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May 12, 2025

44th Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2025-May-12 (PDF)

L012 - Mon 12 May 2025 / Lun 12 mai 2025

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Monday 12 May 2025 Lundi 12 mai 2025

Orders of the Day

Primary Care Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur les soins primaires

Members’ Statements

Cancer Assistance Halton Hills

Hospital parking fees

National Police Week

Événements divers à Glengarry–Prescott–Russell

Waterloo region economy

Canadian cadet program / Volunteer service awards

Services for persons with disabilities

Construction workers

King Charles III Coronation Medal

Introduction of Visitors

House sittings

Question Period

Health care

Hospital funding

Government accountability

Government accountability

First Nations police services

Government accountability

Energy policies

Health care funding

Job creation

Energy policies

Public transit

Ontario Disability Support Program

Seniors’ services

Nurses

Transportation infrastructure

Notice of dissatisfaction

Deferred Votes

Throne speech debate

Notice of dissatisfaction

Member’s birthday

Introduction of Visitors

Introduction of Government Bills

Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour protéger l’Ontario en construisant plus rapidement et plus efficacement

Petitions

Education funding

Medical assistance in dying

Visitor parking fees

Education funding

Affordable housing

Education funding

Health care

Education funding

Opposition Day

Hospital funding / Financement des hôpitaux

Orders of the Day

More Convenient Care Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour plus de soins commodes

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Primary Care Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur les soins primaires

Ms. Jones moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 13,

An Act respecting primary care / Projet de loi 13, Loi concernant les soins primaires.

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

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Thank you very much, Speaker, and good morning.

I will be sharing my time with both of my parliamentary assistants—MPP Anthony Leardi, the member for Essex, and MPP John Jordan, the member for Lanark–Frontenac–Kingston—incredible, outstanding advocates for their communities and for building a strong, patient-centred health care system focused on meeting the needs of people and their families.

I would also like to express my deepest appreciation to Ontario’s extraordinary doctors, nurses and many other health care allied professional workers in our province. Each and every day, Ontario’s dedicated health care workers provide incredible care to patients and their families. They are pillars in our communities and have a tremendous impact on so many Ontarian lives. Our government is very grateful for everything our health care workers do to support the people of Ontario.

One of our government’s critical health care priorities, of course, is to increase Ontario’s access to primary care. Primary care provided by a family doctor, a nurse practitioner or primary care team is the first point of access to health care services for most Ontarians. Primary care is a foundation of our province’s health care system, providing comprehensive and coordinated care at every stage of life, and connects patients to specialists when needed. Primary care can help prevent trips to the emergency department or, indeed, hospitalizations, helping patients get the right care in the right place.

Health systems with strong primary care have better health outcomes, and they help reduce the reliance on more costly forms of care. Studies have indicated that primary care visits are 33% of the cost of a visit to, for example, an emergency department, and there are 36% fewer emergency visits for those connected to a primary care provider.

In recent years, our government has announced a number of investments to increase access to team-based primary care, as well as providing support to all existing interprofessional primary care teams through ongoing operational funding for their facilities and their supplies so that they continue to provide high-quality care to the people of Ontario.

In February of 2024, we announced an investment of $110 million in 2024-25 to connect up to 328,000 Ontarians to primary care teams, as part of 78 new or expanded interprofessional primary care teams. These new and expanded teams included family health teams, nurse practitioner-led clinics, community health centres and Indigenous primary health care organizations.

In the 2024 budget, our government invested to a total of $546 million over three years starting in 2024-25 to connect approximately 600,000 Ontarians to new and expanded interprofessional primary care teams.

In the fall of 2024, our government appointed Dr. Jane Philpott as the chair and lead of a newly established primary care action team with a mandate to connect every person in Ontario to primary care by 2029. The team has developed and is implementing a primary care action plan to help achieve this objective.

In January of this year, our government announced an investment of more than $1.8 billion to add more than 300 new primary care health care teams across Ontario. This investment includes $1.4 billion in new funding, alongside more than $400 million in already approved funding for primary care. These historic investments in primary care will connect two million more Ontarians to a publicly funded family doctor or primary care team within four years, enabling us to accomplish our goal of connecting everyone in the province to a family doctor or a primary care team.

Last month, the province launched a call for proposals to create and expand up to 80 primary care teams that will connect 300,000 more Ontarians to a family doctor and primary care team this year. To support this call for proposals, we are investing $213 million, which is part of the $1.8-billion primary care investment.

Today, we are taking another step forward and building on the tremendous progress we have made in primary care by introducing the Primary Care Act, as well as investing up to $300 million to support 17 primary care teaching clinics, which will train and grow the supply of new family doctors and other health care professionals, helping support the expansion of primary care capacity and high quality patient care in Ontario. If passed, the Primary Care Act would set out a long-term enduring vision for the future of Ontario’s primary care system.

The proposed legislation would establish six objectives for the government’s design, implementation and maintenance of Ontario’s primary care system, informing what Ontarians should expect when accessing primary care. If passed, Ontario would be the first Canadian jurisdiction to establish an enduring vision for primary care by legislation.

The first objective is that the primary care system should be province-wide. This means that every person across the province who is insured through OHIP should have the opportunity to have a documented and ongoing relationship with a primary care clinician or team.

The second objective is that primary care in Ontario should be connected, providing insured persons with the opportunity to receive primary care that is coordinated with existing health and social services.

Convenient primary care is the third objective, meaning that insured persons should have access to timely primary care services.

The fourth objective is that the primary care system must be inclusive. Insured persons should have the opportunity to receive primary care that is free from barriers.

The fifth objective is that primary care empowers patients. Insured persons should be able to access their personal health information through a digitally integrated primary care system that connects patients and clinicians involved in the insured person’s care.

The final objective is that primary care should be responsive. The primary care system should adapt to the needs of the communities it serves and should have access to information about how the system is performing and adapting.

The proposed legislation is in alignment with existing health care legislation, obligations and accountability structures, including service agreements, and we intend to provide opportunities for organizations, for partners and the public to provide their feedback and input about the objectives and framework we have proposed should this legislation move forward.

Through our government’s record investments in primary care, Ontario has achieved the highest rate of access to a regular health care provider in the country, including family doctors and primary health care teams. But we are not resting on this achievement. Our government has made a clear goal to connect every person in the province to primary care over the next four years, and I am confident that with our investment and Dr. Philpott’s leadership that the primary care action team will keep our province moving forward.

Dr. Philpott has also worked with partners from the Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Ontario Health Team to develop the innovative health home model, a new approach to primary care originally called the Periwinkle model.

Drawing from the health home model of care, our best-in-class models of primary care in Ontario and the input from primary care health care leaders across the province, Dr. Philpott is leading the implementation of the primary care action team to further expand effective, team-based primary health care across Ontario and close the gap for the remaining 10% of people in the province in need of primary care, which is supported by our government’s historic, transformational investment of $1.8 billion in funding for primary care.

Through our province’s primary care action team, we are implementing a broad series of initiatives in collaboration with primary care leaders and health system partners. In addition to attaching everyone in our province to a primary care clinician or team, we are also focused on making primary care more connected and convenient and supporting primary care clinicians.

To ensure transparency, we will provide regular public updates on the progress and performance of the plan, with reporting on how the system delivers on the following matrix:

—the number of people who have ongoing attachment to primary care, with a goal of 100%;

—the percentage of primary care providers who work in publicly funded interdisciplinary teams;

—how timely is access to comprehensive primary care, by identifying the percentage of people who can get an appointment on the same day or next day when needed.

The proposed Primary Care Act would also support this work, committing the Ministry of Health to issue an annual public report outlining how the government is working to achieve the objectives provided in this legislation and how we’re performing on our promise to attach Ontarians to a primary care clinician or team.

Another way the province has supported efforts to make primary care more connected and convenient is by working to modernize Health Care Connect to improve the user and provider experience with the goal of establishing a wait time target of no more than 12 months to be connected with a family doctor, nurse practitioner or primary care team.

Health Care Connect is a provincial program to help Ontarians who aren’t attached to primary care get attached. The program refers people to physicians and nurse practitioners who are accepting new patients in their community. In addition to establishing a wait-time target, the province prioritizes attaching everyone currently on the Health Care Connect wait-list to a primary care team.

To further support connected and convenient primary care, we are looking to leverage Health811, the province’s free, secure, confidential service that people can call or access online 24 hours a day and seven days a week to get health care advice from a registered nurse or to find health services or information in their community. We are looking to leverage Health811 so people are able to view online health records, book an appointment with a primary care provider and discover care options.

We are also enhancing digital tools for providers and patients, improving patient navigation, reducing administrative burden, modernizing information sharing and improving the referral process. And we are going to set regular performance indicators of primary care teams, including the number of patients attached, to ensure teams reach their maximum impact in connecting people to care.

Another pillar of building a strong primary care system is providing support to primary care providers. The province is introducing targeted strategies to recruit and retain the workforce needed to support primary care teams, including family doctors, nurse practitioners and other allied health care professionals.

Supporting primary care clinicians also means continuing to address the administrative burden they face by supporting the use of digital tools, targeted recruitment and retention strategies for, in particular, northern and rural communities that can face additional human resources challenges and ensuring all of Ontario’s highly qualified health care professionals can work to their full scope of practice.

We are also adding and expanding the number of primary care teaching clinics in collaboration with academic institutions and other partners. These new and expanded teaching clinics would support new primary care learners, such as physicians, nurse practitioners, nurse assistants, physician assistants, and in communities across Ontario, prioritizing underserved communities as new learners often choose to practise where they have trained.

Last week, it was indeed a pleasure to be joined by the Minister of Finance; the Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security; the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity; and Dr. Philpott at Toronto Metropolitan University’s new campus in Brampton to announce an investment of up to $300 million to support 17 primary care teaching clinics.

Ontario currently has 39 teaching clinics, and given the significant increases made for family medicine seats through the expansion of physician education and nurse practitioner seats in nursing schools, there is also a need to increase the number of teaching clinics.

In 2023, Ontario invested over $225 million over four years to expand nursing education in universities and colleges by increasing enrolment by 2,000 registered nurse, 1,000 practical nurse and 150 nurse practitioner seats. Because of these investments, 8,000 additional nurses will join the health care workforce by 2028.

Primary care teaching clinics are a recruitment pipeline for future years. Teaching clinics are team-based supportive environments, which help attract family doctors, nurse practitioners and other allied health care professionals to comprehensive primary care. Primary care teaching clinics are particularly important for recruitment in rural and northern communities, and there is research indicating that physicians who are educated in rural and northern Ontario are also more likely to set up practice and stay in these communities.

Speaker, our government has made significant investments in medical education, in implementing the largest medical school education expansion in more than a decade. This includes adding 340 additional seats for family medicine by 2028-29, representing a 67% increase in family medicine learners.

Our government has also expanded medical school education by adding 551 postgraduate positions to the medical system and, of course, creating a new medical school, with the Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine that is set to open in the summer of 2025 right in Brampton, and supporting York University in establishing a new medical school in Vaughan. York University’s medical school will be the first in Canada that is primarily focused on training primary care doctors and will help ensure that everyone in Ontario who wants to have a primary care provider can have access to one.

