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June 17, 2020

42nd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

vol. A

Hansard Transcripts

vol. B

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2020-Jun-17 vol. A (PDF)

L168A - Wed 17 Jun 2020 / Mer 17 jun 2020

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Wednesday 17 June 2020 Mercredi 17 juin 2020

Orders of the Day

Building Transit Faster Act, 2020 / Loi de 2020 sur la construction plus rapide de transport en commun

Members’ Statements

Tenant protection

COVID-19 response

COVID-19 response

COVID-19 response

Front-line workers

Public health

Scleroderma Awareness Month

Foster care

Women’s Lacrosse U19 World Championship

Long-term care

Question Period

Long-term care

Long-term care

Anti-racism activities

COVID-19 response

COVID-19 response

Prescription drugs

Arts and cultural funding

Commercial tenant protection

Long-term care

Homelessness

Long-term care

Correctional facilities

Long-term care

Aerospace industry

Anti-racism activities

Deferred Votes

Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, 2020 / Loi de 2020 sur la protection contre l’entrée sans autorisation et sur la protection de la salubrité des aliments

Introduction of Bills

Protecting Small Business Act, 2020 / Loi de 2020 visant à protéger les petites entreprises

Petitions

Sri Lankan Heritage Month

Economic recovery

Broadband infrastructure

Broadband infrastructure

COVID-19 response

Personal protective equipment

Orders of the Day

Building Transit Faster Act, 2020 / Loi de 2020 sur la construction plus rapide de transport en commun

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Building Transit Faster Act, 2020 / Loi de 2020 sur la construction plus rapide de transport en commun

Ms. Mulroney moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 171,

An Act to enact the Building Transit Faster Act, 2020 and make related amendments to other Acts / Projet de loi 171, Loi édictant la Loi de 2020 sur la construction plus rapide de transport en commun et apportant des modifications connexes à d’autres lois.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Further debate? I look to the Minister of Transportation to lead it off.

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I will be splitting my time with my colleague the Associate Minister of Transportation.

Monsieur le Président, c’est un honneur d’être ici aujourd’hui pour parler de notre projet de loi, la Loi de 2020 sur la construction plus rapide de transport en commun, et de la manière dont elle permettra aux gens de se déplacer dans la région du grand Toronto.

It’s a pleasure to be here today to talk about our proposed legislation, the Building Transit Faster Act, and how it will get people moving in the greater Toronto area.

Since announcing the four priority transit projects in the spring of 2019, our government has taken significant action to advance these projects, and this legislation is the latest in those series of actions.

One thing that we hear repeatedly is that a decade of political posturing and failed plans have increased gridlock and left our transit systems grossly underfunded and bursting at the seams, using last century’s technologies. Simply put, the level of investment in transportation infrastructure has not kept up with demand.

The last government abdicated its responsibility on this front. It was either unwilling or unable to build the right mix of transportation infrastructure that sustains the needs of the province today or in the future. That is why our government has made transit a priority. Our plan will make it easier for people to get around no matter where they live, connecting communities to jobs and stimulating economic growth.

In moving forward with these projects, we have to acknowledge the impact that COVID-19 has had on our day-to-day lives. Its effects are even felt in how we conduct ourselves in this chamber, and it has affected how and when people use public transit. I’m so proud to see so many Ontarians stepping up and doing their part to stop the spread, and it’s working. That’s why we are able to move responsibly and to begin reopening the economy.

As we begin to recover and reopen, millions of people will continue to rely on public transit to get to work or to go to school, and despite the challenges that we face, it’s crucial to recognize that this should not change our long-term transit planning. Ontario will persevere and people will confidently return to public transit. When they do, the system must be ready to accommodate them in growing numbers.

Since becoming Minister of Transportation, I have heard from many people about the challenges they face getting to and from work. People are frustrated because they are stuck sitting in traffic for hours instead of enjoying time with their loved ones. Nowhere in our province is this wasted time more apparent than in the GTA, where the average commute to and from work is 48 minutes both ways, and for many people it’s even longer.

According to the C.D. Howe Institute, the GTA loses $11 billion in productivity each year as a result of gridlock, and the Toronto Region Board of Trade estimates that gridlock adds $400 million to the cost of goods in this region. Those are astonishing figures.

It’s time to bring an end to the culture of delay and to get shovels in the ground to build a better future for the GTA.

Around the world, we’ve seen that access to transit improves communities and quality of life, yet if you look at a map of Toronto’s subway network, it hasn’t evolved much since the 1990s, which, if you can believe, is now three decades ago. We cannot sustain the needs of riders today, let alone prepare for the needs of our growing and prosperous world-class city.

Over the past 50 years in Toronto, city council after city council has tried to increase the capacity of the subway system through various projects and plans, but they never seem to get built. The Eglinton Crosstown LRT is now expected to be complete in 2022, over three years behind schedule. History has shown that when it comes to building transit in Toronto, it just takes way too long to build.

This pace is unacceptable, and it clearly demonstrates the need for a different approach. If Toronto is truly to be a world-class city, then we must build a world-class transit network.

The next decade will be transformational. I genuinely believe that we are at a critical point in Ontario’s transportation history, especially here in the GTA. It’s more important than ever that we get it right, and that’s why our government is working differently to build better transit faster through a different and a smarter approach.

Smart transportation planning is about more than just getting people from A to B; it’s about connecting economic opportunities to livable communities in ways that improve the overall quality of life. If we are going to achieve this, we need to clear the roadblocks and commit to doing things differently.

That’s why I am proud to present our government’s plan to expedite the construction of our four priority transit projects, including our signature transit project, the Ontario Line. The Building Faster Transit Act, if passed, will eliminate the barriers that have held up projects in the past. The new tools outlined in this legislation will help us deliver the transit network that Ontarians deserve as quickly as possible.

If history has taught us anything, it’s that it’s not just enough to plan new transit lines. We need to develop new strategies that directly address the challenges and delays that past projects have faced. Mr. Speaker, that is precisely what our proposed legislation does.

This legislation, and complementary regulatory changes, target six key challenges that have held up major transit plans in the past.

The first challenge relates to a lack of knowledge of construction activities from neighbouring sites that interfere with the development of subway tunnels and stations, creating safety concerns and delays.

The second is the need for better coordination in obtaining municipal permits for provincial transit projects.

The third is the process of negotiating permission to enter lands to conduct soil testing or remove trees, which, in the past, has taken months, or sometimes longer, if expropriation is required.

The fourth relates to land assembly, where the hearing-of-necessity process adds many additional months to project timelines and delivers a non-binding decision, with land expropriation often still necessary.

The fifth challenge relates to utility relocation. In the past, the lack of coordination between transit projects and utilities has caused significant delays, leading to substantial increases in costs.

Finally, our colleagues at the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks are also working on regulatory adjustments to the current environmental assessment process that will offer the flexibility needed to align with the timelines associated with our priority transit projects.

These six key challenges have been the source of significant delays in past transit projects and are precisely the types of setbacks that we can no longer afford. For each of these challenges identified, we’ve put forward solutions that will speed up the process, while still treating people fairly.

Ce projet de loi et les changements réglementaires complémentaires ciblent six défis clés qui ont retardé les grands projets dans le passé.

Le premier défi est lié au manque de connaissance des activités de construction des sites voisins qui interfèrent avec la construction des tunnels et des stations de métro, créant des problèmes de sécurité et des retards.

Le second est la nécessité d’une meilleure coordination pour l’obtention des permis municipaux pour les projets de transports en commun provinciaux.

Le troisième est le processus de négociation de l’autorisation de pénétrer sur les terrains pour y effectuer des analyses du sol ou y enlever des arbres, ce qui, par le passé, a pris des mois, parfois plus longtemps si une expropriation s’avérait nécessaire.

Le quatrième concerne le remembrement des terrains, où le processus d’audiences de nécessité peut ajouter du temps additionnel aux échéanciers des projets et aboutit à une décision non contraignante, l’expropriation des terrains étant souvent encore nécessaire.

Le cinquième défi concerne la relocalisation des services publics. Dans le passé, le manque de coordination entre les projets de transports en commun et les services publics a entraîné des retards importants, ce qui a entraîné une augmentation substantielle des coûts.

Enfin, nos collègues au ministère de l’Environnement, de la Protection de la nature et des Parcs travaillent également sur des ajustements réglementaires du système actuel d’évaluations environnementales qui offriront la souplesse nécessaire pour s’aligner sur les délais associés à nos projets prioritaires de transports en commun.

Ces six défis clés ont été à l’origine de retards importants dans les projets de transports en commun passés et sont précisément le type de revers que nous ne pouvons plus nous permettre.

Pour chacun des défis reconnus, nous avons proposé des solutions qui permettront d’accélérer le processus, tout en traitant les gens de manière équitable.

Mr. Speaker, I want to discuss each of these solutions in more detail, beginning with utility relocation. Our proposed legislation introduces processes that will get utilities relocated faster while still treating businesses and consumers fairly. By giving Metrolinx the ability to require enhanced coordination of utility relocations, we will help move projects forward. Ensuring this level of coordination with utility companies has significant impacts on using the public-private partnership model of delivering transit projects and has been an ongoing challenge for Metrolinx.

Providing companies with clear deadlines for relocating their services, such as gas or telecommunications, would compel industries to complete this work quickly while Metrolinx covers these costs. However, if this doesn’t happen, they would be required to compensate Metrolinx for losses incurred due to relocating delays.

We are proposing the implementation of a system that quickly escalates and resolves any disputes to prevent things from being drawn out for months and months, and this is similar to how we are already doing things for highway projects. There is no reason why this cannot be applied successfully to our priority transit projects.

We also need to ensure that any costs incurred by utility companies as a result of their missed deadlines are not passed on to consumers. To do this, we are proposing amendments to the Ontario Energy Board Act that would prohibit the Ontario Energy Board from allowing provincially regulated utilities—electricity and natural gas—to pass costs along to consumers. This is how we’ll prevent rates from going up as a result of this legislation, and I am very happy to report that many utilities are already working with us. We’ve signed memoranda of understanding with Hydro One, Toronto Hydro and Enbridge.

Our changes will help bring all services to the same standard. Adopting a more efficient relocation process while continuing to treat businesses fairly and ensuring that costs are not passed on to consumers makes sense.

Another element of our plan focuses on land assembly. If we want to build this type of infrastructure quickly and efficiently, we need access to the land to construct stations, to conduct tunnelling and to prepare the sites. Currently, some redundancies leave us obligated to repeatedly demonstrate the need for land related to infrastructure, one property at a time. Under our plan, we’d remove the hearing-of-necessity step for any property related to our four priority transit projects. Once we have sufficiently demonstrated the need for a property, we wouldn’t have to go back and unnecessarily do the same thing repeatedly.

As always, we will continue to treat people fairly and to appropriately compensate owners, tenants and others whose properties are required either temporarily or permanently. This will never change. We must balance the rights of residents and businesses along the transit corridor with the urgent need for renewed public transit infrastructure in the GTA.

