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March 27, 2023

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

vol. A

Hansard Transcripts

vol. B

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2023-Mar-27 vol. A (PDF)

L057A - Mon 27 Mar 2023 / Lun 27 mar 2023

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Monday 27 March 2023 Lundi 27 mars 2023

Orders of the Day

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

Members’ Statements

Women’s world hockey championship

Adoption disclosure

Frank Giannone

Climate change

2023 Ontario budget

Art Battle

Child care

Sault College Cougars women’s hockey team

Not Your Average Daycare

International agri-food workers

Introduction of Visitors

Independent members

Introduction of member for Hamilton Centre

Question Period

Health care

Government policies

Ontario budget

Economic development

Optometry services

Ontario film and television industry

Education funding

Housing

Red tape reduction

Tenant protection

Economic development

Ferry service

Veterinary services

Long-term care

Environmental protection

Introduction of Visitors

Introduction of Bills

Advisory Committee to Protect Ontario’s People and Economy from Airborne Pandemics Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 sur le comité consultatif pour la protection de la population et de l’économie de l’Ontario contre les pandémies à virus transmissibles par voie aérienne

Vital Statistics Amendment Act, 2023 / Loi de 2023 modifiant la

Loi sur les statistiques de l’état civil

Petitions

Education funding

Ferry service

Education funding

Social assistance

Education funding

Education funding

Hospital services

Missing persons

Adoption disclosure

Education funding

Education funding

Resignation of member for Kanata–Carleton

Opposition Day

Education funding / Subventions destinées à l’éducation

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Next we’ll have a moment of silence for inner thought and personal reflection.

Orders of the Day

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

Mr. Bethlenfalvy moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 85,

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

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I look to the Minister of Finance to lead off the debate.

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Merci beaucoup, monsieur le Président. I would like to note that I will be sharing my time with the member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound, who I see right behind me, and the member from Oakville, who I also see right there, in that order.

Today, it gives me great pleasure to speak to the second reading of Building a Strong Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2023. Last week, I introduced the 2023 budget: Building a Strong Ontario. The budget and this spring budget bill before us today move our plan forward to build a strong province. It is a plan for building a strong economy for today and tomorrow. It is a plan for more roads, more highways, more transit, more broadband, right across the province.

Our plan profiles support for employers. It provides more training opportunities for skilled workers. It’s a plan that sees us moving forward the critical minerals sector in Ontario’s north and connecting the north and its minerals with our globally competitive manufacturing sector in the south. It is a plan to make life more affordable for those that need it the most, with better health care and public services for everyone who calls Ontario home, a plan that makes streets safer and protects you and your family.

C’est un plan qui nous permet de faire progresser le secteur des minéraux critiques dans le nord de l’Ontario; un plan pour relier le Nord et ses minéraux à notre secteur de fabrication de classe mondiale dans le Sud. Il s’agit d’un plan pour rendre la vie plus abordable pour ceux qui en ont le plus besoin, avec de meilleurs soins de santé et services publics pour l’ensemble de la population ontarienne, un plan qui rend les rues plus sûres et qui vous protège, vous et votre famille.

It is a plan to do all of this while at the same time returning Ontario to a balanced budget.

The plan is rooted in strong fundamentals, a long-term vision on real actions, actions not only in the face of the current turbulence we see around us in the global economy, but actions that will help us tomorrow and, from this period of turbulence, to emerge stronger than ever. I know we can and we will do it. I say this confidently because we have the discipline to stay true to a plan that is working, that maintains flexibility to navigate the ongoing economic uncertainty.

The numbers are so important. For government, just as for a family, a business or an individual, the numbers mean everything. I’m pleased to report that in the 2022-23 fiscal year, the deficit is projected to shrink to just $2.2 billion. This is thanks to robust revenue growth, our disciplined and prudent planning, and setting very clear priorities. In 2023-24, we plan to further reduce the deficit to $1.3 billion.

And, Madam Speaker, I have some more good news. I’m pleased to stand here today and say that, starting in 2024-25, we project Ontario returning to the black, with a surplus of approximately $200 million. But it gets better: We have anticipated surpluses into future years.

While uncertainty persists, these numbers demonstrate Ontario is in a position of greater fiscal strength. In fact, as shown in the budget, Ontario’s net debt-to-GDP ratio is now forecast to be 37.8% in 2023-24. This is down 3.6 percentage points from the net debt-to-GDP ratio of 41.4% projected in the 2022 budget. With this progress on the net debt, the people of Ontario can have confidence that tomorrow will be better than today. Measures contained in the spring budget bill support this plan.

Madam Speaker, it is a hallmark of governments that they always face tough choices. The opposition would argue that the only plan to balance a budget is to impose higher taxes, more tolls and fees, or deep cuts to the programs and services people count on. As the Minister of Finance of this government, I say sincerely we reject that way of thinking. In this budget we are showing it is possible to balance a budget while investing more in health care, more in housing, more in highways, more in transit, more in manufacturing, more in the north and more in the skilled trades.

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Hear, hear.

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: The member for Brampton really likes that one—Brampton South, I might add.

Ontario is facing the day from a position of budgetary strength, but I will be frank: The world today is a more unsettled and uncertain place. Ontario is part of the global economy and it is not immune to the impact of global forces: geopolitical tensions, such as the Russian aggression against Ukraine, China’s economic reopening and the energy transition before us.

L’Ontario fait

partie de l’économie mondiale et n’échappe pas à l’impact des forces mondiales : les tensions géopolitiques, telles que l’invasion russe en Ukraine, la réouverture de l’économie chinoise, la transition énergétique and policies that have global trade impacts, such as the United States Inflation Reduction Act.

It is undeniable that more and more global trading partners are pivoting to looking inward. As a result of these realities, supply chains have become disrupted or strained. The wallets of families and businesses have become squeezed by the elevated inflation that defines this post-pandemic environment. People are finding it harder and harder to obtain affordable housing and to pay for groceries and for everyday household goods. In the face of these stresses, our government is doing its part for the people of Ontario. It does this through a responsible, targeted approach that starts with building a more resilient and more competitive economy right here at home.

Take the Ring of Fire, Madam Speaker, one of the most promising mineral deposits in the world—critical minerals that are essential to batteries, electronics, electric vehicles and other clean-tech that are core to the global economy today. The Ring of Fire is our ticket to reducing our dependency on unstable or unfriendly foreign regimes.

Le Cercle de feu est l’un des moyens dont dispose l’Ontario pour réduire sa dépendance à l’égard de régimes étrangers instables ou hostiles.

In particular, we are working hand in hand with the First Nations in northern Ontario to build true partnerships that will ensure Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples alike can benefit from these untapped riches beneath the surface.

Of course, building the roads to the Ring of Fire is not by itself the solution; we have to get the minerals out of the ground. You’ve got to put your effort into those mines. Our government is once again taking this challenge head on. We are taking a comprehensive approach to accelerate the safe development of the north’s mineral resources. And while we are going ahead with investing $1 billion to unlock the critical minerals in Ontario’s north, we continue to call on the federal government to match our commitment. I’m very hopeful, based on tomorrow’s budget by the finance minister of Canada, because—do you know what, Madam Speaker?—what is good for Ontario is good for Canada.

Et tandis que nous investissons 1 milliard de dollars pour l’exploitation des minéraux critiques du nord de l’Ontario, nous continuons à demander au gouvernement fédéral de nous emboîter le pas, parce que ce qui est bon pour l’Ontario l’est aussi pour le Canada.

One of the pieces of our plan, detailed in this budget, is the proposed new Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit. This credit, if passed, would provide a 10% per refundable corporate income tax credit to help local manufacturers lower their costs, invest in workers, reinvest in their business, innovate and become more competitive, because we’re not an island here in Ontario; we’re part of a global economy.

When combined with other business measures our government has delivered since 2018, we are helping improve competitiveness by enabling an estimated $8 billion in cost savings and support for Ontario businesses in 2023. This includes proposing to expand access to the small business corporate income tax rate, by increasing the phase-out range. This change would provide Ontario’s small businesses with additional Ontario income tax relief of $265 million in 2022-23 to 2025-26.

Our budget also includes measures to train more people in the careers that are in the greatest need of workers. This includes providing $224 million in 2023-24 for a new capital stream of the Skills Development Fund. These investments will leverage private sector expertise and expand training centres, including union training halls, so they can provide more accessible, flexible training opportunities for workers.

Our government took action early to help make life more affordable for those who need it the most. We are helping by putting more money back in their pockets, whether it is at the gas pumps or on electricity bills. We’re also eliminating double fares for most local transit services in the greater Golden Horseshoe when commuters also use GO Transit services like Brampton Transit, like MiWay, like Durham Region Transit—I have a colleague who took that this morning and will benefit from the integrated fares. Our government is expanding this initiative to support more people using public transit who come to Toronto, because many, many people in this province rely on public transit.

We are providing financial support to more low-income seniors. We are proposing changes to expand the Guaranteed Annual Income System program—also known as GAINS—starting in July 2024, to see 100,000 additional seniors be eligible for the program and see the benefit adjusted annually to inflation. Madam Speaker, our government will give a hand up to those that need it the most.

Sadly, many around us do not have a roof over their head or a place to call home. That is why we are investing in supportive housing with an additional $202 million each year in the Homelessness Prevention Program and Indigenous Supportive Housing Program. And thank you for the leadership of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on that. Madam Speaker, this is to help those experiencing or who are at risk of homelessness, those escaping intimate partner violence, and struggling with mental health and additions.

Our government is also investing more in health care. We are investing every single dollar we receive from the federal government’s recent health care funding down payment, and a whole lot more, into better health care services. While we will receive $4.4 billion in additional funding over the next three years from the federal government under the recent agreement in principle, negotiated by our Premier, our government will also invest $15.3 billion into health care over the same period to improve health care in Ontario.

Madam Speaker, this includes accelerating investments in home care to bring funding in 2023-24 up to $569 million, including nearly $300 million to support contract rates increases to stabilize the home and community care workforces. We are also investing over half a billion dollars, including an additional $425 million, over three years in mental health and addictions supports. This includes a 5% increase in the base funding of community-based mental health and addiction service providers funded by the Minister of Health and the Ministry of Health.

Our government also understands that it is a challenging time for Ontario residents in medical school to find residency spots here at home. That’s why we are adding an additional 154 postgraduate medical training seats to give first priority to Ontario residents trained at home and abroad, beginning in 2024 and going forward. We will also see an additional 100 seats for medical undergraduates and continue to prioritize Ontario students for these spots.

Now, Madam Speaker, Ontarians can know they have a provincial government that is determined to get the important things right. Our plan is responsibly investing more for people and businesses while continuing with prudence and planning assumptions that leave us the flexibility for future surprises.

Madame la Présidente, les Ontariennes et Ontariens peuvent compter sur leur gouvernement provincial pour s’occuper de ce qui compte vraiment. Notre plan consiste à investir plus d’argent de façon responsable au profit des particuliers et des entreprises, tout en continuant à faire preuve de prudence et en adoptant des hypothèses de planification qui nous laissent une certaine marge de manoeuvre pour faire face aux surprises dans l’avenir.