Our government has also announced that, starting in fall 2026, new legislative and regulatory changes would, if passed, require all Ontario medical schools to allocate at least 95% of all undergraduate medical school seats to residents in Ontario, with the remaining 5% reserved for seats from the rest of Canada.

Our government is further breaking down barriers for Ontario students to become family doctors by expanding the Learn and Stay grant to include students who are studying family medicine. Starting in 2026, the government is investing an estimated $88 million over three years to expand Learn and Stay grants to 1,360 eligible undergraduate students that commit to practise family medicine with a full roster of patients upon graduation. It is estimated that this total investment will enable the connection of an additional 1.36 million people to primary care, based on average attachment rates for family doctors.

The Learn and Stay grant funding will cover all tuition and other direct educational costs like books, supplies and equipment in exchange for a term of service as a physician in any community across Ontario. The Learn and Stay grant has already provided learners in eligible nursing, paramedicine or medical lab technology programs with funding, which is helping pay for their post-secondary education and is helping to bring in-demand health care workers to underserved communities across Ontario.

Our government has also continued to create new pathways to connect more people to primary care through the Practice Ready Ontario Program. Announced in December of last year, this program will break down barriers for 100 internationally trained family physicians so they’re able to be licensed more quickly and practise medicine in a rural or northern community this year. Each internationally educated physician who participates in the program is required to complete a 12-week assessment to ensure they have the skills and competencies needed to practise in Ontario.

This includes training in all aspects of rural family medicine across a variety of practice settings, including in-office, in-hospital, emergency department and long-term-care and home-care settings. The Practice Ready Ontario Program requires physicians to complete a three-year return of service as a family doctor in a rural or northern community, and this is expected to connect an additional 120,000 people to care that they need.

Nurse practitioners are also at the forefront of patient care in many communities and have been instrumental in improving access to care, especially for people living in rural, northern and remote areas across Ontario. In partnership with Ontario’s universities, our government has added 150 additional nurse practitioner training positions, bringing the total number of government-funded education seats from 200 up to 350, increasing the number of nurse practitioner education spots at schools by nearly 60%.

Through our primary care investments, we are already expanding and establishing new nurse practitioner-led clinics with the opportunity to do even more in the months and years ahead. This helps build on the important publicly funded care delivered by Ontario’s existing nurse practitioner-led clinics, which is supported by $46 million in provincial funding each and every year. This is another way our government is building on our progress to provide comprehensive, accessible and integrated family health care services to more Ontarians, including those who may face challenges accessing primary care while also bolstering our exceptional nursing work force.

Since 2018, nearly 100,000 additional nurses have been registered to work in Ontario. We’ve seen the number of nurse practitioners registered to practise in the province grow by 40%—to nearly 5,000—and more than 15,000 doctors have registered to work in Ontario.

Our government’s investments to expand medical education, training and supports is a critical part of our work to increase access to primary care providers. It helps support our vision that every person in Ontario has access to a publicly funded primary care team close to where they live, with each person attached to a family doctor or a primary care nurse practitioner where they will be able to receive ongoing, comprehensive, patient-centred, culturally safe, responsive and convenient care.

And people will be linked to a broader network of health professionals such as nurses, physician assistants, social workers and midwives and other wellness services and be seamlessly connected across the broader health care system.

Primary care can be organized similar to how the public school system is accessible to Ontarians no matter where they live. As people move within Ontario, they should be able to have an opportunity to have an ongoing relationship with a family doctor, a nurse practitioner or team in their community for continuous access to local care.

Primary care will the front door to our health care system. It will be reflective of the populations it serves, and it will align with the government’s objectives for the primary care system. Designed to work for both people and health care professionals, our government is continuing to build a primary care system with the objective that no matter where you live in Ontario, you will be connected to a primary care clinician or team.

The proposed Primary Care Act is another important way our government is building on our progress in health care and getting it done for the people of Ontario.

Speaker, it is now my pleasure to share my remaining time with my parliamentary assistant the member for Essex, who will speak further about how our primary care initiatives, including today’s proposed legislation, are integral to addressing the needs of the people of Ontario. Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos): I recognize the member for Essex.

M. Anthony Leardi: Merci à la ministre de la Santé. Ses conseils et son leadership ont joué un rôle essentiel dans le maintien et l’élargissement de l’accès des Ontariennes et Ontariens aux soins primaires.

Le projet de loi,

Loi sur les soins primaires, établira un cadre solide pour les soins primaires en Ontario. Il confirme le rôle fondamental que jouent les soins primaires dans notre système de soins de santé financé par les fonds publics, notamment en affirmant que les soins primaires doivent être le premier point de contact pour les personnes assurées qui cherchent à obtenir des soins de santé en Ontario Il reconnaît les avantages des soins primaires pour les systèmes de soins de santé dans son ensemble et le fait que les systèmes de soins de santé fondés sur des soins primaires solides améliorent la santé de la population, réduisent les coûts des soins et rendent plus équitable l’accès aux soins.

Nous reconnaissons également que les soins primaires dispensés en équipe peuvent accroître la capacité du système de santé et améliorer les résultats en matière de santé pour les patients tout en contribuant à la satisfaction des membres de l’équipe des soins primaires. Dans le cadre de ce projet de loi, nous envisageons un système de soins primaires fondé sur un ensemble d’objectifs établis en fonction des données probantes et des pratiques exemplaires. Il va également dans le sens de l’idée qu’il est essentiel pour assurer la promotion de la santé et l’efficacité du système de soins de santé de donner aux personnes les connaissances et l’information nécessaires pour assurer leur bien-être.

Le projet de loi répondra aux critères énoncés dans la

Loi canadienne sur la santé en matière de gestion publique, d’intégralité, d’universalité, de transférabilité et d’accessibilité. Le projet de loi va améliorer également l’accès aux services de soins primaires financés par les fonds publics dans le respect de la dignité et des droits de la personne des différentes communautés de l’Ontario, notamment les francophones, et les Premières Nations, les Inuits et les Métis.

Le projet de loi établit la vision du gouvernement en matière de soins primaires afin que les personnes assurées sachent à quoi s’attendre lorsqu’elles y accèdent.

Le projet de loi établira six objectifs pour la conception, la mise en oeuvre et le maintien par le gouvernement du système de soins primaires financé par les fonds publics de l’Ontario : les soins primaires doivent être accessibles à l’échelle de la province, reliés aux services de santé et sociaux existants, et commodes; les soins primaires doivent être exempts d’obstacles, et les patients doivent jouir d’une autonomie grâce à un système intégré numérique qui améliorerait les liens entre les patients et les cliniciens; et le système de soins primaires doit être réactif.

Le projet de loi exigerait que le ministère de la Santé prépare un rapport annuel qui décrit les efforts déployés par le gouvernement pour atteindre les objectifs énoncés dans le projet de loi concernant la conception, la mise en oeuvre et le maintien du système de soins primaires financé par les fonds publics. Le projet de loi prévoit la présentation au public par le gouvernement de rapports annuels dont le premier doit être présenté 12 mois après l’entrée en vigueur de la loi.

Cela comprendrait l’obligation de rendre compte du pourcentage de personnes assurées qui entretiennent une relation continue avec un clinicien ou une équipe de soins primaires, ainsi que d’autres indicateurs de rendement clés qui seront définis dans la réglementation.

Le gouvernement crée pour le système de soins primaires un cadre durable et transparent qui guidera toute adaptation future avec les principaux partenaires du système tels que les associations des cliniciens, les associations de patients et Santé Ontario, entre autres, et ce, de manière cohérente et uniforme.

Pendant le processus législatif, nous offrirons aux parties intéressées et au public d’autres possibilités d’examiner les détails du projet et de faire connaître leur point de vue. Lors des premières consultations, les intervenants ont exprimé leur soutien au mandat de l’équipe d’action pour les soins primaires et ont fourni des conseils utiles qui continueront d’éclairer les plans de mise en oeuvre du ministère. Nombre d’entre eux ont apprécié le fait d’avoir été consultés dès le début du processus et se sont montrés favorables aux consultations et aux discussions futures.

Le ministère mobilise ses partenaires à mesure que le cadre des soins primaires est déployé, notamment les Premières Nations et les autres partenaires autochtones, afin d’assurer l’intégration d’approches distinctes qui répondront aux besoins particuliers des Premières Nations, des Inuits et des Métis et de leurs communautés partout en Ontario.

Alors que l’Ontario met en place un système de soins primaires qui couvre l’ensemble de la province, il est essentiel de tenir compte des différents besoins locaux et régionaux au sein d’un système de soins primaires plus vaste afin d’assurer la prise en compte des différences de niveaux de service et des exigences régionales particulières. Et nous avons vu comment nos investissements existants dans les soins primaires répondent aux besoins particuliers des collectivités locales.

Par exemple, à Toronto, nous avons investi plus de 14 millions de dollars pour relier jusqu’à 49 000 personnes grâce à 11 équipes de soins primaires nouvelles et élargies, notamment dans l’est de la ville, où un centre de santé communautaire et une équipe interprofessionnelle s’agrandiront et ajouteront de nouveaux emplacements mobiles et satellites afin de rendre les soins primaires plus accessibles aux jeunes, aux personnes âgées et aux patients atteints de maladies chroniques complexes.

Ailleurs à Toronto, les investissements dans les soins primaires soutiendront plusieurs initiatives, notamment une nouvelle navette médicale mobile et d’autres services mobiles, un programme collaboratif de visite à domicile pour les personnes âgées, des services de soutien pour la santé mentale et la lutte contre les dépendances, et un accès élargi aux soins primaires dirigés par des Autochtones, qui intègrent à la fois les soins dispensés par les guérisseurs traditionnels et les services axés sur la culture, ainsi que les soins primaires interdisciplinaires contemporains.

À Peterborough, un financement de plus de 3 millions de dollars permet au centre de santé communautaire de Peterborough de mettre jusqu’à 11 375 personnes en contact avec les soins primaires. Les programmes et les services comprendront des soins primaires complets, des services de santé mentale et la prise en charge des maladies chroniques.

L’inclusion de soins culturellement sécuritaires et adaptés prodigués par des praticiens du bien-être traditionnel constituera un élément important du centre, qui servira également de centre de coordination des services sociaux, des soins à domicile et de la collaboration avec les partenaires du secteur des soins de santé et les partenaires autochtones de la communauté.

À Kingston, un financement de plus de 4 millions de dollars aide jusqu’à 8 000 personnes à accéder à des soins primaires dispensés en équipe au site modèle de la maison de santé. L’équipe fait

partie de l’équipe Santé Ontario de Frontenac, Lennox et Addington et s’intégrera aux hôpitaux et aux organismes communautaires pour prodiguer des soins aux patients en périnatalité, aux nouveau-nés et aux personnes qui ont obtenu leur congé de l’hôpital et ont besoin de recevoir des soins de suivi en temps opportun, notamment les personnes atteintes de cancer.

Grâce à un investissement de 2,2 millions de dollars dans le financement des équipes de soins primaires, l’équipe de santé familiale de Hamilton et ses partenaires de l’équipe Santé Ontario du Réseau de santé du Grand Hamilton ont permis à plus de 6 000 personnes qui n’y avaient pas accès auparavant de bénéficier de soins primaires dispensés en équipe. Ce travail comprend plusieurs initiatives, y compris les soins de santé au Centre Eva Rothwell, une nouvelle clinique de soins de santé primaires située dans un centre communautaire local qui sert les personnes et les familles qui vivent dans la pauvreté.

