontario en favorisant le libre-échange au Canada

Members’ Statements

Health care

Health care

Government investments

Eglinton Crosstown LRT

44th Parliament

Armenian genocide anniversary

Hospital parking fees

Public safety

King Charles III Coronation Medal

Introduction of Visitors

Legislative pages

Question Period

Government accountability

Ontario economy

Government accountability

Government accountability

Housing

Government accountability

Transportation infrastructure

Health care

Government accountability / Responsabilité gouvernementale

Public safety

Government accountability

Water quality

Forest industry

University and college funding

Notice of dissatisfaction

Correction of record

Business of the House

Introduction of Visitors

Introduction of Government Bills

Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour protéger l’Ontario en libérant son économie

Introduction of Bills

1976998 Ontario Inc. Act, 2025

Motions

Committee membership and sittings

Petitions

Ontario Place

University funding

Ontario Place

Health care

Ontario Place

Ontario Place

Health care funding

Blood and plasma donation

Gasoline prices

Front-line workers

Orders of the Day

Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour protéger l’Ontario en favorisant le libre-échange au Canada

The House met at 0900.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Good morning, everyone.

Prayers.

Estimates

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Treasury Board president on a point of order.

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have a message from the Honourable Edith Dumont, the Lieutenant Governor, signed by her own hand.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Please rise.

The Lieutenant Governor transmits estimates of certain sums required for the services of the province for the year ending March 31, 2025, and recommends them to the Legislative Assembly.

You may be seated.

Orders of the Day

Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour protéger l’Ontario en favorisant le libre-échange au Canada

Mr. Fedeli moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 2,

An Act to enact the Buy Ontario, Buy Canadian Day Act, 2025 and the Ontario Free Trade and Mobility Act, 2025 and to amend various other Acts / Projet de loi 2, Loi édictant la Loi de 2025 sur le Jour « Achetons ontarien, achetons canadien » et la Loi ontarienne de 2025 sur le libre-échange et la mobilité et modifiant diverses autres lois.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the minister.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Speaker, I want to begin by letting you know that my time will be split with the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development and the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement.

Before discussing the details of the bill that was tabled yesterday, let’s start with some context of where Ontario finds itself today. For 150 years, Canada has been more than a great neighbour to the United States; we have the largest bilateral trading relationship in the world, a trading relationship that has been an envy of the globe. We are the number one purchaser of American products, and in return, we support the US with critical goods that they need to succeed, such as oil and gas, potash, auto parts, nickel and uranium.

When I sit in the US trade office or in the office of the Department of Commerce, or with a member of Congress or member of the Senate, I say to them, “Your President continues to say, ‘We don’t need anything from Canada.’ Well, hang on just one second here. Some 80% of all the nickel that the United States buys for their entire aerospace sector comes from Ontario; 56% of all the nickel the United States buys for their defence sector comes from Ontario.

How are you going to make an airplane, how are you going to make any kind of critical tool without the nickel?” They only have one nickel mine in the entire United States and it does not put out the same grade of nickel that we do in Ontario. They only have one lithium mine. That’s it. We are vital to the United States.

In reverse of that now, Ontario alone is the number one customer to 17 US states and we’re the number two customer for 11 more. We buy their goods. We buy more cars from them than China, Japan, South Korea, the UK, France, Italy, all combined. We buy more cars from the States, so it is a mutual relationship. They buy from us; we buy from them. In Ontario, it’s $500 billion a year and it’s 50-50.

For the better part of four decades, our trading relationship has been governed by a succession of free trade agreements. Our shared values, our shared proximity, our resilient supply chains have made this the strongest trading relationship in the world. It’s acknowledged as that right around the globe. It’s a trading relationship that has been mutually beneficial, bringing investment, good-paying jobs and affordable North American-made products to both sides of the border. This has been forever. Unfortunately, now, this relationship has been undermined by the tariffs the US has imposed on Canadian goods.

To date, the US have tariffed our cars, our steel, our aluminum, our softwood lumber and more. On top of that, the administration has been clear that more tariffs are coming, including our pharmaceutical sector. We have already seen part of the economic shock that tariffs have caused. Markets have tanked, shedding trillions of dollars—$6 trillion, $7 trillion—in the US, jeopardizing the hard-earned savings and retirement plans of families right here, surrounding us. Consumer and business confidence levels have plunged to levels very similar to the 2008 global financial crisis.

I’ve got to tell you, we are in an economic war, and we need wartime urgency on everything that we do. Businesses can’t plan, businesses can’t make investment decisions because of the chaos and uncertainty that President Trump has created. So make no mistake: Our government is going to continue our advocacy in getting the US to lift all of their tariffs off all of the Canadian goods.

We recently returned from Washington, where we had productive meetings with elected representatives, industry organizations and trade officials. Most of January was spent there, with several trips this year, and while we continue to have this US dialogue, we need to do everything at home that we can do to strengthen our own economy and build on the tremendous progress that we have made.

We can’t control President Trump’s actions, but we know his end goal, because he’s been very clear about that: He wants our jobs and he wants our industries. Whether it’s our jobs in the auto sector, where we have landed $46 billion in new investment over the last four years, or our jobs in the life science sector, where we’ve landed $6 billion in new investment, the US has been very clear: They want to bring our investments over to their side of the border, period.

That’s why it has never been more important for Canada to do everything we can to strengthen our domestic economy, to allow us to reduce our dependency on the United States. We must cut unnecessary red tape and tear down interprovincial trade barriers that have stood up for too long. The challenges we face today will not be solved with incremental policy. We must be bold, we must be ambitious, and we must do everything in our power to ensure our province and our country can continue to prosper.

We need to ensure that Canada is the beacon of free trade, and that starts with true free trade between our provinces and our territories. That is why our government is proud to have put forward what would be, if passed, the most ambitious provincial action on interprovincial trade in Canadian history. That’s how significant this bill that we are presenting is.

Now, we have heard about the costs of interprovincial trade barriers for far too long. Report after report, study after study, they all come to the same conclusion: Interprovincial trade barriers drive up costs, restrict competition and ultimately limit our country’s economic growth. Think about this for a second: Interprovincial trade, it adds about 14.5% to the cost of goods and services that everybody here and down the street spends in stores; 14.5% of the cost of those goods is attributed to free trade being blocked between provinces.

Those unnecessary costs are costs that Canadians cannot afford, especially as we face these extra costs from these tariffs from the US. So removing these barriers will see Canada boost its national growth between 4% and 8% annually. It’s going to be a few numbers coming up here. It’s a lot of numbers, in fact, but it’s really critical that we absorb these numbers and what they really mean: Adding 4% to 8% of our national growth just by taking barriers away—it’s a spectacular number. In fact, the total would be $200 billion in growth just by taking the barriers away.

I’ll give you some examples of what we’re talking about here and you’ll see—“My gosh. We do that? That’s what’s adding the cost?” It’s ridiculous.

Here in Ontario, because we already have a lot of free trade and we’re such a large province, of that $200 billion, actually about $23 billion would be added to our growth in Ontario. The cost and benefits could not be clearer. Ontario is right now the largest player in interprovincial trade. We really are free traders: $326 billion a year we have right now of free trade. Compare that—we do about $500 billion a year between Ontario and the US. It was $400 billion when we were elected. Through really great work and developing those lifelong relationships, we grew that to $500 billion.

To put it in comparison, all the business we do in the US, we do three fifths of that already just in free trade amongst our provinces. That’s about 28.5% of everything we do in Ontario is across the provinces. Interprovincial trade also is up $75 billion since we took office. We’ve been hustling. We’ve been hustling out there, convincing the provinces to do more business with us and with each other. But it can grow even more, and that’s why we’re leading the nation with our ambitious plan to tear down interprovincial trade barriers and spur more free trade and growth within Canada.

So here are some of the things that we’re doing. The first is called party-specific exemptions. Now, the plan starts years ago, when the Canadian Free Trade Agreement was written. The purpose of the CFTA is to promote more economic growth in our country through free trade. Under that agreement, provinces, territories and the federal government can have a carve-out, a party-specific exemption. Now, those exceptions allow parties to maintain or adopt measures that are inconsistent with the rules of what everybody agreed to. It was a big-picture rule, but everybody had these exceptions, these carve-outs.

Ultimately, the exceptions are protectionist. They are protectionist policies. They restrict Canadian competition. It undermines free trade across our province. They limit market access for Canadian businesses who want to operate and expand in our own country freely. Every province maintains a different number of exceptions. Here in Ontario, we have 23—we’re kind of the third worst. Quebec has 36. BC has 15. It varies.

During the campaign, Premier Ford committed that a re-elected PC government would tear down internal trade barriers, starting with the removal of all our party-specific exceptions. And that is exactly what we are proposing.

Ontario is the first jurisdiction in Canada to remove all party-specific exceptions under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. As the largest player in interprovincial trade, Ontario is leading the nation with pure ambition. This takes us from 23 to the only province in the country with no exceptions. You want to do business? Come here and do business. That’s why this is our first order of business.

Yesterday, we saw Premier Houston’s legislation on internal trade, and he was rightly praised for his ambition. They’ve already passed their legislation. Theirs is a little different than ours. We’re going a step further than Nova Scotia. We saw what they did—very admirable what they did. We loved what they did. But under Nova Scotia’s bill, they committed to not applying any party-specific exceptions with respect to a reciprocating territory. So they’ll say, “If you do it, we’ll do it with you.” Us, it’s, “Come on in. We’re doing it. They’re gone.” They’re gone forever, those exceptions.

You can’t bring them back. If a province removes their exception, Nova Scotia will do the same. With us, we’re open.

We are acting unilaterally and removing every single one of our exceptions. We chose this path to underscore the urgency of the situation we find ourselves in. We are in a wartime emergency. I’ll say that over and over. We hope that by leading the way, other provinces and territories will follow suit and remove all their exceptions. These are big opportunities for the country, not just for Ontario. The removal of these PSEs will significantly increase market access for businesses across Canada, and that’s why we’ve chosen to lead the way in our country.

The next piece is mutual recognition. This legislation includes a critical component on mutual recognition of goods and services. There are too many rules and regulations among provinces that have the slightest differences despite them achieving the same goals. So mutual recognition will allow any good or service that meets one province’s regulatory standards to automatically be recognized as being equivalent—that’s the magic word here—in Ontario, and vice-versa.

So we’re uniting the provinces by saying, “If that frozen pizza in Nova Scotia is good enough for you, you can ship them to us, and they’ll be good enough for us.” That’s the idea. And you’re going to hear more about the pizza delivery person in a second as well.

These diverging rules—those standards, those regulations—serve as barriers that drive up the cost for workers, for businesses and for consumers. We know that every single province and territory has very strong standards right now as it relates to health and safety. So we can trust that if a good or a service is coming from Nova Scotia or Alberta or any other province or territory, it already is safe for use in our province, despite having already met the standards required for use in the province they’re coming from.

We’re saying, “If it’s good enough for you, you can bring it here.” Even though it’s different than our regulations—it may meet or exceed; it may be different—we recognize it as equal.