Our third solution ensures our ability to carry out due diligence work, such as soil testing and tree removal, something that has caused significant delays in the past. The proposed legislation would allow us to enter transit corridor lands to conduct due diligence work and to remove encroachments during the planning and construction phases without the consent of property owners. This doesn’t mean that we would show up unannounced in the middle of the night to do soil inspections, and this would not give us the right to enter a dwelling. Our intention is always to work collaboratively towards an amicable agreement with property owners to complete this work.

But what this measure does is that it gives us a backstop that prevents significant delays should we be unable to reach an agreement. Treating people fairly, Mr. Speaker, is our priority, but we cannot allow someone with a personal objection to delay these projects for months.

This brings me to the fourth element of our proposed legislation: requiring owners of adjacent lands to obtain a permit for the development activities along the transit corridor. This will ensure that our priority transit projects are not disrupted due to the surrounding construction and development. It just doesn’t make sense for private developments to take precedence over investments in the transit system that is needed to support them. We are ending this practice and instituting an approach that allows us to review all projects surrounding the transit corridor.

This will help to eliminate any safety concerns and construction delays that have historically led to increased costs and prolonged timelines for the delivery of transit infrastructure.

Our fifth proposal is to give Metrolinx the authority to use or modify municipal assets, like roadways and municipal services. We are committed to working with our municipal partners to achieve our shared goal of the accelerated delivery of these major transit projects.

I want to thank the city of Toronto for providing feedback as part of their written submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy. We greatly appreciate the input. In the weeks and months to come, we will address the city’s comments through additional engagement, guidance and regulation, if necessary.

Our collaboration-first approach with our municipal partners will allow us to make significant strides to achieve our shared goal of getting transit built faster; however, we need to establish a path forward should our collaborative efforts reach an impasse. It’s these types of deadlocks that have brought us where we are today. We need to have the processes established to keep our work on track and on budget.

Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about our proposed plan to modernize the current system of environmental assessment. I want to reaffirm that we take very seriously our responsibility to protect Ontario’s environment. I am sure that this is something we can all agree on, but the current system of environmental assessment does not offer the flexibility for innovation that the P3 model requires.

As the system stands today, individuals can protract this process even though their concerns have been given a fair hearing. These proposed changes strike a balance between our obligation to safeguard the environment and our commitment to build a world-class transit system for this region.

I want to be clear: We are not removing any environmental protections. These regulatory changes are merely improving the speed and the efficiency of these processes. Together, these regulatory changes, and the rest of our proposed plan, tackle the status quo. It’s a status quo of delays. If passed, this legislation will bring in a new era of transit investment and delivery here in the GTA.

At the public hearings last week, we heard valuable feedback from people who live and work in Toronto. We heard from local business associations, transit advocates, residents and more. One thing is clear: People care very deeply about transportation in this city, and it is wonderful to see such passion.

There were quite a few common themes. One that resonated with me is that while people are very much in favour of building transit quickly, many of them also raised the importance of getting it right. We cannot sacrifice sound planning for speed, and I certainly agree with that sentiment. That’s why we have focused solely on eliminating the roadblocks that cause unnecessary delays. We remain committed to due diligence and delivering the right projects for the GTA that are going to make a real, positive impact for people.

Another key theme we heard, especially from those who live and work near these projects, was the importance of community engagement and consultation, as well as concerns about the local impacts of construction. We’ve definitely heard and understand those concerns, and though it’s not directly part of this proposed legislation, we are certainly committed to working closely with Metrolinx to ensure that they are a good neighbour while we are working on these projects in their communities.

That means making sure that we’re doing everything that we can to minimize disruptions during construction, and making sure that they are on site to avoid things like unnecessarily blocking people’s parking spots or shining lights into their homes. While some local disruption, unfortunately, is unavoidable when you’re talking about major infrastructure projects, there are certainly some steps that we can take—and we will—to ensure that Metrolinx reduces these disruptions as much as possible.

We will also continue to work closely with Metrolinx and the city of Toronto to coordinate community engagement opportunities for people to offer their feedback. Community engagement and consultation are a vital part of Metrolinx’s planning and design process. We are working with the agency to ensure that community information offices are established and providing on-the-ground support for information and inquiries regarding all planned and ongoing projects.

Un autre aspect que nous avons entendu à répétition était l’importance de l’engagement et de la consultation des communautés, ainsi que les préoccupations concernant les impacts locaux de la construction. Nous avons certainement pris en considération ces préoccupations, et nous sommes engagés à travailler en étroite collaboration avec Metrolinx pour s’assurer qu’ils agissent en bon voisin pendant qu’ils sont dans ces communautés à travailler sur ces projets.

Il faut s’assurer que tout est fait pour minimiser les perturbations pendant la construction. Entre autres, il faut s’assurer que les espaces de stationnement ne soient pas bloqués inutilement ou que la lumière ne soit pas projetée dans les maisons. Si certaines perturbations sont inévitables, nous prendrons les mesures nécessaires pour que Metrolinx les réduise autant que possible.

Nous continuerons également à travailler en étroite collaboration avec Metrolinx et la ville de Toronto pour coordonner les possibilités d’engagement communautaire afin que les gens puissent donner leur avis. L’engagement et la consultation de la communauté sont une

partie essentielle du processus de planification et de conception de Metrolinx. Nous travaillons avec Metrolinx pour assurer la mise en place de bureaux d’information communautaires qui permettront aux citoyens dans les zones de projet de s’informer sur tous les projets prévus et en cours.

Of course, Mr. Speaker, the COVID-19 outbreak is making this kind of community engagement challenging. That’s why Metrolinx is exploring new ways to engage with local residents in light of the current situation to ensure people know how they can learn more about our priority transit projects and can continue to offer their feedback.

Our government campaigned on a promise to the people of Ontario to do things more efficiently, and we’re delivering on our commitment to building the public transit system that best serves the needs of this region. Our plan will get people to and from work faster so that they spend less time sitting in traffic and more time with their families.

We now have preliminary agreements that formalize our partnerships with the city of Toronto and York region, laying the foundation for continued collaboration between our two governments. This is excellent news. We are committed to working closely with the TTC, the city of Toronto and the region of York to get shovels in the ground, to dig the tunnels and to get the trains in service so that we can deliver more transit options, all with accelerated timelines.

Our $28.5-billion plan for transit expansion in the GTA will help us secure a more prosperous future and will allow us to connect communities across Toronto, Markham and Richmond Hill. Our plan will increase the region’s subway network by 50%. This includes by delivering:

—the Ontario Line, which will connect neighbourhoods like Liberty Village and Flemingdon Park to rapid transit and help address the dangerous overcrowding on the TTC’s Line 1 at the Bloor-Yonge station;

—the Yonge North extension, which extends the TTC’s Line 1 to major employment centres in Markham and Richmond Hill;

—the Scarborough subway extension, extending Line 2 further into Scarborough; and

—the Eglinton Crosstown West extension, which will improve connectivity along Eglinton Avenue and enable future access to Pearson International Airport.

Our plan is ambitious, but we cannot afford not to be. By 2030, we will welcome over one million more people to the greater Toronto area, bringing the total population to over eight million. By 2045, that number is expected to hit 10 million. While this is excellent news, these volumes will only increase the challenges facing our already overburdened transit system. We must act now if we are to prepare ourselves for the future adequately.

In March, I had the privilege of joining the Premier and the Associate Minister of Transportation to announce two requests for qualifications to advance tunnelling work on the Scarborough subway extension and the Eglinton Crosstown West extension, the first phase of work for these two projects. And earlier this month, our government issued two requests for qualifications for the Ontario Line. These RFQs, issued through Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx, mark the first steps of the procurement process for these projects.

These milestones represent real progress in our plan to build a transportation network where new transit is built faster, at a lower cost, getting people where they need to go, when they want to get there. And this proposed legislation is another step to equip our government with the tools we need to deliver a modern, integrated transit network.

Our vision for transit in Ontario is about more than building. It’s also about laying the foundation for the creation of complete communities. The expansion of core infrastructure in support of delivering much-needed housing supply to a growing population is a key priority of our government.

By working closely with our partners in the private sector, we are exploring how mixed-use development connected to transit stations can create more dynamic and more livable communities. Our approach to transit-oriented communities, led by the Associate Minister of Transportation, will increase transit ridership and reduce congestion while creating jobs and a mix of housing, including affordable housing. This is a tremendous opportunity to improve people’s lives by connecting their homes and jobs in ways that reduce congestion, increase the GTA’s housing supply, and keep our priority transit projects on budget.

It’s part of our plan to improve the transportation network and connect people to places right across Ontario.

I’m happy to report that this proposed legislation and transit expansion plan has broad support from industry leaders and stakeholders. They understand the stakes and the need to deliver more transit for this region as soon as possible.

Last week, the Toronto Region Board of Trade announced their support, calling the proposed legislation “a meaningful contribution to increasing the speed and reducing the cost of the delivery of essential transit projects.” Like us, they believe that residents have become increasingly cynical about the prospect of meaningful transit infrastructure improvement within a reasonable time frame, and they said that this needs to change.

The Labourers’ International Union of North America called our plan “a common-sense measure in a region that is serious about transit expansion, in a region that desperately needs it.” They understand the potential that these projects have to reduce congestion, improve commutes, and provide relief for our overburdened subway lines. As they put it, this act will enable us to “finish what we’ve started and to do so in a responsible and fair manner. That’s what the region needs and that’s what people want.”

The Toronto Financial District Business Improvement Area called our proposed measures “reasonable given the urgent need for increased transit capacity in the region’s largest business district.”

Developers like the Ontario Home Builders’ Association and the Building Industry and Land Development Association are also supportive of getting shovels in the ground as soon as possible. As they put it, this legislation is “all the more important today to support post-pandemic jobs and recovery efforts, to make Ontario open for business, reduce red tape, and directly support job creation through the construction of critical infrastructure.”

The Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario has also voiced their support for the legislation and projects, particularly the Ontario Line, which they have said “will provide positive impacts for the region and enable a growing number of commuters to take transit from the suburbs into the downtown area, while avoiding the critical and over-capacity Yonge and Bloor station.”

These are just a few examples of the support that these measures have from transportation and industry experts. Like us, they believe in these projects, the need to deliver them quickly, and the economic and quality-of-life benefits that they will bring. These projects are critical not just for the GTA but for the economic well-being of our province and of our country. That is why we continue to call on the federal government to join the province at the table and fund at least 40% of the four priority subway lines being built in the greater Toronto area.

We have made tremendous progress in the past working with our federal partners, and we can do it again with our rapid transit plan. We are building a modern, efficient rapid transit system that benefits all transit riders and taxpayers. Our four priority subway projects will strengthen our transit network and better connect us as a world-class province, region and city.