Our government never assumes the extremes, the best-case or worst-case scenarios. For example, we are always prudent and a little more cautious than the average private sector views in our economic and fiscal assumptions. And, Madam Speaker, while much has changed since the last budget, economic circumstances have confirmed our plan was, and is, the right one. In fact, our plan is already showing results. When you look at the top-line economic numbers, they offer evidence of how good things are in our province. Manufacturing investment is up. Jobs are up. The population is up.

Over 14 million people now call Ontario home. Over 275,000 more people a year are moving to Ontario—over a million people every four years. Madam Speaker, this is all good news. With this growth, we are seeing stronger communities right across Ontario.

I am as confident about the province’s future as I have ever been. And while I do see a brighter future ahead for all of us, success in life is not automatic or guaranteed. And that’s why we have a plan to build a strong, more resilient and more competitive economy right here at home. Building a Strong Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2023, is an important piece of legislation that will enable to us put this plan in action.

I urge—let me repeat that—I urge all members to vote for this plan to build Ontario’s economy, to build highways and other infrastructure, to work for workers, to keep costs down and to serve the people of Ontario.

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

Mr. Rick Byers: Thank you, Madam Speaker, and thank you very much to the minister for your outstanding remarks this morning and your outstanding work on behalf of the people of Ontario.

Today, I rise to speak as part of the second reading of the Building a Strong Ontario Act (Budget Measures), a crucial part of our government’s plan to navigate these uncertain times and support people and businesses. As we heard from the minister, Ontario is continuing to attract and protect investments and jobs as part of our plan to build Ontario’s economy. And key to Ontario’s future economic growth and jobs is unlocking northern Ontario’s potential, particularly in the mining and critical minerals sector.

Speaker, our government’s fantastic Minister of Mines is working to incentivize and encourage exploration by providing an additional $3 million to the Ontario Junior Exploration Program this year and next year. Our government will also be reopening the Mining Act and undertaking an end-to-end review. This is so we can ensure that the act reflects the realities of today, including a non-negotiable commitment to safety and environmental stewardship, while also ensuring that we have a truly competitive jurisdiction and market to attract future investment in our mineral sector.

Our approach to unlocking these opportunities can be found in Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy. Right here in Ontario, we have the minerals needed to manufacture clean technology like electric vehicles. Our critical minerals strategy is Ontario’s road map to secure our position as a reliable global supplier and processor of responsibly sourced critical minerals.

There are six pillars of the strategy: Enhancing geoscience information and supporting critical minerals exploration; growing domestic processing and creating resilient local supply chains; improving Ontario’s regulatory framework; investing in critical minerals innovation, research and development; building economic development opportunities with Indigenous partners; and growing the labour supply and developing a skilled labour force.

But of course, the job does not end when the minerals get out of the ground. We need to connect them with a world-class manufacturing sector—Ontario’s world-class manufacturing sector.

Speaker, this dovetails with another important part of our plan, arguably the most visible part to anyone who visits or calls it home: our investment in the infrastructure this growing province needs. Ontario’s population is growing. Our economy is growing. Ontario is now the heartland of Canada’s electric-vehicle revolution. Thanks in part to Ontario having been at the centre of Canada’s automotive sector since the Second World War, we come to the changing global economy with a competitive advantage. We are capitalizing on this advantage and doubling down on these opportunities.

That is why our government is working with partners who have shovel-ready industrial sites available for new manufacturing projects.

And we are also already seeing success with this. Just look at the recent announcement by Volkswagen of its planned electric vehicle plant in St. Thomas, an amazing commitment and amazing investment in Ontario. The cars of tomorrow, the jobs of tomorrow and the investments of tomorrow.

Tapping this immense potential requires energy—literally, electricity. Our government believes clean, safe, reliable, emissions-free nuclear energy must be an even bigger part of our future supply mix. That is why, in addition to our support of the continued safe operation of the Pickering nuclear generation station and the refurbishments of the Darlington and Bruce nuclear generating stations, we continue to support small modular reactors. These new technological developments will be essential to our future energy supply. And, I might add, we are a leader in battery procurements, with the largest battery storage project in Canada being built right here in Ontario.

Mr. Graham McGregor: Wow.

Mr. Rick Byers: Absolutely.

Madam Speaker, while it took a lot of rebuilding, we can see today that Ontario manufacturing has come thundering back. But I want to remind members how far we’ve come: Under the Liberals, Ontario lost 300,000 good-paying manufacturing jobs. But when the people of Ontario elected our government, the tides changed. In the last two and a half years, Ontario has attracted $17 billion in investment from global automakers and electric vehicle and battery manufacturers.

Interjections.

Mr. Rick Byers: Absolutely.

That’s along with $3 billion in investments from global life sciences companies. But we are not stopping there; we must keep the momentum going. We have the capacity to do more, which is why in the spring budget bill, we are proposing legislation that, if passed, would introduce the Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit, which would help more Canadian-controlled private corporations expand and grow. As the minister said, “If you are prepared to bet big on Ontario, then Ontario is prepared to bet big on you.” And that, Speaker, is a promise we are making and a promise we will keep.

Now, Madam Speaker, we can’t build a healthy economy without healthy people. But with a health care system that at times is a little slow and difficult to access, too many people are waiting too long and travelling too far to get the care they need. That’s why our Minister of Health introduced Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, a plan to strengthen all aspects of the health care system. And that includes home and community care.

We are continuing with our promise in the 2022 budget to invest a billion dollars over three years to get more people connected to care in the comfort of their home and community. And now, we are accelerating these investments to bring funding in 2023-24 up to $569 million, which includes nearly $300 million to support contract rate increases to stabilize the home and community care workforce. This funding will also expand home care services and improve the quality of care, making it easier and faster for people to connect to care.

Speaker, the women and men on the front lines of our health care systems—our doctors, our nurses, our PSWs, all health care workers—are the ones we depend on for care. We are supporting our health care workforce today while also building a strong health care workforce for tomorrow by investing $22 million to hire up to 200 hospital preceptors to provide mentorship, supervision and training to newly graduated nurses; $15 million to keep 100 mid-to-late-career nurses in the workforce; and $4.3 million to help at least 50 internationally trained physicians get licensed here in Ontario. But that isn’t all, Madam Speaker.

Since January, people have been able to go to their pharmacists to get prescriptions for 13 common ailments. This has proven to be an overwhelming success, which is why, as part of our plan, in the fall of 2023, we’re adding six more ailments to the list, including mild to moderate acne, canker sores, diaper dermatitis, yeast infection, pinworms and threadworms, and nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. For all of these, people will soon be able to get the medicines they need to treat these common conditions without ever having to set foot in a doctor’s office, clinic or emergency room.

I’d also like to underscore the point the minister made a moment ago, about total health care spending. In 2022-23 it was a record amount of $74.9 billion, but in 2023-24 that is going up to $81 billion and by 2025-26 will be $87.6 billion—as noted, a $15.3-billion increase over the next three years. These are huge investments for the people of Ontario, and it’s great to be part of a government that’s making them happen.

Speaker, youth in the child welfare system are at a higher risk of being trafficked or of experiencing homelessness. Transitioning out of the child welfare system can be challenging for these young people. That’s why our government is working to improve long-term outcomes for youth leaving care, with $170 million over three years to support the Ready, Set, Go Program. This program is geared at helping these young people achieve financial independence through life skills development, supports to pursue post-secondary education, training and pathways to employment. We are also expanding program eligibility, which currently ends at 21 years old, to include those up to 23 years old.

This is consistent with our overall increase in education funding. Let me again cite some numbers: This year, 2022-23, $32.4 billion was spent in education. Next year, 2023-24, that number will increase to $34.7 billion, and by 2025-2026, to $37.5 billion. These are huge numbers. They are part of our plan. We want to get it done for the people and students of Ontario.

Speaker, to build a strong Ontario, we need to get shovels in the ground. We need to build. In the last election we said we would build more highways. Guess what? We’re doing just that. All told, as part of our historic, 10-year infrastructure plan, we are spending almost $28 billion on highways and roadways.

We said we would invest in transit, and so we are. We are bringing back the Northlander train from Timmins to Toronto. We are increasing GO service to Niagara from Union Station and building GO rail infrastructure in places like Kitchener, Maple and Bowmanville.

Interjection.

Mr. Rick Byers: Exactly.

The numbers for transit over 10 years are staggering: $70 billion invested in transit. That’s what makes our economy go. That’s what contributes to a better environment. We are getting that done with a huge investment in transit—so important.

We also have a plan to build vibrant complete mixed-use communities at or around transit stations. Transit-oriented communities will help increase transit ridership, create sustainable communities and build more homes, including more affordable housing around GO Transit, light-rail transit and subways. This is a sensible solution. It’s happening and we are going to make it happen even more.

We are also building new schools, child care spaces, hospitals and long-term care. In terms of education infrastructure, $22 billion over 10 years—again, a record amount, so important. We’re building new hospitals and expanding existing ones, like the redevelopment of St. Mary’s General and Grand River hospitals in Kitchener–Waterloo, and I’m looking forward to the opening of the Markdale Hospital in our great riding of Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound this year, on time, on budget. In total, our 10-year health care infrastructure spend is $56 billion, an incredible investment for today, but more importantly, for tomorrow, for our generations yet to come. Their health care is why we’re doing that.

Safe and comfortable long-term care homes are going up in communities across the province, including Owen Sound in my riding of Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound.

In total, there’s $184.4 billion of investment in infrastructure in all these sectors over 10 years. This is a historic commitment to our province that our government has made, and we will ensure we get that done. I’m so proud to be part of this team that’s investing so heavily in this amazing infrastructure commitment.

Madam Speaker, among our government’s priorities is ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone who calls Ontario home, and this approach to safety and well-being includes protecting people as consumers. In the spring budget bill, we are proposing changes to enhance consumer protections when interacting with a financial professional. These specifically are proposed legislative amendments to the Financial Professionals Title Protection Act, 2019.

You see, Madam Speaker, people deserve to have confidence when they are seeking out financial advice that they are dealing with someone who has the adequate training, expertise and credentials. These amendments, if passed, would give the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario, or FSRA, the power to make a rule about the use of protected titles by credential holders when a credentialing body’s approval has been revoked or an approved credentialing body ceases to operate.

The title protection framework would also give financial planners and advisers the confidence that there is a plan for their future if their credentialing bodies are no longer able to operate. This is a very important enhancement to investor protection in the province of Ontario.

Madam Speaker, we know that these are challenging times, but our plan is working. It is the right plan to not only get us through these challenges, but to emerge from them as a stronger Ontario. So if the members of this House support building Ontario’s economy, building highways, transit and infrastructure, working for workers, keeping costs down and better services, then vote for this bill. Pass this budget so that together we can get to building a strong Ontario.

Madam Speaker, I’ll now share my time with the fantastic member for Oakville and parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Finance.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bhutila Karpoche): The member from Oakville.

Mr. Stephen Crawford: Good morning, Speaker, and thank you to my colleague for your presentation, and to the minister for discussing some of the highlights of the budget and why we think the opposition and the House should support it.

