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February 21, 2024

43rd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

vol. A

Hansard Transcripts

vol. B

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2024-Feb-21 vol. A (PDF)

L123A - Wed 21 Feb 2024 / Mer 21 fév 2024

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Wednesday 21 February 2024 Mercredi 21 février 2024

Orders of the Day

Building Infrastructure Safely Act, 2024 / Loi de 2024 sur la construction sécuritaire des infrastructures

Members’ Statements

Mobile identification clinic in Leeds and Grenville

Landlord and Tenant Board

Non-Profit Sector Appreciation Week

Child care

GO Transit

Fire services in Weenusk First Nation

Lunar new year

Government accountability

Palma Pasta

Protests in Toronto

Introduction of Visitors

Legislative pages

Question Period

Health care

Health care

Northern health care

Long-term care

Addiction services

Agri-food industry

Forest industry

Health care

Housing

Post-secondary education

Oil and gas wells

Highway safety

Skilled trades

Visitors

Introduction of Visitors

Introduction of Bills

Massage Therapy Day Act, 2024 / Loi de 2024 sur le Jour de la massothérapie

Statements by the Ministry and Responses

Human trafficking / Traite des personnes

Petitions

Cancer screening

School safety

Missing persons

Access to health care

School safety

Employment standards

Health care funding

French-language post-secondary education

Social assistance

Alzheimer’s disease

Orders of the Day

Building Infrastructure Safely Act, 2024 / Loi de 2024 sur la construction sécuritaire des infrastructures

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Building Infrastructure Safely Act, 2024 / Loi de 2024 sur la construction sécuritaire des infrastructures

Mr. McCarthy moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 153,

An Act to amend the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012 / Projet de loi 153, Loi modifiant la Loi de 2012 sur un système d’information sur les infrastructures souterraines en Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Would the minister care to lead off the debate.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: It is a privilege to rise today to lead off third reading debate on the Building Infrastructure Safely Act, 2023. This proposed legislation is a testament to our commitment to building our province in a safer, more efficient and cost-effective manner.

As we kick off this third reading debate, it is my pleasure to reiterate our government’s plans for a future marked by progress and prosperity. This legislation, if passed, would create a catalyst for the positive change our province needs. One that ensures that our infrastructure projects are pillars of strength for future generations to come.

Speaker, we frequently debate about infrastructure in this House. We do so because of our government’s unwavering commitment to building the vital infrastructure that Ontario needs. It serves as the backbone of a thriving society and the foundation upon which economic growth, job creation and community development are built.

I’m continually reminded of the great work that can be accomplished not just during these debates, but also, last week, at the Standing Committee on Justice Policy—and I will elaborate further on that shortly. I’m always impressed by the thoughtful and careful examination that bills receive in this House. I want to thank all members for their outstanding work in that regard, and I want to thank the representatives from all the organizations who took the time and effort to appear before the Standing Committee on Justice Policy.

We heard from the Electricity Distributors Association, the Ontario Energy Association, the Association of Ontario Road Supervisors, the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association, Enbridge Gas, Toronto Hydro, Alectra Utilities, Hydro One and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. All of these organizations play an essential role in the daily lives of Ontarians, and one thing was clear: They understand the need for the legislation we are debating this morning.

On behalf of my ministry and our government, we sincerely appreciate the time that all participants have taken to give input. We have thought extensively about what these stakeholders had to say not just during public hearings but also through a series of extensive consultations throughout last year, 2023. These consultations were held by the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and the Ministry of Energy to listen to the municipalities and the businesses involved in the locate system, to hear from them on ways to improve the system as we work together to build the Ontario of tomorrow.

In fact, last spring we hosted round tables with dozens of stakeholders from all areas of the industry, including underground infrastructure owners, excavators and builders.

I want the stakeholders to know that I sincerely appreciate their valuable feedback during the development of this bill, and that I am committed to continuing our conversations as the needs of the industry continue to evolve. The current bill under consideration is a culmination of those consultations, individual meetings, letters and constant communication, wherein stakeholders relay the challenges of the current locate system to the government.

Bill 153 is a response to those concerns and the culmination of these tireless efforts across this government to provide real solutions by way of proposed legislation. That is why Bill 153, I believe, received unanimous support on both its first and second readings. Just yesterday afternoon, it was reported back to the House with unanimous support from the committee.

Speaker, now this brings me to the details of the bill at hand. The Building Infrastructure Safely Act, 2023, aims to prohibit underground infrastructure owners and operators from charging fees to locate essential components such as telecommunication lines, water mains and gas pipelines. This prohibition is a crucial step toward protecting the public from damages to critical infrastructure and keeping costs down for a wide range of construction projects, aligning seamlessly with Ontario’s broader plan to facilitate the efficient and safe completion of vital infrastructure projects.