We want the federal government at the table with us as full partners as we move ahead with these historic subway projects because these projects—projects of this scale—cannot happen without all three levels of government at the table. The people of Ontario expect all three levels of government to work together to get new transit and new subways built. We have done great things in the past working with our federal partners, and I fully believe that they will support our plan for new subways in the GTA. Our message to Ottawa is clear: We are ready to work with you. We want you as partners for our four new subway lines.

Nous voulons que le gouvernement fédéral soit à la table des négociations avec nous, en tant que partenaires à part entière, pour faire avancer ces projets de métro sans précédent. La participation des trois ordres de gouvernement est essentielle. Sans quoi, la réalisation de projets de cette envergure ne pourrait se réaliser. C’est exactement ce à quoi s’attend la population de l’Ontario des trois ordres de gouvernement.

Nous avons fait de grandes choses dans le passé en travaillant avec nos partenaires fédéraux, et je suis convaincue qu’ils soutiendront notre projet de nouveaux métros dans la région du grand Toronto. Notre message à Ottawa est clair : nous voulons travailler avec vous pour réaliser ce projet ambitieux. Nous vous voulons comme partenaire sur nos quatre nouvelles lignes de métro.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Premier for his bold leadership as we take the next steps in this historic moment in the evolution of transportation in Ontario. Today, the investments that we are making in the province’s transit and transportation networks will secure our future as Canada’s economic powerhouse. By improving the quality of service and the available options, we are fulfilling our promise to get people where they want to go when they need to get there. Yes, we’ve set ourselves some ambitious goals, with even more ambitious deadlines, but that is precisely the kind of action that we need to address the challenges we are facing today and to prepare ourselves for the future.

I also want to thank the Associate Minister of Transportation for being the advocate that we need to get transit built for people across the GTA. And I’d like to thank as well my parliamentary assistant, the member for Scarborough–Rouge Park, for his tremendous support throughout the largest transit expansion in our province’s history. Together we will build a world-class rapid transit system that connects communities and gets Ontario moving.

Ensemble, nous allons construire un système de transport rapide de classe mondiale qui relie les communautés et garde l’Ontario en mouvement.

Je vous remercie. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Thank you very much. And since you had indicated that you are sharing your time, I now turn it over to the Associate Minister of Transportation, the member from Etobicoke Centre.

Hon. Kinga Surma: It’s an honour to rise in the House to continue the debate on the Building Transit Faster Act, which, if passed, will deliver real transit relief faster for people in the greater Toronto area.

From a young age, my parents instilled in me the importance of staying informed and engaged within our community. Since starting my career in public service, my singular focus has been to advocate for the needs of my constituents so that they can thrive in this great province. I am proud to be their advocate here at Queen’s Park as we work to put the people of Ontario first.

The health and well-being of all Ontarians is our government’s top priority. As we continue our battle against COVID-19, safe and reliable public transit systems are critical to supporting the economy and moving people as the province begins to reopen. Thanks to the considerable efforts of all Ontarians, we’re making significant progress in stopping the spread of the virus. The need for a modern and integrated rapid transit network, now more than ever, is clear.

Even as this pandemic keeps millions of people at home to protect their health, we must push our priority transit projects forward to ensure the health of our economy. After we get through COVID-19, we will still need to address the overcrowding on our busiest transit lines and the congestion on our roads.

I have the unique opportunity as Ontario’s Associate Minister of Transportation to be an advocate for the GTA’s transit needs. I have spoken with many people and local representatives from across the GTA for years. Increasingly, Mr. Speaker, I hear about their frustration with the state of our transportation network. I have experienced these frustrations myself during my commute, often relying on the TTC to get home from Queen’s Park.

Commuters are struggling and don’t have the options they need to get to where they need to go. The history of the GTA’s public transit network is one filled with years of neglect, political bickering, inaction and construction that seems to proceed at a snail’s pace. This constantly slowed down the process. As the endless debate raged on, traffic and congestion in the GTA has gotten worse. Combine this with aging infrastructure and an overcrowded and outdated transportation system, and we can all agree that what was passing as the status quo cannot resolve the challenges we face today.

We must take immediate action if we are to effectively address these challenges and look to the future as we build a truly integrated rapid transit network.

Our government is leading the way for bold investment in Ontario’s transportation network. Under the leadership of Premier Ford, improving transit in the greater Toronto area is a top priority. Our plan connects communities and people in ways that will secure Ontario’s prosperous future. The GTA is leading all of Canada in economic, population and job growth, and yet investment in transit hasn’t kept pace. Our government’s plan to build transit faster will show the world that Ontario is open for business. We have committed to delivering four new transit lines in the greater Toronto area. Our proposed legislation, if passed, will ensure we deliver these priority projects quickly.

When I was working at Toronto city hall, I could see that there was a lack of leadership from the province. Council argued back and forth while the province stood idly by. Suffice to say, not a lot of subway projects were built in the last 15 years when the Liberals were in power.

Our bold and ambitious plan for transit expansion in the GTA is desperately needed, Mr. Speaker. Residents expect and deserve better access to rapid transit. The time for talk is over. We must act now if we are to deliver the service they need.

Our municipal partners are on board with our transit expansion. We signed preliminary agreements with the city of Toronto, and most recently York region, to establish the processes that will allow us to achieve our shared transit goals. This is a positive next step for commuters who have been waiting for decades for relief.

We continue to call on the federal government to come to the table and fund at least 40% of these four subway projects that will provide a modern, efficient rapid transit system, benefiting all transit riders and taxpayers.

Like all the legislation our government has brought forward, our plan is committed to eliminating the roadblocks that cause delays under the existing processes while maintaining a collaboration-first approach. These projects will transform the GTA’s underwhelming transit system into a modern, integrated rapid transit network that offers more options, reduces travel times, and makes life easier for the people.

Our plan is set to increase the length of the current system by 50%, constituting the largest subway expansion in Canadian history. Our priority transit projects will bring significant relief for commuters across the region. Our signature project, the brand new 15.5-kilometre subway the Ontario Line, will double the length of the previously proposed downtown relief line. This new line will allow someone travelling between Thorncliffe Park and downtown Toronto to arrive 16 minutes faster than today’s travel times. For someone who lives in the area and works downtown, that’s 35 more minutes that they get to spend with their families and loved ones.

The Yonge North subway extension, spanning from Finch Station to Richmond Hill Centre, will provide a much-needed and long-awaited rapid transit connection to York region, and of course, the Eglinton Crosstown West extension will bring increased transit access to the great people of Etobicoke, connecting to the Mississauga Transitway and enabling future expansion to Toronto Pearson International Airport, a significant economic hub not just for the GTA or Ontario but for all of Canada. At last, Toronto’s subway system is within reach of directly connecting to an international airport—a real sign of a world-class city.

The three-stop Scarborough subway extension will provide residents with the same level of rapid transit as downtown Toronto. Scarborough has waited a very long time for an efficient and well-planned transit system, and we are finally delivering it, Mr. Speaker.

The time to build is now. We can’t afford to wait any longer. This legislation will get transit built faster.

As you heard earlier from the minister, our plan is not about just building transit; it is also about building it quickly and efficiently.

Since Premier Ford announced our government’s historic plan for subway expansion last year, a lot of hard work and collaboration has been under way to pinpoint steps in the planning and construction processes that can speed up construction.

We understand that the people of the GTA need more than just tentative plans. They need real plans that will improve transit now. They need shovels in the ground as fast as possible. To do this, we must re-evaluate the existing processes that simply are not working.

One of the most frequent comments that I receive is, “Why can’t we get anything built?” Mr. Speaker, that’s what this legislation is addressing. The Building Transit Faster Act, if passed, will help us deliver our priority subway projects as quickly as possible to create a transit network that the people so desperately need.

This bill is the result of the hard work of dedicated public servants at the Ministry of Transportation, Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario as well as all the other ministries that contributed to forming this bill. I want to take the chance to thank them for their ongoing hard work and dedication to building a forward-looking transportation network that best serves the needs of all Ontarians.

The proposed Building Transit Faster Act targets processes that are most likely to delay a project, such as utility relocation, municipal permitting, land assembly, corridor control, and others. We aim to streamline timelines and redundant steps throughout this process while respecting property rights and maintaining high safety and environmental standards.

This region has waited far too long for the government to invest in transit infrastructure that serves the needs of commuters today and well into the future. We are committed to eliminating the roadblocks of the current practices and are actively engaged in a collaboration-first approach that leverages our municipal partners. We are also committed to creating a channel for meaningful engagement with Indigenous and local communities as we move forward with these projects.

Many of these processes are already under way and have continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Even through the pandemic, we have been moving forward. As it stands, we have three requests for qualification in the market to build the Eglinton West extension, the three-stop Scarborough subway and, most recently, our Ontario Line.

Metrolinx continues to hold community open houses, albeit online right now, that are allowing residents to learn more and to share their feedback in terms of our subway plan. Metrolinx will also establish local offices and online options to serve the people and businesses impacted by ongoing subway construction. Mr. Speaker, only through a healthy dialogue can we build the relationships that will allow us to better serve the needs of the communities along these important transit corridors.

As we heard earlier today, today’s proposed solutions could have saved three years on the delivery of the Eglinton Crosstown. That’s three more years of unnecessary congestion for residents and lost foot traffic for businesses along Eglinton. This lack of coordination is completely unacceptable. If the previous government had introduced this legislation instead of us, we would be enjoying the benefits of the Eglinton Crosstown today.

History has shown us that major infrastructure projects can be disruptive. Most reasonable people are accepting of that fact. However, Mr. Speaker, their patience runs thin if work can’t be done quickly. We aren’t going to repeat past mistakes. We are going to take advantage of this opportunity to find ways to build transit faster. There is far too much at stake. We are taking a practical and sensible approach that gets shovels in the ground sooner. Our plan for GTA transit expansion is ambitious, but our residents deserve nothing less.

It’s not just about building faster; it’s also about building better. As part of our historic transit expansion plan, we’re focusing on building new transit while also providing real opportunities to build mixed-use communities connected to transit stations. We cannot continue to build transit stations using out-of-date planning principles. The unprecedented growth that the GTA has experienced and that will continue for decades to come gives us a chance to do something different, to develop sustainable communities focused on better connecting people to efficient public transit, quality public space and housing, all while enhancing the region’s economic opportunity.

Building transit-oriented communities will enable the actual integration of transit, housing and jobs, plus critical social infrastructure like daycares, community centres and other vital services that communities need. Transit-oriented communities will increase ridership and reduce congestion; create jobs and a mix of housing options near transit, including affordable housing; catalyze mixed-use communities based on sound planning principles; enable the province to capture revenue from partnerships to offset the station construction costs to save taxpayer dollars; and, of course, stimulate the economy through major projects for the years following COVID-19.

We have a tremendous opportunity to improve people’s lives by connecting their homes and jobs in ways that reduce congestion, increase the GTA’s housing supply and keep our priority projects on budget. As well as providing better access to better transit, these projects will also offer a chance to live and work closer to home.