Grâce à un investissement de plus de 900 000 $ dans le financement des équipes de soins primaires, la clinique dirigée par des infirmiers praticiens—Lakehead—améliore l’accès et l’aiguillage vers les soins primaires interprofessionnels à Thunder Bay et dans les environs en collaborant avec des partenaires locaux pour aiguiller environ 700 personnes de plus vers des soins primaires dispensés en équipe.

Les capacités supplémentaires de la clinique ont été utilisées en particulier pour servir les patients souffrant d’insuffisance cardiaque congestive, de bronchopneumopathie chronique obstructive, de fragilité et de diabète. La clinique a également lancé un programme pour le bien-être des nourrissons et des enfants, qui s’adresse aux petits de zéro à cinq ans et aux mères jusqu’à 12 mois après l’accouchement, ainsi qu’un programme de dépistage du cancer du sein.

L’investissement dans une nouvelle clinique dirigée par des infirmiers praticiens à Ottawa permettra d’aiguiller 6 400 personnes de la région vers les soins primaires et de se concentrer sur la fourniture de soins interprofessionnels complets aux personnes qui vivent avec des problèmes de santé mentale et de dépendance. Et une nouvelle clinique dirigée par les infirmiers praticiens de l’Ordre de Victoria à Grey Bruce favorisera la prestation de soins de qualité, accessibles et centrés sur la personne dans le comté de Grey.

Notre gouvernement a également investi jusqu’à 3,9 millions de dollars dans la construction d’une nouvelle clinique permanente de soins primaires pour l’organisation des soins de santé primaires autochtones des Algonquins de Pikwàkanagàn.

Dans l’est de l’Ontario, notre gouvernement a investi près de 22 millions de dollars pour orienter plus de 73 000 personnes vers des équipes de soins primaires, y compris :

—une nouvelle équipe de santé familiale du comté de Lanark, qui est axée sur le soutien aux personnes vulnérables, particulièrement aux personnes âgées qui sont actuellement sans fournisseurs de soins primaires;

—une nouvelle équipe de santé familiale du comté de Renfrew, qui se concentre à offrir du soutien pour la santé mentale et la lutte contre les dépendances ainsi qu’à aider les personnes âgées à gérer leurs problèmes de santé chroniques; et

—des services élargis dans une équipe de santé familiale existante à Campbellford, qui comprennent des membres du personnel infirmier praticien supplémentaires, des heures de service prolongées de la part des fournisseurs des équipes existantes et un nouveau promoteur de la santé qui mènera des programmes d’éducation et de formation dans la collectivité.

Nous avons investi près de 6,4 millions de dollars pour aiguiller plus de 23 000 personnes vers des équipes de soins primaires dans la région de London, à Lambton et à Chatham-Kent. Des initiatives nouvelles et élargies de soins primaires interprofessionnels comprennent :

—de nouveaux services mobiles afin qu’une organisation de soins de santé primaires autochtones puisse soutenir les membres des communautés inuites, métisses et des Premières Nations dans le comté de Middlesex, et un nouvel autobus mobile pour orienter les personnes autochtones dans les régions rurales et urbaines de Lambton–Kent–Middlesex vers des services de soins primaires dirigés par des Autochtones qui sont culturellement sûrs et adaptés; et

—une nouvelle équipe de santé familiale pour London et les environs, afin d’élargir les services par l’entremise de carrefours communautaires supplémentaires dans l’ensemble de la région, qui aide à orienter les personnes sans abri ou susceptibles de le devenir vers des fournisseurs de soins primaires qui tiennent compte des traumatismes et des actes de violence.

Notre investissement de plus de 5 millions de dollars met également plus de 16 000 personnes en contact avec des équipes de soins primaires dans le nord-ouest de l’Ontario. Cela comprend la création d’un nouvel emplacement pour une équipe de soins primaires autochtones afin d’aider les communautés autochtones de Fort Frances et de la région à avoir accès à des soins primaires holistiques et adaptés à la culture qui n’étaient pas accessibles auparavant, ainsi que de nouvelles équipes de soins primaires autochtones à Kenora et à Sioux Lookout afin de donner aux personnes dans des douzaines de communautés des Premières Nations l’accès à des services de soins primaires.

Dans le cadre de l’appel de propositions d’avril 2025, les équipes potentielles devraient montrer, dans leur formulaire de demande, comment elles vont permettre au plus grand nombre de personnes situées dans leurs codes postaux désignés d’avoir accès à des soins primaires.

Les centres de soins primaires et les cliniciens qui fournissent des soins aux personnes situées dans les codes postaux désignés qui comptent le plus grand nombre de personnes sans un fournisseur de soins primaires étaient invités à soumettre des propositions afin d’obtenir du financement par l’intermédiaire de leur équipe Santé Ontario et de leur réseau de soins primaires connexes.

Afin de montrer dans quelle mesure ils sont bien placés pour répondre aux besoins en soins primaires de leurs collectivités, les cliniciens et les centres de soins primaires étaient encouragés à travailler de concert avec l’équipe Santé Ontario et le réseau de soins primaires de leur localité dans l’optique de repérer des possibilités de collaboration et d’harmonisation stratégique.

Les centres de soins primaires et les cliniciens qui travaillent avec leur équipe Santé Ontario ont été invités à soumettre une proposition afin de créer ou d’élargir l’un des modèles de soins offerts par des équipes, c’est-à-dire les équipes de santé familiale, les centres de santé communautaire, les cliniques dirigées par du personnel infirmier praticien et les organismes de soins de santé primaires autochtones.

À partir de ce premier appel de propositions, nous devrions sélectionner et annoncer les candidats retenus à l’été 2025 et lancer un deuxième appel de propositions en septembre 2025.

Madame la Présidente, sous la direction du premier ministre, notre gouvernement a fait des investissements records dans les soins de santé, y compris des investissements historiques dans les soins primaires. Et par l’intermédiaire de la

Loi sur les soins primaires proposée, notre gouvernement continue de prendre des mesures pour mieux faire en sorte que la population de l’Ontario ait accès à des soins de santé plus complets, interconnectés et commodes.

J’encourage tous les membres de cette Assemblée à appuyer ce texte législatif important et à soutenir l’amélioration des soins primaires pour la population de l’Ontario.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos): I recognize the member for Lanark–Frontenac–Kingston.

Mr. John Jordan: I want to start by thanking the member from Essex for his speech today, and the Minister of Health and the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions for their commitment to continuing to improve our health care system.

I am confident that we are on the right track. The importance of primary care and working upstream cannot be overstated. Getting people the care they need when and where they need it, that’s our goal—increasing our health human resources, creating many training and career opportunities.

Last week, I met with the Christian Labour Association of Canada, and they were thanking us for the improved staffing levels within their long-term-care homes.

Increasing our hospital capacity: There are over 50 capital projects across the province.

Increasing the education and scope of practice for our health care professionals—nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, community paramedics—so important.

And most important: increasing our access to primary care, especially team-based care.

The scope of practice does increase our capacity, specifically expanding the scope of practice for nurse practitioners to form a wider range of medical tasks such as diagnosing conditions, prescribing medications and managing patient care independently. This can lead to shorter wait times for patients, more personalized care and increased access to health care services, especially in underserved areas. By taking on these additional, nurse practitioners can help distribute the workload more evenly among health care providers, allowing doctors to focus on more complex cases and procedures—full scope of practice.

Through Your Health, a plan we’re all familiar with now, a plan for connected and convenient care, our government is delivering faster access to care, providing the right care in the right place, and hiring more health care workers. We’re building new hospitals, adding more beds, building more medical schools. The expansion of the Carleton University programs near my riding will produce, when fully operational, 200 additional nurses every year.

Just this weekend, I was involved in long-term-care groundbreakings in Parry Sound and Sudbury. The Belvedere Heights in Parry Sound—we broke ground for an additional 22 beds, which will bring them to 123. And then, later the next day in Sudbury, Finlandia Village, we broke ground. We broke ground, and I was joined by my colleagues from Nickel Belt and from Sudbury, and thanks for joining. It was a great day. Finlandia Village: another 32 beds in that village, which is a great model with retirement living and long-term care on the same campus.

To give you an example of how important these long-term-care builds are, relative to the ALC problem that we have in our hospitals, is there was a Finnish fair going on while we were there, and it really represents the culture of the Finnish, and we had the opportunity to meet the ambassador of the Republic of Finland. One of the things she told me that I didn’t know was the Finnish people are the happiest people in the world, so you learn something every day. There’s a piece of trivia for us.

So we are making significant investments in health profession education and workforce training, making it easier for health care workers who want to work in Ontario and maximizing the skills and expertise of our world-class health care workers. We are improving access to home and community care, mental health and addiction services, and care and community paramedics provided through local pharmacies. My riding has seen the expansion of the Ottawa Valley Family Health Team from Almonte into Carleton Place, and a new family health team in Perth. And my constituents tell me what a great difference that makes.

Even if they aren’t able to get rostered immediately, the Perth Family Health Team is providing clinics for unattached patients, which is very well-received. This also was the coming together of three family health organizations to form this family health team.

We are expanding and bringing together primary care, and thank you again to the ministers for that work. We are making an unprecedented $1.8-billion investment in primary care. We have established a primary care action team, led by Dr. Philpott, that is doing great work. There is a clear commitment to provide every Ontarian with access to a primary care provider or team over the next four years.

The proposed Primary Care Act will establish a strong foundation for connected and convenient primary care now and for years to come. Ontario health teams provide a means for our health care providers to collaborate and work together. Having support staff and allied health professionals working alongside our physicians and nurse practitioners builds their capacity and helps more people get the care they need.

As our government has continued to make investments and build a stronger system of primary care, health care partners and stakeholders have commented on these initiatives. I want to share these testimonials because stakeholders have to work with government decisions, and they know best what is happening on the ground and the impact of our decisions.

The CEO of the Ontario Medical Association, Kimberly Moran, stated, “Congratulations to Dr. Philpott and her team ... and the government of Ontario. This is a significant investment in primary care and Ontario’s doctors are encouraged with the goal to attach more patients to family medicine over the next four years.... There is a substantial amount to do to ensure every Ontarian has access to a family doctor and we look forward to partnering with Dr. Philpott and the government to co-design this plan.”

Dr. Doris Grinspun—many of us have had the opportunity to hear Dr. Grinspun speak. She’s very passionate, particularly about registered nurses and nurse practitioners. She’s the CEO of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario and has stated, “The expansion of primary care—and in particular the enhanced utilization of NP expertise alongside RN prescribing—will unlock timely, safe and quality care for Ontarians. Better care and health outcomes also lead to lower system costs—a win for Ontarians as patients and as taxpayers.

We are pleased that the government is demonstrating commitment to publicly funded, team-based primary care,” which, she believes, “will begin transforming the health system for all and especially for marginalized and vulnerable populations.”