Today I rise to speak to the second reading of Building a Strong Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2023, in support of our government and the Minister of Finance. Speaker, our plan is building Ontario so we can have a strong economy for the future and the infrastructure needed to support growth across this province. It is a plan to build the economy, to build highways, build infrastructure, to work for workers, keep costs down and to serve the public better.

Speaker, we all know Ontario is a great place to live. It always has been and always will be. And it has a strong economy. And we need this strong economy so that we are able to invest in health care, education, training, housing and safer streets while keeping Ontario on course for a balanced budget. These are the priorities and initiatives that Ontarians want to see.

Speaker, it bears repeating that today there are global economic challenges and Ontario is not isolated from this global economic uncertainty. Uncertainty defines the road ahead. In no way is the job of Ontario’s government done. We must continue our job with flexibility and prudence so we can optimally take on the challenges that come our province’s way while still delivering on our plan. Our government knows we can do it. We can build a better tomorrow for Ontario. We have the right plan to do it.

This is our plan to build an Ontario that will continue to have a diverse economy known for resilience; an Ontario known for having the best infrastructure; an Ontario that is known to have the skilled workers trained for the jobs of tomorrow; an Ontario known as being able to connect you to the care you need; an Ontario that is known to be strong. It is beyond dispute—we are getting it done.

Speaker, our plan for a strong Ontario is truly a comprehensive plan, for everything we do is connected. We are driving forward our plan to tap into the resources of Ontario’s north to supply the critical minerals that are crucial in modern EV batteries, connected by roads and rails and wires and WiFi. These natural resources and this connected infrastructure and the revitalized manufacturing base in the province’s south are all connected and will help bring investments and better jobs and bigger paycheques to the people of Ontario.

This is why our government has committed close to $1 billion to support critical legacy infrastructure such as all-season roads, broadband connectivity and community supports in the Ring of Fire region, to keep moving forward on one of the most promising mineral deposits in Canada, one that will play a critical role in batteries, electronics, electric vehicles and clean technology.

This new modern manufacturing sector, in turn, depends on a stable supply of skilled workers supported by private sector unions who will ensure they have the training and other supports they need. These workers will revitalize local communities that, in turn, help us build the modern highways, transit, hospitals, schools, broadband and other infrastructure that Ontario families need.

We also realize that people can be ambitious and sometimes would rather strike out on their own versus working for someone else. Getting young people onto career trajectories sooner is why our government is helping close to 27,000 students earn credits toward their Ontario secondary school diploma and a college degree or certificate of apprenticeship at the same time through dual-credit opportunities. It’s also why we are providing an additional $2 million in 2023-24 for Futurpreneur Canada, which helps entrepreneurs aged 18 to 39 achieve their business goals.

It takes ambition and willingness to be an entrepreneur. As well, it takes ambition and willingness to strike out on one’s own and move from one country to another. Ontario tries to do all it can to help these international economic migrants. That’s why we are enhancing the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program with an additional $25 million over the next three years, to attract more skilled workers, including in-demand professionals in the skilled trades, to the province of Ontario so they can hit the ground running and start contributing to Ontario right away.

It’s also why we are expanding the Ontario bridge training program with an additional $3 million in 2023-24 to help internationally trained immigrants find employment here and get faster access for training and supports toward an Ontario licence or certificate.

Ontario also needs a more stable and steady supply of another type of skilled worker—those in the health-related fields. This is the thinking behind how we are expanding access to dual credits in health-related courses. This additional investment of $3.3 million over the next three years will help an additional 1,400 secondary students make their way into the health field.

Pivoting slightly, I would like to also note that with the 2023 Ontario budget, we are also investing $14.7 million over two years for a new, collaborative doctor of veterinary medicine program with the University of Guelph and Lakehead University, starting in 2024-25. This is to address the shortage of veterinarians in rural and northern communities.

Now I’d like to discuss how we are keeping your costs down. Whether you have lived here all your life or are just getting your feet under you here, we know everybody is looking for some relief from the high cost of living. We know the provincial government does not control the global forces driving inflation, but there are things we can do, in our control, like eliminating licence plate renewal fees, which is saving hundreds of dollars for families by refunding two years’ worth of fees for eligible vehicles; cuts to the gas tax and the fuel tax rate in 2022 and extending that until 2023.

This will have a dramatic impact on families here in Ontario, as costs not only here but around the world have spiralled out of control with inflation, due to some external factors, such as the war in Ukraine.

We’re also now eliminating double fares for GO Transit and local transit throughout much of the greater Toronto and greater Golden Horseshoe. This will make it easier for commuters to get on the bus, to get on the GO train instead of getting in a car. We’re also working to expand this initiative to include Toronto, so someone commuting to the city only pays one fare per trip, saving them money each way.

We are continuing to provide targeted electricity bill relief for eligible low-income households and on-reserve First Nation consumers, as well as eligible rural and remote customers. This is in addition to the on-bill Ontario Electricity Rebate for all eligible residential customers.

Further, our government launched catch-up payments, a $365-million investment that offers parents $200 per child or $250 per child with special needs in direct financial support that can be used to help their children’s education.

Speaker, I stop here to add a special note: In order to tackle the ongoing housing affordability crisis, I can’t emphasize more that our governments at different levels need to work together to get more shovels in the ground. So I stand here today before you to say the Ontario government is calling on the federal government to defer the harmonized sales tax on all new, large-scale, purpose-built rental housing projects. This is part of our government’s plan to spur the construction of more rental housing units while helping to create jobs, create economic development and support growth.

As elected parliamentarians all trying to serve the best interest of the people of Ontario, I hope that all parties of the Legislature will join us in calling for the federal government to make this kind of commitment so we can get more affordable housing for the people who need it.

One of our guiding principles is the need for Ontario to serve the public better; that is, improving the services you and your family need, starting with health care. We are investing every single dollar we receive from the federal government’s recent health care funding down payment and a whole lot more this year into better health care services.

While Ontario will receive $4.4 billion in additional funding over the next three years from the federal government under the recent agreement in principle, as part of the recent one-time top-up provided by the federal government, Ontario will also allocate additional funding and work with front-line pediatric health partners to meet the needs of children and youth.

To make this happen, we are also investing more than $200 million to connect children and youth to care at hospitals close to home in their communities. We are challenging the status quo by making common sense changes to get people care faster. We are investing in independent health facilities to speed up care while ensuring patients will always pay with their OHIP card, not their credit card.

As we make health care more convenient, we are also investing in growing and retaining the health care workforce. Since 2018, over 60,000 new nurses and nearly 8,000 new physicians have begun to work in Ontario. But no doubt we still need more, so we will continue on the path. That’s why our government is investing $80 million over the next three years to further expand enrolment for nursing programs throughout Ontario.

We are also investing $200 million this year so we can address immediate health care shortages and also grow the workforce for years to come. This includes expanding the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant in the spring of 2023 for eligible post-secondary students who enrol in priority programs in northern Ontario, including nursing, paramedic and medical laboratory technologists and medical laboratory sciences, and who work in underserved communities in the region where they studied after graduation. This is definitely a move in the right direction to help those underserved communities where they are in such bad need of doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians etc.

We are building on the success of the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant by expanding the program to include nursing in eastern and southwestern Ontario, and for medical and laboratory technologists in southwestern Ontario.

Among our priorities is, of course, helping to protect the people of Ontario against the challenges of life that can come up unexpectedly, and unfortunately with potential injuries to life and property. I’m talking about community safety and protecting you and your family. This is an area of top priority for the government of Ontario. Additional resources are being provided to local police and communities to protect law-abiding citizens from illegal gun and gang violence. We are fighting gun- and gang-related crime and building safer communities by investing $13.4 million in 2023-24 as part of the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy.

This additional funding will continue effective gang prevention and intervention strategies that are known to work. For example, from 2021 to 2022, over 1,000 completed and ongoing investigations received funding through the Gun and Gang Specialized Investigations Fund. These investigations, which target guns, gangs and human trafficking, have seized over 437 firearms, seen 1,259 persons charged and 58 organized crime groups targeted.

When it comes to reducing crime, some changes, such as bail reform, must be taken up by the federal government. I pause here to make this statement again, and again I hope all parliamentarians in this Legislature standing up for the people of Ontario will call on the federal government to reform Canada’s bail system. All provinces, regardless of political stripe, have joined us in the province of Ontario in calling on the federal government for bail reform. Again, I hope that everyone here in the Legislature will.

Our government is unified that there are too many criminals who should be behind bars who have been allowed to be backed on to the streets due to lack of appropriately tough federal laws.

Province-wide emergency preparedness is also top of mind for our government. With this budget our government is also making the province better prepared and quicker to respond to future emergencies by investing $110 million over three years to fund, train, coordinate and improve Ontario corps and the province’s emergency preparedness system.

The new Emergency Management Preparedness Grant being created will support community organizations with purchasing equipment required to help and protect people and communities. And a new Emergency Response Fund will provide the urgent relief impacted municipalities, First Nations and communities often need in the first 24 to 72 hours after an emergency arises. The government is also enhancing the Ontario volunteer corps portal and IT systems to support data and information sharing with emergency management partners.

Speaker, we recognize the heroic efforts of Ontario’s first responders, those brave persons who are often seen running toward dangerous situations, not away from them. We recognize that heroism can come at a cost, and that’s why our government is supporting a full continuum of care for the first responders experiencing post-traumatic stress injury and other concurrent mental health disorders.

And speaking of mental health, I wanted to mention how the CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association in Halton had comments to speak about with respect to our budget as it pertains to mental health. No doubt mental health has been a growing concern, not only in Ontario but through the country and indeed throughout the world over the last few years as we’ve had economic turbulence, as we lived through COVID, as we’ve had inflation and war affecting us.

And it should be noted that a lot of health care professionals are often not happy with the provincial budget because the need is always so great for funding in health care. The past few years have changed many things about the world, including the demand for mental health services. Our government has made a commitment to mental health supports in this budget.

I’ll quote the CEO of CMHA Halton, Rashaad Vahed, when he’s speaking about our budget and the funding increases for mental health:

“This funding increase is a historic boost to community-based mental health services to continue to deliver supports by stabilizing what we provide and helping to retain qualified staff as operating costs continue to rise. Most of all, it will help our friends and neighbours in Halton get care when, where and how they need it to improve their health and wellness.

“Community organizations are a vital part of the broader health care system, and this investment by the government reflects the importance of organizations like CMHA Halton. We appreciate that community mental health and addictions has been made a priority.”

So I think it’s important to note that the Ford government has allocated $425 million to be allocated over the next three years, including a 5% increase in base funding for community-based mental health and addictions services providers in the province of Ontario.

That’s just one example of a community organization thrilled with what they see in the budget. I know the opposition speaks a lot to mental health, and I think we all agree on some of the challenges that we have with mental health with many individuals in the province of Ontario, so I hope the opposition will be supportive of the budget, this being just one part of that.

The support specifically as it pertains to first responders is being provided through an additional investment of $9.6 million to accelerate the approval and construction of the Runnymede Healthcare Centre’s first responders wellness and rehabilitation centre. When built, the centre’s dual sites in Toronto and Peel will serve first responders from across Ontario. This is critically important. We know that first responders—fire, police, ambulance—see many unfortunate and traumatic situations on a daily basis that none of us could even imagine. Giving them the supports to be able to deal with this is critical.