The partnership between Metrolinx and Woodbine Entertainment Group is an excellent example of how we are doing things differently to deliver transit infrastructure. We are working with the private sector to build a new GO Transit station along Highway 27 near Woodbine Racetrack on the Kitchener GO rail line. This partnership is expected to save taxpayer money and bring in an estimated $90 million in revenue over the lifespan of the station. It will also offer opportunities to live and work near a significant employer and entertainment destination, as well as provide better access to the local community and jobs.

Another example of this on the GO network is the new Mimico GO station. The new station will include a new accessible station building, pedestrian tunnels and elevators, refurbished platforms, new entrances to the station and below-grade parking. The plan is to have third-party investment pay for this refurbished station at no cost to the taxpayer.

Just a few kilometres down the Lakeshore West line, a positive step towards delivering transit relief to the Humber Bay Shores community was realized last week. Metrolinx released the updated initial business case for Park Lawn GO under the transit-oriented communities program that shows that a new GO station is viable through third-party investment—again, at little or no cost to the taxpayer.

These are precisely the type of projects we’re hoping to deliver for new rapid transit stations in the GTA that are a part of our subway expansion plan. This is how you build a sustainable transit system.

I recently had the privilege of hosting a series of round table discussions with industry stakeholders and community members that continue to inform our government’s transit-oriented communities program. I want to thank all of the participants. Their feedback has been critical in building the TOC program. We heard that each community would need a tailored plan that best fits the community and the businesses in the area. I could not agree more. The one-size-fits-all approach does not work for an area as diverse and dispersed as the GTA.

Transit-oriented communities will connect more people’s homes and jobs to transit and reduce congestion, while improving our transportation network. This is part of our plan to improve the transportation network and connect people to places right across Ontario. Our plan will have a positive benefit on people’s lives.

To build projects of this magnitude, however, we need everyone at the table. I want to reiterate our call on the federal government to commit to paying their fair share of at least 40% of the four nationally significant subway projects.

I want to thank Premier Ford for his bold vision and commitment to getting the job done right. I also want to thank the lovely lady sitting right in front of me, the Minister of Transportation, for her tireless dedication to preparing the province’s transportation sector for the needs of our future generation as our region’s population continues to grow.

Our government is committed to working to end gridlock, while making public transit an attractive, affordable and low-stress alternative for Ontario workers and their families. This commitment doesn’t cease just because there is a pandemic. We must carry on delivering real transit relief. Now more than ever, the importance of reducing overcrowding and providing more options for public transit has become very clear.

As I conclude, I want to say that it is truly an honour to have a chance to support the minister as our government makes historic investments in Ontario’s transportation network. Each day, I come into work with a renewed commitment to serving the best interests of my constituents in the best riding of the province, Etobicoke Centre, and, of course, all Ontarians.

We will build a transportation network that better serves families, commuters and businesses in the GTA. Together, we are building a smart, fiscally sustainable, integrated rapid transit system. The time to build is now, and this legislation will help us get there.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): It’s now time for questions. I recognize the member from Sudbury.

Mr. Jamie West: I want to thank the Minister and the Associate Minister of Transportation for their comments. I was listening intently. One of the things the Minister of Transportation said early on was that decades of political posturing has delayed transit projects, and I agree that the Liberals didn’t complete a lot of stuff.

The one that’s near and dear to me is Highway 69. A former Liberal MPP from my riding was complaining about this for more than 15 years, back to the 1990s. There still remains a 68-kilometre, two-lane gap between Key River and Parry Sound. I asked the previous Minister of Transportation if he would commit to completing this; I didn’t really get an answer. I’m hoping the Minister of Transportation can make that commitment so we don’t have another decade of delayed projects.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): I’ll turn it over to the Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: Our government is committed to ensuring that Ontario’s roads continue to be among the safest in North America. We are developing, for the first time in the province’s history, a series of regional transportation plans.

A few months ago, I launched the first draft transportation plan for southern Ontario, and we’re in the process of developing a plan for northern Ontario as well. We want to make sure that our Northern Highways Program is one that meets the climate and the needs of drivers in the north.

I can tell you that members on this side of the House—both sides of the House, but in our caucus—from the north are strong advocates of making sure that we are upgrading and improving our highways in the north, including Highway 69. So we will continue to work on that. When I have a little bit more to report, I will report directly to the member opposite on Highway 69.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further questions?

Mr. Michael Parsa: I wish I had the time to share with all of you the quotes and messages from residents and businesses—in particular small businesses—on what this announcement means to our communities north of the 416. But on behalf of the residents who have reached out to me time and again, I just want to say: Thank you, Minister; thank you, Associate Minister; thank you, Premier; and thank you to the government for finally delivering on a promise that had been made to our communities, in particular Richmond Hill, again and again by the previous government that never followed through, but our government has.

I want to ask for an update from the minister or the associate minister to tell us about the progress that we’ve made in municipalities like Toronto, and in particular, York region as well.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Back to the Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I thank the member for the question. Recently—only a few weeks ago—we announced a major step forward in our plans to extend the Yonge subway north into Richmond Hill and Markham, by announcing that we have the preliminary agreement with York region. York regional council endorsed our preliminary agreement just recently. Mayor Scarpitti called that moment “a major step forward” in finally delivering the Yonge subway north into York region.

I also represent an area that includes York region, and I know how important transit is to people in York region and north of the 416. So many residents commute out of York region for work, and many are now starting to commute in as well. So developing a modern transit network is essential to people and businesses in York region, and we are very pleased to be able to reach that important step with York region.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further questions?

Ms. Jessica Bell: Thank you to the Associate Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Transportation for your presentation today. I have a question. When I was listening to your presentation, you emphasized the need for the federal government to provide 40% of support to the four priority transit projects. The suggestion is that potentially these projects won’t be able to go forward without their support. That’s different from what Premier Ford said when he made the announcement in April. He said clearly that if the federal government does not provide the support, the Ontario government will proceed anyway.

If the federal government doesn’t provide its support, will you proceed with these four priority projects?

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Back to the Minister of Transportation for a response.

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I thank the member opposite for the question. When the Premier, the then-Minister of Transportation and the Associate Minister of Transportation announced our bold plan for a modern and rapid transit system in the city of Toronto and across the GTA, we announced that we were finally moving forward with much-needed transit in this area. It’s a plan that we are committed to doing.

But we were also able to move forward in a collaborative way with our municipal partners. It took a lot of work between the city of Toronto, York region and our government to get to a place where Toronto city council endorsed our plan, as well as the accelerating authorities required to deliver that plan. As I just mentioned, York region has endorsed our plan as well.

We’re moving forward in a collaborative way, member opposite. That involves the federal government participating as a full partner, and that’s why we continue to call on them. We’re confident that they will, because they know how important this plan is to delivering economic growth in this region.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further questions?

Mr. Stan Cho: The first thing is to applaud to the minister. I want to get that on the record there, because this is just fantastic. I’m so excited. I’m from a riding that has the dubious distinction of being the only riding in the country that has two subway lines that dead-end in the neighbourhood. We’ve been waiting decades for this, so it’s finally some really great news.

But I want to talk about some of the roadblocks that transit has hit in the past. We’ve had delay after delay on our transit system. How are we going to avoid that? How are we going to streamline the processes to make sure that as we move forward, we’re not going to face those same challenges, and finally get transit built in this great city?

Hon. Kinga Surma: Thank you to the member for raising that very, very valid point. I feel the pain, because I was at city hall for a number of years and I watched the constant fighting between plans, the constant changing of plans, causing great uncertainty.

But what is certain, Mr. Speaker, is how much the people of the city of Toronto and York region want us to build and take action. That is exactly why the Premier is very much committed to making sure we build our four key subway lines, and that is exactly why we are presenting this legislation in the House.

Like I said in my remarks, Mr. Speaker, the most common question I get as the Associate Minister of Transportation is: Why can’t we build something? Let’s stop arguing. Let’s have a collaboration-first approach, which Minister Mulroney has certainly set an example of for all politicians, I think, in the country. And let’s just get shovels in the ground.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Further questions?

M. Guy Bourgouin: Ma question est pour la ministre. J’ai apprécié votre allocution ce matin.

Vous le savez, dans le Nord, on est limité dans nos transports. J’ai entendu d’autres ministres du Nord dire qu’éventuellement le Northlander reviendrait. Mais dans ce projet de loi, on n’a aucune discussion du Northlander. J’aimerais entendre de vous quand on peut s’attendre à ce revienne que le train Northlander en opération dans les comtés du Nord, où on a besoin de transports ferroviaires.

L’hon. Caroline Mulroney: Je remercie le membre de l’opposition pour la question. Notre gouvernement, je crois, s’est montré dédié à développer le réseau de transports dans le Nord. Juste hier, nous avons annoncé une route de contournement à Cochrane, et nous étions très heureux de pouvoir annoncer cette route de contournement qui a été longuement attendue dans le Nord.

Pour ce qui concerne le Northlander, c’est bien sûr quelque chose que j’entends souvent des membres du Nord de notre caucus aussi. Pendant cette période de COVID, nous avons annoncé que la responsabilité pour l’Ontario Northland Transportation Commission est venue sous le ministère des Transports. Nous avons pu annoncer pendant cette période de COVID, lors du retrait d’une compagnie privée, que l’ONTC allait finalement donner des services de transports en commun de Thunder Bay jusqu’à Winnipeg. C’était la première fois dans l’histoire de la province que nous avons pu faire ça. Ça fait

partie de notre plan pour améliorer les transports dans le Nord, et on va continuer à le faire.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): There isn’t enough time for another question and response. Therefore, further debate?

Ms. Jessica Bell: Thank you once again to the Minister of Transportation and the Associate Minister of Transportation for your presentation on Bill 171. I have four comments that I would like to address briefly before I move to my speech, which will summarize some of the concerns that we heard during committee, as well as the amendments that we introduced to turn Bill 171 into a model bill for what transit planning and transit construction could look like. I’ll go to my four comments first.

The first is the government’s interest for transit-oriented development. Transit-oriented development is also something that we support. What is critical for transit-oriented development is that it has affordable housing requirements to it, because we do have an affordable housing crisis in the city of Toronto and beyond. There are some movements being made to move forward with transit-oriented development at the Park Lawn and Mimico stations, as well as the Woodbine Entertainment Group station in Premier Ford’s riding.

I would very much like to see the commitments, the legally binding commitments, that have been made with the developer to ensure that a meaningful amount of affordable housing is part of those station developments, because the devil is in the details.

The second piece is around the arguments that were made that there are reasons why transit construction is delayed, including a lack of coordination between utilities and transit development or transit construction companies, as well as the delays in the expropriation process. I’ve heard these arguments made on numerous occasions. What I would very much like to see are very specific, written-down examples of when these delays have impacted the progress of a transit expansion project, including the Eglinton Crosstown project. I’ve heard a lot of mention of them, but I haven’t seen the details and I’d very much like to.