High apparel safety vests—a really good example. It’s designed to make the wearer more visible in a low-light condition. Construction workers, utility workers, miners, others wear it while they’re working. If a construction worker goes to purchase their coveralls or vests in New Brunswick, they have to ensure it meets their own province’s standards. So if it’s good enough for them, when they come to work here or if our Ontario workers go and work there, you shouldn’t have to spend two hundred bucks on a new construction vest because it has stripes this way instead of stripes this way.

And I’m not exaggerating; that’s what it’s about. We will recognize your equipment as equal to our equipment, despite not being identical.

Again, this unnecessary duplication in the rules between New Brunswick and Ontario drives up the cost. These are the types of redundancies that Canada needs to prioritize to get rid of. With our legislation, we’re going to ensure that a good or service that is good enough for sale or work in one province is good enough for sale or work in Ontario.

Another example is the trucking across the province. You’ve heard me say before in this Legislature that we have different air pressures of the tires as you cross the country. We have different requirements of what goes in a first aid kit in a truck in the Atlantic, middle of the province, north and in the west. This is what needs to change. These are the kinds of things that we have been changing. We have a pilot right now between all provinces that the truck lengths—what happens in your province will be recognized as it travels through our province, so it can travel freely.

The trucking industry contributes $40 billion in annual revenue through over 63 million shipments each year. It reduces our dependence on the US. And we need to do that by allowing more and more.

Back to the pizza: The person who’s now shipping that frozen pizza can confidently hop in their vehicle and have it cross the country, knowing that the regulations, although different in each province, are being recognized as equivalent as that truck passes through. That is good for the potash that Ontario farmers need from Saskatchewan or the cars that are produced here in Ontario that are shipped out west.

Those barriers in trucking, by the way, are about $500 million per year in direct economic losses. What happens? That $500 million has to be added to the cost of the products. Each pizza gets another chunk added to the price, so before it gets to your grocer, already the costs have gone up just because of the lack of interprovincial trade agreements.

In February 2025, as I’ve said, all jurisdictions in Canada signed on to a pilot program. We go a step further here in Ontario: We’re saying we are open for mutual recognition, period. But it’s mutual; you need to recognize our goods as well. Any province that recognizes our goods and services, we now will have a deal with you. We want to make it easier for businesses to trade your products within our own country.

Again, yesterday, memorandums of understanding were signed between Ontario and Nova Scotia, and Ontario and New Brunswick to bolster interprovincial trade. Those are the kinds of agreements where we are saying we will mutually recognize each other’s goods and services. This is just the start. We look forward to more provinces joining us so that goods that are good for use in one province are recognized as equivalent in another.

The third part of the bill is labour mobility, and this is there to ensure there is efficient and productive labour mobility across the province. Minister Piccini will get into more details, but here are a couple of highlights. This part of the bill will allow out-of-province certified workers to practise in Ontario immediately. There are too many barriers that prevent or slow down workers from one province who wish to work in another.

If they’re qualified and registered in one province, they should not have to go through an onerous process to get work in another province, especially one that can take several months to complete. That’s why this bill, if passed, will expand as-of-right entry more broadly, to get certified workers on the job much faster. Workers who are registered in another Canadian jurisdiction would submit their registration documents to the Ontario regulator and would be deemed as registered with that regulator right away.

They would still have to register with the appropriate regulatory body to ensure we know who is working in our province, but this would allow them to work for up to six months while they complete the registration. We’re also proposing to impose time limits on the regulator to ensure they’re processing applicants as fast and effectively as they can.

When we have massive investments like Honda’s $15-billion investment in Alliston or Ferrero’s recently announced $445-million investment in Brantford, we need to make sure that we have the workers to build these projects as soon as possible. We can’t afford for workers who are already registered to work in another province to wait months while the regulator processes their application to work in Ontario. Likewise, if our workers want to work on projects in other provinces, they should be able to do so without a complicated and lengthy registry process.

Here’s a practical example: Architects in Canada are registered to their governing provincial body. In Ontario, it’s the Ontario Association of Architects. Often, the process for an architect registered in one province who wants to come to work in another is costly and burdensome, but it shouldn’t be that way. An architect qualified to work in Nova Scotia should be qualified to work here. This is Canada; we have the same strict standards. That’s why we’re proposing to allow workers like architects to be able to work in Ontario as of right.

Again, you’ll hear more from the Minister of Labour, but we want our economy to remain competitive. We need to ensure registered Canadian workers do not have barriers and delays that stop them from working.

Another part of the bill is direct-to-consumer sales. This allows for the direct-to-consumer—DTC, we’ll call it—sales of alcoholic beverages. We’ll start by negotiating memorandums of understanding with interested provinces. This will only happen with provinces that also mutually agree to the DTC. The end goal is having a fully implemented direct-to-consumer sales system that would give consumers the choice to purchase alcohol directly from producers across Canada.

Now, you’ll remember this issue gained a lot of national attention in what was called the famous Comeau case. In 2012, Gerard Comeau, resident of New Brunswick, drove to Quebec and bought some booze. He was driving back across the Quebec border and he was in New Brunswick, and he was stopped by the RCMP and charged with being in possession of more alcohol purchased out of province than was permitted under the New Brunswick Liquor Control Act. He challenged the act as being in violation of the Constitution, a challenge that went all the way to the Supreme Court, and he lost.

To address this problem in 2018, six years after he was arrested, provinces committed to raising or removing the personal exemption limits on alcohol, allowing people to carry larger volumes of alcohol across provincial boundaries. In the case of Ontario, our government at that time removed the limits altogether. I live 45 minutes from the Quebec border—

Ms. Stephanie Bowman: Premier Wynne did that.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: In the case of Ontario, our governments removed the limits altogether, but it didn’t go far enough. This legislation will allow direct-to-consumer sales, will allow consumers to buy alcohol from producers in other provinces without having to personally carry the alcohol across the border. Increased competition will broaden choice consumers have and it’s going to drive down costs.

As other provinces follow suit, it will create a massive economic opportunity for Ontario producers, giving them direct, easier access to the Canadian market. We need to boost competition in Canada and ensure our businesses have true market access right here in our own country. It should not be easier for Ontario producers to sell to consumers around the world than it is for us to sell to our own consumers in other provinces and territories, and that’s the way it is today.

These are the measures that our government, through the Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, proposes. Interprovincial trade barriers have existed in our country for far too long. We know that they weaken competition, they drive up costs and they limit our country’s economic growth. As the largest interprovincial trader in the country, Ontario is proud to lead the way in removing these barriers. This is extremely bold.

Our interprovincial trade committee under this government has been working seven years on this day, and today it happens. For 40 years it hasn’t happened under any government. Today, it is going to happen. Now is the time for all the provinces to take bold and ambitious action.

Over the last seven years, we’ve cut 550 pieces of red tape. We’ve lowered the annual cost of doing business by $8 billion annually. You’ll remember what we did. We reduced the WSIB payments, without reducing benefits, by $2.3 billion annually.

We put in what’s called an accelerated capital cost allowance. This means businesses can write off the cost of their equipment in a year. It saves them a billion dollars. They’ve reinvested that, as you’ll see in a minute.

We lowered the cost of industrial and commercial energy by 16%, a $1.3-billion savings. The previous Liberal government had a $465-million tax coming due January of the year we were elected. We eliminated that tax permanently.

We reduced the province’s share of local property taxes by $450 million annually, and the list goes on and on and on. It adds up to $8 billion a year in savings.

And what happened by taking an $8-billion-a-year haircut? Our revenue in Ontario, the day we were elected, was $150 billion. Today, it’s $214 billion. How do you cut taxes by $8 billion every year and grow your revenue by $64 billion? Because you put a million people to work in the province of Ontario since we were elected. That’s how you grow your revenue. You put people to work.

Speaker: $46 billion in new auto investments; $6 billion in life sciences; tens of billions in new tech investments; one million new jobs since we were created in 2018. But now we are faced with an unprecedented threat from the United States. We must do everything we can to protect the progress that we have made. This remarkable seven years of progress is under existential threat right now. We are in a wartime emergency.

We’ve got to ensure true free trade and labour mobility within our province. We need to tear down those barriers that are costing our economy $200 billion annually and costing consumers 14.5% every time they ring a cash register.

Thank you, and now I’ll pass to Minister Piccini for his addition on labour mobility.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Lorne Coe): I recognize the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

Hon. David Piccini: It’s an honour to rise here in the Legislature during this session of Parliament. I would just like to start my first speech here by thanking the people of Northumberland–Peterborough South who elected me to this place for a third time, and it’s an honour to be here to serve my community.

Now on to the bill we’re debating here today. As we’re all aware of, recently we’ve been facing difficult times of economic uncertainty as a province, as a country, as a planet. Our sovereignty and prosperity are being challenged by what once was our closest neighbour and friend, south of the border.

President Trump’s tariffs have undermined the long-standing and successful trading relationship between Canada and the United States. To reduce our dependence on the United States as a country, we must take action to cut red tape and tear down internal trade barriers so that we can promote free trade and labour mobility within our great country. That’s why we’ve introduced the Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, and it’s an honour to join my colleagues to speak to this bill today.

For those sitting at home wondering what these barriers mean to you, these barriers can add up to 14% to the cost of goods and services that Ontarians use, costing us over $200 billion. One of these barriers is labour mobility—simple movement within Canada. Now, labour mobility seems like a decently self-explanatory concept, but I’m going to define it and talk a bit about it in my remarks today.

Simply put, I think it’s the ability of workers to move freely between provinces and territories without having to undergo duplicative, more strenuous and, in many cases, burdensome recertification processes, or processes to acknowledge the certification that they already received within a neighbouring Canadian jurisdiction with one of their world-class universities or colleges. It ensures that skills and qualifications are recognized across all regions, allowing talent to flow where it’s needed most.

When a welder, engineer or other skilled professional crosses a provincial border, their qualifications shouldn’t be stopped by bureaucracy. And in the trades, we’ve seen such a north star when it comes to that movement with Red Seal designation.

Bill 2, if passed, will ensure the mutual recognition of goods and services across the country. It will allow workers who are registered in other Canadian jurisdictions to work in Ontario as of right, meaning they could work here in Ontario in the same capacity. This bill is about fairness, common sense and maximizing the incredible potential of our great country, the incredible potential that this province has to offer, and the incredible potential of the world-class, skilled Canadian workforce from coast to coast to coast. And we’re leading the charge.

My colleague just came up to me a moment ago and said, “David, we need more ECEs, early childhood educators. Wouldn’t it be nice if they could move freely from province to province?” The answer, simply put, is yes, and this bill is making that happen. We have 240 regulated occupations under the Ontario Labour Mobility Act, and as-of-right legislation means that those registered in other Canadian jurisdictions are deemed registered in ours upon submitting your certification to the regulatory body. We’re going to impose time limits on acknowledging receipt and time limits to complete that registration process and render a decision, and I’ll speak to that later.

In 2023, we signed a memorandum of understanding with Nova Scotia to eliminate barriers to labour mobility between our two provinces. It’s the first agreement of its kind in Canada and it’s already showing results. We saw Premier Houston was here yesterday with Premier Ford and Premier Holt from New Brunswick. We’re taking the lead and other provinces will follow suit. We’ve been calling on the federal government and other provinces to join us in strengthening free trade in our country for quite some time now. It’s time to modernize and enforce rules that guarantee mobility rights for workers across Canada because in our federation, borders should never be barriers to Canadians.