The president and CEO of the Ontario Hospital Association, Anthony Dale, has said, “The Ontario Hospital Association thanks the government of Ontario for making new investments in primary health care teams, which will improve access to high-quality primary care and address some of the capacity pressures on hospitals by keeping more Ontarians well and less likely to require hospitalization. Demand for health care services is expected to rise dramatically in the years ahead as Ontario’s population grows and ages.

Continued investments in all areas of health care services are needed to allow care to be delivered in the most appropriate setting and in the most cost-effective manner. We look forward to continued collaboration and innovation with the province and our health system partners to ensure that Ontario’s health care system is prepared to meet the future demands that will be placed upon it.”

Dr. Jobin Varughese, a family doctor and president of the Ontario College of Family Physicians, has commented, “This is great news for family physicians and Ontarians. The Ontario College of Family Physicians ... is encouraged by the quick progress made by the Ontario primary care action team, led by Dr. Jane Philpott, and today’s commitment to expand access to integrated primary care teams and enhance digital tools for family physicians.

This announcement recognizes the foundational role family physicians play in our health care system and reflects the OCFP’s long-standing advocacy for team-based care and the use of new technology to better support family doctors. The implementation of this plan will be critical—we look forward to continuing our collaboration with the government and Dr. Philpott to ensuring every Ontarian has access to a family physician and receiving the primary health care they deserve.”

Dr. Michelle Acorn, the CEO of the Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario, and Barbara Bailey, president of the Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario, have stated, “The Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario ... is thrilled by the recent announcement from the Ontario Ministry of Health regarding the allocation of additional funding towards expanding interprofessional primary care and existing programs. This is a significant investment that will support nurse practitioners, as integral health care team members, in ensuring Ontarians receive the high-quality, timely care they deserve.

NPAO looks forward to continuing to work with the Ministry of Health to advance our shared goals of comprehensive and accessible health care delivery.”

Jess Rogers, the CEO of the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario, has said, “This investment acknowledges the critical need for accountability and the right support to drive meaningful progress. The Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario ... representing 190 member organizations across the province, is encouraged by this commitment and remains ready to collaborate with the government of Ontario. We are focused on ensuring that every Ontarian has access to high-quality, team-based primary care. As we move forward, we must recognize that the job ahead is complex and requires a co-design approach.

True success will come from working together—government, health professionals and communities—to ensure that investments are targeted in the right areas and that primary care leadership plays a central role in the design, implementation and integration of new initiatives. The work ahead is vital, and the AFHTO is committed to being a key partner in shaping solutions that will benefit all Ontarians.”

These partnerships are so important to be sure that we get it right. Our government is grateful to these organizations, many other health care partners and our front-line health care workers for their efforts to connect Ontarians to primary care and all they do to support patients and families across our province. The proposed legislation sets out the government’s vision for publicly funded primary care in Ontario as we continue to make progress with expanding and supporting primary care and implement our action plan.

We will continue to collaborate and work with our health care providers, and this collaboration goes beyond just the Ministry of Health. This collaboration involves many ministries working together in collaboration, as well. As I mentioned, it’s so important that we also expand our access to long-term care across the province and continue to build 58,000 new and reconditioned long-term-care beds, new staff in every home to get to our four hours of care, which—as I’ve mentioned earlier, the Christian labour association has thanked us for that initiative. We will continue to work for the people of Ontario in improving our health care system.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos): Questions?

MPP Robin Lennox: There’s a lot in this Primary Care Act that are big ideas, but we’re lacking the details to actually make the implementation work. You spoke about primary care teaching clinics; that’s where I worked for many years, training medical students and residents. What we know is that we’re actually not filling the number of family medicine residency spots that we have. In the last match, we had 276 unfilled spots in the first round. So before we talk about expanding the number of seats, how are we actually going to fill the seats that we have?

And for the most number of medical trainees that I speak to, the barrier is that they don’t want to be business owners and they don’t want to spend 20 hours a week on administrative work on top of the 40 hours a week they spend seeing patients. So, do we have a commitment from this government to actually alternatively fund family physicians in a salaried model and make meaningful change to our system to reduce the administrative burden? Because the very best retention plan that we could have for physicians is keeping the ones that we are training in Ontario.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Thank you for raising the teaching clinics, because it’s something that many people don’t really understand. When you expand the number of medical seats, of course, you also have to expand those teaching opportunities, those residency spots. And, in fact, I note with a little bit of humour that you only talked about the first round of the matching. If you actually get to the complete matching, we 100% over the last three years have matched family physicians with their primary specialty. That’s the success that we have when we actually invest in our physicians, in our primary care providers.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos): The member for Don Valley East.

Mr. Adil Shamji: I’d like to extend my gratitude to the Minister of Health for reaffirming the principles of medicare and some of the other values such as ensuring that our health care system is province-wide, connected, convenient, inclusive and empowered. I agree with all of these things.

In my perspective and from my read of this legislation, however, there are a couple of major flaws. I would draw your attention to

section 5, which says very explicitly that this legislation does not establish any right to these things by an Ontarian nor does it impose any duty by this government to deliver on the principles of the Canada Health Act or these additional values. If these things are so important, why does this legislation not empower Ontarians with the right to these things nor impose a duty to provide them by this government?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Of course, the Canada Health Act is paramount and is always there. We have made sure through this legislation and through all of the investments that we have made—whether it’s in capital or, absolutely, in our people—to ensure that we have respected the tenets of the Canada Health Act, and we will continue to do that. There’s no surprise there, Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos): I recognize the member from Simcoe–Grey.

Mr. Brian Saunderson: My question to the minister is about teaching clinics in rural communities, like my riding of Simcoe–Grey. I have two hospitals, and the local health teams are very closely connected to the hospitals. In fact, in Collingwood, we have the ROM Program, the Rural Ontario Medical Program, that’s led by Dr. Wells that deals with all the placements, training and mentoring for physicians coming out of med school and who are moving to rural Ontario, which we so dearly need.

I’m wondering if the minister could talk about the role of teaching clinics and how that’s going to enhance recruitment and retention for physicians in rural Ontario, please.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Absolutely. Great question.

The 17 teaching clinics that we announced last week and will be in the budget on Thursday are really an acknowledgement that we know—as I said, as we expand medical seats, we also have to expand the component where we do the teaching clinics.

I think it’s really important for people to understand that, while the 17 teaching clinics are obviously attached to medical schools, they do not physically have to be in the same location. This is the really exciting opportunity we have, to make sure that those teaching clinics are in communities that perhaps have had historic challenges in terms of recruiting new physicians into their community.

There’s more news to come, but I think it’s a really important opportunity to—more targeted—ensure that communities that have historically had issues recruiting have an opportunity through these 17 new teaching clinics.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos): The member for Hamilton Centre.

MPP Robin Lennox: My question is back to the Minister.

Just to correct you, there were still 94 unfilled spots after the second iteration.

Interjections.

MPP Robin Lennox: Yes, and expanding them—

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos): Put your question through the Speaker.

MPP Robin Lennox: Yes. Through the Speaker, there were still 94 unfilled spots after the second iteration, so we’re still not seeing any meaningful change to actually ensure that family medicine residents can see a career for themselves in full-scope family medicine.

But even on the issue of this call for expanded family health teams, I heard from many family health teams that, a three-week turnaround on a proposal doesn’t give anyone time to do anything well, and also, the proposal doesn’t include wage increases for community-based allied health professionals.

So saying that there’s funding available but not actually increasing the salary range—what we’re hearing from family health teams is, “Sure, we can put out a posting, but we’re already losing people because we’re not paying them enough.”

What’s the plan to actually increase wages for our community-based allied health so that programs like these will actually work in the long term?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Well, it’s odd that you would suggest that there was too short a turnaround time because those applications have now come in and I can absolutely assure you that there is interest and there are applications from all across Ontario.

The important piece is that we already had a call for application in 2024. Many of the organizations that were not able to get that first round of applications—those 78 that happened in February of 2024—have tweaked their applications, perhaps combined with other organizations, and have resubmitted. And, Speaker, of course, they will have another opportunity in the fall of this year. It’s not done yet.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos): The member for Don Valley East.

Mr. Adil Shamji: Just a brief reflection on the minister’s last comment: Of course there is enormous interest for funding. When this government has rejected 75% of primary care funding in the last round last year, of course people are going to be desperate and reaching out for more cash.

But back to the issue at hand. The next and second major flaw with this legislation is that there is no requirement for any legislation, act, directive or policy to actually comply with this legislation.

Section 6 makes it very clear that no other law, no other policy or directive is required to be in compliance with this bill.

If this government is actually serious about respecting the Canada Health Act—delivering health care as empowered, responsive, connected, province-wide—why does it explicitly state that there is no requirement for any policy, law, directive, instrument or action to be in compliance with it?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: I’ll be short and concise. Two words: accountability agreements.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos): The member for Mississauga–Malton.

Mr. Deepak Anand: My question is actually to the member for Essex.

Madam Speaker, through you: As we all know, family physicians play a critical role in our health care system by helping Ontarians manage their health, receive timely vaccination, and avoid unnecessary visits to the urgent care clinics or emergency rooms.

Thank you to Dr. Vijayaraghavan for being my doctor. And you know what? Truthfully, you’re a family member.

So in my riding, we heard from many constituents who are already seeing the benefits of the investments in primary care. To the member: Could you provide an update on the progress that has been made so far to connect more Ontarians with a family doctor or primary care provider?

Mr. Anthony Leardi: Yes, I’d be happy to do so. For example, in the first investment that this government made, we made a multi-million-dollar investment in the creation and expansion of 78 new or expanded primary care teams right across the province of Ontario, and these are helping to connect over 300,000 people in Ontario with a primary care provider closer to home. In addition to that, we’ve announced the call for proposals from various parties, which will unleash the $1.8-billion project over the next three years to connect even more people to primary care in the province of Ontario.

That call for proposals has been very well received. I can tell you that I’ve received feedback—not only from my riding, but also in other ridings as well—of the great interest in these people who are putting forth proposals to build primary care teams and other types of primary care providers to get more and more and more people in the province of Ontario connected to primary care.

Second reading debate deemed adjourned.

Members’ Statements

Cancer Assistance Halton Hills

Mr. Joseph Racinsky: I rise today to celebrate and recognize Cancer Assistance Halton Hills’s 25th anniversary. Their mission is to provide support and hope to those dealing with a cancer diagnosis, their families and friends in the town of Halton Hills.

Cancer Assistance is a registered charity, and they offer services such as transportation; lending of equipment and supplies such as hospital beds, walkers, canes, and transportation chairs; as well as health and wellness support.

These can be some of the darkest days in the family’s lives, and every single one of us knows someone that has struggled with the scourge of cancer. When families are working through this devastating news, it is so important to have the community rally around them and show them support. This is what Cancer Assistance Halton Hills does.

Cancer Assistance is proud to receive no government funding, but is completely supported by donations from the community. Their motto is, “Give where you live.”

This is just one of example of the many incredible volunteer-driven organizations in Wellington–Halton Hills that seek to help those in need.

So again, to the Cancer Assistance Halton Hills team—Julie Liddle, Laurie Robinson, Wendy Molnar and Janice Welfare, as well as to Rod and the countless volunteers—congratulations on 25 incredible years. Keep up the great work.