The third is the

summary of some of the residents who came to the committee meetings via the online process and spoke about how they were being treated by Metrolinx during the early works phase of the construction process with the Ontario Line. I would like to call the interaction between Metrolinx and the residents collaborative; I wouldn’t say it is collaborative at this point. Residents are giving examples of seeing soil samples being done, markings on their street being done, rig trucks arriving in their neighbourhood, and they’ve received no consultation or information from Metrolinx at all. That is creating unnecessary fear because there is so much unknown about this project so far.

I’m enthused to hear that there is some interest in communicating with Metrolinx around how they could improve their dialogue with residents to make sure that some of their worst fears are allayed, because some simple communication in advance of rig trucks arriving would make people feel a little bit better.

The final piece is the one that I addressed in the question that I asked the Minister of Transportation around the funding piece for the four priority transit projects, the 40% request that is being made to the federal government to contribute their fair share to the $28.5-billion price tag that we currently have right now for these four transit projects. Premier Ford said very clearly that if that money does not come, he will proceed regardless. The city of Toronto is already off the hook with funding these transit projects. That’s part of the agreement that has been made.

So it does seem that if the federal government doesn’t come to the table—and maybe they are going to; I don’t know; I’m trying to find out as best as you. But if they don’t come to the table, then what happens?

It would be good to hear from this government that there is still going to be a commitment to build those four priority transit projects, because in my experience working on transit, it’s not the construction process that leads to delays in the final product. In fact, when I’ve spoken to experts who spend their entire time assessing how quickly we proceed on transit projects, we’re actually pretty good when it comes to building transit projects on time, once the construction is started.

The real issues are around planning and plans being changed, which the Fords have had a history of doing, and the second piece is around funding. If the funding is not there—and right now, the funding for these transit projects is not there—then we could be in a situation where, once again, residents will be left waiting. So I would like some response in writing around where your commitment is to these projects if the federal government doesn’t cough up as you are hoping that they will do.

So those are the four comments that I would like to make before I begin the more formal aspect of my presentation. So—

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Excuse me. Forgive me for having to interrupt, but it is now 10:15.

Third reading debate deemed adjourned.

Members’ Statements

Tenant protection

Ms. Rima Berns-McGown: Hundreds of residents of apartment buildings in Crescent Town in Beaches–East York, as well as elsewhere in the riding and across the city are terrified.

Crescent Town is a warm, vibrant community of primarily racialized people, many of whom are newcomers, many of whom are essential workers, many of whom lost their jobs due to COVID-19. This is a community that has been hit hard. Some people work multiple poorly paid essential jobs to which they must take public transit. If they become ill, they can’t self-isolate. They frequently share apartments with large families, so Michael Garron Hospital has been seeing multiple members of the same family hospitalized with COVID-19.

Now many are haunted by eviction. They have followed the Premier’s advice to feed their families first if they didn’t also have money for rent, but the landlord, Pinedale Properties, has not heeded his advice to work things out. Instead, they have been served eviction notices. In some cases, the manager has banged on their doors, with a debit machine in hand, telling them “COVID is nothing,” and threatening them with immediate eviction if they don’t pay.

Bill 184 enables landlords like Pinedale to evict tenants without a hearing if they believe that those tenants have reneged on a payment plan, but what if they get sick and can’t work or otherwise lose their jobs?

We need immediate rent subsidies, and we need a plan to ensure that no COVID-related evictions will ever be permitted in Ontario. Anything less is cruel. It’s absolutely crucial that the government act now.

COVID-19 response

Mrs. Gila Martow: I just want to say that this has been a tough period with the COVID pandemic, but good news is ahead. We’re seeing the patios start to open in York region. Thornhill is very excited and anxiously waiting.

I have some good news to report, which is that SmartCentres, which operates the stores and restaurants around Disera Drive just north of the Promenade Mall, has agreed to work with myself, the city of Vaughan and Councillor Shefman to see about closing off a block of Disera, between Centre Street and the light where CIBC is, so that we can enjoy a street-wide patio.

I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of the residents there. I think Thornhill can set an example for the rest of the province in terms of finding opportunities for people to socially distance, but socialize all the same, outside in the nice weather in the coming months ahead.

Some of the restaurants that are there: Mezza Notte, Bagel World, Maple Sushi, Subway, Marble Slab, Copper Branch, Boneyard Grill, Halibut House, Meron To Go, Maple Arc Grill and the Greek Stop. So there are lots of opportunities to eat and also socialize.

I want to wish good luck to all the businesses. It’s tough on them. I hope everybody is going to have patience as the various regions open. Let’s all work together to make sure that this is successful.

COVID-19 response

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: When COVID-19 hit, London acted quickly and decisively. City hall passed measures to support businesses, help the vulnerable and collaborate with stakeholders in their many task force meetings.

Wise and prudent stewards of the public purse, London boasts a triple-A credit rating, earned consecutively for the last 43 years. But COVID-19 has put London on the brink of financial crisis, and we need direct financial support from the province immediately.

As the hub of southwestern Ontario, London is a leader in health care, medical innovation, education, digital creative, arts and culture, tourism, agribusiness and many more. London supports a variety of communities, including Middlesex, Elgin, Oxford, Lambton, Chatham-Kent, Huron and Perth. To ignore London is to ignore all of southwestern Ontario, which the previous Liberal government did at their peril.

Tax dollars travel from London to Queen’s Park, but rarely are seen again. During this crisis, we need those same tax dollars to travel back down to London. As Mayor Ed Holder states, “When it comes to essential services, municipalities represent both the front line and the bottom line.”

Today, I’m asking the Premier and his government for $30 million in emergency funding for London. Without provincial support, cities will have to hike taxes, cut essential services, and everyday Ontarians will bear the cost. It’s time for this government to step up, help with the heavy lifting and bring much-needed relief to London.

COVID-19 response

Mr. Rick Nicholls: The date: March 17; the year: 2020. That was the official beginning of Ontario’s state of emergency and global pandemic. The results of this pandemic have been devastating. It has been three months since the province declared a state of emergency. Remember, our primary goal was to keep Ontarians safe and healthy. There was no playbook; we had to create one. Now, in re-opening the province, some of us want to go faster while others say, “Slow down.” Regardless of one’s point of view, our government is taking a deliberate, well thought-out approach to getting Ontario back on its feet.

On a local level, in my riding of Chatham-Kent–Leamington, Dajcor Aluminum, located in Chatham, was able to quickly adapt their operation to produce medical sector products, some of which were in the form of modular partition systems. They were able to maintain a large percentage of employees in order to work on these products. Nice going, Dajcor. You helped answer the call as a result of this pandemic.

One thing has been true throughout this crisis: Ontarians are stronger together. We have seen countless examples of this form from all corners of this great province, from drive-by birthday parties to window visits at long-term-care homes to our small and medium-sized businesses retooling to support the fight against this terrible disease. Together, we will get through this pandemic, and our economy and employment will rebound. We will be even stronger than pre-COVID. I’m sure that 2020 will be a year marked with an asterisk.

Front-line workers

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: Today in Niagara region and across this province, essential front-line workers are calling a day of action to extend pandemic pay to everyone. I am tempted to list the number of valuable members of our front-line health care workers currently excluded from pandemic pay. It is so tempting to point out how many of them deal directly with COVID-19 patients and just don’t make the Premier’s all-star list.

I could do that, you know; it is a worthwhile statement. But I think it misses a story I find more interesting about pandemic pay because, as many times as I get front-line workers reaching out to me, I get an equal amount of executive directors, administrative leads and senior levels of management reaching out on behalf of their front-line staff.

One executive director at Martindale Place, a congregate care facility in St. Catharines, reached out to my office twice on this matter. For them, it is not about the extra few dollars; it is about recognizing the real work and the real sacrifices that front-line workers do. These local leaders care so intensely for the people that are sacrificing so much right now. It’s the non-profits and service managers who reach out because their shelter, community outreach team or hospital staff are excluded. For them, it is about the appreciation of their sacrifices.

So, Mr. Premier, do what is right: Expand this list. These heroes deserve more than empty words during a press conference.

Public health

Mr. John Fraser: It has been months since we’ve seen the first case of COVID-19 in this province. We’ve learned that physical distancing, frequent hand-washing and wearing masks are the three most important things we can do to protect others and ourselves.

We’ve yet to get one critical part right, and that’s universal masking. As we’re starting to re-open our economy, people will inevitably come closer together. Universal masking will play a greater role in allowing our economy to continue to open. We’ve seen how places around the world, like Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan, have been able to manage the spread of the virus effectively with universal masking, whether it’s mandatory or a societal norm. It’s simply not good enough for us to say, “Wear a mask when you’re outside.”

I’d like to thank everyone in Ontario, the United Way in my city, and Masks 4 Canada for all the work in this area, but we know that you can’t do it alone. So I’m calling on the government to do the three following things—and actually, us; we need to lead by example: Wear a mask when you’re indoors when you can’t physically distance; when we’re here in the Legislature—I know it’s hard in here, but when we’re in the building; and when you’re shopping. It’s about protecting others.

Undertake an aggressive public advocacy campaign so that people can understand why we need to do it, both for health and for our economy. The government must, like the federal government, procure masks for people who cannot afford them. I think it’s critical that the government do that so they can work in concert with municipalities to ensure that the most vulnerable people who can’t afford them are able to get non-medical masks.

Scleroderma Awareness Month

Mr. Michael Parsa: Speaker, the month of June is Scleroderma Awareness Month, and today I’d like to draw your attention to this little-known but often debilitating condition.

Scleroderma refers to a group of rare disorders that involve the hardening and tightening of the skin and connective tissues. Depending on the area of the body is affected, this can result in stiff joints and reduced mobility, as well as digestive, lung, kidney and heart issues. In severe cases, it can even be life-threatening. While it affects more women than men, anyone can get scleroderma, and it can be caused by a variety of factors, from environmental to genetic.

Speaker, I’m sad to say that as of this moment, there is no cure. That’s why it’s so important to use this month as an opportunity to talk about scleroderma and to raise awareness and funds so that some day soon, no person will ever have to deal with these symptoms again.

Since 2007, the Scleroderma Society of Ontario has done amazing work by advocating for and improving the quality of life of those living with the condition. They raise awareness, support research—of those living with the condition.

Mr. Speaker, because of the pandemic, no traditional walk or run will be held this year, but you can still visit scleroderma.ca to join the virtual event and support this worthy and important cause.

Scleroderma can be an incredibly difficult and painful condition to live with, but as long as there’s hope for a cure—and there is a great deal of hope—we need to find it.

Foster care

Miss Monique Taylor: Today, I wish to speak about the changes that this government has made to foster care.

During this pandemic, when children and youth in care need more protection than ever before, this government has quietly loosened the rules that keep them safe. In May, the government increased the number of children that can be placed in a foster home. The previous limit of four, which doesn’t include biological children, was already high.