If passed, this bill will play a valuable role in empowering our government’s ability to ensure responsible construction practices and community development. That is why today marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of a safer, more efficient and cost-effective approach to building critical infrastructure in our great province. But more importantly, it is a response to the changing landscape of infrastructure development in Ontario.

It demonstrates how our government understands the pivotal role that robust infrastructure plays in connecting communities, fostering innovation and enhancing the overall quality of life for our fellow citizens and residents. We’re dedicated to ensuring that these infrastructure projects are not only impactful, but also executed with the highest regard for safety, efficiency and protection of our existing vital underground infrastructure while at the same time keeping costs down.

I submit that it is a particularly timely bill for us to be debating, as people across our province prepare for another construction season starting this spring. Mr. Speaker, the safety of our workers, our citizens and all residents is paramount. Ontarians can rest assured that we are steadfast in our commitment to implementing and upholding the highest safety standards. Our workers are the backbone and future of Ontario, and their well-being is non-negotiable. That is why we will spare no effort in creating the work environments that prioritize safety for them and the communities those workers serve.

Safety also means looking out for our families, our neighbours and the larger community around us. This bill, along with previous amendments to the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012, is aimed at promoting safety. For that matter, it is actually goal number one across my ministry. While we work hard to balance a number of other priorities, safety is always top of mind. Throughout the consultations, for example, strong support has been expressed from the utility sector, as it would provide a system that will ensure the delivery of safe locates with public safety always remaining the top priority.

Efficiency is also one of the keys to unlocking the full potential of our infrastructure initiatives. Our government is acutely aware of the need to streamline processes, eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and foster collaboration among all stakeholders. By aiming to expedite project timelines, reducing unnecessary delays and delivering results, we can meet the evolving needs of our citizens and residents in a timely fashion. Now, to achieve all of these goals, Mr. Speaker, and to have successful infrastructure projects and policies, we continue to work closely with municipalities, private sector partners and community stakeholders.

I believe that many stakeholders agree with the Ontario Good Roads Association, who expressed that our government is delivering on its commitment to improve efficiencies and locate delivery by addressing stakeholder concerns and ensuring an efficient and sustainable operation of Ontario One Call.

Through a thoughtful and collaborative approach, the changes we are proposing would enhance the existing framework and contribute to a more streamlined and effective system for all stakeholders involved. These are the kind of changes that would help improve housing starts and reduce upward pressure on property taxes throughout the province, especially in northern and rural communities. To reiterate this further, I would like to share a quote from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario: “Timely locates”—according to AMO—“for underground infrastructure are critical for safe and efficient construction.

The government’s improvements to the locates system will make it more streamlined and accessible, helping municipalities and others to build faster and safer.”

Since becoming Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery, this is the second bill I have had the pleasure of introducing to this House. Last fall, I introduced, and this House passed unanimously, Bill 142, which included the new Consumer Protection Act, one of my ministry’s cornerstone statutes. Both of these bills were built on extensive consultations in order to find the right solutions for the long term.

In hearings last week of the Standing Committee on Justice Policy, I mentioned that we are focused on solutions to get things done the right way. This means a solutions-oriented approach that is going to help move us forward in addressing the challenges faced by underground infrastructure owners, excavators and others who work with the network of cables, pipelines and tunnels that intersect beneath us. We are looking at the solutions that help maintain strong safety standards.

We are also considering the needs and the priorities of numerous stakeholders to arrive at a place that meets the needs of all of those involved. In fact, there have been at least three different rounds of consultations leading up to the introduction of this bill. It is a critical

part in every area of my ministry’s work as we build better services for the people of Ontario that are easy to access where and when they need them. That is our entire focus. That is the focus on enhancing services for Ontarians and businesses throughout Ontario. It’s right there in the name: the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery. This work goes well beyond the walls of my ministry. We help improve government services across the entire government with behind-the-scenes information technology expertise. And not to be forgotten are the archival and record-keeping services and advice provided by the Archives of Ontario in maintaining records of our great history in Ontario.

Speaker, all of this comes back to the bill at hand, because a great deal of my ministry’s work is guided by a deep and abiding commitment to protect consumers and ensure public safety. I want to reiterate, and it bears repeating, that just as an accident involving underground infrastructure can extend well beyond the immediate area, getting this work done safely, smoothly and reliably is intrinsically connected to many other government priorities.

As our government is working hard to build infrastructure—infrastructure like new homes, roads, public transit, high-speed Internet—we need to make sure that these projects can be moved along. And while we do not always see the groundwork or, in this case, the underground work being done before digging starts, we must make sure that locates can facilitate this work getting done and getting done right.