Hospital parking fees

Mr. Jeff Burch: This week, the government will release its annual budget, and I am calling for the inclusion of my motion to eliminate hospital parking fees, a move supported by the Canadian Cancer Society and now the Ontario Nurses’ Association, and support is growing every day.

Recently, the CBC reported on a case that has become all too common in Ontario. When Marie Grgic’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, her father had to use his retirement funds and sell his home to finance costs related to her treatment, including parking fees. Marie was diagnosed with cancer herself and spent about $400 a month on hospital parking passes when she underwent treatment.

Increased hospital parking fees in Ontario have made life even more unaffordable and placed a painful and unfair burden on patients, families and front-line health care workers. It’s a tax on our sickest citizens, their families and those who care for them.

On May 1, Nova Scotia’s PC government eliminated hospital parking fees. It’s time for Ontario to do the same. Let’s do it in this week’s budget. The people of Ontario will be watching.

National Police Week

Mrs. Karen McCrimmon: It’s so very important to recognize the role our police services play in the safety and security of our communities. They do a difficult job, and we owe them our thanks and our commitment to support them as they fulfill their functions, which are so very important to Ontarians. Police in Canada are a proud and independent institution that work without fear or favour to fairly and diligently protect the rule of law. This independence, competence and resilience needs our loud and proud support.

This week is National Police Week, and I wanted to acknowledge the difference our police services make. I thank our police services for their timeless and constant contributions to our country and communities. Your examples of service and integrity matter greatly.

Événements divers à Glengarry–Prescott–Russell

M. Stéphane Sarrazin: Je prends la parole aujourd’hui avec beaucoup de joie et de reconnaissance puisqu’il s’agit de ma première déclaration depuis ma réélection en tant que député de Glengarry–Prescott–Russell. J’aimerais remercier sincèrement les citoyens de notre belle circonscription pour la confiance qu’ils m’ont renouvelée. C’est un privilège de continuer à représenter nos communautés dynamiques, de Cumberland à Hawkesbury, en passant par Casselman, Embrun et tous les villages entre les deux.

Depuis mon retour, j’ai repris la route pour rencontrer les familles, les agriculteurs, les entrepreneurs et les organismes communautaires de chez nous. Rien que vendredi dernier, j’ai eu le plaisir de participer à sept rencontres, juste pour vous dire à quel point notre région est active, engagée et inspirante. Au cours des dernières semaines, j’ai aussi pu annoncer plusieurs subventions provinciales pour soutenir des projets locaux importants, et ce n’est pas fini. D’autres belles annonces s’en viennent très bientôt. J’invite les gens à visiter mon site Web, stephanesarrazinmpp.ca, pour rester à l’affût.

Je profite aussi de l’occasion pour souhaiter une bonne fête des Mères, un petit peu en retard, à toutes les mamans de notre circonscription. Merci pour votre amour, votre patience et votre contribution inestimable à nos familles et nos collectivités.

Et alors qu’arrive le long week-end de la fête de la Reine, je souhaite à tout le monde du repos, du bon temps en famille et surtout une fin de semaine en sécurité.

Waterloo region economy

Ms. Catherine Fife: On March 6, 2025, the University of Waterloo, with support from NorthGuide and the Balsillie school, invited 200 community leaders to come together for the community economic offence challenge. I quote: “In the face of this uncertainty, Waterloo region has a choice: react to change or lead the response. Business, academic and community leaders must come together to proactively shape our region’s economic and policy response.” Their goal was to ensure that Waterloo region remains a leader in innovation and industry.

Through their discussions, five key themes emerged: regulatory barriers, investment challenges, talent development and retention, IP and innovation, and regional development and infrastructure. Their goal: To find solutions to these challenges.

In this time of uncertainty, Ontario can and should refocus our investment challenges. Proposals included pilot programs with tax benefits for local investors, creating tax incentives for businesses to remain in or relocate to Waterloo, or utilizing government procurement as a strategic tool to benefit the domestic economy. The best solutions for our local communities come directly from those leaders, so let’s listen to them.

I look forward to sharing the report with colleagues here at Queen’s Park, and I want to thank the University of Waterloo for their deep leadership and commitment to the province of Ontario.

Canadian cadet program / Volunteer service awards

Mr. Brian Saunderson: This morning, I want to recognize and salute the many hard-working cadet corps that serve my riding of Simcoe–Grey. The Canadian cadet program, whose origins go back to 1862, is a youth-development program offering various activities for young Canadians. Cadets can join at the age of 12 years and age out at 19. They participate in sea, army or air elements, gaining skills and experiences in areas like seamanship, outdoor expeditions and aerospace studies.

This month, I had the honour of attending and being part of the reviewing party at the 40th Ceremonial Review of the 1944 RCEME Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps in the village of Creemore. I was proud to represent the government of Ontario and present the inaugural Murray Whetung Community Service Award for cadets to Sergeant Hunter Banks, recognizing his extensive volunteer work in his community.

Murray Whetung, from Curve Lake First Nation, was a World War II veteran who served with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. Murray, like many Indigenous soldiers, lost his Indian status because he was away from his reserve for more than four years fighting for Canada during the war. Despite this injustice, Murray Whetung came home and continued to serve his community selflessly for the duration of his life. This award, bearing his name, is to honour Murray and those like him who demonstrated exceptional citizenship, dedicated volunteerism and selfless service.

I want to thank my colleague, MPP Smith from Peterborough, who tabled a private member’s bill to create this award in honour of Murray Whetung, and congratulate and thank the cadets in my riding and across this great province who participate in the cadets program.

Services for persons with disabilities

M me France Gélinas: Last week, Tina Senior called my office in crisis. Her family receives funding to help cover the cost of hiring professionals to support her child who has severe disabilities. But suddenly, without any warning, she did not receive the funds, so she called the CCN. Tina learned that the money would be delayed until the end of May, or possibly longer. She was told to pay for the services upfront in the meantime.

Speaker, Tina cannot afford to pay out of pocket. She does not have the money to wait for reimbursement. So she’s left with two options: to not provide her child with the disability services that he needs, or to spend money she doesn’t have for care that her son absolutely needs.

There has been zero communication from the government to explain what is going on and why the program is being changed. In fact, right now, the program is such a mess that special agreement officers who work there are telling people to stop calling, because they are overwhelmed with questions that they cannot answer.

We saw this in home care, Speaker, when the government changed something that worked, simply to give Bayshore access to more government revenues.

I urge the government to address this so that parents like Tina Senior can take care of their loved ones and support their children with disabilities. When will this be fixed? Children’s lives and children’s health are in the balance.

Construction workers

MPP Paul Vickers: Madam Speaker, every single day, thousands of workers in Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound wake up and go to work in civil construction. Whether it’s on road crews, in residential construction and renovation, or with electricity contractors, these workers make our community the great place it is. If you drove somewhere this morning, woke up with a roof over your head or sat in a well-lit room, well, you have Ontario’s civil construction workers to thank for that.

In March of 2025, these workers became heroes. When an ice storm struck, which devastated many parts of this province, Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound was not immune. These professionals worked tirelessly. They restored the electricity, cleared roads of debris and fixed damage to homes, properties and businesses. On behalf of the communities across Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound, I wish to thank these workers. Thank you for your courageous work during these difficult times.

King Charles III Coronation Medal

Mr. Dave Smith: To mark the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III on May 6, 2023, the King’s coronation medal was created. In order to be eligible for this honour, a person must have made a significant contribution to Canada; or to a particular province, territory, region or community in Canada; or attained an outstanding achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada. With that as the backdrop, the federal government offered many organizations the ability to nominate someone.

The central Ontario

chapter of Canadian peacekeepers is not a formal chapter, but it is a recognized organization for Canadian veterans who have served in peacekeeping operations. Because of this bureaucratic anomaly, UN peacekeepers in Ontario were not given the opportunity to honour their own for this award.

When I brought this oversight to Premier Ford’s attention, he felt that Ontario needed to do the right thing and offer the peacekeepers the opportunity to nominate 10 deserving members for this award.

Speaker, today we’re joined in the gallery by veterans of missions in Rwanda, Somalia, Afghanistan, to name but a few. All will be receiving the King’s coronation medals at a ceremony here at Queen’s Park later today. All will be formally introduced by the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism.

We also have Bill Steedman, the retired peacekeeper who brought this oversight to my attention. Bill will be accepting the medals on behalf of Gordon Jenkins, Greg Palmer and Harold James.

Speaker, I present to you the King’s coronation medal recipients from the Ontario

chapter of the UN Peacekeepers, and I respectfully ask that all members here in the chamber rise from their seats and say thank you to these heroic individuals who have given so much to our country and made the world a better place through their service and sacrifice.

Applause.

Introduction of Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): We’re going to move on now to introduction of visitors, but before I acknowledge anyone, I would like to acknowledge Daniela Turcios Regalado. Her father, Jay Turcios Rodriguez, is here today, and Daniela is our page captain. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Graydon Smith: Not a visitor here today but someone I definitely need to give a shout-out to: It’s the 18th anniversary for my beautiful wife, Melissa, and I today, and I just want to tell her how much I love her.

Happy anniversary, darling.

Hon. Graham McGregor: Supplementary to the great member’s statement by the member of Peterborough–Kawartha, it’s my honour to welcome a group of retired veterans and members of the central Ontario

chapter of UN peacekeepers, many of whom we will be awarding the King Charles III Coronation Medal later this afternoon. Please join me in welcoming Gary Miner, Kevin Wadden, Kerry Mould, Tom Aldred, Ronald Graves, David Raths, their family and other guests and—forgive me, Madam Speaker—as well as Robert Manns, who is here as well.

Thank you, Madam Speaker, for opening up room 340. After question period, I encourage all members to attend the medal ceremony.

M. Guy Bourgouin: J’ai mon assistante législative, Astrid Krueger, qui est dans la Chambre, mais je voulais aussi lui souhaiter une bonne fête pour ses 25 ans d’anniversaire.

Hon. Sam Oosterhoff: I have a couple of introductions today. First, we have Jon Downing, who is coming to us from Niagara College. He’s visiting Queen’s Park today.

I also do want to acknowledge Kevin Wadden, who comes from Beamsville, I believe. Thank you for your service, sir. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: ᒥᑵᐨ, Speaker. ᒥᓄᑭᔐᐸᔭ

Good morning. I’d like to welcome to Queen’s Park Councillor Alizabeth George-Antone, from Oneida Nation of the Thames; councillor and chair of Grey-Bruce Board of Health, Nick Saunders, Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.

But also, I’m happy to welcome Sergeant Jamie Doxtator, Oneida Nation of the Thames; Sergeant and Supervisor Natasha Maxwell from Neyaashiinigmiing; and Constable John Sahanatien, Hiawatha First Nation, but also, the representatives of Chiefs of Ontario, Jackie Lombardi and Kent Elson.

Finally, welcome to the representatives of Blackbird Strategies, Travis Boissoneau and Erica Wallis.

Thank you for being here.

Hon. Trevor Jones: Good morning, Madam Speaker. I wanted to welcome members of the Ontario Dairy Council here today. I remind all my colleagues to attend the chocolate milk social at lunchtime today, rooms 228 and 230.