You might be asking, “Why does this matter so much right now?” The answer is simple: It’s going to make our economy more resilient and stronger. We’re facing a demand for skilled labour in the province of Ontario. We’re building highways, homes, hospitals and, yes, schools in rural Ontario that once were shut down, not so many years ago, by the previous government. We need over 100,000 new skilled trades workers in this decade alone to meet increased demand, and that’s only going to further increase with the national consensus we’re seeing today around nation building.

But there’s another reason we need these 100,000 skilled trades workers. It’s because the number of journeypersons out there over the age of 55 is increasing—affectionately called the silver tsunami in some unions and on some job sites across Ontario. We’ve got to get that next generation of talent in the pipeline. We need to attract the best and the brightest, regardless of where in Canada they live.

I think to some of the monumental projects we’ve done here. I think to Trillium, to what they’re doing with the new hospital. I think to the Gordie Howe bridge. I think to the fact that in Windsor, after not so many years ago we were slated for zero dollars—zero dollars—of automotive investment. Fast-forward—what is it now? Some $42 billion-plus, the minister tells me.

What does that mean? We get that investment and we go—as you heard from our Minister of Economic Development, Ontario is open for business. But what does that mean once we’ve attracted that business? Once he’s done his job and we negotiate that deal and we say we’re in the game, we’re going to attract these businesses, well, guess who gets to work? Workers—men and women in our provincial building trades.

Do you know, Speaker, what the weekly paycheque is in Windsor on the plant alone? It’s $14 million in weekly payroll. That was $14 million that would have never come under the previous Liberal government—$14 million. Behind each dollar, behind each paycheque is a family putting food on their table, giving opportunities to their children.

So we need to be competitive, because we’re competing on a global stage. We don’t just compete within Canada; we compete on a global stage.

And so to do that, and in speaking with many of our partners on that project and across our life sciences investments, the new hospitals we’re building, STEM graduates in the tech sector—behind that are people and companies that often do business all over Canada, so when they want to bring an engineer or an architect from New Brunswick or Saskatchewan who want to bring their talent as a part of that team, to bring the best and the brightest in that company that operates from coast to coast to coast, we shouldn’t be putting up barriers to getting that job done.

Normalizing a 10- or 15-year building process, normalizing a 17-year process to open a mine is why we are not as competitive as we can be. I choose, and I know colleagues on this side of the House and that side choose, for Ontario and Canada to achieve our full potential, to not be marred in bureaucratic process.

That’s why we’re saying to regulatory bodies as part of this bill, “You’ve got to make a decision within 30 calendar days.” We’ve talked a lot over the last while about 30, 60, 90 days, about the need for this province, for this country, to move. I heard from the president of TC Energy the other day, who said, “David, in this global market when we’re building pipelines and we’re exporting LNG and things of that nature”—in Mexico, they went two years from start to finish.

Facts don’t care about our feelings. In a global market, when that’s the time it’s taken to get our products to market in other jurisdictions, we lose if we can’t even compete, if we can’t even show up. The player who doesn’t even dress to skate—that’s what we have to do here in Ontario.

We’ve committed to working with all of our regulatory bodies to say—you know what? As much as I talked about competing on a global scale, we’re not going to have those barriers within our own country. That’s why we’re saying to regulatory bodies, “You’ve got to make that decision within 30 calendar days.” And we’re prescribing in future legislation, working with them, the sort of service and documentation—and that’s written in the bill for colleagues to read. Working with them, we’re going to prescribe what you can submit.

How often do we see an engineer, be it internationally trained or from another province, or a working professional, who tells you, “I don’t know the process”? Going on a regulator’s—if you ever need to fall asleep at night, go on a regulatory body’s website and try to navigate it. I’d have an easier job, in some respects, navigating the Tokyo subway system than trying to figure out how to navigate that process. And do you know who loses? Who loses is that new Canadian I’ve spoken to, an engineer.

Who loses is that certified professional from another province who, like so many Canadians, may live paycheque to paycheque, who’s here just trying to put food on their table, let alone figuring out how to navigate our own regulatory body’s process. We’re going to say to them, “Look, it would be nice to have a bit of a common look and feel, it would be nice if we could stay true to the spirit of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement,” which prescribes in it documentation and things you can ask for.

But of course, over time—I’ve never seen a government program or bureaucracy that ultimately doesn’t strive to grow over time, if not for a keen political eye that holds it to account. These bodies are no different. They’ve grown and these processes have gotten bigger and bigger and bigger. This minister, our colleagues, our government are saying, “No more barriers within Canada. No more barriers to labour mobility.” We’re competing for global talent, we’re competing for talent, and we have to unlock that incredible potential.

To some other things we’ve done as a government to do that, our $1.5-billion Skills Development Fund—I spoke yesterday about the Automotive Industries Association and David who, thanks to the Skills Development Fund, is an automotive technician, is driving a bus today. Whether it’s a bus or whether it’s a truck getting our goods to market, getting our students, our best and our brightest, our next generation, to school safely in rural communities like mine—we need these men and women doing their job.

Our Skills Development Fund has funded over 600 projects across Canada. More than 600,000 workers—better training, better jobs, with a bigger paycheque. If that’s not ultimately why we’re here, then why are we here? That’s got to be, at its core, what we’re striving to do as members of this Legislature.

We’ve helped people get those skill sets. Yesterday, I was with the hospitality workers. HTA and Unite Here had an incredible session yesterday morning that brought employers and labour together at the table. I’ve always said government, employers and labour are the three legs of a stool that make for a strong Ontario, and they brought them together. I got interviewed by a remarkable woman who came here in 2020, thanks to our training, thanks to our Skills Development Fund. Not only is she a leader in training our next generation in working—I spoke to many women there who are leading and training.

One said to me, “David, I worked hospitality for Denzel Washington when he came up here and filmed in Ontario,” and spoke about what that meant and what hospitality means as a profession, because without it, we can’t function. Things happen here and we are unable to keep our day-to-day lives clean and orderly. We’re unable to function.

I am amazed by the professionalism and the drive those remarkable workers exhibited, working with employers to ensure we are a world-class destination. Just think, the World Cup is here next summer. We’re going to lean on the backbone of our hospitality sector. So again, back to that fund that gave a sense of purpose and dignity—words not from me, but words that they used: purpose and dignity. That’s what we’re doing.

And when you say to a man or a woman from another province who’s here to work on a large project, who’s here to mould the hearts and minds of our next generation—we’re saying, “We’re not going to leave you in a never-ending merry-go-round of bureaucracy,” but that if you’re educated and certified within Canada, you can work as of right here in the province of Ontario. Let’s put workers first. Let’s recognize that credentials don’t change their value at the provincial border and let’s make a country where opportunity is unlimited, where a Canadian is a Canadian and can move and work freely across our great country.

Some critics will say that’s not easy. They might say each province has different standards, systems, needs, but that shouldn’t be an excuse for inaction. We’ve seen that bold action has a unifying effect. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, our Premier stood shoulder to shoulder to shoulder yesterday. The truth is, as a country, we’ve been talking about this for far too long, and it’s high time we acted.

Protectionist policies that deter movement of Canadian talent threaten our fundamental long-term prosperity. We need transparent reporting, measurable outcomes and consequences for provinces that don’t follow through, because this is about real people and real jobs.

A strong Canada starts with a stronger Ontario, and a stronger Ontario depends on the freedom of Canadians to move, work and succeed. Labour mobility isn’t just a policy; it’s a principle. It’s a principle that says that hard workers across Canada and our country should be rewarded, not restricted.

We’re up for that challenge, and we’re leading the charge on that here in Ontario—an Ontario that decided, in 2018, to get back on the ice to play on a global scale; an Ontario that has attracted over $40 billion in foreign direct investment; an Ontario that has said that through a low-tax, competitive climate, we can attract investment, we can grow and harness our full potential; and an Ontario that, today, says, “No, we’re not going to be marred by a planning process and by permits and fees that make the dream of a young entrepreneur, the dream of a businessman or businesswoman, the dream of a tech start-up, crash.

We’re going to help unlock that potential and help them to succeed.”

To think that a training centre in Ottawa that’s training the next generation of carpenters took six weeks for a sign permit, a permit to just get a sign that says, “Future home of an 11,000-square-foot expansion.” That’s insanity. This Premier has said we have to do better.

We have to have certainty—speak to anyone in our energy sector, any business that operates on a global scale. We’ve seen, from President Trump, that lack of certainty is bad for our markets, it’s bad for our 401(k). That lack of certainty needs the stability that this Premier is building. And that certainty means Canadian workers can travel across our country and can come here and work in Ontario.

That’s the sort of Ontario I want to build, an Ontario that has endless potential, that acknowledges that a Canadian is a Canadian and you can come here and work freely to contribute to our economic success. If you’re willing to work hard and you’ve taken years to train and hone your craft, we want you here in Ontario if you’re from neighbouring Quebec or Manitoba, and vice versa—that an Ontarian who wants to take that idea they’ve harnessed here in Ontario and take it across Canada, we want to support them.

That’s what this Premier is doing. We’re protecting Ontarians who are building a stronger Ontario, and we’re not going to stop.

Speaker, I’m proud to turn over my remarks, and I appreciate the opportunity to rise here today.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Lorne Coe): Thank you for your presentation.

I recognize the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement.

Hon. Stephen Crawford: Thank you to my colleagues for opening up on this wonderful bill.

I’d like to also welcome all the MPPs who have been re-elected back in this chamber—and the newly elected MPPs, welcome you to the Legislature.

Speaker, it’s a great honour to rise in the House today as part of the government leadoff on the second reading debate for Bill 2, the Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, 2025, alongside my colleagues, who did a wonderful job presenting the early part of this bill, the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade and the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

On behalf of the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement, I am here to highlight how this landmark bill, if passed, will be a historic step towards a future for Ontario and Canada—one that tears down outdated and costly trade barriers; one that gives Ontario businesses new room to grow; one that empowers Canadian workers to take on new opportunities; one that sends a clear message across the country and around the world that Ontario is open, united and ready to lead.

For far too long, the free movement of goods, services and workers within our own country has been hindered by red tape and regulatory roadblocks. As my colleagues highlighted, these internal trade barriers cost our national economy billions of dollars every single year. They drive up costs for families at a time when Ontarians are already facing affordability challenges made worse by inflation and US tariffs.

Speaker, it simply doesn’t make sense that while we fight against unfair US tariffs and protect Ontario from external threats, we’re still letting outdated rules divide our own country from within. Those days are coming to an end. With this bill, as my colleagues have highlighted, Ontario is once again ready to lead by example.

I want to use my time today to highlight a part of this plan that truly captures the spirit of Ontario: our proposal to establish a Buy Ontario, Buy Canadian Day. If Bill 2 is passed, starting this year, the last Friday of every June will be an annual tradition, a celebration of the businesses, producers and the workers who power our economy and serve as the backbone to our communities.

It’s no coincidence, Speaker, that Buy Ontario, Buy Canadian Day falls just before Canada Day. As we prepare to celebrate our great country, this new annual tradition gives Ontarians the perfect opportunity to show their pride by supporting local businesses, choosing Ontario- and Canadian-made products, enjoying Canadian-grown food and championing homegrown talent. It’s a powerful reminder that our economic strength and national identity go hand in hand. By backing Ontario businesses and workers right before July 1, we are not just waving the flag; we’re investing in what makes Canada strong from the ground up.