Speaker, we touched on some of the great things that are happening in the budget—some of our spending initiatives, where we’re investing to help those in health care and education and the economy. I’d like to, in my last few minutes, just touch on some of the investments in the manufacturing sector, because it’s so critical in our province to put the horse before the cart. We need to have a strong, resilient economy and have wealth creation, in order to fund the supports for the health care, education and mental health services that we need.

The government announced a manufacturing tax credit. This tax credit was announced, actually, in my riding of Oakville just last week and is going to affect thousands upon thousands of small and mid-sized private businesses in the province of Ontario. What this tax credit is going to do is help those businesses invest in the equipment and technology they need to become more efficient and more competitive as our economy changes.

Technology is changing at a very rapid pace, and businesses need the money to be able to invest in these products so that they can then hire more employees to work and grow, because we all know that we have a labour shortage in this province of 300,000 to 400,000 people right now. So we are critically short labour throughout the province. Investing in these technologies, giving businesses a chance to compete more globally is going to allow us to compete, and it’s going to raise more tax revenue for the province.

I think what’s critically important about this budget—and I’ve heard some opinion pieces in some cases from some members of the opposition that perhaps we’re not spending enough in certain areas. But what I can say is, this is a record budget in the history of the province of Ontario, and we are moving to a balance over the next one to two years, which would have been unprecedented thinking just a few years ago.

Coming through COVID and coming through 15 years of Liberal economic mismanagement, which drove hundreds of thousands of jobs out of the province and piled on our debt so that Ontario became the most indebted sub-sovereign government in the entire world, we are moving back to balance, not by making dramatic cuts, not by dramatic austerity, but by investing in the right places so we’re going to get a return on those investments. And then, guess what? We’re going to have the money to be able to fund the mental health care investments we need, the education investments we need, the health care investments we need.

We know as a province we need these investments, but we also need the wealth creation and the economic activity to pay for those in the future.

With that, Speaker, I’m happy to end my time here and answer any questions if we have time for that.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bhutila Karpoche): Questions?

Ms. Catherine Fife: You know, budgets are about choices. The member from Oakville and the member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound travelled around the province with us hearing from Ontarians. What we heard was that cost-of-living pressures are top of mind for people; people are in crisis across this province. High rents—we have record evictions, but the government still has not done anything about rent control, and so people are being evicted—more and more senior women. Minimum wage—one fellow said to us, “I can’t survive.

I’m losing hope.” They were looking for medical assistance in dying because there was no dignity in their lives. And the nurses—Bill 124, still on the books—told us how demoralizing it is.

So my question for either member: Did you even try to get these issues in this agenda, in this budget? Because the finance minister and the President of the Treasury Board clearly did not hear these voices, but you did.

Mr. Rick Byers: I thank the member for the question. Yes, I certainly enjoyed our visits to various parts of Ontario, be it Kenora on January 9 or Sault Ste. Marie or Sudbury or Peterborough, Windsor, Kingston.

The member talked about choices. Well, I’ll tell you the choices that our government is making. Infrastructure spending—a record of $184.4 billion over 10 years. That’s a choice that will matter not only to this generation but to the next. Record spending in health care—has gone up from $74.9 billion to $81 billion over the next three years, spending $15.3 billion.

Those are the choices that our government made, and I’m very proud to be a part of those choices. And I hope this House supports the bill.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bhutila Karpoche): Question?

Mr. David Smith: I also travelled across the province of Ontario and listened to many concerns around ODSP.

Our government announced last year that it would increase the ODSP rate by 5%. Now, in the budget of 2023, we have confirmed that ODSP will be indexed to inflation. Could the member highlight why this is an important move to help Ontario’s most vulnerable?

Mr. Stephen Crawford: Thank you to the member from Scarborough Centre. I appreciate your comments.

This government recognizes that there are vulnerable populations in the province of Ontario, and this government increased ODSP by the largest increase ever, by 5%, most recently, and we’ve also indexed it to inflation—which, to my understanding, we are one of the first, if not the first province in the country to be able to do that.

But it’s not just about ODSP; it’s also about energy rebates. It’s a multi-faceted program. It’s also about the low-income tax credit, which is the largest tax credit savings for low-income families in the province of Ontario. It’s also about the GAINS program, which is helping low-income seniors.

So as much as we want to create wealth and prosperity for our province, we do recognize that there are those who are more vulnerable, and we want to be able to help them.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bhutila Karpoche): Next question?

Mr. Jeff Burch: Seniors in my riding and seniors all across Ontario are struggling with the rising cost of living, with everyday expenses. I think we were all shocked—and I heard from seniors over the entire weekend—that your government would reduce OHIP-covered eye exams for seniors. I don’t understand, in this climate, when seniors are suffering right across the province, how this government thinks it’s okay to reduce OHIP-covered eye exam funding for seniors. So could the member explain how that helps people in our ridings across Ontario—to treat seniors in this way?

Mr. Rick Byers: I thank the member for the question.

Seniors are a priority for this government in so many ways. You just saw the increase in the GAINS program, which is so successful—another 100,000 low-income seniors will be on that program this year. That is back to supporting seniors. And we’re increasing our health care spending overall, as I mentioned before and I’ll keep mentioning over and over and over again—record health care spending for our seniors.

We care about them, their families, and we’ll keep caring about them, because we want to make sure we have the best health care system on the planet, which we will continue to invest in—so those are the supports for seniors that I’m very proud to be a part of this government and support.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bhutila Karpoche): Questions?

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: I’m wondering if one of the parliamentary assistants could elaborate on some of the critical investments that have been made in the city of Ottawa. I know, having had a meeting with a lot of women on women’s economic empowerment on Friday and, of course, later in the afternoon, talking about critical investments into our nation’s capital—what other investments outside of the $3 million that were delivered to Invest Ottawa could we discuss today and talk about, in the second-largest city of the province of Ontario?

Mr. Rick Byers: I’m so pleased to respond to the member for all the investments that we’re making in the Ottawa area, that many she outlined already—but all different sectors, and it comes back to our infrastructure plan. Many governments don’t have the courage to look out beyond the next few years—just to the next election. Well, our government is looking out for a decade, to generations beyond. So with respect to Ottawa, it’s investments in health care, it’s investments in highways, in transportation, in community organizations that will continue. I’m very proud to have been part of a plan to have those budget measures succeed. Thank you very much for the question.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bhutila Karpoche): Question?

Mr. Peter Tabuns: My question for the member is—as they may well be aware, the city of Toronto’s transit system has just announced very significant cutbacks. Those cutbacks reflect the financial difficulties the city finds itself in. It reflects the difficulties that the Toronto Transit Commission finds itself in.

I don’t see relief in this budget for the city of Toronto or its transit system. The members are well aware that as people use less transit, they will be using more cars. It will drive up greenhouse gas emissions in this province. Frankly, as you’re also well aware, these cuts will disproportionately hit the people who are most vulnerable, the people with the lowest incomes, the people we depend on to actually make sure that this society runs.

What steps are you going to take to amend this budget so that the city of Toronto and the Toronto Transit Commission are protected?

Mr. Stephen Crawford: I find it ironic these questions pertaining to public transit are coming from the opposition, because the opposition seems to have a problem with commuters in this province. They have a problem with people in my riding that want to take the highway. They have a problem with people in my riding that want to take the GO train. They have a problem with people in Toronto that are taking the subway. They don’t want to expand the subway lines, the Ontario Line.

Look, our population is growing at an exponential pace in this province, and that’s good news. But we need the transit infrastructure to be able to accommodate these people getting from A to B quickly and safely. Whether it’s subways, electrification of the GO line or building highways, roads and bridges, we are making more investments than any government in the history of Ontario. I would encourage you to support us in that objective.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bhutila Karpoche): A quick question.

Mr. Lorne Coe: Could the member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound share with the Legislature the effects of the health care investments, particularly in his riding and the hospital that’s situated there?

Mr. Rick Byers: Thank you so much to the member for that question. Madam Speaker, I am so grateful to talk about the investments in health care that I’m seeing and our community is seeing in Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound first-hand, beginning with the new Markdale hospital. In the fall of 2023, this hospital will open. It’s part of the Grey Bruce Health Services network of six hospitals—a brand new hospital on time, on budget, in Markdale. It will be great for our community and the whole region. But it’s beyond that.

Long-term-care centres: People Care just announced an opening of the long-term-care centre in Meaford—beautiful building. I was there to see it open first-hand.

Also in Owen Sound—a beautifully refurbished, Southbridge-operated long-term-care facility. It just opened, and I was there to see the residents were almost in tears at the beauty of their new home.

There are great health care services all over. I am so grateful to the health care workers in our community that are supporting these, but this is a government that has a long-term vision, opening these facilities for the future of our community.

Second reading debate deemed adjourned.

Members’ Statements

Women’s world hockey championship

Mr. Graham McGregor: They didn’t call them the Brampton Thunder for nothing. Being one of the original teams in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, the Thunder were consistently a top contender throughout the league’s history, winning two Clarkson Cup Championships in 2014 and 2016, as well as making the finals in half of all of the championship finals in the league’s 12-year history.

Brampton is a city with a strong history when it comes to ice hockey, especially women’s hockey.

Cassie Campbell, former captain of the Canadian Olympic team, grew up in and played for Brampton. She has a community centre in Brampton named in her honour and continues a successful broadcasting career.

Jayna Hefford, another Canadian hockey legend, was also raised in and played for Brampton. She played for Canada’s national team for over 17 years, winning four Olympic gold medals and seven world championships. She is also one of the all-time leading scorers in women’s international hockey.

Continuing our proud tradition, it’s my privilege to invite members of this House to come on down to Brampton between April 5 and April 16 where we will be hosting the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship at the CAA Centre.

Today, fans from coast to coast to coast look forward to seeing the likes of Sarah Nurse, Jocelyne Larocque and Marie-Philip Poulin next month, as they wow the world on the international stage.

Speaker, Brampton is a hockey town. I want to wish Team Canada all the best in April. I know they’ll make us proud.

Adoption disclosure

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: Speaker, I’ll be introducing a bill today on the issue of next of kin accessing adoption records, and I will be reading two statements.

Statement 1: “My name is Catherine King and I am an Ontario adoptee of the Sixties Scoop. My father was born at the Andrew Mercer Reformatory in 1951 and was adopted. My children’s aid society file contained no mention of my true heritage. Thankfully, my biological father was alive to pass on this hidden information to me. Not everyone is as fortunate in finding a living relative. Therefore it is time for Ontario to extend access to post-adoption birth information. Roseneath, Ontario.”

Statement 2: “Current legislation provides identifying information to the birth parent, and the person adopted only. Although this legislation has been very well received by the community, and has allowed for many affirming family connections, it does not allow for the next of kin of a deceased adopted person to obtain access to their full identity and possible Indigenous heritage. As well, the next of kin of a deceased birth parent are prevented from connecting with family.”