Mr. Anthony Leardi: I want to recognize a constituent from my riding who’s here today. Her name is Carmen, she’s a member of the Leardi family and she’s my daughter.

Hon. Doug Downey: I looked up in the gallery and I see my old friend Fern Taillefer who’s here. He’s part of Legion Branch 147.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: I’m honoured to introduce Guelph residents Sanpreet Sihota and Sukhvinder Singh to Queen’s Park today. Welcome to your House.

House sittings

Mr. Steve Clark: I just want to advise the House that the night sitting scheduled for this evening has been cancelled.

Question Period

Health care

Ms. Marit Stiles: This question is for the Premier. A new study from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives found that private staffing agencies have cost Ontario hospitals more than $9 billion over the last decade. Hospitals, as we all know, were already overstretched after their budgets were frozen under the previous Liberal government, but now we know that they’re struggling even more with unconstitutional wage freezes that this Conservative government brought in. The result is underpaid, overworked nurses fleeing the system and an overreliance on these private nursing agencies.

To the Premier: Why is the government funnelling billions into private staffing agencies at the expense of patients and health care workers?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Response? I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: I think some facts on the table would be helpful. In fact, we have registered over 100,000 new nurses in the province of Ontario. We have 30,000 nurses currently training in our post-secondary institutions. Why? Because we have programs in place that are ensuring, like Learn and Stay, that individuals who want to train and practise in the province of Ontario get to do so, free for tuition and books. Why? Because we know that there are opportunities in Ontario and we are making sure that they have those pathways, not only to upskill, but also to train and stay in the province of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, let’s talk facts, shall we—back to the Premier—because last year alone, hospitals and long-term-care homes spent almost $1 billion on private nursing agencies, private staffing. Under this government, hospital spending increased by a little bit—about 6%—but private staffing agency spending—98%.

Something is really wrong here and not only is this costing the system more, but it is also resulting in worse outcomes for patients. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve spoken with nurses who talk to me about the moral distress of not being able to do the work that they are trained to do, to care for patients, while billions of dollars are going into the coffers of private nursing agencies.

Will the Premier put an end to this two-tiered system and pay nurses fairly for the work that they do?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: We know that staffing agencies are a tool used primarily in rural and northern hospitals to avoid service disruptions. In fact, it is a tool that they have been using for decades, so to suggest that a registered nurse who has oversight and has the same oversight that any other nurse practising in the province of Ontario, is in some way providing less service in their role, is frankly a grave disservice to those regulated health professionals. Our government will not take away this important tool.

However, we are also doing so much with Learn and Stay, with upskilling, with directing the College of Nurses of Ontario to quickly assess and review and, when appropriate, license internationally educated nurses who want to be in Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, it’s not only the private nursing agencies where we’re seeing these public dollars—billions of them—funnelled into the corporate pockets of those providers, but the government is also handing more than a billion dollars a year to private staffing agencies but then another $62 million to Shoppers Drug Mart for exploiting the system for unnecessary MedsChecks.

If you want to talk about moral distress, listen to some of the pharmacists, who will tell you how they are forced to meet quotas by Shoppers Drug Mart, by Galen Weston, not to serve patients but to meet their bottom line—millions coming out of the Ontario drug benefit and going straight into the pockets of folks like Galen Weston instead of better care for patients.

Why does this government continue to sell out Ontarians to private companies that just gouge our health care system?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Speaker, I would appreciate your direction, because I’m not sure how this question is in connection to the first two that were raised in her lead-offs.

Hospital funding

Ms. Marit Stiles: Wow, I can’t believe that the Minister of Health can’t make the connect between billions of dollars leaving our health care system to private nursing agencies and billions of health care dollars leaving because of this MedsCheck scheme that they’ve set up that’s going into the pockets of Galen Weston. I mean, we see this pattern of privatization in our health care system, and the minister knows quite well what she’s doing here.

Speaker, I want to talk a little bit more about that public health care system, because our nation was built on world-class public health care, on health care that is there when and where you need it, no matter where you live or regardless of how you can pay, and on emergency rooms that are open, as well, by the way, when you need them. But the Premier’s list of nation-building projects that he put forward to the federal Prime Minister didn’t include any hospitals, not one.

Does the Premier consider building hospitals to be a nation-building project?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: We never have and we will never wait for the federal government to suddenly come to the table and talk about capital hospital builds. They have never been our partner. We have made the commitment—$50 billion in 50 different capital projects across Ontario, whether you’re talking about Windsor, Ottawa, London, Toronto—

Hon. Sam Oosterhoff: Niagara.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Niagara South, of course—and Mississauga; I can’t forget Trillium in Mississauga.

The number of capital projects that we have done, respectfully, without the help of the federal government, we will continue to do, because we know, for Ontario residents, that’s what they expect of their provincial government.

We’re playing catch-up because of the Liberal neglect, but we’ll get it done.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: Well, Speaker, they seem willing to go to the federal government for support for the ridiculous tunnel under the 401, but hospitals, no.

Durham, Brampton, Brantford: Delay after delay after delay, and the costs just keep going up, and every year the government says this is going to be the year. But those communities are still waiting, right? And do you know who else is waiting? Construction workers, skilled trades workers in those same communities who are not working right now.

This moment we are in is an opportunity. It is an opportunity for all levels of government to agree that we need to invest in nation-building projects and get people working, instead of a ridiculous tunnel under the 401.

Will you add building hospitals to your list of nation-building priorities?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: If the member is suggesting that a hospital redevelopment that is happening in the city of Guelph to ensure that their emergency department can appropriately deal with individuals coming in, with emergency departments—the answer is we’re not waiting. If the member opposite is suggesting that we should pause actually building a Mississauga hospital that is going to serve Mississauga, Etobicoke, north Toronto and the surrounding communities and wait for the federal government to do something, I would respectfully say we will not wait. We will get the job done with or without you.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, if only they were actually getting the job done, right? You can’t pause projects that never got started in the first place.

This afternoon we’re going to help them out. We’re going to bring forward a motion calling on the government to commit to prioritizing hospitals as part of these nation-building projects. This is our priority, to build care and strengthen Ontario. We can save rural emergency rooms. We can build new hospitals in growing communities, and we can do that all at the same time that we get construction and skilled trade workers back to work.

Back to the Premier: This afternoon, will the Premier commit to adding hospitals and prioritizing them as nation-building projects?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: We’ll continue to make those investments. We’ll continue to build. Perhaps the member opposite should take the May long weekend and actually visit South Niagara and you will see a hospital that is doing excellent work getting those projects done.

I have to respectfully say, turn around and speak to your member from Waterloo: “This new, state-of-the-art facility will serve our growing population, and it will also act as a beacon to attract more health care professionals to our community, including physicians, nurses and family doctors. It’s an exciting day for the region,” says the MPP from Waterloo.

Government accountability

Mr. John Fraser: In March 2024, just before a by-election in Lambton–Kent–Middlesex, the Premier and his government promised a comprehensive environmental assessment on a dump that was being proposed in Dresden, a dump that had been dormant for—wait for it—30 years. Now the Premier is using Bill 5 to renege on that promise.

So Speaker, my question is quite simple: Why is the Premier breaking his promise to the people of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: Madam Speaker, I thank the member opposite for the question. What the member needs to know is that the Dresden project, if approved, would be subject to the same environmental approval processes that were in place last year and that would be in place if this were new. It’s not a new project. We’re building on what’s already been approved as a waste management site.

Now, the position that we’re in, Madam Speaker, is a crisis of landfill capacity. That was created by the previous Liberal government’s inaction, propped up by the NDP.

And now, in the face of the trade and tariff wars with Mr. Trump, we have that challenge. We cannot afford to transport over our border 40% of the waste in this province. We’re not going to stand for that. We’re taking decisive action with strong environmental oversight.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the leader of the third party.

Mr. John Fraser: So your defence for breaking your promise is, “The devil made me do it.” That’s what I hear you saying: “The devil made me do it.”

The reality is this dump has been dormant for 30 years—actually longer than some members in here have been alive.

Speaker, in 2022, a group of wealthy, well-connected insiders purchased this dormant dump, among them, the Guizzetti brothers, Andrew and Daniel, and their business partner Brian Brunetti. Records show that since 2018 they’ve donated, along with executives and members of their family, hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Premier’s party.

So, back to the Premier: Simple question, why did the Premier break his promise to the people of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex?

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: Speaker, this question raises the important balance that we are proposing in Bill 5, building the Ontario of tomorrow, being resilient, being self-sufficient while ensuring strong environmental oversight. That is the key.

Now, a comprehensive environmental assessment process would not, under current regulations, be required for this site. Nevertheless, like every project that is built in this province, we have strong environmental oversight. That, in this case, includes an environmental compliance approval under the environmental permissions act. That, I will stand behind, and I can assure the residents of Dresden and I can assure all Ontarians and all members of this House that Ontario has the strongest environmental protections in the world and we are very proud of that. We will continue it.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the leader of the third party.

Mr. John Fraser: You made a promise. We’re asking you to keep that promise. It’s very straightforward. We all know that wealthy, well-connected insiders in this province always get a leg up. It’s a pattern. It’s like an MO. It’s just like the greenbelt, just like Therme, just like MZOs, just like urban boundaries; now it’s the Dresden dump.

Speaker, I’m just going to ask once again: How is it that the Premier thinks he can break his promise to the people of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex?

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: This government was elected on a renewed mandate—a historic third consecutive majority government with a quarter-million more votes than even the previous two elections. That’s what I call a strong mandate. And that mandate means that we make and keep our promise to the people of this province to build the Ontario of tomorrow, to be resilient and self-sufficient but maintain strong environmental oversight and protections. That’s what we’re doing.

Speaking of donations that the member mentioned, I understand many donations were made to the Liberal Party from some of these same individuals. That’s democracy. People are allowed to express themselves with their vote, with what they say and how they donate. But of course, the Liberals—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The member for Beaches–East York will come to order.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: —and they blew it.

Mr. John Fraser: I know the Premier doesn’t like hearing this, but he broke his promise, and it’s not the first time: It happens again and again and again. Right now, the people of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex are getting it. The Dresden dump has its own special

section in Bill 5, so I think the people of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex and Ontarians have a right to be concerned about it.

Bill 5 is starting to look like a get-out-of-jail-free card for the Ford government, where they can do whatever they want: break a promise and use words like “trusted partner,” “special economic zone” and legislation to legitimize breaking a promise to the people of Ontario.

Will the Premier just keep his promise?

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: Speaker, despite the Liberal inaction, despite that inaction being supported by the NDP and the previous government, we are making sure that reliance and exporting our waste to the United States ends now. We cannot afford to be anything but self-sufficient and self-reliant on all fronts.

This site was already approved for waste management. It will be subject to the same environmental oversight, the same environmental compliance approval under the environmental permissions act as it would have been last year, as it would be if this was a new project. I make no apologies for the fact that I will stand for strong environmental oversight in Dresden. I can assure the residents of that; I can assure Ontarians of that. But we must address our landfill capacity challenges. We will be out of landfill within a decade if we do nothing. We are taking action, unlike the Liberals, who have no plan.