Having these two important days so close to each other allows us to come together and embrace the values that define our Canadian pride, for Buy Ontario, Buy Canadian Day is more than just a symbolic gesture. It’s a call to stand together, a call for every Ontarian to look at what’s made and grown right here at home, to choose Ontario- and Canadian-made products, to support and stand shoulder to shoulder with the people behind those products: the farmers, the builders, the entrepreneurs and workers whose livelihoods depend on it.

In a time of global uncertainty, when foreign markets are less reliable, and as the US government places unjustified and unfair tariffs on Canadian goods, Buy Ontario, Buy Canadian Day is about taking control of our economic future. It’s about using our collective purchasing power to build resilience, support jobs and invest in our communities.

Speaker, nine in 10 Canadians say they want to see more Canadian products promoted in stores. We are all filled with pride as we see more and more people recognizing that buying local isn’t just patriotic; it’s practical. It supports jobs, it strengthens our supply chains and it helps families and small businesses thrive.

That’s why Buy Ontario, Buy Canadian Day is such a valuable part of the Protect Ontario plan. Because when we buy Ontario, we build Ontario. When we choose a product made here, we’re supporting our neighbour’s job. When we hire a local contractor or skilled worker, we’re investing in our own economy. And when we stand up for Canadian goods, we are sending a message to the world that we believe in what we make and we won’t be pushed around.

Speaker, rest assured that our government is leading by example. Ontario has already taken measures to protect our local manufacturers, producers and the jobs that they support. We have implemented several policies to prioritize procurement from Ontario and Canadian businesses, focused on our spending here at home.

One key initiative is the procurement restriction policy, which applies to all ministries, provincial agencies and the broader public service. The policy is part of Ontario’s response to US tariffs, aimed at protecting Ontario workers, businesses and families. The procurement restriction policy restricts the public sector from procuring goods and services from US businesses and encourages sourcing of local goods.

We are requiring public sector entities to exclude US businesses from procurements, except if a US business is the only viable source for the good or service, or if the procurement cannot be delayed for health and safety reasons. This policy applies to all procurements of goods and services of any value. We recognize the significant role public sector purchasing plays in supporting local economies, and our procurement framework is directed at ensuring Ontarians receive the best value for their money.

In 2022, we introduced the Building Ontario Businesses Initiative, also known BOBI, to strengthen the province’s supply chain and economic growth. BOBI creates a level playing field by reducing barriers for Ontario businesses with greater access to procurement opportunities. The initiative was designed to allow government to continue conducting business with its trade partners while addressing the needs of the local economy.

BOBI mandates that public sector and broader public sector entities, such as hospitals and educational facilities, give preferences to Ontario businesses in the procurements of goods and services below certain threshold values. It also expands on technical requirements to incorporate the evaluation criteria such as social and economic considerations, levelling the playing field for businesses in Ontario and the communities they serve. The initiative strengthens Ontario’s supply chain resiliency, preparing the province for any future emergencies or trade situations.

Last year, Ontario’s broader public sector procurement directive was updated to include new provisions to align with BOBI. This means that broader public service entities must, wherever feasible, give preference to Ontario and Canadian businesses under certain threshold values.

Speaker, as I conclude my remarks, I want to emphasize the measures in this legislation aren’t just technical or regulatory; they are transformational. The bill, if passed, is not just about empowering our local economies, though it will. It’s not just about getting workers to job sites faster, though it will. It’s about showing leadership at this time of economic uncertainty. It’s about standing up for Ontario’s interests while strengthening the federation we call home.

Speaker, I want to thank the Premier and my colleagues across cabinet for their support and leadership on this important legislation and I want to thank the hard-working public servants and ministry officials who have helped bring this vision to life.

And I want to say to every Ontarian and every Canadian, this bill is for you. It’s for the entrepreneurs trying to grow their small businesses across provincial borders. It’s for the skilled workers looking for opportunities in a province that’s ready to welcome them with open arms. And it’s for every single family that wants to buy local, shop smart and support their local community.

This bill is a blueprint for a stronger, freer and more prosperous Ontario, a blueprint for a Canada that works better for everyone. Let’s move forward, united, confident and determined. Let’s tear down these barriers. Let’s open up new doors. Let’s build the future that we want to see right here in Ontario for the benefit of all Ontarians and all Canadians. And on the last Friday of June and every day, let’s make sure we buy Ontario. Let’s buy Canadian and let’s build and protect our home together to make a stronger province of Ontario.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Lorne Coe): We’re now into questions.

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: I would like to thank the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and [ inaudible ] when someone is able to work. These are certainly laudable goals.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program is a mess, though. My constituents have waited patiently for a response only to see that deadline come and then go. My calls and messages from my office to the minister’s ministry go unanswered. There’s currently no ministry liaison for MPPs to reach out to. I know every MPP in this chamber understands the hot mess that the OINP is. Will the minister address the mess that is the OINP and fix it?

Hon. David Piccini: While not having anything to do with this bill, I appreciate the question from that member opposite and I’m happy to answer it. It’s a good one. Speaker, permanent residency and citizenship isn’t a right; it’s a privilege. And my team and the ministry work diligently and have seen, because of the levels program and the dramatic increase—I think we can agree, it’s without dispute, factually, of immigrants that have arrived, that one in three in other provinces who end up coming to Ontario, a demonstrable increase in fraudulent applications.

So they are taking their time and doing their due diligence. And at a time when we’re seeing the global instability, our focus really needs to be on prioritizing jobs here for Ontarians and Canadians that we’re doing with this labour mobility bill, and that’s what we’re laser-focused on, Speaker.

Thank you for the question.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Lorne Coe): I have the member from Essex, please.

Mr. Anthony Leardi: My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

Speaker, I have some great wineries in my riding: Oxley Estate Winery, Mastronardi Estate Winery—great wineries. They want to sell their wines to other provinces, but interprovincial trade barriers block them from doing so.

I have great breweries in my riding. They want to sell their brews to other provinces, but interprovincial trade barriers block them from doing so.

I have a great distillery in my riding, Wolfhead Distillery. It makes great flavours—banana-flavoured vodka—but they’re blocked from selling to other provinces because of interprovincial trade barriers.

We have great producers right here in the province of Ontario, great producers right in my riding of Essex, but they are blocked from selling their products to other Canadians by interprovincial trade barriers.

Will the minister please tell us, what will this bill do to help my people in Essex county sell their goods to other Canadians?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Thank you for the excellent question. This is going to give your producers—your great producers, and the producers all across Ontario—an opportunity to provide direct to consumer. They don’t have to show up at your place. You can go online—if passed—and be able to have direct to consumer, coast to coast to coast, right across all 13 provinces and territories. Gateway brewery in North Bay is going to give them a good run for their money, I’ll tell you that right now.

I would say to you, this is the time for all of us to be bold. We are in an economic war right now, and it’s time for all of us to be bold and look at this legislation, be serious about this legislation and understand that this is going to add $200 billion to our economy and save families 14.5% at every cash register.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Lorne Coe): I have the member from Niagara Centre, please.

Mr. Jeff Burch: A question for the Minister of Labour: I have a great college in my riding, Niagara College. They have some great skilled trades programs. But colleges across Ontario are facing some real budget crunches. It’s difficult at this time.

First of all, is the minister looking at increasing budgets in colleges? And what role does he see colleges playing in the labour mobility issues?

Hon. David Piccini: Any time to get down to Niagara to see my friend Sean Kennedy and the team at Niagara College is a good time down, and I’ve always enjoyed working with that member.

Without question, Speaker, we’ve got to increase the opportunities for young men and women to enter the trades. We’ve expanded the number of TDAs, training delivery agents, across Ontario; that has come with funding. For every seat that we fund, we’ve simplified the pathway into the trades with the transition to Skilled Trades Ontario. Without question, due to the federal government’s decision on international students, that has posed a challenge, and we’re working with our colleges on in-demand programs. And certainly we know some of those in-demand programs in the skilled trades, they’re there.

And yes, to answer your question, I see them absolutely as an important part moving forward as we unlock barriers to building in the province of Ontario.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Lorne Coe): Questions?

Ms. Stephanie Bowman: By now, we’ve all seen the video of the Premier talking about, was he glad that the US president won? A hundred per cent, he was.

I’m glad that the US tariffs have finally forced this government to get religion around removing interprovincial trade barriers, but my question is to the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. I’m wondering where that thinking was when they gave a $2.2-billion contract to a foreign-owned spa, which actually is taking all of that money out of the country, out of the province. Will they rip up that deal with Therme to make sure that we are now buying Ontarian?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: I’m going to read some supportive stakeholder reports that have happened because it’s so fascinating to hear right across Ontario. From Ryan Manucha, a research fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute—and if you want a really good book on free trade and get to understand what free trade across our provinces are, buy Ryan’s book. He says, “This landmark legislation demonstrates strong nation-building leadership. The Ontario government’s bold action on internal trade barriers unlocks new heights for provincial and national prosperity.” This is the kind of thinking that we need to be listening to.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Lorne Coe): Further questions?

Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto: I want to thank the three ministers here today. A lot of these things have touched me personally: the $46 billion in automotive investment into the province of Ontario that we’ve been able to attract through our government, as I used to work at Ford Motor Co. In my riding of Mississauga–Lakeshore, we’re building the largest hospital in Canadian history, and we just opened up, a year ago, the largest long-term-care home in Canadian history in my riding.

How will this bill help us bring the workforce we need into the province of Ontario?

Hon. David Piccini: I appreciate the question on workforce and on development. That member has led the charge in Mississauga for better training with better jobs and bigger paycheques. I had the opportunity to see just how respected he is when I joined him this past month because, at its core, when I said those words of “purpose” and “dignity” earlier in my speech, those aren’t my words; those are the words of those who are entering the workforce, who are getting greater earnings potential thanks to the training we’ve invested in—and I’ll tie it back to productivity.

Our declining productivity, as a result of duplicative, bureaucratic process and delays exacerbated by the Liberals—then, they migrated up to Ottawa and did the same thing up in Ottawa with the Impact Assessment Agency and beyond—is stymying growth and better paycheques for Ontarians and for Canadians. But there is a national consensus today, I’m proud to see, around the need to build, led by Premier Ford, who’s championing this across Canada.

We’re going to unlock that workforce potential. We have the Skills Development Fund to make it happen, and that member is going to keep leading the charge in Mississauga.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?

MPP Wayne Gates: I’m glad you raise the auto sector because what we need in the auto sector right now is “buy Canadian.” If you’re going to sell in this country, you should build in this country. That’s one thing that we can do.

On the CAMI plant, what we need to do is, instead of the product they’re building, we bought 100,000 of them and we sold 99,000 of them to the States. What we need to do, if we’re going to build in this country and sell in this country, you’ve got to build in this country—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Response. I recognize the minister.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Where was that member when we were cutting costs, reducing the cost of business by $8 billion—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I apologize to the minister.

Second reading debate deemed adjourned.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): We’re going to go into members’ statements. Just a reminder to all members, our new members as well, members’ statements are 90 seconds. Your microphone will be cut off at the 90-second mark.