Today we ask you to take the legislation a step further to ensure that the next of kin are able to explore their full identity and Indigenous heritage, restore severed family relationships and research deceased adopted ancestors.

On behalf of Lynn Mayhew, families of incarcerated women and girls; Colleen Cardinal, Sixties Scoop Network; Valerie Andrews, Origins Canada; Wendy Rowney, Adoption Support Kinship; and Monica Byrne, Parent Finders.

Frank Giannone

Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto: Last week, I was proud to attend Community Living Mississauga’s 36th annual tribute dinner at the Mississauga Convention Centre, which honoured my friend Frank Giannone, a visionary Italian Canadian community builder who was among the first to recognize the great potential of building complete communities along transit lines.

Frank has served as the president of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association, which recognize him with a lifetime achievement award. But he’s not finished yet. He’s working to transform the old Texaco refinery land in Port Credit into the Brightwater, a modern, vibrant and new waterfront village. Frank also founded the Port Credit Community Foundation and helped to organize many local events, including the Southside Shuffle, Paint the Town Red, the Mississauga Waterfront Festival and many more.

Speaker, on Thursday, over 900 people attended and over $300,000 were raised to support Community Living Mississauga. With this funding, over 200 children with intellectual disabilities will be able to attend recreational programs this summer. I want to thank everyone who made this night possible, including the chair of the planning committee, Jack Prazeres, and the sponsors, including LIUNA Local 183. And most of all, thank you to Frank Giannone for everything he is doing to help build a better Mississauga and a stronger Ontario.

Climate change

Ms. Chandra Pasma: Last week, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a very sobering report, warning governments to act now as the window is closing very quickly to prevent catastrophic levels of global warming. This is a final warning before it becomes too late to stop a 1.5-degree Celsius increase in temperatures.

The report identifies an increase in extreme weather events around the globe that are having a devastating impact on humanity. We are already seeing this in Ottawa West–Nepean, Speaker, where in the past six years, we have experienced two once-in-a-century floods, a tornado and an incredibly destructive derecho. All of these events destroyed homes and displaced residents. Just this winter, for the first time, we saw our beloved Rideau Canal fail to open, hurting many local businesses, and disappointing locals and tourists alike.

But the report also offered hope, Speaker. We can still address climate change, prevent the worst outcomes and secure a safer future for all of us if we act now. We have the tools and the knowledge of what needs to be done. What we need is the political willpower.

As UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, the report is a “clarion call to massively fast-track climate efforts by every country and every sector and on every time frame ... our world needs climate action on all fronts—everything, everywhere, all at once.”

We need this government to take that call seriously, Speaker. The solutions are there to reduce emissions, boost our economy, keep people safe and hand a better world to our children. Will they heed that call?

2023 Ontario budget

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: Last Thursday our government, under the leadership of the Premier and the Minister of Finance, tabled the 2023 budget, Building a Stronger Ontario. It’s a serious budget for serious times, a plan that navigates ongoing global economic uncertainty with a responsible, targeted approach to help people and businesses today while laying a strong fiscal foundation for future generations. It’s a plan for building a strong province as well as a stronger Niagara, a plan that is working.

Highlights for the Niagara region include:

—expanding GO rail service to Niagara by increasing current service levels and building four new and improved stations, as well as supporting local transit-oriented communities to build more attainable housing;

—twinning the Garden City Skyway over the Welland Canal in St. Catharines; and

—supporting the redevelopment of the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital as well as the new South Niagara Hospital.

Speaker, I could go on. The bottom line is this: Our government and our government alone is building a strong Ontario, whether it’s more mental health funding, more new schools, more new local roads and bridges, more supportive housing, more jobs for auto workers, more nurses for our hospitals or more support for our rural economic development.

A strong Ontario means a strong Niagara, and this plan is a plan that supports the people of Niagara and our province, today and into the future. Together, let’s work to support and pass Bill 85 as soon as possible so that we can get to work and continue building a stronger Ontario.

Art Battle

Mr. Chris Glover: Last week, the Art Battle Toronto All-Stars competition took place in The Great Hall in my beautiful riding of Spadina–Fort York. The New York Post describes Art Battle as Iron Chef, but with paint. The whole evening is a blast. Music is pumping everyone up. The bar is open. The host, Tanya, stokes the crowd. Meanwhile, six artists are arrayed on stage in the middle of the room with a canvas and acrylic paints. When the battle starts artists have 20 minutes to complete a canvas while the audience walks in a mass circle and watches the progress.

Meanwhile, the event is being live-streamed while colour-commentators Morgan and Tyson provide the play-by-play and people vote online and bid on the pieces as they are being created. Kudos to the artists who, in this incredible pressure cooker, created phenomenal canvases. Kudos to the winner of the evening, Julie Amlin, and even more kudos to Simon Plashkes and Chris Pemberton, who held the first Art Battle tournament in Toronto 14 years ago and are now exporting it to Reno, Minnesota, Pawtucket, Pocatello, Mexico City, London, New York, Chicago and 50 other cities.

We’re all looking forward to the next Art Battle, coming on March 30 to Ottawa and then returning to The Great Hall in Toronto on April 25. Support local artists and have a blast. Come out to the Art Battle.

Child care

Mr. Brian Riddell: Two weeks ago I tabled a motion aimed at improving the safety of our youngest citizens. The motion reads: That, in the opinion of this House, day cares and child care facilities should be required to report absent children to parents, guardians and caregivers, similar to the safe arrival program in our public schools.

The idea behind this motion came from a discussion with a person in my riding named Sandra Camara. Devastated by the death last summer of a young boy who died after he was forgotten in a family vehicle, Camara reached out to my office. Camara, a day care provider herself for more than 15 years, described being shaken to the core by the little boy’s death.

In a letter, she wrote, “It should be mandatory that a day care centre, licensed and unlicensed home day care providers be required to contact both parents if the child is more than 30 minutes late. If they are unable to reach the parents or have not heard back from them in five minutes, the parents’ place of employment should be contacted, followed by a listed emergency contact. This process would follow the regular school board processes where a parent is contacted if a child is absent or late and it has not been reported to school.”

Mr. Speaker, it is often these meaningful talks that we have with people in our riding that lead us to positive changes for Ontarians. I believe my conversation with Ms. Camara was one of these conversations.

Sault College Cougars women’s hockey team

Mr. Ross Romano: This time last Monday, the Sault College Cougars women’s hockey team was in Boston preparing to play in the final game of the playoff tournament for the American Collegiate Hockey Association Women’s Division 2 national championship. The team was set to face off against Northeastern University. After the heartbreaking 2021-22 season finish losing at the ACHA nationals, the team was hungry to bring the championship home. Going into the tournament, the team was undefeated—a perfect 30 and 0. No pressure at all.

In the game, Emily Moore scored twice, while Emma Lee, Alyssa Turcotte, Brooke Brazeau and Stephanie Pagnotta added singles for the Soo. Emily Hansen got the start in goal.

I am pleased to say that the Sault College Cougars completed the season with a 6-1 win over the Northeastern team, bringing home the trophy for the ACHA Women’s Division 2 national championship game. The Cougars finished the season with a perfect 31-0-0-0 record. The club started and finished the season on a win streak—the final number coming in at 31 consecutive wins. The closest games came when the Cougars ended up on the right side of a four-goal game, two of them coming in overtime. They scored 229 goals and allowed only 22 goals, with multiple players at the top of many statistical categories.

Congratulations to the Sault College Cougars women’s hockey team for an amazing year. Go Cougars!

Not Your Average Daycare

I recently met with the executive director, Danielle Wittick, and members of the NYAD team, and what I heard was deeply concerning. Their stories provided context to how licensed child care in Ontario is facing the worst workforce crisis in its history. They spoke about the $19 wage floor for RECEs, and they can neither recruit nor retain these workers as a result. The severity of this situation can be clearly seen at the YMCA, Toronto’s largest child care provider, which recently reported that having so few staff—16,000 children enrolled in a 35,000-licensed-space facility.

Across the province, child care programs need more support, and families are counting on the Ford government for help.

I want to thank Danielle and her team at NYAD for all the work that they do each and every day for our youngest learners.

And I urge this government to invest in the child care program—especially to those workers who need the help the most.

International agri-food workers

Mr. Trevor Jones: Each year, my region welcomes over 16,000 international agri-food workers from Mexico, Guatemala and the Caribbean to work alongside our farmers and greenhouse growers to produce the fresh food that has earned a reputation for being among the most trusted in the world. I’ve been so fortunate to have met, learned from and worked with many of these workers over the years. What was first small groups of young men who would travel to the area for short durations to support their families abroad is now people of all ages and genders who stay longer to support Ontario’s critical food supply chain year-round.

Our government is encouraging more people from around the world with in-demand skills and experience to choose to call Ontario home so they can support their families and continue to contribute and prosper as permanent residents and citizens.

My community has benefited from this diversity and investment, as bustling small businesses and a vibrant food scene has emerged in Leamington, inspired by Mexican, Latin American and Caribbean culture and cuisine.

Later this spring, Leamington’s Migrant Worker Community Program, led by my good friend Martin Varela, will host its second annual Greenhouse Cup soccer tournament, where international players from area farms will come together to showcase their skills and compete in the universal language of sport. I want to thank all international agri-food workers for their valuable contributions to our culture, our economy and for all the good things grown in Ontario.

Introduction of Visitors

Mr. Andrew Dowie: I’d like to wish a very warm welcome to a good friend of Windsor, a good friend of the province of Ontario, His Worship Mayor Drew Dilkens.

Miss Monique Taylor: I know there are a lot of guests in the House today, but on my list I have a few. I have the MP for Hamilton Centre, Matthew Green; his wife, Jayde Jarvis; and their son, Langston Green.

And then from my constituency office, I have Heather Lambert-Hillen, who is with us; her daughter, Charlise Hillen; and former page Daunte Hillen. Welcome back to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I want to welcome to Queen’s Park the Ontario Road Builders’ Association, ORBA. Mr. Speaker, today we have Mario Villeneuve, Andrew Weltz, Malcolm Croskery, Kevin Machej, Kieran Hawe and Christian Dover, as well as Michael McSweeney.

Ms. Sandy Shaw: It gives me great pleasure to introduce people from my riding of Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas: the wonderful Daniela Giulietti—welcome to the House. Also I’d like to welcome the Hamilton school board trustee Sabreina Dahab and her sister, Batool. Welcome to your House.

Hon. Todd Smith: I’d like to welcome Dale and Theresa Hoard. They’re from Sterling. Dale is the owner of MicroAge Technologies in Belleville, and he’s also the president of the Belleville and district chamber of commerce. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

MPP Jamie West: I’d like to welcome many people from labour to our House today: Patty Coates, Ahmed Gaied, Janice Folk-Dawson from the OFL, Yolanda McClean from CUPE. From OPSEU Local 428, we have Jody Pringle, the president; Lee MacLaren; Michelle Langlois; Tina Faibish; Melissa Coenraad; Chrisy Tremblay; Hilary Cook; and, of course, J.P. Mrochek—sorry; J.P. Mrochek is a friend of mine—JP Hornick from OPSEU/SEFPO, who is also a friend of mine. Welcome to your House.