Government accountability

Mr. John Fraser: Maybe somebody over there can stand up and apologize for breaking a promise to the people of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex?

We all know this thing doesn’t pass the sniff test. Just ask the member from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex. He knows it stinks. He knows it’s not right. And just like with Therme and Ontario Place, the owners of the Dresden dump—guess what? They won a prize, Premier. They won a prize.

Speaker, does the Premier really think that rewarding wealthy, well-connected insiders and leaving the people of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex to hold the bag is the right thing to do?

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: I wonder if the member opposite understands that their old, tired narrative just doesn’t work. It didn’t work in the last three campaigns. They have still finished third in seat count because the people of Ontario reject their inaction, reject their lack of any plans and have embraced our plan to build the Ontario of tomorrow, to protect Ontario, while ensuring strong environmental oversights.

That will continue—that balance is important. The same old ways of doing business under the Liberals have been rejected thrice, and we stand for Ontario, we stand for protecting Ontario and we stand for strong environmental oversight.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Mr. John Fraser: Speaker, I have tongue twister for the folks on the other side, and it goes like this: Doug’s dormant dump in Dresden. Now, try to say that five times fast. I couldn’t even get through it once.

The reality is—and the Premier really hasn’t looked up yet, Speaker—he’s turning his back on his own member from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex, turning his back on the people of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex. And his excuse, his reason is, “The devil made me do it. Trump made me do it.” It’s pathetic.

So Speaker, I’m going to ask one last time: Is the Premier going to actually take this out of Bill 5 and keep the promise that he made to the people of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex?

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: One of the important things about being legislators is to look at current laws and regulations, look at what we’re proposing to replace. Under current regulations, the member should know that this project would not typically require a comprehensive environmental assessment. That’s a fact. Nevertheless, it is still going to be subject to an environmental approval process, and that is clear under the environmental permissions act.

This proposed bill is about achieving the balance of being self-sufficient and self-reliant, ending the reliance on exporting 40% of our waste to the United States. When the 25% tariffs came, our waste diversion was affected. So it’s already happened, and it could happen again. We’re going to be ready. We’re going to be ready to stand up and protect Ontario.

First Nations police services

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: A study published today shows us the stark reality of the mental health of police officers serving under the Ontario First Nations Policing Agreement: officers patrolling an entire region or community by themselves with no backup, police chiefs treated differently because they are Indigenous, officers in dangerous situations without the needed resources.

To the Premier: Do you find this reality acceptable?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: The member opposite raises a really important issue and something that Premier Ford has, since 2018, been very focused on, to ensure that individuals who protect our communities 24/7 also have that protection from their governments. It is critical.

We know that when we have strong police services and police forces, we have strong and safe communities, which is why we, of course, have added over the last three years support for mental health for our first responders, specifically early intervention, upstream care for first responders before they experience crisis—trauma-informed care, programming that builds on resiliency skills, training for management and office staff to help support their front-line colleagues.

Look, I know that we can do more. We will continue to support our front-line officers wherever they serve in the province of Ontario, because it is the right thing to do.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: The Deputy Premier—the programs and the funding that she’s talking about do not reach the First Nations officers on reserve. The results of this unequal treatment are heightened levels of stress, longer leaves of absences and PTSD.

First Nations leadership and officers under the First Nations policing agreement travelled to Queen’s Park today. They are actually here to hear the answer to this question: Will you commit now to provide funding needed to fully resource First Nations officers’ mental health services?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Again, I will say, I don’t think we are in misalignment. I know that you and I and our government believe very strongly that our first responders—whether they are police officers, corrections officers, ambulance drivers, communications officers—all need the support when something happens.

Which is why, again, under Premier Ford’s leadership—the first PTSI rehabilitation centre in Canada: Runnymede Healthcare Centre’s first responders PTSI centre—we did that. We are working towards that centre because we know that there are unique challenges when you are a first responder, which is why we are putting the funds and the commitment for all police officers serving in Ontario to have access to that Runnymede centre when it is operationalized.

Government accountability

Mr. Ted Hsu: I want to know if public policy in Ontario is for sale.

The problem in the Dresden landfill matter is the sequence of events. First, there’s public opposition to the expansion. An environmental assessment is promised in March 2024. Then donations by executives connected to landfill owners are made at big-ticket PC party fundraisers and during a by-election. No environmental assessment takes place, and now, in Bill 5, the government does a U-turn and cancels it.

People across Ontario want to know: Is the way to get ahead by making the right political donations?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I will caution the member on his questions and the wording of his questions.

I recognize the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: As the member may well know, I am a bit of a historian, and I like talking about sequences of events.

Speaking of sequences of events, in 2018, the former Liberal government was thrown out of office and reduced to third place by the people of Ontario. That status was repeated in 2022, and again, still stuck in third place—although those members can fill two minivans now, so congratulations on that. But the people of Ontario have three times in a row rejected the negativity and poor track record, sour track record, of this Liberal Party.

We stand for optimism and hope. We stand for balance in this Progressive Conservative government. We stand, under the leadership of Premier Ford, with strong environmental oversight while building the Ontario of tomorrow and being self-sufficient and protecting Ontario, and leading Canada in the fight against the trade wars and the tariff threats. We’re proud of that track record and we—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Mr. Ted Hsu: I have asked the Integrity Commissioner for her opinion on the Dresden landfill matter.

My immigrant parents raised me to believe in hard work and in following the rules. Even if it looks like people get ahead by donating to the powerful, we must investigate. Otherwise, the perception is that working hard doesn’t matter, that following rules puts you at a disadvantage. That perception drains public trust. It saps the will to strive for the common good and it leaves behind a hollow cynicism.

Will the Premier simply pull the Dresden landfill from Bill 5 and keep his promise?

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: The member opposite and his party failed to recognize what the realities of the mandate of February 27 for this government represent. President Trump’s threats and this trade war and the border disruptions associated with it have created an urgent situation. This is why the party opposite is not in office and is not trusted by the people.

Our province is rapidly running out of landfill capacity. We will be out of landfill capacity even sooner than the next 10 years if these threats come to reality—

Interjections.

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

The Liberals will come to order.

Back to the minister.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: The status quo cannot continue, Madam Speaker, because 40% of our waste is exported to Michigan and New York. That must end now, and it will end now. We must enhance our—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?

Energy policies

Mr. Billy Pang: My question is for the Minister of Energy and Mines. Ontario needs strong, reliable energy to power our homes, businesses and factories. But the world is changing fast. Energy security is more important than ever, and we cannot rely on others to meet our needs. That’s why our government is investing in Ontario’s energy future.

We are building the first small modular reactor in the G7 right here at home. It will help secure our energy supply, protect us from outside threats and keep Ontario competitive. We’re also making major investments to make our energy grid stronger and more efficient. This will reduce our dependence on foreign sources as we protect Ontario’s energy grid.

Can the minister please explain how our government is securing Ontario’s energy future and protecting our province from outside risks?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Response? I recognize the member from Mississauga–Lakeshore.

Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto: The member is absolutely correct. We can never return to the short-sighted policies of the Liberals. Independent experts confirm that under our government, hydro rates will be 23% lower by 2030 than they would be under the Liberals.

Electricity demand in Ontario is expected to increase by 75% by 2050. To address this, we’re introducing the largest energy-efficiency program in Canadian history: an $11-billion initiative to reduce peak demand by 3,000 megawatts.

Last week, we broke new ground on construction of the first small modular reactor in the G7. This is a transformative project, creating 18,000 jobs during construction and 3,700 jobs for the next 65 years. It will add over $500 million to our economy each year. Thanks to our government’s negotiation, 80% of the project spending will stay right here in Ontario. This is a nationally built project—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Mr. Billy Pang: Thank you for the parliamentary assistant reminding us that Liberals are short-sighted.

Ontario’s energy network is critical to our economy and our security. We can’t afford to rely on foreign sources for the power and resources we need. That’s why our government is taking action. We are cutting red tape and speeding up projects that unlock Ontario’s vast natural resources. This means more jobs, stronger industries and a secure energy supply. It’s not just about keeping the lights on; it’s about protecting Ontario from outside threats and making sure our province leads in the industry of the future.

Can the parliamentary assistant share how these steps are helping Ontario lead the world in energy production and protect our province from global risks?

Mr. Rudy Cuzzetto: I’d like to thank the member for this question.

While we cut costs for Ontarians at home, we’re also strengthening our economic independence by ensuring our province is a global leader in energy and critical minerals. Europe and the Asia-Pacific are looking at us at this time to strengthen and approve. We’re unlocking Ontario’s incredible mineral potential, creating thousands of jobs. Ontario’s one of the richest mineral regions in the world, with critical resources like nickel, titanium, cobalt and lithium—essential to produce products like cellular phones, medical devices, electric vehicles and clean energy storage.

We’re the only western country with all the raw materials needed to make a lithium-ion battery, and northern Ontario is already a key producer of these resources.

This is how we create jobs, secure our economic independence and continue to lead the world in clean energy innovation, because Ontario is a clean energy superpower.

Health care funding

Ms. Chandra Pasma: The Queensway Carleton Hospital has one of the biggest emergency departments in Ontario. It was built to serve 100,000 people, but now it serves 500,000. This means incredibly long wait times in the ER for people who are seriously ill, in pain and anxious about their health.

The Queensway Carleton has a plan to double the size of the hospital, ready to go as soon as the funding is there. Will the Premier commit today that the funding to right-size the Queensway Carleton Hospital will be in his government’s budget?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Of course, I hope that the member opposite is in her seat in the chamber Thursday at 4 o’clock when the Minister of Finance is going to introduce and table his next Premier Ford budget. When that budget is announced, you will see the investments that we are making and continue to make across Ontario. Specifically, as it relates to the Queensway Carleton Hospital, I’m sure the member opposite knows that they are actually in phase 3 of a mental health project to expand and renovate the space for their mental health services.

There are ongoing projects across almost every hospital, it seems, in the province of Ontario because of that $50 billion in 50 projects that we have committed to, and of course, on Thursday, we will learn more.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member for Ottawa West–Nepean.

Ms. Chandra Pasma: The government might have difficulty remembering that Ottawa is in Ontario, Speaker, but the people of Ottawa deserve timely access to health care nonetheless.

The Queensway Carleton serves twice the population with half the beds of the Ottawa Civic. I spoke to an elderly woman during the election who has been told she won’t have surgery for an incredibly painful condition until 2027. We urgently need to expand the Queensway Carleton to be able to meet the needs of the population of the whole western half of Ottawa.

Will the Premier commit to doing that today? Yes or no?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: As the member continues to rightfully advocate for the hospitals in her community, we will ensure that across the region, whether it is at Ottawa, Carleton, in Almonte, in Perth, in Carleton Place, we are making those investments.

We do that in a way that ensures that whether it is an improved emergency department, whether it is increased access to long-term-care homes, whether it is, in fact, increasing the number of acute care beds—something that we have already increased by over 3,000 beds since we were in government with plans to do an additional 3,500—we are making those investments across Ontario, and we will continue to do that in Ottawa and beyond.

Job creation

Ms. Stephanie Bowman: As you know, it’s budget week, and this government really has its work cut out for it. In their seven years in power, Ontario’s economy has taken some really big hits. One of the biggest? Unemployment, now at 7.8%. When this government came to power, we had the second-lowest unemployment rate in the country. Under them, it’s now the second-highest.