Members’ Statements

Health care

Mr. Steve Pinsonneault: I rise today to share a great achievement for the people of my riding, Lambton–Kent–Middlesex. The Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital is now home to a brand new, state-of-the-art MRI machine. This marks a major step forward in strengthening health care access in our rural communities. Thanks to this project, residents no longer need to travel long distances to access advanced diagnostic imaging. This means reductions in wait times, faster diagnoses, earlier treatment and better health outcomes, all delivered closer to home.

This is another example of our government’s commitment, under Premier Doug Ford’s leadership, to delivering more connected and convenient health care for rural Ontarians.

I want to extend my sincere thanks to the Middlesex Hospital Alliance and the Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital Foundation for making this achievement possible.

Health care

Mr. Jeff Burch: In my riding of Niagara Centre, this election was about health care. It’s what I’ve talked about for the last three years, and it’s what I talked about in February: hospital parking fees that are an unfair tax on patients, their families and staff; depleted emergency services at the Welland Hospital and the need for a planning grant to start planning the rebuilding of that hospital; and, of course, the Port Colborne urgent care centre.

Last week, Port Colborne city council voted unanimously to send a formal letter to the provincial government about the future of the urgent care centre, which is slated to close in 2028. During her address to city council, Betty Konc of the Port Colborne Health Coalition said, “We need to be clear with the ministry that all services at our (former) hospital site need to stay, including the lab.” The resolution approved by council referenced the recent city survey where 96% of respondents voiced their strong support for maintaining 24/7 urgent care services in Port Colborne.

I look forward to working with this government to make sure that all of my constituents have the care that they need in their community.

Government investments

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the member for Brampton East.

Mr. Hardeep Singh Grewal: Thank you very much, Speaker. Once again, congratulations on your election as Speaker to this House.

Our government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, is delivering on the priorities that matter to Ontarians, and especially those in my riding of Brampton East and Brampton. We recently celebrated a major milestone as the construction officially began on Brampton’s second hospital, with shovels now in the ground. This is an historic milestone that will not only delivery quality care that Brampton residents need but also ensure families have access to the health care services they need, right here in their own communities.

As we address the needs of today, we’re also investing in the future. This September, Toronto Metropolitan University’s new school of medicine will open its doors, creating 94 undergraduate seats and 117 postgraduate spots to train the next generation of doctors right here in our great city of Brampton. Students will benefit from the state-of-the-art facilities, cutting-edge research opportunities and hands-on training, all within their own community.

And we’re moving forward to tackle gridlock head-on. This year, we’ll move ahead with construction and get shovels in the ground as a part of our plan to build Highway 413. It will save drivers up to 30 minutes, spending more time with their families and less time stuck in gridlock. That’s almost an hour a day they get to save from their schedules and spend more time with their families and less time stuck in gridlock, Speaker.

It’s going to be a huge deal for not only Bramptonians, but people all the way from Milton, all the way up to Vaughan. It’s going to be a huge bypass—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Members’ statements.

First of all, I’d like to apologize to the members of the third party; I recognize the member from Don Valley West.

Eglinton Crosstown LRT

Ms. Stephanie Bowman: Good morning. Thank you, Speaker.

During the cold February election, I knocked on thousands of doors in my riding of Don Valley West, and one question I got a lot was, “Why isn’t the Crosstown open?” Well, I wish we knew.

It’s been 14 years since construction started on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. It was supposed to open five years ago, and yet this government still can’t get it done. That’s 14 years of traffic, construction noise, closed businesses and broken promises. To add insult to injury, my constituents and residents across this city can’t get an answer from this government about why Metrolinx can’t get the LRT open.

I have called in this House for the government to provide answers, to be accountable. I wrote to the Premier to ask him to launch a public inquiry, to learn what went wrong so it doesn’t happen with other transit projects like the Ontario Line, also going through Don Valley West—no response yet from the Premier.

If this government can’t effectively oversee a tunnel under Eglinton Avenue, how do they expect us to think they can get a tunnel under the 401 built? But I digress, Speaker.

We have waited long enough for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. It’s time for answers, and it’s time to get those trains moving.

44th Parliament

Ms. Jennifer K. French: This is the beginning of the 44th Parliament at Queen’s Park. I’m very proud to rejoin this assembly and take my seat in my fourth term as the proud member for Oshawa.

Speaker, we all know it takes a village to raise a child, but the truth is it takes a village to elect an MPP. I want to thank my staff, who have worked these past many years to serve the people of Oshawa. I want to thank the campaign team, who invested their hearts, their time and their brilliance to ensuring we could keep Oshawa orange. I want to thank my husband, Jon, and my friends and family for their love and support.

Speaker, I am proud to do this work, and after 11 years, I still wake up every day ready to work sincerely for the people of Oshawa. During the election, it was a privilege to meet people where they live. I appreciate that people trusted me with their fears, their hopes, their challenges and their ideas for the future, and I bring their voices with me. Our neighbours and workers in Oshawa are worried about an uncertain future, and I am grateful to be able to stand with them, stand up for them and fight for a bright future.

This next session, it will also be my honour to serve this House as a presiding officer and deputy Speaker alongside Ontario’s first female Speaker, the member from Flamborough–Glanbrook.

We are beginning a new

chapter with many of the same concerns and challenges, but with a fresh sense of purpose and commitment to strengthening our communities and all of Ontario. Thank you, Oshawa.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): And I look forward to working with the member from Oshawa as a presiding officer.

Armenian genocide anniversary

Mr. Aris Babikian: The Armenian National Committee of Toronto held yesterday a sombre commemoration of the 110th anniversary of the Armenian genocide at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. A large number of the Legislative Assembly members from all parties joined religious and lay leaders of the GTA Armenian community in remembrance of the victims, and paid tribute to the resilience of Ontario’s Armenian community and its contribution to make Ontario a better place for all.

As the third generation of survivors of two genocides, Armenian and Greek, I am forever in debt to Ontario and Canada for recognizing the historical truth of the Armenian genocide and providing me the opportunity to fulfill my potential and excel in what I do best: working and serving the residents of Ontario.

The principles and the ethics of my maternal grandfather, Ardashes Amroyan, and grandmother, Sirarpy Amroyan; and my paternal grandfather, Garabed Babikian, and grandmother, Kohar Babikian, who sacrificed and suffered so much during the genocides, were my guiding light. I’m also grateful to my father, Antranik Babikian; my mother, Valantine Babikian; and the entire family for their unwavering support and for making me what I am today. Thank you very much.

Hospital parking fees

MPP Wayne Gates: I want to talk about this government’s refusal to cut costs and fees for people in Ontario, and how there’s no better example than the cost of hospital parking fees. Recently, we’ve been talking about tariffs and how they’re just another tax on families. I want to be clear: Charging patients, families and workers a fee just to park at a hospital is just another tax on the everyday working people in the province of Ontario.

We desperately need to recruit doctors and nurses in Ontario, and the last thing we should do is charge them a tax just to go to work. Patients should be focused on getting better, and their families and loved ones are already worried about the stress of caregiving. There’s no need to add the extra stress of a fee or a tax just to park at a hospital. MPPs don’t have to pay to park at Queen’s Park to come to work. Why should a nurse, a doctor or a worker have to pay to go to work to save lives?

The Premier has refused to take simple action to save everyday people across this province their hard-earned money. No one—not a patient, not a worker, not a family member—should have to pay out of their pocket to access our publicly funded, publicly delivered health care system. We should increase funding to our health care system and finally eliminate fees for hospital parking across Ontario once and for all. Thank you.

Public safety

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the member for Hamilton Mountain.

MPP Monica Ciriello: Thank you, Speaker. May I start by saying it is great to see you in that chair, making history? Congratulations.

Madam Speaker, what I’ve heard at the doors in my riding of Hamilton Mountain is that people are concerned about the rise in crime. People are worried about the safety of their neighbourhoods, their families and the security of their property, particularly auto theft, and rightfully so. In Hamilton, 1,612 vehicles were stolen last year.

In response to these concerns, I’m pleased to highlight the massive success of Project Polar Bear, a year-long investigation by the Hamilton Police Service. A partnership between the Ministry of the Attorney General and the Ministry of the Solicitor General, this operation led to the arrest of eight individuals who led an organized auto theft crime ring across Hamilton and southern Ontario. More specifically, 80% of the vehicles stolen in Hamilton were stolen from my riding of Hamilton Mountain.

Thanks to the diligent work of our law enforcement, over 200 stolen vehicles at a price of approximately $15 million were recovered, along with firearms, drugs and equipment for vehicle theft. I am proud to stand with the women and men in law enforcement, and these initiatives demonstrate our commitment to reducing crime and ensuring safety across Ontario.

I am proud to announce today that we will be partnering with local law enforcement and hold town halls across Hamilton Mountain so we can continue to hear directly from the people on how best to invest in the strategy—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Thank you to the member from Hamilton Mountain.

Further members’ statements? I recognize the member from Perth–Wellington.

King Charles III Coronation Medal

Mr. Matthew Rae: Thank you, Speaker. As others have said already, it’s wonderful to see you in the chair. My congratulations, officially, on that.

It’s a pleasure to rise today to recognize five distinguished individuals from Perth–Wellington who I had the pleasure of presenting King Charles III Coronation Medals to recently.

Gwen Ament, from St. Marys, is a long-time advocate for inclusion, as represented by her work in helping settle refugees from Syria and Ukraine. She organizes countless community events, is an active participant in Indigenous reconciliation and a pillar of charitable support within the community.

Jack Chaffe, who many in this place will know, is a fifth-generation beef farmer from Mitchell, an active community member and advocate for beef farming across Canada, Ontario and internationally.

Trinity Skinner, from Atwood, is a caring and active member of our community for many years, despite her very young age. She founded Atwood Rocks to spread joy. She speaks with her local Lions Club, 4-H club and the Blyth theatre on youth programs and activities.

Matt Peck, from Stratford, is a sergeant with the city of Stratford police and has served his community for 22 years. During this time, he has spearheaded many initiatives for young officers.

Kay Ayres, from Mount Forest, is a compassionate and involved member of the community, donating much of her time to help run the local seniors’ group.

They represent kindness, respect and growth we wish to build in Ontario and Canada. Long live the King.

Introduction of Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): It is now time for introduction of visitors. But before we move on to that, just a reminder that it is five minutes. If you would like to introduce a guest or make reference to a birthday, you can do so within that five minutes. If you do not have your time within that five minutes, we will do this again at 1 o’clock.

Introduction of visitors?

Hon. Rob Flack: It is my honour to welcome my daughter, Emily Flack, and her fiancé, Shaun Baker. They are getting married on June 14.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): And I would like to remind the House that she is a remarkable singer, a remarkable artist, and I know daddy is very proud.

Introduction of visitors?

M me France Gélinas: They are just walking in as we speak. I would like to introduce Lisa Caswell, who is coming down the stairs; Sue Kim, who is also coming down the stairs with her husband, Alan; and Jamal El Ali, who are here because March is Be a Donor Month. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: This morning, I want to welcome guests from Niagara Falls. I want to wish Sharlotte and Mark Uhryn a very happy first anniversary and tuning in from Niagara Falls. Happy anniversary to you both. Love you.

Ms. Laura Smith: It is my very great honour to welcome to the House a community volunteer for Thornhill and student at McMaster University, Mr. Ben Birnbach.