Ms. Mitzie Hunter: I too would like to welcome our friends from labour. I’ll reiterate: Patty Coates; Andria Babbington, for the Toronto and York Region Labour Council; Yolanda McClean from CUPE; and also I can’t help but re-welcome Matthew Green, who is part of the federal Black caucus. It’s really wonderful to see you and your family here today.

Mr. Chris Glover: I just want to welcome to the House Michau van Speyk from the Ontario Autism Coalition. He celebrated his 28th birthday last week, so happy birthday, Michau.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: I too want to welcome our friends from labour, with a special shout-out to Janice Folk-Dawson from the great city of Guelph. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Joel Harden: I rise with great pleasure today to welcome the family of Ethan Blonski, who is part our page team this week: Stephanie Joyce, Ken Blonski, and brother Ryan Blonski. And, Speaker, Ryan is one of the people who signed up to be a page, but, because of the pandemic, couldn’t. So, Ryan, special props to you for signing up. Thank you so much to the family of Ethan for being here.

I’d also like to welcome the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists’s Yolanda McClean, who is the CBTU president and international board member; Andria Babbington, the president of the Toronto and York Region Labour Council; Ahmad Gaied, the OFL secretary-treasurer; Patty Coates, OFL president; Janice Folk-Dawson, executive vice-president of OFL; also JP Hornick, sitting on the government side; as well as Michau van Speyk, an autism advocate who we all adore. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’ll continue with introduction of visitors unless there are any objections.

Mr. Wayne Gates: It’s a great day for Niagara Falls today. Our page captain today is Claire Fish, from my riding. Claire, welcome.

I’d also like to welcome her family who are also here today: Stephen Fish, Kathleen Taylor, Evelyn Fish. Welcome to Queen’s Park. Claire is doing an absolutely amazing job on behalf of all the pages, so thank you very much.

MPP Jamie West: I’d like to welcome members from the Ontario Road Builders’ Association. They’re having a lobby day tomorrow, but I was able to meet with them. Thank you to Michael McSweeney, Mario Villeneuve, Kevin Machej, Andrew Weltz and Malcolm Croskery for coming today to meet with me.

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

Independent members

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I understand the member for Ottawa–Vanier has a point of order.

M me Lucille Collard: I do, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for the attention. I am seeking unanimous consent that, notwithstanding standing order 45(b)(iv), the time for debate on opposition day motion number 3 be allocated as follows: 54 minutes to each of the recognized parties and 12 minutes for the independent members as a group.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Ms. Collard is seeking the unanimous consent of the House that, notwithstanding standing order 45(b)(iv), the time for debate on opposition day motion number 3 be allocated as follows: 54 minutes to each of the recognized parties and 12 minutes to the independent members as a group. Agreed? Agreed.

Introduction of member for Hamilton Centre

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I beg to inform the House that the Clerk has received from the Chief Electoral Officer and laid upon the table a certificate of the by-election in the electoral district of Hamilton Centre.

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The certificate bears today’s date, is addressed to the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly and reads as follows:

“Dear Mr. Decker:

“A writ of election dated the 15th day of February, 2023, was issued by the Honourable Lieutenant Governor of the province of Ontario and was addressed to Ryan Leverton, returning officer for the electoral district of Hamilton Centre, for the election of a member to represent the said electoral district of Hamilton Centre in the Legislative Assembly of this province in the room of Andrea Horwath who, since her election as representative of the said electoral district of Hamilton Centre, has resigned.

“This is to certify that, a poll having been granted and held in Hamilton Centre on the 16th day of March, 2023, Sarah Jama has been returned as duly elected as appears by the return of the said writ of election, dated the 24th day of March, 2023, which is now lodged of record in my officer.

“Yours sincerely,

“Greg Essensa, Chief Electoral Officer.”

Ms. Jama was escorted into the House by Ms. Stiles and Mr. Vanthof.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to you and to the House Sarah Jama, member-elect for the electoral district of Hamilton Centre, who has taken the oath and signed the roll and now claims the right to take her seat.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Let the honourable member take her seat.

Applause.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I beg to inform the House that, pursuant to standing order 2, the member for Hamilton Centre is authorized to indicate her desire to be recognized by the Chair to speak by raising her hand; is authorized to signify during any proceeding relating to voting and divisions by raising her hand; to signify by raising her hand in any proceeding that requires members to stand in their places; and to similarly signify by raising her hand in any relevant proceedings in any committee of the assembly.

It is now time for oral questions.

Question Period

Health care

Ms. Marit Stiles: Good morning, Speaker. This is a moment in history right here today—very exciting.

My question is to the Premier. Not every Ontarian has an OHIP card—migrant workers who help keep our agriculture sector going through back-breaking labour, out-of-status workers in the construction sector who face risks on the job, and refugees fleeing violence in conflicts around the world. Through you, Speaker: Does the Premier think the uninsured should be eligible for urgent medical care?

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

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Congratulations to the member from Hamilton Centre on your victory and coming here to join us in the House.

Absolutely, we as a government understand the valuable work that our immigrant workers play, which is why we continue to fund those services through OHIP-funded services. The member opposite has on the NDP website today, right now, false information, Speaker, and I don’t use that word lightly. They are suggesting to the general public that individuals who have come to Ontario are not going to get services in the province of Ontario. It is factually incorrect. And it continues to be on their website, even though multiple sources, including the Toronto Star, have told them that in fact that is not the case.

Would the member opposite respectfully remove that false information from their website?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m going to caution the minister on her language.

Supplementary question.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Wow. Well, Speaker, this Minister of Health should be listening to the physicians across this province who are telling her what this is going to mean for their patients. On a very busy Friday, it was revealed that the government is eliminating the Physician and Hospital Services for Uninsured Persons Program. This is going to make it harder for refugees, for unhoused people and for those with mental health challenges to access urgent health care.

That this government is making these cuts while redirecting public money out of public care and into the private pockets of a few connected people makes this even more shocking.

Speaker, my question is to the Premier: Why did his government choose to eliminate this simple, yet compassionate, program?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: The member opposite should know full well that this program was put in place when individuals could not travel in the province of Ontario at the beginning of the pandemic, when we had limitations on individuals who needed to be able to return to their homes, to their home communities. That was removed. Because of that, we put in a funding model that ensured that individuals who were in Ontario could get the medical coverage they needed.

I want to reinforce: We have 75 community health centres spread across Ontario that have funding models that ensure that they can provide necessary health services for individuals who, for any number of reasons, do not have an up-to-date OHIP card. We have temporary foreign workers who have programs provided by the federal government to ensure that they have health care funding in the province of Ontario.

Again, Speaker, I would urge the member opposite to take down the misinformation because it is seeding unnecessary fear in the people of Ontario, and it’s wrong.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock for a second. I’m going to again caution the member. It’s causing some concern on the other side of the House, but I don’t believe that the minister said anything unparliamentary.

Final supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: So I guess the answer is: They are going to go ahead and end that program. That’s what we’re hearing now.

I want to try this out on you: “Devastatingly cruel”; “A big mistake”; “A regressive decision”; “Harmful and cruel”; “Unconscionable”—not my words, Speaker, but those of physicians across this province who are talking about this government’s decision to eliminate this program.

Speaker, the Premier seems to have no problem finding ways to help out people that he knows, his friends, but when it comes to helping Ontarians who are in need, he’s willing to turn his back.

So my question to the Premier again is: Will he reverse his decision to end this program and finally put those in need ahead of his insider friends?

Interjections.

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

The Minister of Health to reply.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Speaker, I will be as clear as I can, unlike the NDP news release that is spreading false information. There is no change—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’m going to ask the minister to withdraw—

Hon. Sylvia Jones: I withdraw.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): —and conclude her response.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: I would respectfully ask that the NDP take down a press release that is seeding fear unnecessarily in the province of Ontario. There is no change in the way that uninsured persons will receive care in the province of Ontario.

The only change is how hospitals, community health and midwifery centres will be reimbursed for insuring and providing that care.

Government policies

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, I’ll tell you something else that Ontario needs. Ontario needs 1.5 million new homes over 10 years to keep up with demand. The NDP has proposed many ideas—

Interjections.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Yes, we did.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order. I’m going to ask the government side not to interrupt the Leader of the Opposition when she has the floor the way they just did. Please don’t do it again.

Restart the clock. The Leader of the Opposition has the floor.

Ms. Marit Stiles: We need them; these folks aren’t delivering them.

The NDP has proposed many ideas to achieve this, such as updating zoning rules to allow more affordable missing-middle housing and investing in hundreds of thousands of new affordable and non-market homes.

The government has said no to every single solution we present. Instead, they focus their attention on carving up the greenbelt, a decision that will only help a few insiders while everybody else is being left behind.

Speaker, the government’s own budget shows that new housing starts are going down in Ontario instead of up. Does the Premier really think that his plan is working?

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

Hon. Steve Clark: Speaker, over the last two years, housing starts have reached a level that this province hasn’t seen in over 30 years. Last year, rental housing was at an all-time high. We’ve never had more rental housing starts than we did last year.

Speaker, the member can say all she wants, but the facts are right in Hansard. When we proposed to give a break to non-profit housing, they voted against it. When we decided to make it cheaper and easier to build more purpose-built rentals and provided those incentives, her party voted against it. Time and time and time again, we present positive opportunities to create better gentle density in neighbourhoods, more rental opportunities, and more non-profits. It’s the NDP that is the party of no. They are the ones—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member will take his seat.

The supplementary question?

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, that’s all a bit rich, because last week’s budget has no new funding to build new social housing or even to protect the ones that are already built. And the Premier’s own Housing Affordability Task Force said that a shortage of land was not the cause of the housing crisis. They said we need to make better use of land already available. The NDP supports this principle, but this Premier does not. He ignored his own task force and targeted prime farmland and the greenbelt for destruction. Now, the budget shows that housing starts are going down instead of up.

Speaker, to the Premier, will he admit that his housing policies are failing?

Hon. Steve Clark: Speaker, you’ve got to be kidding me. In Minister Bethlenfalvy’s budget, the number 1 and number 2 asks for municipalities: (1) we need more supportive housing—$202 million we’re adding to the homelessness prevention program; (2) wraparound mental health and addiction services with those supportive housing units. We have delivered exactly what municipalities asked as their number 1 and number 2 asks.

It’s going to be very interesting though, Speaker, to see if the Leader of the Opposition and Ontario New Democrats support the number 1 and number 2 requests from 444 municipalities.

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

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, this Premier and his government need to get out there and actually listen to Ontarians, because I can tell you, their budget completely missed the moment and failed Ontarians. Not only is the Premier targeting farmland and the greenbelt, but he’s targeting tenants, too. He trashed rent protections for tenants, he made evictions easier and he’s threatening rental replacement bylaws that are going to put existing affordable rental homes at risk. The Premier’s policies have failed tenants and made them more vulnerable at a time when people are really hurting out there.

Speaker, my question is to the Premier again: Will he protect tenants by bringing back real rent control and invest meaningfully in affordable and non-market housing?