Stats Canada’s April Labour Force Survey shows that 691,000 Ontarians are out of work, a number not seen since the financial crisis. In just one month, 24,000 more people are without a job, worrying about how to pay their bills. I know the Premier will blame US tariffs, but the number of people without jobs has been getting worse since June 2022.

So my question to the Premier: When will he admit that he isn’t protecting jobs, he’s losing them?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

Hon. David Piccini: The only state-sponsored loss of jobs occurred when that party had the balance of power in this place, when manufacturing jobs fled Ontario. In fact, that’s one of the reasons I signed up to run.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The member for Ottawa South will come to order.

Hon. David Piccini: This Premier decided to turn it around when no automotive jobs were slated for this province and actually get in the game and dress a player to play. That’s what we did: $14 million in payroll—I keep saying this because it bears repeating—a week in Windsor. That’s pretty impressive.

We’re not immune from global trade winds, but what workers know is that we’ll protect them. We’ll back them up with a historic investment in the Skills Development Fund. We’ll support our automotive workers, like the Premier reiterated with me at GM, speaking with workers at Local 222.

They know that when it comes to dressing to play and to bring those jobs and foreign direct investment, there’s only one leader they can count on, and that’s Premier Doug Ford.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The member for Don Valley West.

Ms. Stephanie Bowman: The minister can spin it however he wants, but the reality is the previous Liberal government created more construction jobs and more manufacturing jobs: 17,000 compared to their 7,000—

Interjections.

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

Ms. Stephanie Bowman: Stats Canada’s numbers don’t lie.

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The Minister of Natural Resources will come to order.

Ms. Stephanie Bowman: The reality is, this government isn’t protecting jobs, it’s losing them.

Look at the manufacturing sector. Seven years ago, yes, the Premier promised he’d bring 300,000 manufacturing jobs to Ontario. Well, consider that another broken promise. He’s only delivered 7,000, and 33,000 of those jobs were lost last month alone. Those 300,000 jobs have not reappeared under this Premier.

So my question to the Premier: When will he admit that his plan for manufacturing jobs has failed?

Hon. David Piccini: If there’s one thing that question got right, it was that 300,000 jobs did flee. In fact, over a million have come back thanks to the leadership of this Premier.

Speaker, if the member wants to confront the cold, hard facts, it’s that almost every single building trade union abandoned them to back this Premier because they know that, when it comes to building hospitals, this Premier is going to get it done. When it comes to building subways, this Premier is going to get it done. In fact, the Ontario Line right now is sending thousands of men and women in the trades to work. When it comes to building roads and highways—something that they don’t even want to build; we know their friends don’t even want to build roads at all—it’s this Premier who’s going to get the job done.

And when it comes to supporting men and women in the trades and entering a meaningful job as an apprentice, we’ve increased that by 30,000 more people in apprenticeships today because we know Premier Wynne—a view still held by the members opposite is that they wanted us to be a service economy. They don’t want to build things—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?

Energy policies

Mr. Robert Bailey: My question is to the Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries. Ontario’s economy depends on energy. It powers our factories, keeps our lights on and heats our homes. It supports good jobs in towns from Windsor and Sarnia to Thunder Bay. It also drives exports and keeps Ontario’s economy strong. But demand for electricity is set to rise by at least 75% by 2050. We can’t afford to ignore that.

Our government has a plan. The integrated energy plan will make sure Ontario has that power it needs. It covers electricity, natural gas and fuels. It will cut delays, reduce costs and support jobs our families rely on.

Madam Speaker, can the associate minister tell this House how this plan will build a stronger, more reliable energy network for Ontario’s future?

Hon. Sam Oosterhoff: I want to thank the member for Sarnia–Lambton for his strong advocacy and for bringing me through so many of the industries in Sarnia last week. We had the opportunity to tour Imperial Oil, Arlanxeo, TransAlta. These are industries that are seeking to grow here in Ontario, and they need certainty about the cost of power, the reliability of power, and the fact that they’re going to have reliable power for decades to come.

That’s exactly what the integrated energy plan does. It builds out an energy approach that brings all the fragmented sources of energy, whether it’s electricity, natural gas or fuels, into one coordinated strategy, which means a better alignment between infrastructure and demand, fewer delays and ultimately a stronger investment climate.

We’re doing this because we know, under Premier Ford and Minister Lecce, our focus is on building affordable and reliable energy that supports industry, creates jobs and strengthens Ontario’s economy for decades to come.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The member for Sarnia–Lambton.

Mr. Robert Bailey: I want to thank the associate minister for that great response and for his visit to Sarnia–Lambton.

Energy costs matter. They impact the jobs in our factories, the costs for small businesses and the bills for families. They make the difference between companies choosing to invest here or somewhere else. Under this last Liberal regime, rates soared, and the jobs left.

But our government is taking action. We have cut energy costs, signed better contracts and brought those jobs back, but we know there’s more to do. That’s why the integrated energy plan is so important. It brings all our energy sources under one plan. It means lower costs, fewer delays and more jobs.

Madam Speaker, can the associate minister please share more about how this plan will keep our costs down and support jobs in Ontario for the years to come?

Hon. Sam Oosterhoff: The member for Sarnia–Lambton is absolutely right. Under the previous Liberal government, we saw political ideologies drive energy planning in this province, and the result was a 300% increase in energy costs for hard-working families.

As a result of our actions, we’ve actually seen a reduction by renegotiating contracts at a 30% discount compared to where those contracts were with the Liberals. In fact, we’ve seen independent analysts saying that, by the end of this decade, we will have energy prices that are 23% lower than they would have been under the previous Liberal plan. That’s because we’re taking an integrated approach that listens to what industries need, that listens to what families need and says we need to stay competitive. When we’re competitive, we’re able to attract more jobs, build our economy and grow—as our plan for the future is.

Now, I’ll say, Speaker, when I was out in Sarnia, we heard so much from those industries about their plans to grow as a result of the changes. They were leaving this province; now they’re coming back. We’re going to have their backs as they had the backs of workers in this province.

Public transit

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: My question is to the Premier. The Ontario government’s recent announcement of GO service expansion to West Harbour touts improved service for Niagara commuters, yet omits any mention of direct benefits for St. Catharines residents. Why is this government neglecting the long-standing demand for all-day, two-way GO train service in St. Catharines, and what concrete steps are being taken to address this glaring oversight?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The Minister of Transportation.

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Madam Speaker, here are the facts: Since 2019, this government has increased service on the Niagara line by over 200%. That’s passengers, people taking that GO train almost every single day, Madam Speaker.

And we’ve made historic investments. Just last month, we made an announcement which is going to save almost 15 to 20 minutes per round trip for those commuters on that line. We will continue to work tirelessly to improve changes, and I ask that member to please support and vote as this government puts more funding toward not only the stations and the service in St. Catharines and Niagara across that line—because to date, the NDP have opposed every single one of those investments into the Niagara line by refusing to support this government’s investments and budgets and fall economic statements when they are put forward in this House.

We will continue to invest in public transit, and we will get it done.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: To the minister: I have to let the minister know that Niagara goes all the way to Niagara Falls and passes Hamilton.

I also want to know, back to the minister: Any plan to expand GO service in Niagara must include the region’s largest city, which is St. Catharines. With every new announcement, residents hope and pray they don’t have to wake up at 4 a.m. just to catch the only few trains that leave St. Catharines each morning. What concrete actions are this government taking to ensure St. Catharines is finally included in the next phase of expansion, and bring two-way, all-day GO, after years and years of this Ford government’s broken promises to the area?

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Madam Speaker, the member knows construction is well under way on many of those projects that are happening right now.

But you want to know the facts? When it comes to St. Catharines, that member voted against one of the largest infrastructure projects, the Garden City Skyway, that which help her own commuters and residents and businesses across not only St. Catharines, but across the Niagara region.

When it comes to GO Transit, that member has voted against every single one of the investments that we have made, including the latest investment on that line, which reduces the time for those commuters by over 20 minutes per round trip. We have increased service on that line by over 200% for residents who are using it. We will continue to invest in GO Transit. I hope that member opposite and the members from Niagara region and others support this government’s investments.

I want to thank the member—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?

Ontario Disability Support Program

MPP Stephanie Smyth: Good morning, Madam Speaker. I have spoken with community leaders at food banks, housing shelters and support organizations who all say the same thing: Doubling ODSP is the most immediate and effective way to fight homelessness in our communities.

To the Minister of Finance: How does this government expect people with disabilities to survive, let alone live with dignity, on rates that fall so far below the cost of living? Will the minister commit today to doubling ODSP in the upcoming budget?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.

Hon. Michael Parsa: I thank my honourable colleague for the important question, Madam Speaker. It’s this government that has taken charge in the face of unaffordability and has made it a priority for us to make life more affordable for all Ontarians, including those on social assistance.

Madam Speaker, the member is talking about ODSP. We have raised ODSP rates by 17% in less than two years, and we’ve done more. We tied rates to inflation so that it could keep up with the cost of living every single year, and as a result of our decision in July, you will see a new adjustment, Madam Speaker.

More than that, for those who can and are able to work, we increased the earned-income threshold from $200 monthly to $1,000, so that those who can earn and work can keep more money in their pockets.

Madam Speaker, when it comes to making life more affordable for Ontarians, we will continue working, and we hope the opposition will support us in our efforts at making life more affordable for all.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

MPP Stephanie Smyth: The Ford government’s 4.5% increase to ODSP last year amounts to just a few extra dollars—hardly enough to cover rising rent, as we all know, let alone the soaring cost of groceries and transportation.

Community leaders are really clear about this: Without a bold step like doubling the ODSP, we are going to see more people forced onto the streets. When will this government stop making people with disabilities wait, and commit to an income that actually meets their basic needs?

Hon. Michael Parsa: I do want to remind my honourable colleagues: The decisions that we’ve made to make life more affordable for Ontarians, including those on ODSP—regrettably, your party and the NDP have systematically voted against every single initiative, so it’s very rich when it comes from the two opposition parties on the floor of the Legislature lobbying for supports while we’re providing that. But when it comes to voting, they vote against every single initiative.

But that’s okay. That’s okay. People of Ontario know that they have a government that will stand up for them. They know that they have a government, a Premier, that will not stop fighting for them, which is why I alluded to some of the measures that we put in place. The increases that I mentioned earlier, Madam Speaker, are the largest increases in the program’s history in decades. The Liberals didn’t do it. The NDP never did it. In fact, they oppose it. It’s this government, it’s this Premier, that will continue to stand up for all Ontarians.

Seniors’ services

Our government has invested in seniors active living centres to do just that. These centres are about more than just programs: They’re about keeping seniors connected to their networks and support systems. They offer a safe place to share experiences, build friendships and stay physically and mentally healthy.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how these centres are keeping seniors safe, healthy and connected?

Hon. Raymond Sung Joon Cho: Thank you for the great question from the excellent new MPP from Eglinton–Lawrence. We know that social isolation is public enemy number one for seniors. This is why our seniors active living centres are so important to help our seniors stay active, healthy and connected in our communities.

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