Hon. Nina Tangri: I just want to wish my first-born, my son Ram, a very, very happy birthday. Happy birthday, Ram.

M me France Gélinas: My guests that I just introduced are from the Kidney Patient and Donor Alliance. Thank you for coming.

Legislative pages

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Now we’re going to move on to what is a very interesting and fun part of our proceedings, and that is the introduction of our pages. Can I get the pages to gather in front of the dais? Are we all here? No? Have we got a minute? We’re going to wait for a few seconds; how is that?

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): A few coming? Ah, there we go.

Interjection: They’re busy people.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): They are. Welcome, pages.

From the riding of Milton, Krish Agarwal; from Oakville, Eric Chen; from York Centre, Jovin Chen; from York–Simcoe, Margaret Comerzan; from Mississauga–Malton, Kareem Elbayoumi; from Brampton North, Hasrat Ghai; from Windsor–Tecumseh, Parker Grisch; from Barrie–Springwater–Oro-Medonte, Eleanor Gugula; from Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas, Liam Hamilton; from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke, Lauren Hermans; from Beaches–East York, Grace Krmpotic; from Essex, Vivian LeBlanc; from Aurora–Oak Ridges–Richmond Hill, Serena Lu; from Markham–Unionville, Haajrah Malik; from Kitchener South–Hespeler, Nathaniel Mollison; from Wellington–Halton Hills, Nimrata Saund; from Ottawa Centre, George Silver; from Davenport, Gabriel Smulowitz; from Etobicoke Centre, Josephine Spracklin; from St.

Catharines, Kylian Antonin Tiwa; from Don Valley West, Finn Walsh; and from Richmond Hill, Leah Wong. Please welcome our pages.

Applause.

Question Period

Government accountability

Ms. Marit Stiles: This question is for the Minister of Infrastructure. Yesterday, the New York Times dropped a bombshell investigation into Ontario Place, confirming what we have all known all along: Therme hit the jackpot and Ontarians got ripped off. Therme lied about its qualifications, they are broke and they still can’t find an investor for their luxury spa. The only one buying this grift is this government.

Yesterday, the Premier said that he was going to “look into it and make sure everything passes the smell test.” Well, let me save the Premier some time: It doesn’t.

To the minister: What is it going to take? Will you cancel this deal?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Response? I recognize the member for Brampton West.

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I want to congratulate you on your election as the Speaker of this House. Congratulations.

Madam Speaker, we have heard several reports, including the Auditor General report, which on page 77 confirms that Therme met necessary financial requirements for the lease. Ontario Place will have major anchor tenants that will be contributing towards the maintenance of Ontario Place and contributing right back to our local economy. We’ll continue to invest in Ontario Place, we’ll continue to protect jobs and we’ll continue to stand up for Ontario families every step of the way.

Madam Speaker, let’s talk about the benefits of Ontario Place: the financial benefits and the jobs it will create. Some 4,700 new jobs will be created during the redevelopment of Ontario Place. Another 2,000 permanent jobs will be created once Ontario Place is completed. So not only are we creating jobs; we are also building a wonderful place for families to visit, with over 50 acres of public realm space for all to enjoy.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: The benefits? Ontarians are going to be stuck paying for this for the next 95 years, right? Every household in this province is going to be paying $400 for this luxury spa that nobody ever asked for, while people are actually worried about how they’re going to put food on the table.

Ontarians are right now making tough decisions about how they keep their money here in Ontario. Now more than ever you would think that they should be able to expect that their government would do the same. Instead, we have a government that is making international headlines for handing public land and tax dollars to a broke spa company.

My question back to the minister is, does the minister agree that there is a credible accusation of fraud against the people of Ontario?

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: Let me reiterate: Infrastructure Ontario issued a competitive call-for-development process, which was verified by the Integrity Commissioner in 2025. The call-for-development process was consistent with one initiated by the previous Liberal government in 2018 and received over 30 submissions from interested parties. All proposals underwent a comprehensive evaluation process, including a detailed financial assessment.

As part of this review, Infrastructure Ontario, supported by its third-party real estate and financial adviser Ernst and Young, analyzed financial statements and determined that Therme met the required net worth cash flow, which is $100 million. The financial test applied was designed to assess the company’s capacity to enter into a long-term ground lease of this scale. The lease signed by Therme and our government also includes that Therme must maintain a net worth of at least $100 million throughout the project or it would be in default of a term of the lease agreement.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: I’m telling you, Speaker, people are not buying this. Yesterday, I was just appalled to hear the Minister of Infrastructure praise Infrastructure Ontario for this shady deal. Infrastructure Ontario not only did not perform proper due diligence to verify Therme’s qualifications or their financial capacity for this deal; they ignored warnings from the Auditor General about Therme. They moved the goalposts to suit this company.

There is no question that Infrastructure Ontario has not done their job. The minister is too busy defending her own record to see this deal for what it is: a giant scam. So my question to the minister is, will she recuse herself and hand this over to the authorities?

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: Madam Speaker, what the people of this province will not buy is the negativity from the official opposition and their anti-infrastructure policies.

The people of this province have placed their trust in this government, which is evident in the strong mandate we have got not once, not twice; three times in a row.

Look at the Liberals and NDP. The Liberals were barely able to achieve party status, and the NDP lost seats. That is why people trust this government. People believe that this government will get things done for the people of this province, and we will get it done, Madam Speaker.

Ontario economy

Ms. Marit Stiles: My next question is to the Premier.

In the Premier’s throne speech this week, I think there was an echo of what many Ontarians are feeling right now, which is that the United States has become a fundamentally unreliable trade partner. And that’s why I was so surprised to hear the change of tune yesterday when the Premier doubled down on fortress Am-Can, a plan that would bring us even closer to Trump and to the United States.

I want to ask the Premier: Does this mean that his government is doubling down on our economic reliance on the United States?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Associate Minister of Small Business.

Hon. Nina Tangri: I do want to thank the member opposite for the question.

Speaker, yesterday in the House, we introduced a bill to protect Ontarians, to protect Ontario businesses. That’s what this government is going to do. We have the backs of Ontarians to make sure that we are there, to make sure that we do all that we can to support them going through this very, very uncertain time.

There’s lots of chaos globally right now. Markets have lost trillions of dollars. These are people whose pensions are at risk. We’re going to make sure that this government, this Premier is here to make sure that all of the people protect their constituents, protect those pensions, protect those businesses so they can continue to procure from Ontario and Canada and make businesses thrive.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: That wasn’t much of an answer to my question. I asked a very specific question about the language the Premier was using yesterday.

I can appreciate that the members opposite might not want to be responding to that, but we know we’re always going to have a relationship, of course, with the United States. It’s our closest neighbour to the south. But it can’t be at the expense of our dignity and our economic future.

Trump is attacking Ontarians. He is attacking workers and families. He is attacking our very sovereignty. It is more clear than ever before that we need to strengthen our other trade relationships. But this kind of language, fortress Am-Can, signals further integration with the United States, and I think it sends a very different message.

I would like to know why this Premier is choosing to alienate our other democratic allies like the European Union and Mexico.

Hon. Nina Tangri: I want to thank the member opposite again for the question.

You know what? We all know the US tariffs imposed by President Trump are really affecting all of our businesses and they’re very concerning and, quite frankly, unacceptable. Our government knows that, and that’s why our businesses and the people of Ontario need our support. That’s why this government is providing $11 billion in relief and support by deferring the payment of select provincial taxes, and an additional $2 billion in WSIB rebates for those same

schedule 1 employers. That’s what protecting Ontario is all about. And this is beyond the rebates that happened in February and March earlier as well.

This government introduced bills this week—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: I will remind the member opposite, Speaker, that that $2 billion is being taken away from working people and being given to the businesses instead.

Look, we cannot keep putting all our eggs in one basket. The Premier’s language about fortress Am-Can is indicating a greater reliance on the United States. I do not believe that is where this government really wants to take things. It’s certainly not where Ontarians want things to go. Growing reliance on the United States is going to put our industries, our workers and our supply chains at greater risk. We have a merchant of chaos down south, erratic and unreliable as an economic partner.

I would ask the Premier why the Premier is doubling down on Donald Trump and opening us up to chaos over the next four years.

Hon. Nina Tangri: Thank you to the member again for the question.

Let’s have a reality check here: Canada’s total two-way trade with the US is well over a trillion dollars annually. We can’t forget that. The goods that Canadian companies export to the US totalled $592 billion, where imports were around $480 billion. With everything else included, the US actually has a trade deficit of about $60 billion in Canada. These are our companies here in Ontario that are exporting their goods to the United States. If you take oil and gas out of that equation, the US has a trade surplus of about $30 billion.

We know we are looking for more trading partners, especially within Canada and other provinces. That’s what this government is going to do, that’s what the bill yesterday was all about, and that’s what we’re going to make sure Ontarians are procuring—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Questions?

Government accountability

Mr. John Fraser: My question is for the Premier.

The greenbelt is in the news again today. More dominos—they’re starting to fall. It’s quite timely because this Therme deal smells and looks like exactly what happened in the greenbelt: a small group of well-connected people, valuable land and billions of dollars. What’s that saying? If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a—

Interjections.

Mr. John Fraser: Come on, guys. Come on, let’s participate, okay? I gave you a chance.

To the Premier: How did the Premier allow a foreign company, with literally no money and no experience, get a 95-year lease and $2.2 billion from the Ontario taxpayer?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Response? I recognize the member from Brampton West.

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: Again, we have had several reports, including the Auditor General’s report, which, on page 77, confirms that Therme met necessary financial requirements for the lease. Ontario Place will have major anchor tenants that will be contributing towards the maintenance of Ontario Place and contributing right back to our local economy. We’ll continue to invest in Ontario Place, we’ll continue to protect jobs, and we’ll continue to stand up for Ontario families every step of the way.

As I mentioned, it will create 4,700 new jobs during the redevelopment of Ontario Place. Another 2,000 permanent jobs will be created once Ontario Place is completed. At this time, during these economically challenging times, nothing is more important than protecting our economy, protecting jobs and—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Mr. John Fraser: Read those reports—it might be helpful.

So just like the greenbelt, the Therme spa, it’s the Premier’s baby, right? It’s a pet project he’s been crowing and bragging about for years, his crown jewel. And just like in the greenbelt, all roads lead to the Premier’s office. He’s even got an external lobbyist writing speeches for him now, and we’re just starting to connect the dots of who knows who.

Back to the Premier: Did the Premier want this project, his baby, so badly that he allowed a foreign company, with literally no money and no experience, to get a 95-year lease and $2.2 billion from Ontario taxpayers?

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: It’s ironic and, frankly, hard to take seriously coming from the Liberals, who ignored Ontario Place for 15 years, let it fall into disrepair and neglect, and did nothing to revitalize it. The Liberal government, led by Kathleen Wynne, stood in front of Ontario Place in 2014 and proclaimed their vision to revitalize Ontario Place. That same member, the honourable member was an MPP at that time in 2013. I wish that he had shown the same enthusiasm and passion when their party left this place in a state of neglect.

Now they’re upset that we’re picking up the pieces of their failed project and getting the job done. They had 15 years to act, and they chose to do nothing. And now that our government is finally bringing this land back to life, creating jobs, boosting tourism and building for the future, suddenly, they have opinions.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the member for Ottawa South.