Further, while increasing the size of homes, this government reduced the important oversight measures that keep kids safe. In-person home visits and interviews were scrapped and replaced with inadequate home inspections. There was even a government communication early on in the pandemic asking agencies to refrain from requesting police record checks. These rules are meant to ensure that the living situation is safe and healthy for children. It’s the responsibility of this government to make sure that inspections of care settings can be done safely.

Rather than cutting these regulations that are meant to keep children out of harm’s way, they have changed the rules that make children and youth in care more vulnerable to abuse. We need these oversight mechanisms to be restored immediately to ensure our children’s safety.

Women’s Lacrosse U19 World Championship

Mr. Dave Smith: COVID-19 has hit the hospitality and tourism industry especially hard. In total, all of the industries that are part of the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries represent $75 billion in economic activity for our province.

Sport and the tourism industry associated with sports are a major contributor. That’s why I’m happy to stand here today and talk about an event that was held in my riding just this past summer.

We had the great opportunity and pleasure to host the world women’s under-19 lacrosse championships. It was a collaboration with our local lacrosse associations, Trent University, Sir Sandford Fleming College and the city of Peterborough. It was also the very first event that I as a newly elected official was able to secure provincial funding for.

We had teams from Australia, Belgium, China, the Czech Republic, England, Germany, Hong King, Israel, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Scotland, Chinese Taipei and Wales. And North America was represented not only by teams from Canada and the United States, but we also had First Nations proudly represented by Haudenosaunee.

The 10-day event generated $3.4 million in economic impact for our community alone.

There are so many volunteers I’d like to thank, but I don’t have the time for it, so I’ll centre out just a couple whose leadership made it happen: Fred Blowes, Lois Tuffin, Cheryl MacNeill and Kelly Roberts.

Long-term care

Mr. Vincent Ke: I’m pleased to report that two long-term-care homes, Chartwell Gibson and Extendicare Bayview in my riding of Don Valley North, are now COVID-19 free. Currently, no resident or staff member has the virus. They will remain vigilant going forward as they rely on health and safety protocols to keep the vulnerable seniors healthy and safe.

Thanks to the concerted efforts of the homes’ dedicated staff, with the support and co-operation of the long-term-care residents, their families and their community, this is a wonderful achievement worth celebrating. Both homes update their COVID-19 situation weekly to residents, their families, and our office as well. They communicate all outbreak information with honesty, transparency, compassion and hope.

When the Don Valley North community realized that long-term-care homes in our area needed help, they didn’t hesitate to rally around the cause. From food and PPE donations to kind words of encouragement, these long-term-care homes received support when they needed it most.

Mr. Speaker, I’m grateful to the excellent people of Don Valley North, who care about the struggles of others and show up to offer help.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you very much. That concludes our members’ statements for this morning, which means it’s now time for oral questions.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: Just before we start our leads—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Timmins has a point of order?

Mr. Gilles Bisson: Yes. Is the Premier going to be attending question period? Because if he’s going to be late, we’d like to stand down—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): —to make reference to the absence of any member.

Again, it is now time for oral questions.

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Speaker, I’d actually, on a point of order, like to ask for unanimous consent to stand down my leads—if the Premier is not here—and wait till the Premier arrives.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Leader of the Opposition is seeking unanimous consent of the House to stand down the lead questions for the opposition. Agreed? I heard a no.

Question Period

Long-term care

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My question is for the Premier. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, nearly 1,800 seniors have lost their lives in Ontario long-term-care homes—1,800 seniors losing their lives in long-term-care homes in our province, and countless more have suffered neglect and abuse and even starvation. Yesterday, the Premier repeated his claim that Ontario did not fail residents in long-term-care homes. The Premier has refused to hold himself and his minister accountable.

Long-term-care facilities are licensed by this province. Can the Premier tell us whether any will lose their licences, and if so, which ones?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of Long-Term Care to reply.

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite for the question.

For 15 years, the long-term-care sector was neglected and ignored. Our government created a Ministry of Long-Term Care in the summer of 2019 and, in just a few months, we had already begun the good work, the necessary work, to transform long-term care. We understood the staffing crisis, and we had an expert panel working on that. We understood the capacity issues. We were at 99% capacity, and even increasing, with unconventional spaces to meet demand—demand that had grown to a wait-list of 37,000 people under the 15 years of the previous Liberal government, supported by the NDP.

Our government was actively working on solutions, and then COVID hit. The good work that we are doing now will continue to transition to a 21st-century long-term-care system.

The lives lost must not be in vain. The suffering and the hardship that COVID-19 has caused—we will continue to transition to create the necessary changes needed to support residents in long-term care now and in the future.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Well, Speaker, when the government won’t admit its own failure, I don’t know how anybody can trust the commitments that this minister is stating today.

To date, not a single home has lost a licence, despite levels of neglect so severe that the police have had to be notified.

Orchard Villa is a for-profit facility operated by Extendicare, the same company that recently hired the Premier’s campaign spokesperson to lobby on their behalf at Queen’s Park. The Canadian Armed Forces reported that that facility was infested with cockroaches, residents were being left in soiled diapers, and one person literally choked to death while being fed lying down. The Premier finally got dragged into taking control of that facility after workers and families spent weeks and weeks pleading for intervention and 69 seniors died.

Will the for-profit corporations making money from Orchard Villa lose their licence to operate that facility?

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

The issues surrounding licences are complex and largely involve the lack of capacity that was, really, the responsibility of the previous Liberal government, supported by the NDP. The capacity issues in our long-term-care system were being addressed in a fulsome way, in an active way, when COVID-19 hit.

The solutions to long-term care require a modernization of our system—an integrated system that is being planned and worked on, as we speak, with Ontario Health and Ontario health teams. The good work that is being done there is—the duty of care of our long-term-care homes is non-negotiable. They must keep our residents safe.

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has caused hardship around the world.

Our government is taking action and will continue to take action to fix this issue.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Issues of neglect leading to death are not complex. They’re pretty straightforward.

Nearly 300 seniors have died in homes owned by Sienna Inc., the for-profit long-term-care operator that recently hired several Conservative insiders and the Ford government’s staff to lobby on their behalf. Sienna ran the Altamont facility, where the Armed Forces found residents were denied meals and were left completely unprotected from COVID-19 when it came a-knockin’. And their senior executives were the ones who mocked families who were expressing outrage and grief.

Sienna is licensed to operate 37 long-term-care facilities in our province. Will they lose a single licence? Will there be any consequences whatsoever for these homes?

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Thank you, again, for the question.

Ontarians do have questions, and that is what we are going to address with the public commission—public input, public hearings and a public report. There are appropriate processes in place to deal with this. Those processes must be followed.

We are looking at processes that will enable our homes to transition from old 1970s-built homes with ward rooms. I can tell you that those ward rooms were part of the problem.

The redevelopment that languished for 15 years—since 2011, only 611 beds were built under the previous Liberal government, supported by the NDP.

Our government took long-term care seriously and was addressing the long-standing issues that had been neglected for so many years. Our government is the government that takes long-term care seriously.

Long-term care

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is also for the Premier, but I have to correct the minister: People are not just having questions. Ontarians are horrified. They are outraged. And they are grieving the loved ones they have lost in long-term care—almost 1,800 deaths in this province.

Yesterday, the Premier indicated that he is now considering proposals by long-term-care lobbyists to limit the legal liability for the spread of COVID-19 in their facilities. Can you believe that? He’s going to actually help them get through this and not be held legally responsible.

We know that several families have filed statements of claim detailing horrific levels of neglect and carelessness against for-profit facilities, including Sienna, who referred to the claims as “blood-sucking lawsuits.” These are the folks that the Premier is getting prepared to protect, not the seniors who lost their lives in long-term care. Can the Premier tell us which for-profit lobbyists he, his ministers and staff have met with to discuss this?

Hon. Doug Ford: Mr. Speaker, I haven’t met with any lobbyists, so I don’t know where the opposition is coming up with this. But I want to compliment our Minister of Long-Term Care, who has more experience than all opposition folks combined. It’s easy to play the armchair quarterback, but we’re actually getting something done, as they sat there—the Leader of the Opposition sat there for 10 years and did absolutely nothing to protect long-term-care homes. They built 611 beds in 10 years? You’ve got to be kidding me.

So it’s pretty rich to hear the opposition leader sit there and criticize us when we’re actually getting things done. We’re fixing a problem that they destroyed for 10 years with their buddies, the Liberals. That’s the real problem. This didn’t just pop up overnight. This has been ongoing for decades, and they were part of the problem. We’re going to fix the problem.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: This Minister of Health is a Minister of Health that’s on the record wanting to privatize more of our health care system, so I have no confidence whatsoever that she is going to take to task these private operators of long-term care.

For many families, launching a legal challenge was the only way that they could protect their loved ones in long-term-care homes, because this government was dragging its feet. In April, while the Premier was insisting that there was an iron ring around long-term care, which there was not, family members of residents of homes like Eatonville, Altamont and Orchard Villa were detailing the very dangerous conditions that their loved ones were enduring. They went to court to fight for their loved ones, while the government refused to act.

That is the fact, and the Premier cannot deny that that is the fact. Why, then, is the Premier offering legal protection to homes that didn’t protect their residents?

Hon. Doug Ford: I’ll give you the facts, Mr. Speaker: Because of the job that we have done—and it’s a tragedy, what’s happened, because of the systemic problem that’s happened over decades as they sat by and did absolutely nothing.

We saved hundreds and hundreds of lives by going in there, testing the front-line workers, testing all the patients, making sure we’re after the people with asymptomatic symptoms, so we were able to catch them. Even one of the long-term-care homes, the front-line folks I talked to once said, “You know something? The best thing you did is actually test the people who were asymptomatic. That saved lives.”

We ended up getting hospitals in there to make sure the long-term-care patients were protected. We ended up asking the military to come in to support us.

But the good news is, we’re going to continue doing it until it’s fixed. We aren’t going to sit on our hands for 10 years like the Leader of the Opposition did.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: The Premier is right in one thing: They ended up finally getting dragged into doing something proactive to protect seniors in long-term care, and it took them far too long. It’s clear that the Ford government would rather defend for-profit long-term-care homes than the residents who live in them.

Yesterday, the minister said that she took “swift and decisive actions” in long-term care. But when we joined the front-line workers who called for the government to take control of these facilities back in April, the minister dismissed that request. It’s on the record. She said, “Other provinces do things differently,” because other provinces were much quicker to respond.

It was six weeks before the government finally began taking over homes. During those six weeks, 1,370 residents died. And now, it looks like the government is moving to protect for-profit care once again. Why is the government protecting for-profit long-term-care facilities from legal liability rather than pulling licences from the for-profit long-term-care homes that have so brutally failed our seniors?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of Long-Term Care.

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Thank you once again for the question. Looking back at what has transpired over the last several months, I can tell you with great clarity that our government took early action, beginning February 3—despite the narrative from the opposition—to address the issues that we were confronted with.