Hon. Steve Clark: Speaker, I already talked about our historic levels of rental construction last year but, you know, she mentioned the word “listen.” Well, I’ve got a few quotes that I’d like her to listen to. Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie from the city of Toronto: “I want to thank Premier Doug Ford and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy for committing ... $48 million in this budget for wraparound services ... for 2,000 vulnerable residents in” Toronto’s supportive housing.

Hon. Todd Smith: What else you got?

Hon. Steve Clark: Mayor Bonnie Crombie from the city of Mississauga, chair of OBCM: “Ontario’s Big City Mayors have been calling on the province to address the mental health, addictions and homelessness crisis we are experiencing in our communities and today’s announcement for over a half a billion for mental health and addictions, and an additional $202 million per year for the next three years in homelessness prevention will have a big impact in the ability of our cities to provide residents with the support and the resources they need.”

That’s who we’re listening to.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Stop the clock. Members will please take their seats. The House will come to order.

Start the clock. The next question, the member for Waterloo.

Ontario budget

Ms. Catherine Fife: Budgets should reflect the needs of the people that were elected to serve. During budget consultations, we heard from Ontarians who presented solutions to the major issues facing Ontarians who are facing record evictions, barriers in access to family doctors or even access to an open emergency room in this province. People in Ontario are hurting, but there was no sense of urgency in budget 2023. In fact, one editorial said, “If this budget were a Christmas present, it would be a three-pack of white socks. Not entirely useless. But an exercise in going through the motions.”

Why didn’t this government listen to the people of this province? Because they presented solutions to our health care crisis, to a housing crisis and, yes, to a climate change crisis.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Minister of Finance.

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Thank you for the question. I, too, want to congratulate the member from Hamilton Centre and welcome her to the House.

Mr. Speaker, my great parliamentary assistants from Oakville and Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound criss-crossed the province to listen to people—me, too. We went around the province and we heard from the people of Ontario. And do you know what they said? They said, “Yes, times are tough. The price of everything is going up. Thank you for acting in the budget of 2022.” And, by the way, Mr. Speaker, what did the opposition do on that budget? They voted no.

Well, then, we went to the fall economic statement, where we continued the gas-tax cut and increasing the minimum wage; lower taxes for the lowest-income workers of this province; ODSP, GAINS—I could go on. Which way did the opposition vote? Yes or no?

Interjections: No.

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: So you have an opportunity now: budget 2023, which continues an historic investment in the people of Ontario to build a strong Ontario. Which way are you going to vote? Yes or—

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

Ms. Catherine Fife: Budgets are about choices, Mr. Speaker, and we are seeing record evictions, up 22%. Yet this government refuses to provide rent control. RNAO has said, “Budget 2023 won’t address the health care staffing shortage.” Wages are still capped at 1%. You cannot recruit new nurses into a broken system.

Municipalities were promised to be made whole by the minister after Bill 23 removed the development charges and compromised cities’ abilities to actually produce housing in the province of Ontario. In fact, budget 2023 contains a $124-million cut.

Education: School boards are facing millions in shortfalls with depleted reserves, and OSSTF notes that the entire budget change for the education sector comes from the federal child care money—which leads to a general question about transparency in the budgeting of this government.

Will this government be amenable to fixing this budget? Because we are focused on solutions on this side of the House.

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Speaker, where to begin? First off, I’d like to just highlight that the education budget went up by another $2.3 billion in this budget.

As we listened right across Ontario, do you know what they asked for? They asked for health care. Well, this budget gets $4 billion from the federal government over the next three years—which is true; we’ll give you that. Do you know how much we’re investing in the people of Ontario in health care? It’s $15 billion over the next three years—this government. And do you know what that $15 billion does? It goes to pay nurses; it goes to pay personal support workers, physicians, therapists—you name it. We are supporting our health care workers.

In fact, we put in an additional $80 million over three years to expand our nursing education for 1,000 registered nurses, 500 registered practical nurses and 150 nurse practitioners.

Please join us and vote for the budget and support our health care workers.

Economic development

Mr. Lorne Coe: My question is for the Minister of Finance. To begin, congratulations to the minister on the introduction of the budget that lays out our government’s plan to build a strong Ontario economy. Under the leadership of Premier Ford and this minister, the province is on a steady path to meet any challenge that comes our way.

However, Ontarians know that we’re not immune from the effects of global economic uncertainty, high interest rates and inflation. All these factors can adversely impact the ability of manufacturers to grow, innovate and become more competitive while creating new jobs.

Speaker, can the minister please explain what steps our government is taking to create the right conditions for expansion in Ontario’s manufacturing sector?

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: First off, I want to thank the very hard-working gentleman from Whitby.

Mr. Speaker, these are uncertain times; there’s no question. We are working hard to build a more certain future for future generations by focusing on the economy, the infrastructure and our workers in this province.

Last week, I talked about a road trip that we took around the province. We made multiple stops around the province, and one of the stops that we should have made was in Brampton. Do you know what is happening in Brampton, Mr. Speaker? We are supporting auto manufacturing in Brampton, which had left, which was leaving the province—300,000 manufacturing jobs leaving the province over the last decade and a half. Guess what, Mr. Speaker? They’re coming back. They’re coming back to Brampton, to Oshawa, to Oakville, to Windsor—right across this province.

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

Mr. Lorne Coe: Thank you to the minister for that great response. It’s encouraging to know that our government is continuing to support local communities by attracting key investments that protect jobs. The clear, decisive and targeted investments announced by our government will help contribute to the creation and retention of thousands of good-paying jobs. In contrast to the previous Liberal government, with its reckless policies and complete disregard for the manufacturing sector, our government is leading with a balanced and sound approach that will benefit individuals, families and our communities.

Speaker, can the minister please elaborate on how the proposed Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit will improve our province’s competitive edge?

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Well, Mr. Speaker, as was mentioned earlier, the mayor of Windsor is here today, and part of that road trip—

Interjection: A champion.

Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy: Yes, he’s a champion; he’s a good guy, too. We did that road trip and we stopped in Windsor, because do you know what? We’re bringing back good jobs through Stellantis building a battery manufacturing plant. We’re building a new hospital there. We’re building roads.

But here’s the thing: The businesses that are risking their capital will benefit with the Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit. This will help literally hundreds and thousands of businesses that support the supply chain, secondary and tertiary manufacturers who are investing their own capital to create jobs, to create new opportunities for families. That’s why we’re investing in this tax credit. If passed, it will help cities like Windsor, it will help the workers in Windsor and it will help Ontario prosper.

Optometry services

MPP Lise Vaugeois: Preventive care keeps older Ontarians out of hospitals and emergency rooms. Currently, seniors can access an eye exam every 12 months, but under this government’s new rules, they will have to wait 18 months to get an exam covered by OHIP. This is a move to push seniors into using privatized services that many seniors cannot afford, nor should they have to.

To the Premier: Why is this government jeopardizing seniors’ health by reducing access to OHIP-covered eye care?

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

Hon. Sylvia Jones: I am incredibly proud of the work that our team was able to do, ratifying an agreement with the Ontario Association of Optometrists for the first time since 2011. Some 98% of Ontario optometrists voted in support of this deal. Why? Because they understood clinically—and we worked very closely with the Ontario Association of Optometrists, and I really have to thank them for their commitment to getting this deal done.

They worked very closely to ensure that we were looking at all of the services, where they needed to be expanded—which, of course, we have expanded in appropriate areas like access to glaucoma—and also saying, “Where are those investments and where do those pieces need to be?” Is it a healthy 65-year-old who has no eye issues or is it that young patient who has diabetes, that senior who has—

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

And the supplementary question: the member for Nickel Belt.

M me France Gélinas: I think we all know that good vision has a huge impact on our quality of life. The move that has been done by this minister leads me to ask: What body of evidence that was used does the minister have to support her decision to reduce access to eye care for vulnerable seniors with deteriorating vision? What is the body of evidence that supports the move that this government is doing?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: The body of evidence is the Ontario Association of Optometrists, who are the experts in this field, ratifying this agreement by 98%. The new funding agreement will actually increase care for people with chronic diseases such as glaucoma and ocular complications due to diabetes. Why, Speaker? Because Ontario optometrists understand that that is where the focus needs to be, where people who have active and engaged issues have eye care that is immediate and there for them. This agreement does this, and again, I am very proud of the work that our team has done settling this.

Ontario film and television industry

Mr. Brian Riddell: My question is for Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. The film production industry has been a major success story in Cambridge, and we welcome the tremendous economic injection into our local economy from domestic and foreign film productions. Nearly $900,000 was brought in just last year.

One production that has been filmed here since its first season is The Handmaid’s Tale, which became Cambridge’s unofficial claim to fame on the small screen. While viewers greatly enjoy this show as it wraps up its final season, local businesses in my community greatly benefited from the production and the work completed here.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government is supporting the film industry in Ontario, especially in communities like mine, with new film and cinema production opportunities?

Hon. Neil Lumsden: Mr. Speaker, you bet I can. That’s a great question. I also appreciate the member recognizing what happens within his community when the film and television industry comes in not for a visit, but to do their work and stay for a while. The ripple effect is positive for everybody. Thank you for noticing.

The film and television production industries continue to thrive. Some people might say to me, as they have before, “Thrive? How could they have thrived?” Well, let me tell you: 2022 was the best year ever. Hard to believe, but that goes to show you what a great industry it is. It is thriving, as I said, and it has wonderful people driving the bus—highest productions ever. I don’t like to say numbers but I will say it’s over $3 billion back into the economy. That’s 46,000 jobs.

This is an industry that’s moving forward aggressively—

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

The supplementary question.

Mr. Brian Riddell: Thank you to the minister for that response. It’s positive that our government is committed to making these targeted investments in Ontario’s growing film and television sector, but is there more that can be done to solidify Ontario’s position as a first-rate centre for film and television production?

Besides enjoying the annual growth of this industry and the benefits to our economy, the people of Ontario expect our government to ensure we have a permanent foundation for homegrown film and television industries. Can the minister please elaborate on the outlook for the film and television industry in Ontario?

Hon. Neil Lumsden: Thank you for the question. We’re not as reliant on international productions as we used to be. Domestic film and television production was up 25% last year. Confidence in Ontario was—

Interjection.

Hon. Neil Lumsden: Go ahead; 25% is a big deal. Confidence isn’t just within Ontario; it’s from outside of Ontario as well. There is a very large—might I say massive—production studio being built, 1.2 million square feet, in Markham, Ontario. It’s being done by a gentleman who grew up in Canada and who is a star in the film industry, Ryan Reynolds. His company is building this. There are more than just a few people, Mr. Speaker, who have confidence in Ontario and what they’re doing, on top of which, driving jobs, driving revenue, good-paying careers for people down the road in this industry—a great opportunity for young people.

Education funding

Ms. Chandra Pasma: Our schools are facing significant cuts to the supports our children need next year, yet this government’s new budget continues to massively underspend on education. If the government had just kept up with inflation since 2018, they would be spending $2.5 billion more on education. That doesn’t even take into account the additional supports our kids need because of the pandemic.

Will the government finally invest in our children, reimburse school boards for their COVID expenses and provide the stable and adequate funding our children need?