Mr. John Fraser: With respect to this round of questioning, literally half of the people over there are in cabinet. I just want to point that out.

Any reasonable person who looks at this knows it doesn’t pass the smell test. We all know that. We also know that it’s the Premier’s baby and he wanted it badly. So, either he’s a chump who got led down the garden path, or he gave a nod and a wink to the minister just like he did in the greenbelt. Either way, Ontario taxpayers are on the hook for $2.2 billion and the Premier’s got some explaining to do.

Speaker, through you to the Premier: Was the Premier duped, tricked, fooled, or did he know what was happening every step of the way?

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: Madam Speaker, the call for development process was consistent with one initiated by the Liberal government in 2018 and received over 30 submissions from interested parties.

Let me again remind this House that it was the previous Liberal government that left this historic place in a state of neglect and disrepair. The people of Ontario still shudder when they think about the Liberal mismanagement that, for 15 years, brought the province down to its knees. The memories of reckless spending, failed promises and botched policies continue to haunt us.

This will not happen under the watch of this Premier and this government. We believe in getting things done, and we will get things done. We will not take any lessons from the Liberals and NDP when it comes to infrastructure.

Government accountability

Mr. John Fraser: I do want to say to the member, I do appreciate his courage for carrying the can for everybody else.

Speaker, it’s interesting that we haven’t heard a word from the Premier in this Legislature about these new allegations. It’s greenbelt 2.0. And just like the greenbelt, the Premier is trying to put some distance between himself and the minister.

The Premier did say something in the media, and I want to read this and get it right: “I want to double- and triple-check the contract and make sure that anything that was said in the story from the Times, we’ll look into it and make sure everything passes the smell test.”

How can the Premier not know? We’re talking about a 95-year lease, $2.2 billion in taxpayer money, for his pet project, his baby.

Speaker, through you, does the Premier actually want us to believe he gave a 95-year lease and $2.2 billion to a questionable foreign company for a pet project, and he’s just checking—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Response? I recognize the member for Brampton West.

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: Madam Speaker, the fundamental difference between our government and the Liberals and NDP is that they merely talk the talk, but our government, under the leadership of this Premier, consistently walks the talk.

During these challenging and uncertain times, nothing is more important than protecting our jobs, our economy and our workers as we fight against the tariff threats south of the border.

That’s exactly why revitalizing Ontario Place is such a crucial initiative. This project will deliver billions in economic activity and create thousands of full-time and part-time jobs in tourism, hospitality and local business. It’s a bold step to strengthen Ontario’s economy at a time when we need it most.

Again, let’s not forget, under the previous Liberal government, Ontario Place was shuttered and left to rot. They had no vision, no plan and no results. Our government is fixing the failure.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Mr. John Fraser: All the Premier had to do was scratch and sniff. This deal stinks. We all know it.

Speaker, $2.2 billion is a lot of money. It’s even more money than this government is spending on its anemic plan for primary care and getting people family doctors.

So, folks, this wasn’t a deal. Therme won the prize, and the Premier got his baby.

So, $2.2 billion—I think we all know what that could be better spent on, if you asked a constituent. It would have been better spent on place—on spending—God, I tripped over my words.

Interjections.

Mr. John Fraser: Guys, I had it down.

You should have spent it on classrooms—$2.2 billion—so our kids have safe places to learn.

A luxury spa at Ontario Place for the Premier’s buddies, and crumbling classrooms for our kids.

Speaker, will the Premier rip up this bad deal, just like he did with the greenbelt?

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: Let me be very clear: Our government is committed to revitalizing Ontario Place and making it the remarkable, world-class, year-round, family-friendly destination that the people of this province deserve.

As the Minister of Infrastructure highlighted yesterday, Therme passed the financial test that was done by the world-renowned arm’s-length agency, Infrastructure Ontario.

Again, the Liberals and NDP left this place neglected, closed, abandoned and forgotten, and we’re correcting that course.

Madam Speaker, let’s talk about the financial benefits of Ontario Place again. Some 4,700 new jobs will be created during the redevelopment of Ontario Place, and over 2,000 permanent jobs will be created once Ontario Place is redeveloped and will generate millions in provincial tax revenue.

Madam Speaker, under the leadership of Premier Ford, we are getting things done for the people of this province.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary.

Mr. John Fraser: I’m encouraged the member wants to talk about the benefits of this project. I think that’s a good thing. I think the benefits are a 95-year land deal and $2.2 billion to a company with literally no money, no real plan, no real experience, no business being here dealing with this government. And right now, at a time when our citizens are relying on us to have trust in government because it can’t trust the one south of the border, you guys are defending something that is totally indefensible. You all know it. I can see it on your faces—half of you over there in cabinet. Did they just herd you in? Did they just herd you in and you guys put a stamp on the darn thing?

Are you going to rip up this deal or not, Premier?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I will remind everyone to direct your questions and responses through the Speaker.

I recognize the member for Brampton West.

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: Thank you once again. It’s frankly astonishing to hear the leader of the Liberal Party question our commitment to Ontario Place, Madam Speaker, when it was their government that left this historic place in a state of neglect. For 15 years, Madam Speaker, for 15 long years, they had every opportunity to act, and, colleagues, what did they do? Nothing. Instead, they shut down Ontario Place.

This is what their legacy is. They will stand in this House, talk about a shortage of doctors, but they did nothing to address that shortage. They didn’t build any medical schools—no hospitals, Madam Speaker. They shut down 600 schools in this province. This is what their legacy is. The legacy of this Premier and this government is to bring our iconic destination back to life.

Housing

MPP Catherine McKenney: To the Premier: We have just learned that Ontario had the worst performance for housing starts in all of Canada last year. We lost over 1,300 residential construction jobs, and that was all before Trump took office and imposed his tariffs.

The Premier has an opportunity to keep people working, with direct government investments, to build the affordable homes that people need. Will this government make the investments required to build new affordable homes?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Response? I recognize the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Hon. Rob Flack: You know, on February 28, the people of Ontario spoke and they elected a strong, stable majority government led by Premier Ford. What our job is, Speaker, is to protect our economy and to protect our housing industry. We have headwinds, absolutely. Why? High taxes, high tariffs, President Trump. Our job is to create the conditions, and that is what we’re doing. That is what we did under the previous Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing: more homes built faster. We’re going to lower taxes.

We’re going to speed up the time—Speaker, in some jurisdictions in North America, it takes months to get a building permit; in this province, it can take years. We have to speed that up, and we also have to create the talent ready to take on a housing boom that’s going to happen again. We will get the job done, Speaker, led by this Premier.

MPP Catherine McKenney: Speaker, but the homes are not getting built. Housing starts this year have fallen nearly 40% from the same time last year—and as a result, over 1,300 residential construction jobs, during a housing crisis, when these workers are needed more than ever.

This Premier claimed he wanted a mandate to spend money to keep people working in the face of Trump tariffs. So will the Premier make direct government investments to build new affordable homes people need and make sure that no building tradesperson is unemployed during a housing crisis?

Hon. Rob Flack: Well, Speaker, I refer to my 30-year-old daughter up in the gallery to say that affordable housing is important for everybody. Everyone needs to get their start in housing and the dream of home ownership has to stay alive for everybody.

Speaker, a bright light on the horizon was that so far, purpose-built rentals this year are up close to 10%; last year, close to 18,000 new starts in the province. This is progress. Yes, we have headwinds, but without critical infrastructure, we can’t get the housing built. We have invested almost $3 billion in housing-enabling water infrastructure in this province to support our municipal partners day in and day out, to get shovels in the ground faster. These are the investments we are making for all types of housing, for all types of people that need a roof over their head—a safe roof over their head. That is our job. That is our mission. We will get the job done.

Government accountability

Mr. Adil Shamji: For the Premier: As the greenbelt saga ramps up, the Therme scandal is catching fire, giving taxpayers yet another reason to doubt this Premier’s ability to manage money. We should be attracting businesses to Ontario, but this Premier’s misconduct is simply repelling them.

Just yesterday, he revealed that he has no idea what company he signed a deal with. Is it Austrian, Romanian or German? He still doesn’t know. He doesn’t even know if it’s one company or two, yet he handed out a 95-year lease and $2.2 billion.

Madam Speaker, do you notice how the Premier only ever says sorry after he has been caught? To the Premier: Can we skip the next press conference, and will you just cancel the deal and apologize now?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Response? I recognize the member for Brampton West.

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: Again, we have had several reports, including the Auditor General report which, on page 77, confirms that Therme met necessary financial requirements for the lease.

Ontario Place will have major anchor tenants that will be contributing towards the maintenance of Ontario Place and contributing back to our economy. We will continue to invest in Ontario Place, we will continue to protect jobs and we will continue to stand up for Ontario families every step of the way.

One thing the member mentioned correctly in his question is that we need to attract more jobs. This is what Ontario Place is doing. It will create 4,700 new jobs during the redevelopment of Ontario Place, and 2,000 permanent jobs will be created once Ontario Place is completed. Not only are we creating jobs, but we’re also building a wonderful place for families to visit, with over 50 acres of public realm space for all to enjoy.

Mr. Adil Shamji: Like the member across, I too can read, and the same Auditor General report that he quoted, on page 35, says the call for development did not follow best practices and did not include a fairness monitor.

Now, driving international business investment is what we need to do. In these uncertain times, we must diversify and grow our economy. But what does it look like to companies when they look at this Premier’s bidding process, one where he just appoints whoever he wants; one where he gives $2.2 billion to a company that misleads the government, has no money and no experience? How can businesses have confidence in Ontario when there is a 50-50 chance that the Premier will bungle the bidding process and just cancel the deal?

So, Madam Speaker, was Therme’s promise of towel-dancing, swim-up bars and in-sauna film screenings all it took for him to damage Ontario’s international business reputation?

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: The Liberal government, when they were in power, were all hat and no cattle; full of promises, but lacking in delivery. This is the fundamental difference between our government and their government. We believe in getting things done, especially during these challenging and uncertain times: Nothing is more important than protecting our jobs, our economy and our workers as we fight against the tariff threats south of border.

That’s exactly why revitalizing Ontario Place is such a critical initiative. This project will deliver billions in economic delivery and create thousands of full-time and part-time jobs in tourism, hospitality and local business. It is a bold step to strengthen Ontario’s economy at a time where we need it most.

Transportation infrastructure

MPP Silvia Gualtieri: My question is for the Minister of Transportation.

This past election, Ontarians voted for the government’s plan to build the highways and transit infrastructure Ontario needs.

Every day, thousands of people use our GTA highways to get to where they need to go. But families in my riding of Mississauga East–Cooksville are tired of being stuck in traffic. They want to spend more time at home with loved ones and less time commuting.

After decades of inaction by the previous Liberal government, we know the need for new roads and highways is long overdue. That’s why we are building transportation networks to reduce gridlock and get people where they need to go.

Madam Speaker, can the minister please share with this House what initiatives our government is making to connect communities and fight gridlock?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Response? I recognize the member for Brampton East.

Mr. Hardeep Singh Grewal: Thank you to the member for that great question, and congratulations on that amazing election victory in Mississauga East–Cooksville. I know you’ll be an amazing advocate for your constituents.