The reality was, after many years of neglect, our homes were in tremendous pressure capacity-wise and in a staffing crisis. We took early measures: active screening, essential visitors only—and that was a hard decision to make, but it was necessary—working with our hospitals, integrating. And that is really a key point: understanding how we transition from the past to the future to allow an aging population to get the care they need. New thinking is required, and that’s exactly what our government is working on as we speak, transitioning our long-term-care system to a modern long-term-care system.

Anti-racism activities

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is also to the Premier. Last week, the Premier was forced to backtrack, and told the assembly, “Of course, there’s systemic racism in Ontario. There’s systemic racism across this country.” A lot of us “have never walked a mile in someone’s shoes who has faced racism,” is what the Premier said.

Over the last week, thousands upon thousands of Black and Indigenous people have spoken out about their experiences with racism, particularly when it comes to interactions with police. Does the Premier believe that systemic racism exists in policing in Ontario? If so, what is he prepared to do about it?

Hon. Doug Ford: Through you, Mr. Speaker, I think we all understand and recognize that policing and community safety have changed in the last number of years. The issues faced today by police services and the communities they serve are increasingly complex. As part of our government’s $174-million commitment to address mental health and addiction this year, the Ministry of the Solicitor General and the Ministry of Health announced $18.3 million in new funding to support those affected by mental health and addiction challenges in the justice sector. This includes $6.95 million for new mobile crisis teams with dedicated safe beds and transitional case managers.

I think we all understand that when almost 40% of police calls are interacting with individuals who have mental health or addiction issues, we need to do things differently, and we’re going to do things differently, Mr. Speaker.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Well, Speaker, last week the Premier said that he was prepared to listen to and understand the experiences of others when it comes to systemic racism.

Here’s what they’re telling us: They want investment in mental health supports, not a $335-million cut. They want investments in youth outreach programs, not cuts to community-based outreach programs. They want investment in anti-racism initiatives, not a cut to the Anti-Racism Directorate and a truncating of the work they’re doing. And they want effective police oversight, which we don’t have now in the province of Ontario because instead, the government has cut all of these programs and defiantly rolled back public oversight as one of the Premier’s first acts in office. If the Premier means what he says about systemic racism, will he undo any of these decisions?

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

Hon. Todd Smith: I’m pleased to take this question on behalf of our government.

Our Premier has made investments, particularly in the Ontario Black Youth Action Plan. We have taken steps to bring forward a new council that has been advising the Premier and our government when it comes to youth opportunities. The Premier’s Council on Equality of Opportunity was announced a couple of weeks ago, with Jamil Jivani, who is the province’s advocate for community opportunities, working with young people and working with Black-led organizations as part of our Ontario Black Youth Action Plan, which funds about 50 different Black-led organizations—not all Black-led, but many Black-led organizations—in and around the GTA and Ottawa and right across the province.

We’ve also made an added investment in that program as a result of COVID-19 and some of the challenges in those communities when it comes to creating opportunities; $1.5 million was announced a couple of weeks ago to give those programs that are providing these services in our community the boost that they need so that we can help more people get the equal opportunity that they deserve

COVID-19 response

Mr. Michael Parsa: My question is to the Premier. Premier, Ontario is home to a thriving agriculture sector. From dairy to poultry to delicious fruits and vegetables, good things really do grow in Ontario. Our agricultural sector continues to work around the clock to make sure we have access to high-quality and safe food during the pandemic. But as we all know, the agriculture sector has been hit hard during the COVID-19 outbreak, especially temporary foreign workers.

Premier, could you please share with the House what supports we have put in place to help these vitally important workers?

Hon. Doug Ford: I want to thank the member from Aurora–Oak Ridges–Richmond Hill. MPP Parsa has done an incredible job up there, Mr. Speaker; he really has. I hear it from his constituents.

On behalf of all Ontarians, I want to extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the two farm workers who passed away from COVID-19. Our government knows that agriculture workers play a vital role in Ontario. Since the start of the COVID outbreak, we have put in a number of programs to help these vital workers, including, most recently, a $15-million investment to help farmers better protect their employees.

We’ve been in contact with these farmers on a constant basis. I know our Minister of Agriculture has reached out to them. I have personally reached out to them and talked to them. Nothing is more important to us, as a government, as the people of Ontario, than to protect the workers and protect the farmers, because we rely on them to put food on our table, Mr. Speaker. With the $15 million, they’re going to be able to buy extra PPE. They’re going to make sure that they don’t live in a congregate living setting.

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

Mr. Michael Parsa: My question is once again to the Premier. Premier, thank you very much for the update. I agree that workers are extremely important, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our government has been resolute and steadfast in ensuring that the health and safety of all workers in this province is never compromised.

Our announcement yesterday regarding the new general workplace guidelines is about giving businesses and owners the tools and resources they need to adapt and succeed in this new reality. This set of standards will help ensure that everyone feels safe in their place of employment, because at the end of the day, nothing is more important than protecting Ontarians.

Premier, can you please explain to the House again the highlights of our announcement?

Hon. Doug Ford: Once again, nothing is more important to our government than making sure that we protect the front-line workers and all workers across this province. That is why yesterday, we unveiled a new Ontario general workplace guidance document to help employers develop robust safety plans to protect workers and patrons.

Mr. Speaker, this tool kit builds on many supports we have already provided to businesses to help them prepare to reopen, including over 133 sector-specific workplace safety guidelines and documents.

Again, we are focused on making sure that we protect the workers and the customers, be it a retail store or any other area where they interact with the public. It’s our number-one priority, and I’ll tell you, we’re doing one heck of a job; I hear it out there. That’s why we’re leading North America with the lowest cases anywhere in North America. I know—

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

Next question.

COVID-19 response

Mr. John Vanthof: My question is to the Premier. Ontario’s agriculture sector is now in the middle of one of the biggest workplace COVID outbreaks in the province. Despite what the Premier just said, other countries aren’t sharing the confidence in Ontario, because Mexico announced yesterday that it was considering not allowing more workers to come to Ontario because of the dangerous conditions they face. And Mexico did specify Ontario, because they didn’t say that they were going to disallow workers coming to BC, because they have faith in what BC is doing to protect their citizens.

This is not only a tragedy for the workers in Ontario, but it could be a long-term disaster for the agriculture sector, because confidence is key. When other countries are losing confidence in how we protect our workers, who happen to be their citizens, that’s a disaster.

What is this government going to do to mitigate that, so that workers in this province who deliver our food actually feel safe?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Minister of Health.

Hon. Christine Elliott: I thank the member very much for that question. It is a very important one, and one that we’ve been devoting a lot of time to in the Ministry of Health. The migrant workers are essential for food production in Ontario; we depend on them. They have come into Ontario, they have self-isolated for 14 days, they have gone into work and they have become ill.

We need to keep working on that, and we need to do the testing. I know there has been a testing facility that has been set up in Leamington. However, as of Sunday, I’m informed that there were only four people that attended.

Clearly, we need to revise the work that we’re going to do. We’re going to start doing testing with mobile units. We want to make sure that we can work with Ontario Health and with OMAFRA to make sure that we can reach all of the migrant workers who have been affected by COVID. I can tell you that the assessment has already been done of the high-risk cases, and they are being treated. But I will have more to say in the supplemental.

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

Mr. John Vanthof: Thank you for the response, but it bears repeating that the Mexican government has faith in BC but not in Ontario.

And in direct response to why migrant workers aren’t coming to your testing: because they have to get on a bus and go to Leamington. And the one thing that people don’t realize about migrant workers is that they aren’t in control of their own destiny. Unlike everyone else in this room, they’re not in control. Their sponsor is in control.

We asked over a month ago for the government to make sure that those front-line workers have full access to PPE. We all know, in these issues—and we should have learned it from long-term care—that time is of the essence. The government knew this was going to happen; they were warned this was going to happen; and now you’re talking about putting mobile testing sites in? Why didn’t you realize where the problem was, and why didn’t you a month and a half ago make sure that these migrant workers had access—

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

Interjections.

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

The Minister of Health to reply.

Hon. Christine Elliott: We are working diligently, as I said before, with Ontario Health and with OMAFRA to make sure that the farm owners will open the farms to allow people to be tested. We are looking at a hybrid model where we have some mobile testing.

I’ve been advised that if we were to do this just with mobile testing, it would take 84 days of testing in order to make sure all of the local farms in the Windsor-Essex area, for example, were covered. It would take 10 days in an assessment centre. We need to work in collaboration with the owners of the farms to make sure that all of the migrant workers can be tested.

In addition to that, as the Premier has indicated, and as has been indicated previously, we are putting $15 million into more personal protective equipment, into more infection control and prevention, and into revising workplace standards so that people will be able to be separated apart, in both where they sleep as well as where they work.

We are doing everything that we can right now to reassure Mexico and the rest of Ontario that we are doing our best to—

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

The next question?

Prescription drugs

Mr. Jim Wilson: My question is for the Minister of Health. Last Friday, the cystic fibrosis community was surprised and thrilled to learn that after years of fighting, the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance finally agreed to begin negotiations with Vertex Pharmaceuticals on a purchasing price for Kalydeco and Orkambi—and congratulations to the minister and the government for that progress. Access to these life-saving drugs will make a huge difference in the quality and length of life for thousands of Ontarians, and indeed Canadian children and young adults.

Negotiating with Vertex is an important first step. Can the minister put a timeline on these talks, and will the minister provide assurances that when the drugs become available, Ontario will list both Kalydeco and Orkambi?

Hon. Christine Elliott: Thank you very much to the member for the question. I know this is of great importance to you, as it is to me.

We know that those people living with cystic fibrosis are very hopeful that these new drugs will provide the relief that they’re looking for and relieve some of the stress that they have to deal with each and every day, and will be available soon.

We are very pleased to understand that the conversations are continuing between Vertex and the pCPA. I wish that I could give you a timeline, but I am not able to do so because there are many other parties at the table, not just Ontario, that are having these discussions. But the fact that they are together at the table, again, is very hopeful. It is something I can assure the member that we are following very diligently, because we are also very happy to move ahead should they be able to resolve some of the issues that remain in discussions between them.

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

Mr. Jim Wilson: Thank you to the minister for that answer.

I guess I would just urge you—as you know, I’ve raised the case many, many times over the last three years. Sasha and Jamie Larocque are the parents of young Joshua. Joshua’s older brother is on Orkambi and does very, very well. His younger brother is up at night coughing and can’t go out of the house and can’t have a vacation. Obviously, the parents, and many parents across Ontario, are very, very worried during this time of COVID-19, which is also a disease, a virus, that affects breathing.

Minister, given that you’re going to be the largest purchaser, you and Quebec—and I’d be happy to talk to people in Quebec. I happen to know the minister. I happen to know most of them, so if that helps you, I’ll do that. You’re going to be the largest purchaser of Orkambi and Trikafta and Kalydeco when eventually they’re on the market. Can you do everything in your power to just speed up the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance? You’re their number one customer, so I think they would listen to you if you gave them a real push.