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

Hon. Stephen Lecce: I thank the member opposite for the question. I am very proud to confirm that the budget increases funding in the public education school system by $2.3 billion, of which $1.3 billion specifically in baseline education funding is up from the year prior, Mr. Speaker. This year, compared to last year, it’s up $671 million. Every single year, we’ve increased funding.

In fact, under the Premier’s leadership, funding is up, compared to the former Liberals, by 27% in the Ministry of Education. That is an investment in children.

We’ve hired 8,000 more staff. We have 200 more principals. We have another 800 more teachers.

Mr. Speaker, we just announced a $15-billion investment to build new schools after the systematic closure of schools under the former Liberals. We’re going to con-tinue to invest and ensure these kids get back on track.

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

Ms. Chandra Pasma: The only thing historic about this government’s education spending, Speaker, is their inability to get the funding out the door.

How are we going to keep these kids safe? How are we going to help them succeed? Where is the plan? And where are the resources to make sure that every child can thrive in our schools?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: I thank the member opposite for the question. We, of course, are very committed to all children, including those with special education needs, with exceptionalities within our schools. It’s why, in the funding announced last year for this school year, we increased the special education budget by $92 million in addition to the hiring of 7,000 education workers, which include EAs, which are so consequential to the life of those kids.

Mr. Speaker, the special education budget this year is up to $3.2 billion. That is the highest level it has ever been in our province’s history. I assure the member opposite that for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, we are working together across the ministry to ensure they have the supports, the resources and the staff in place to succeed in our schools.

Housing

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: A glorious morning, everyone, and welcome to the new member from Hamilton Centre.

Housing is an issue that is top of mind for most Ontarians. For many, owning a home is completely out of reach, and finding a home to rent is also a struggle. There are simply not enough homes to go around and not enough that are affordable.

Enter the government, with their impressive, albeit lofty, goal to build 1.5 million homes in the next 10 years.

Last week, we received the 2023 Ontario budget. The government projects over 80,000 housing starts a year for the next three years. This is a substantial decrease from the forecast in last year’s budget, and if we continue this way, we’ll need to build almost 200,000 homes a year thereafter. This will be next to impossible, Mr. Speaker.

Can the Premier explain to Ontarians how the government plans on achieving the goal of 1.5 million homes in 10 years based on the numbers we saw in the budget last week and considering we are already behind schedule?

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

Hon. Steve Clark: I want to thank the member for Beaches–East York for her question. As I said earlier in the House, over the last two years, we’ve seen housing starts in Ontario the likes that we had not seen in over 30 years. In fact, on the rental piece, as I said earlier, it’s the highest amount of starts in Ontario’s history last year.

We need everyone, all three levels of government, to work together.

I want to specifically talk about the member for Beaches–East York because she repeatedly, as a member of Toronto city council, voted to exempt development charges on affordable housing, supporting the city of Toronto’s Open Door Affordable Housing Program. I want her to take the same principles from when she was at Toronto city council and apply them to support our measures in More Homes Built Faster, because that’s exactly what we need to do.

We need to incent non-profit housing. We need to incent more rental opportunities—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Thank you very much. The minister will take his seat.

Supplementary question?

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: To the member opposite, I am darn proud of my track record on building housing at Toronto city council.

We know people want to live in existing communities, in urban centres and vibrant neighbourhoods, with access to infrastructure they need to enjoy a fruitful life: schools, public transit, parks, hospitals, shops. We should focus on creative solutions—building up and not building out, not creating more sprawl. It can and should be done. Homes don’t have to be built in the greenbelt. They don’t have to be built on flood plains and wetlands. They don’t have to be built in areas where you need to access everything by car.

Mr. Speaker, my question is, will the government be focusing on building in existing communities, and if so, what are some of the solutions that they are exploring and how will they do so quickly, efficiently and sustainably?

Hon. Steve Clark: Speaker, I think one of the best initiatives the government has put forward was on Thursday in Minister Bethlenfalvy’s budget, where we provided an additional $202 million to Ontario’s 444 municipalities, including the city of Toronto. I read Deputy Mayor McKelvie’s glowing support for the budget and the initiatives we put in under the Homelessness Prevention Program and also the wraparound services for supportive housing that are in the budget for mental health and addictions. Also, because I know she’s a big advocate for housing, I’m glad that she has indicated she will continue to support our government’s policies on non-profit.

“The Ontario Alliance to End Homelessness is pleased to see this significant investment in homelessness services from the government of Ontario. This is a much-needed increase in funding to help address the homelessness crisis affecting municipalities throughout the province.”

Again to the member, I hope she continues to support our budget and support those initiatives to help prevent—

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

The next question.

Red tape reduction

Mr. Graham McGregor: My question is for the Minister of Red Tape Reduction. Red tape gets in the way of businesses and is a waste of time, energy and money. Unnecessary and outdated regulations implemented by the previous Liberal government, backed by the NDP, led to frustrations, delays, and compromised Ontario’s competitive economic advantage over other jurisdictions.

Under the leadership of the Premier and this minister, our government is following through on our promise to tackle the inconvenience and hardship of pointless fees, complicated paperwork and duplicative processes. While significant success has been achieved to make life easier through the Less Red Tape, Stronger Ontario Act, more work needs to be done.

Speaker, can the minister please explain what positive impacts the people of our province can expect to see as a result of this legislation?

Hon. Parm Gill: I want to thank the hard-working member for Brampton North for the important question. We know that under the previous Liberal government, supported by the NDP, the province was drowning under red tape. Of course, we know that businesses were fleeing our province and families were having a hard time making ends meet.

Since 2018, reducing red tape has been one of the top priorities for this government, and we have been working hard. We’ve introduced nine different bills to help Ontarians when it comes to unnecessary red tape burden. What all of that means, Mr. Speaker: It means saving businesses and individuals over half a billion dollars in annual costs. Of course, our most recent bill, Bill 46, the Less Red Tape, Stronger Ontario Act, again includes a number of meaningful, impactful legislative and regulatory changes to boost our economic growth and modernize our government processes. And we will continue that hard work, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Graham McGregor: Thank you to the minister for that response. We know the Liberals and the NDP have never seen a regulation they didn’t want to duplicate or a tax they didn’t want to double. The people of this province expect our government to find solutions that drive our economy forward, strengthen the resiliency of our local supply chains, and make government programs and services accessible and easy to understand.

People and businesses in my riding and right across the province are best placed to help our government identify and eliminate outdated regulations and burdensome red tape. A focused and collaborative approach will ensure our continued economic success. Their knowledge and expertise will pinpoint unnecessary rules that do not serve a purpose and those that could be improved.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government will engage with Ontarians to identify how best to remove regulatory barriers?

Hon. Parm Gill: I want to thank my colleague for that question. Again, one of my priorities as the Minister of Red Tape Reduction—and I know our government, under the leadership of our Premier—is to hear from as many businesses and individuals as possible and to hear their first-hand experience and learn from that. Last week, I had an opportunity to meet with another consultation group from the retail council sector, which was very productive. I can tell you that their insight and recommendations are what help inform our red tape bill. I am proud to say that my team and I are already working on our next red tape bill.

We will continue to engage with all Ontarians to generate new ideas on how we can continue to remove unnecessary red tape and continue to build on the tremendous success we’ve had so far. The people of this province deserve nothing less.

Tenant protection

MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam: In 2019, Nicole’s landlord filed for a personal-use eviction. She later learned that this was misrepresentation. Today, Nicole is still waiting for an LTB hearing after moving into a new apartment that costs her now twice as much. LTB’s own data shows that landlords are being fast-tracked for hearings over tenants.

Can the Premier explain why he is making tenants wait so long for access to justice?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Attorney General.

Hon. Doug Downey: Thank you to the member opposite for the question. This really starts with the Liberals letting a system crumble and the NDP standing by while it happens. As we’ve brought forward significant resources, a record number of adjudicators, during COVID, we protected tenants by putting a pause on evictions.

But when we brought forward investments for recruitment, the NDP voted against it. And when we brought forward investments for back-office support in the millions of dollars, the NDP voted against it. And when we brought forward almost $14 million to help with accelerating the hearings and the systems, the NDP voted against it.

We’ve made significant investments in the back end of the system, because the Liberals had let it crumble and the NDP stood by. I’d be pleased to talk about those in the supplementary.

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

MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam: Inadequate funding and flawed budgets aren’t anything to brag about. After waiting three years, my St. James Town constituents received an LTB ruling that ordered them to repay their landlords hundreds of thousands of dollars, reversing a prior rent reduction. If they can’t pay and repay in 16 days, these new rental arrears may lead to evictions. They had to wait over three years for a hearing. They just got their ruling. Now they have 16 days to pay.

Why is it agreeable to this Premier that tenants have to wait so long for access to justice?

Hon. Doug Downey: It’s worth noting that the independent tribunal does strike a balance between protecting the landlords’ and the tenants’ rights and sets its own docket accordingly. But instead of the performative questions from the NDP, we’re actually taking action and we’re getting the job done. We have invested $28 million in a new system. It’s a huge improvement which we learned about and adopted from the NDP in British Columbia. It’s a phenomenal system. It came fully online at Christmas. We have 60,000 individuals who have used it so far to navigate the system.

Mr. Speaker, I’m very proud of the work that we’re doing. We have more work to do. I look forward to the NDP supporting us at some point for something to help move us forward.

Economic development

Mr. Brian Riddell: This time, my question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. For years, the previous Liberal government sent hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs out of the province, including my riding of Cambridge. But they were also responsible for sending droves of IT jobs south of the border, leaving Ontario unprepared for the industries and jobs of the future. That’s why we have taken action to rebuild the province’s advanced manufacturing and IT sector jobs, all while growing the economy and creating these great jobs.

Speaker, in competitive sectors that employ hundreds of thousands of workers, will the minister please explain how our government is tracking new investment and ensuring Ontario is open for business?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Speaker, just this morning, we welcomed a $40 million investment from VueReal. This is a made-in-Ontario start-up in Waterloo region. VueReal has become a leader in the development and manufacturing of MicroLED displays and sensors. They’re used in devices in aerospace, automotive and medtech. This investment, with a $2-million support from the province, will boost local manufacturing and strengthen clean-tech innovation while creating 75 new, good-paying jobs in the process.

Speaker, this is how we’re bringing new life to local manufacturing, and this is how we are building Ontario.

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

Mr. Brian Riddell: Thank you, Minister, for your answer. It’s great to hear the government is focusing on the province’s advanced manufacturing and IT sectors that are attracting significant investment to the project and the province, including homegrown start-ups. It’s clear that these types of investments are only possible because Ontario has created the right conditions for companies to grow and thrive.

Speaker, with today’s announcement from VueReal, can the minister please elaborate on what conditions these are and explain why companies are choosing my riding of Cambridge and Ontario?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: From lowering the cost of doing business by $8 billion—yes, $8 billion—annually, to putting Ontario on the map as the second largest tech cluster in North America, with the Waterloo region accounting for a significant portion from that cluster, we are doing everything it takes to make Ontario the most competitive place to invest and grow.

We have 26,000 tech companies, over 400,000 tech employees, 65,000 STEM grads every year—all