After years of inaction by the previous Liberal government, it’s under the leadership of our Premier that we’re finally building the infrastructure Ontario needs for the future. We’re building new highways, roads, bridges right across this beautiful province.

We know the greater Toronto area—and our economy—is growing fast.

That’s why our government is investing $28 billion over the next 10 years to connect communities and fight gridlock.

While the Liberals and NDP keep saying no to building roads—they keep saying no to progress—we’re saying yes. We’re saying yes to progress.

To protect Ontario and to grow our economy, we must build a strong and reliable transportation network, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

MPP Silvia Gualtieri: Gridlock is a real problem in my riding and across Ontario. When cars and trucks are stuck in traffic, people lose time. Businesses lose money. It makes goods more expensive. It makes life harder.

Madam Speaker, people are tired of broken promises from the previous Liberal government. They want action. That’s why they voted for our government that is getting it done and protecting Ontario—a government that will build roads, highways and public transit. They want to see Highway 413, the Bradford Bypass and the 401 tunnel built. They want 407 tolls gone from provincially owned parts of the highway.

Madam Speaker, can the parliamentary assistant please explain how our government is taking action to fight gridlock and keep people and goods moving across Ontario?

Mr. Hardeep Singh Grewal: Thank you again to the hard-working member for Mississauga East–Cooksville.

Gridlock has a real cost. When our trucks are stuck in traffic, it only makes the goods more expensive. Gridlock already costs our economy more than $50 billion a year, and this will only get worse if we don’t build. That’s why, unlike the Liberals and NDP, we won’t sit by as gridlock gets worse.

In the last election, the people of Ontario overwhelmingly voted for our Ontario PC government to build Highway 413, to build the Bradford Bypass, to build the 401 tunnel, to build more public transit across this province—and, lest we forget, removing those tolls off the 407 on the provincially owned portions.

Our government will never raise a toll or add a new toll in this province, when it comes to the great work that this Premier has been doing.

We’re going to work hard. The people re-elected us for a third majority to protect Ontario and keep our economy moving.

Health care

M me France Gélinas: Ma question est pour le premier ministre.

One thing that every member in this House can agree on is that we will never be the 51st state. However, the Premier has made repeated attempts to privatize health care, copying the American health care system.

Speaker, why does the Premier want to Americanize our health care system?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the member for Essex.

Mr. Anthony Leardi: Speaker, of course, no government has made more investments and greater investments in the universal health care system than this government. We started with a budget in 2018 of approximately $60 billion. That budget now stands at approximately $85 billion for an approximate 40% increased investment in the universal health care system.

We are steadfast in our dedication to this system, and I am supporting the Premier in his efforts to make sure that this system, along with the great project that we call Canada, continues forward year after year after year. That is why we introduced the bill in this House that will tear down interprovincial trade barriers and qualifications, allowing medical professionals to practise in the province of Ontario the way they should be, because we’re building a great country with a great medical system.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member from Nickel Belt.

M me France Gélinas: The member should know, of those billions of dollars of investments, how much of it went to profit and never to care.

The constant talk of tariffs has put everyone on edge. Workers are worried that they will lose their job, their health plan, their drug plan, their dental plan. But do you know what adds to this anxiety? When the Premier refers to our public health care system as a “dogmatic ideology.”

Speaker, why did the speech from the throne refer to free health care for all as a “dogmatic ideology”?

Mr. Anthony Leardi: Madam Speaker, the only people in this chamber who are relying on dogmatic ideology are the members of the New Democratic Party, who continue to dwindle election after election.

The investments that we’ve made in the universal health care system reach into the billions, but we are also introducing innovation into our system, innovation which is reaching thousands and thousands more people. We are connecting people to primary care every single day, and we are introducing innovations that are saving money and getting people connected to care faster.

Let me give you an example: Under this government, you can now go to a pharmacist to get treatment for 19 common ailments. That’s an innovation. It’s an innovation that puts people closer to health care and makes it more convenient and easy to get health care in the province of Ontario. That’s what we’re for. They’re for—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Further questions?

Government accountability / Responsabilité gouvernementale

M me Lucille Collard: To the Premier: Now the government wants to double- and triple-check the Therme deal after signing away public land for 95 years. What credible business person verifies their partners after the contract is signed?

If the government truly acted in good faith and there’s no corruption here, then they must be outraged to have been misled by this foreign company, because—let’s be clear—if Therme misrepresented themself, that’s potential grounds to cancel the deal under contract law. You’d be well within your rights to walk away from this train wreck of a deal.

My question is simple. If it’s confirmed that Therme misrepresented themselves during negotiations, will this government cancel the deal? Yes or no?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Just a reminder to the member to be very careful with your language.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Order. Order.

Reminder to our members to be careful with your choice of words.

Response? I recognize the member for Brampton West.

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: Again, I will reiterate the call-for-development process was consistent with one initiated by the Liberal government in 2018 and received over 30 submissions from interested parties.

All proposals underwent a comprehensive evaluation process, including a detailed financial assessment. As part of this review, Infrastructure Ontario, supported by its third-party real estate and financial adviser Ernst and Young, analyzed financial statements and determined that Therme met the required net worth threshold.

The financial test applied was designed to assess the company’s capacity to enter into a long-term ground lease of this scale, and the lease signed by Therme and our government also includes that Therme must maintain a net worth of at least $100 million throughout the project or would be in default of the term of the lease agreement.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary question?

M me Lucille Collard: Madame Speaker, c’est quand même incroyable que le gouvernement veut maintenant vérifier et revérifier l’entente avec Therme après avoir cédé des terres publiques pour une période de 95 ans. Il me semble qu’un entrepreneur sérieux vérifie les qualifications de son partenaire avant d’avoir signé le contrat.

Si le gouvernement a vraiment agi de bonne foi et qu’il n’y a aucune forme de corruption ici, il devrait être scandalisé d’avoir été induit en erreur par cette entreprise étrangère. À mon avis, ça commence à ressembler à un mauvais film qu’on a déjà vu qui s’appelle « le scandale de la ceinture verte », où le gouvernement a favorisé certains promoteurs immobiliers derrière des portes closes et a été obligé de faire marche arrière.

Alors, je pose la question simplement. Si l’on confirme que Therme a induit le gouvernement en erreur lors des négociations, allez-vous annuler le contrat, oui ou non?

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: We wouldn’t be talking about Ontario Place had the Liberals and NDP not left this place in a state of neglect and disrepair. Every time I answer this question, Madam Speaker, it gives me the opportunity to remind the public and the members of this House that it was the previous Liberal government that left this place shuttered; they left this place neglected and in disrepair. I drive by Ontario Place every morning, Madam Speaker, and it breaks my heart to see such neglect and indifference of our historic and iconic destination by the previous Liberal government.

And I always ask that question myself, “Why would the Liberals do that? Why in the world would the Liberals do that?” Now I understand—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Order.

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: This is their legacy—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The government side will come to order.

Question?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Order. Order. The government side will come to order. I don’t want to have to start warning people.

Public safety

MPP George Darouze: Speaker, my question is for the Solicitor General. People in my riding of Carleton and across Ontario want to feel safe. They are hearing reports about the actions of organized criminal networks that are engaging in drug and gun smuggling, illegal border crossings and auto thefts. Families are concerned, and they want action. That’s why I’m proud that our government launched Operation Deterrence earlier this year. It’s a strong, made-in-Ontario plan to stop the flow of illegal guns and drugs into our communities.

While the federal government has been slow to respond, our government is stepping up. We’re showing real leadership and doing what it takes to keep people safe, especially in our border towns.

Speaker, can the Solicitor General please explain how Operation Deterrence is being put into action right now?

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: I want to congratulate my friend from Carleton for being elected to serve here in the Ontario Legislature.

Madam Speaker, there has never been a government in the history of Ontario that has prioritized our public safety more than our government led by Premier Ford. When the Premier spoke about protecting Ontario, it means not only economically but from a public safety lens as well.

That’s why we came forward with Operation Deterrence, a $30-million investment that’s paying dividends now. Over 200 OPP officers being part of the project—6,000 hours of OPP officers helping to keep the guns off the streets and helping to reduce the amount of fentanyl that’s crossing the border on the other side.

By land, by air, by ground, we will do everything we can to keep our province safe.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member for Carleton.

MPP George Darouze: Thank you to the Solicitor General for his continued leadership.

People in my riding and across Ontario want safe communities. They are encouraged by our government’s leadership and by the strong work being done by our police forces and our border services agents. They see the results of joint enforcement and better coordination across our jurisdictions.

Ontarians re-elected our government to crack down on organized crime, stop gun violence and fight the flow of illegal drugs. They know the federal government has been slow to act. That’s why they are looking to Ontario for continuing the leadership on this file. They want to know our government has a plan to keep pressure on criminal networks. Speaker, can the Solicitor General explain how Operation Deterrence fits into our broader plan to keep our Ontario communities safe?

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: It’s very simple: We’re not going to stop. We’re not going to stop fighting criminality anywhere in Ontario. We are not going to stop fighting it at the borders. We’re not going to stop reducing the amount of fentanyl that’s going across the border. We’re going to do everything possible with the intelligence that is collected from not only the OPP, municipal and First Nations police services, but with the RCMP and CBSA and other organizations that are helping keep this province safe.

But at the end of the day, the member from Carleton should know that our government, led by Premier Ford, will protect Ontario at all cost, morning, noon and night.

Government accountability

Mr. Chris Glover: Yesterday, the New York Times reported that Therme lied to the government when they signed a deal to redevelop Ontario Place. They claimed that they were operating three successful spas in Germany, but in fact, they had just taken the name “Therme” and the logos from those spas, but had no business affiliation with those companies.

But this government rolled out the red carpet for this con artist company, giving them a $2.2-billion taxpayer subsidy and a 95-year lease on public parkland. So my question to the Premier is, will you cancel the deal with Therme, or will you be forever known as the Premier who fell for the most expensive scam in Canadian history?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the member for Brampton West.

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: Thank you for the question. We have had several reports, including the Auditor General report, which, on page 77, confirms that Therme met necessary financial requirements for the lease.

Ontario Place will have major anchor tenants that will be contributing to the maintenance of Ontario Place and contributing right back to our economy. We’ll continue to invest in Ontario Place, we’ll continue to protect jobs and we’ll continue to stand up for the people of this province and families every step of the way.

Again, on top of the financial benefits and the jobs it will create—4,700 new jobs. Can you imagine, Madam Speaker? Some 4,700 new jobs will be created during the redevelopment of Ontario Place. Another 2,500 jobs will be created once Ontario Place is completed. So not only are we creating jobs, but we’re also building a wonderful place for families to visit, with over 50 acres of public realm space for all to enjoy.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Mr. Chris Glover: I take it that the answer is that the Premier will be forever known as the Premier who fell for the biggest scam in Canadian history.

Look, we need to buy Canadian. We are under a tariff and sovereignty threat from Trump and the United States, and this is an opportunity to do just that. The original vision of Ontario Place was to showcase Ontario innovation. The first IMAX theatre was there; that’s a made-in-Ontario innovation.

Ontario Place launched the career of the landscape architect Eric MacMillan. He’s behind Children’s Place and invented the ball pit. The world’s first ball pit was at Ontario Place.

There’s an opportunity to buy Canadian, to showcase Ontario innovation to the world, by cancelling the