Hon. Christine Elliott: Yes, I can certainly assure the member that we are doing everything that we can to move the conversations forward, both with respect to Kalydeco, Orkambi and Trikafta as well. We know that different types of drugs work better for people with different types of cystic fibrosis; it depends on the strain that they have.

But this is something that I know is very important to you. It is very important to me. It’s very important to many members here who have constituents who have cystic fibrosis. There is nothing more than any of us would like than to make sure that the family that you mentioned, as well as many other families across Ontario, have a happy summer with their family members being able to breathe easily. That is something that we are continuing to do, to follow this file very diligently, and we will do everything that we can to move this process forward expeditiously.

Arts and cultural funding

Mr. Dave Smith: My question is to the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. I’m a member of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, and our committee has heard directly from tourism, festival and event operators from across the province. They’re pivoting their operations and many of them are moving online this year. We heard that digital was the way to go. I know it’s something our government has taken action on. Ontario has a new virtual platform that allows Ontarians to experience all that their province has to offer, all from the comfort of their own living rooms.

Can the minister please tell this House how our government is supporting artists and operators looking to provide their customers and supporters with a digital experience?

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: I’d like to say thank you to the member from Peterborough–Kawartha for his great question, and I think it’s important given the fact that the suite of sectors we’re responsible for represents about $75 billion in normal times in economic activity and has taken at least a $20-billion hit through this pandemic.

We used to be called the world in one province—I still call it that—and we welcome the world to our province when it is safe to do so, but right now we can only do it virtually. So we decided in March at the ministry to invest in a virtual portal called Ontario.live so that we could bring arts, culture, sport and hospitality to people’s homes across the province of Ontario.

Let me tell you what you can experience there: The Art Gallery of Algoma, the Bay of Quinte virtual activities, Scandinave Spa in Blue Mountain, Adamo Estate in Orangeville, the Royal Ontario Museum, 1,000 Islands Helicopter Tours, and something we like to call Music Together, in which we invested $150,000 so that artists across this province could perform from the safety of their own home—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you very much. The supplementary question.

Mr. Dave Smith: It’s nice to know that Ontario’s artists have an avenue of support through these unprecedented times, and that Ontarians also have an avenue to enjoy a concert in the comfort of their own home. The minister, however, also noted that Ontario Live is not only streaming music concerts, but it’s also growing a collection of other sites and attractions for Ontarians to check out virtually.

Our government is committed to supporting some of our province’s hardest-hit sectors through this pandemic. In fact, C.D. Howe Institute has stated that four of the seven hardest-hit industries were aligned with this ministry. Can the minister please shed some light on the future of Ontario Live and how it will continue to grow and support some of our hardest-hit sectors and businesses throughout our economy’s reopening and our long-term recovery?

Hon. Lisa MacLeod: Obviously, this site is still in its infancy. However, it has garnered great success across the province and we have been able to attract 176 of our various heritage organizations, over 360 public libraries that we support and 166 community museums, and we’ve asked them to provide their digital content online. I was pleased visiting with my colleague from Leeds and Grenville, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, to go to the Brockville community museum and see for myself that they are taking

part in this.

In 2017, live performances in Ontario contributed more than $1 billion to Ontario’s economy and over 22,000 jobs, which is why our small investment of $150,000 has been important to leverage at musictogether.ca, which is part of Ontario Live so that we can continue to support our Ontario artists so that they can not only make it big here at home but make it big around the world.

That’s what we’ve done, Speaker. We’re committed to making sure that all of those in the heritage, sports, tourism and culture industry sectors are supported at this time despite being hit first and hardest, and they will take longest to recover.

Commercial tenant protection

Mr. Ian Arthur: My question is to the Acting Premier. Landlords and tenants alike are frustrated with this government’s failure to provide direct rent supports, and with the Premier’s rather short-lived view that tough talk was enough to pay commercial rent.

In Kingston, business owners and landlords have dedicated weeks of staff time trying to navigate a poorly designed, broken program. Others have applied, only to not receive their log-in keys, and they cannot proceed with their applications until they get them. All across the province, businesses haven’t been able to get the support they need, and they are facing eviction.

The program is an abject failure, but now the Premier wants to double down. Why did this government refuse to listen to business owners and advocates? Why does he think that tying an eviction ban to an already broken program is actually going to help any businesses in Ontario?

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

Hon. Steve Clark: I just can’t understand what this official opposition stands for. They ask question after question after question about doing an eviction ban for businesses in the province. Many other provinces have joined our call. We’ve indicated that we were going to be bringing in legislation that, if passed, would provide exactly what the Premier said in his press conference on June 3. Now the opposition, it appears—I don’t know. They issued a press release a couple of days ago and say one thing; they said something else in the House today.

Pick a position. Make a decision on whether you’re going to stand with business, as our government is, or whether you’re not. Pick a lane.

Interjections.

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

Mr. Ian Arthur: Back to the Acting Premier: With all due respect, we have picked a lane, and that’s to be on the side of small businesses across Ontario who need support right now.

The government’s commercial eviction ban is too late and covers far too short a time frame. It should be a blanket ban that goes back to the very beginning of this crisis because landlords are simply backdating their eviction notices for the day before it’s supposed to take effect. It does not help small businesses.

Businesses in my riding continue to feel the impact of COVID-19. It’s going to last through the summer. They are losing the tourist season. The students are not coming back to Queen’s, they are not coming back to St. Lawrence and they are not coming back to RMC. These businesses need ongoing supports, and this eviction ban will not be enough. It doesn’t cover enough time.

Will the Premier redesign the commercial rent support program and ensure that businesses have the protection that they need to help reboot our economy permanently?

Hon. Steve Clark: Again, Speaker, I cannot for the life of me understand the NDP. Member after member after member has asked for a commercial eviction ban, just like the NDP government in British Columbia has implemented. Last week, Saskatchewan and Alberta—at the same time that our government announced it, more and more provincial and territorial governments are considering this.

The NDP keep asking for this. We finally give it to them, and now they’re not satisfied. I just can’t understand where the NDP stand on this issue.

Long-term care

Mr. Stephen Blais: My question is for the Minister of Long-Term Care. Madonna Care Community in Orléans has suffered repeated tragedies throughout COVID-19. Staff shortages and a lack of PPE have led to a nightmare scenario. For months, family members called on the government to take concrete actions, but help didn’t arrive for the 47 residents and two staff who lost their lives to COVID.

The owners of Madonna have fired a senior vice-president, and their CEO has resigned. Will the minister stand up and take her share of responsibility for the tragedy at Madonna and across Ontario?

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Thank you for raising that issue. What is happening in many of our homes is really requiring an integrated approach.

I want to say that our homes are moving out of outbreak. We have a few homes where there’s one staff or one resident—in some of the homes, there’s actually no one in the home with COVID-19; it is a staff member who is self-isolating at home.

I’m very grateful to all the teams that came to help Madonna, the partners: Ontario Health, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, the Royal Ottawa hospital, the inspectors who have gone in. That outbreak is resolved.

So we are moving in the right direction. We are making progress.

Was there a legacy of neglect from the previous Liberal government and the NDP, who supported that government? Yes.

We have taken every measure and every tool, and we will continue to transition to a modern long-term care system.

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

Mr. Stephen Blais: My supplementary is also for the Minister of Long-Term Care.

The Premier promised an iron ring around long-term-care facilities, and we know that never happened.

We called on the government to step in to take over Madonna Care Community in Orléans, and that never happened.

I asked the minister for the scorecards for the long-term-care facilities so we could provide the assistance that she requested in solving the long-term-care problem, and that never happened.

Ontarians are asking for a plan for long-term care to address a second wave, which we believe will happen.

Will the minister commit to releasing her plan for a second wave of COVID-19 in long-term care, or will that be yet another thing that simply doesn’t happen?

Hon. Merrilee Fullerton: Thank you for that forward-looking question. I think it behooves us all to be prepared, to anticipate, to be adaptable and vigilant. That’s what we’re doing through our testing strategy. This is what we’re doing through the stabilization plans for our long-term-care homes and the staffing strategies that will be informed by the expert panel. These are all measures that will help our homes.

We’ve heard around the world that this is a global situation in long-term-care homes, and that there is concern about a second wave. We take that seriously and to heart, and measures are being taken to address this issue. I thank you for raising that. It’s a very important point, and we will continue our work on this.

Homelessness

Mr. Vincent Ke: My question is to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

I know our government has been working with our municipal partners to ensure that we can keep Ontario’s homeless population safe. As all members of this House know, the need for physical distancing has changed the ways our shelters provide services.

Mr. Speaker, can the minister explain how our government has supported shelter providers throughout this pandemic?

Hon. Steve Clark: I want to take this opportunity to thank the member for Don Valley North for his incredible advocacy and his work in his riding. He does a tremendous job for his constituents every day.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, my ministry invested $148 million into our communities through the social service relief fund. The funding is allowing our municipal service managers and our Indigenous program administrator to expand their services and their supports. This means securing hotels, increasing the pay of shelter workers, increasing funding that’s available for rent banks and more. In fact, in the member’s home city of Toronto, they’re able to increase their rent bank by some $2 million.

We have other supports, including the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative. The program is funded 100% by the province of Ontario. We’re spending $338 million this year—an increase from last year—to help people who are experiencing or are at risk of experiencing homelessness.

Thank you for the question.

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

Mr. Vincent Ke: Thank you to the honourable minister for that response. It is reassuring to know that this government is continuing to support our most vulnerable through significant financial assistance. But we also know that it is taking more than money to help vulnerable Ontarians through these challenging times.

Mr. Speaker, could the minister please further explain how this government is working to keep our homeless population safe?

Hon. Steve Clark: Our government implemented a risk assessment survey for all homeless shelters, and we created the Ontario Shelter System Response Table with local officials. This let us look at additional interventions as needed, based on the individual shelter needs. We’ve already used the survey to ship emergency PPE to six of our service managers. We’ll continue to keep everyone safe, and we’ll continue to keep working with the shelters.

Our government is also continuing to prioritize COVID testing for people in congregate living settings like homeless shelters. Circumstances are changing every day, and we need to continue to work to keep our most vulnerable safe. Thank you for the question.

Long-term care

Miss Monique Taylor: My question is to the Deputy Premier. Not only are the Conservatives failing seniors in long-term care, but their choice to protect the profits of big corporations over the well-being of our seniors is truly hurting families.

In Hamilton, families are shocked with the news that continues to come out of the Rosslyn Retirement Home. Rat feces and black mould were found in the kitchen. Police were called to investigate after staff accidentally left a senior alone there overnight after an evacuation.

This week, we wrote to the Hamilton police, asking them to consider expanding their investigation into this horrific retirement home. Will your government support this call?

Hon. Christine Elliott: I thank the member very much for the question. This is a serious concern, and there’s no excuse for what happened at that home. But I can assure you that the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority registrar has issued an order to revoke the licence of the Rosslyn retirement residence in Hamilton. After careful review and consideration of the information collected through inspections, complain