In fact, our Minister of Infrastructure noted that our government is investing over $185 billion to revitalize schools, hospitals, public transit, roads, housing and access to high-speed Internet for every community across the province by the end of 2025. Speaker, that is the most ambitious capital plan in our province’s history. This critical infrastructure will support the quality of life that Ontarians deserve to enjoy. It is what brings us together and keeps us connected to our families, our friends, our workplaces and our daily activities of daily life that are near and dear to us.

That is why we are using every tool available to ensure our infrastructure projects are built safely and allow communities, businesses and individuals to feel the benefits of those projects.

The Minister of Infrastructure strongly supports this important work to get these proposed changes in place to get key infrastructure projects built more efficiently, while ensuring communities across Ontario benefit today from these projects and for generations to come. The Minister of Energy also believes that this bill will help keep costs down and make it easier to build more cost-effectively while protecting our workers and the critical underground infrastructure that keeps our province powered and connected.

Additionally, excavators and municipalities appreciate our government’s work in limiting costs, as when we allow for spiralling costs, it would create challenges for construction companies and, particularly, small municipalities otherwise.

And while the need for infrastructure is clear not just for our current population, it is also essential for future growth, and we have extensive growth expected in the years ahead, within this decade alone. Our population is growing by nearly 500,000 people in the last year. More than 170,000 net new jobs were created in the first nine months of 2023 alone. This is good news; however, it has also created a huge pressure on housing, and that is why the need to work collaboratively to build better, to adapt to our growing population is so important.

Speaker, we have talked much about infrastructure in this House. Our government has been so focused on creating lasting and stable infrastructure that ensures that Ontario can run better. And whether we are talking about building better transit and roads, expanding high-speed Internet availability or getting homes built for our growing population, some of the challenges are the same. You do not have to go very far to hear about many of them. Access to skilled labour, increasing costs and many other construction challenges are all well documented.

Now, before I go any further, allow me to provide you and my colleagues in this House some context, Speaker. There is one area that we tend not to talk about very much, and that is the network of infrastructure that is underground, delivering many of the services that make homes and businesses run. Underneath all of us, beneath our feet, are vast, complicated networks of extremely vital infrastructure that have been built, updated and expanded throughout the history of Ontario.

The water mains, telecommunication cables, gas and oil pipelines and high-voltage electrical cables all fuel the economy of Ontario, and if we want every corner of Ontario to move forward, we need to improve that infrastructure. Every single one of these is critical. They provide necessary services, the loss of which would represent inconvenience at the least or grave danger at the worst.

For example, in today’s digital world, having reliable Internet access is crucial for work, education, health care, communication and entertainment. Ontarians understand the frustration when they are left offline and in the dark for too long. Families should never have to worry about their children being unable to access online learning while at home, nor should a business owner have to struggle to work at home due to lack of connectivity. Think of the risk of losing water pressure, which could compromise the ability of firefighters to respond to an emergency. There is really no shortage of practical, real-life examples.

Part of maintaining the reliability of these networks is the requirement to make sure that anyone involved in a construction project gets the necessary information to identify where infrastructure is buried before breaking ground. From planting a tree in your yard to large commercial construction, having a clear knowledge of the vital infrastructure below the site is a must for public safety and for safeguarding the valuable services provided to our communities by our underground assets.

These concerns are not unique to our province. Allow me to share some examples of cases where construction projects have caused significant damage to underground infrastructure.

Just over a year ago, in January 2023, CBC reported a series of interruptions in telecommunications services in northern communities, including in the Northwest Territories. Internet, cellular and phone services were cut off when a construction crew in nearby Norman Wells, only 470 kilometres away, accidentally hit a fibre optic cable. Services were out for two days, and people who needed emergency services were encouraged to drive to their nearest RCMP detachment.

Last October, an entire town of 10,000 people had to be evacuated in Middleton, Idaho, just outside of Boise. This occurred after an excavator ruptured a 22-inch natural gas pipeline. The local fire chief said, “It was a pretty substantial explosion just due to the pressure in that line.”

Earlier again in 2023, the New York Times reported on an accident in Frankfurt, Germany. This was of a Deutsche Telekom construction crew, Germany’s main telecom provider. It was confirmed that a fibreglass cable buried five metres, or more than 16 feet, underground had been severed by a concrete drill during construction work. This accident took thousands of customers in the greater Frankfurt area offline. It also resulted in nearly 150 cancelled flights and another 247 delayed flights around the world because it knocked out Lufthansa airline’s ability to communicate with airports around the word.

The result: Thousands of people were stranded in Germany’s main travel hub and its largest airport.

Speaker, while these are some large-scale examples, I want to be crystal clear on a couple of things:

(1) We want to ensure that the system works well for individual property owners as well as it does for large commercial projects.

(2) We know that accidents have happened in Ontario before, and we need to put safety precautions in place to prevent them from happening again.

In the examples I just mentioned, I was happy to see that there were no reports of injuries, but it’s not hard to see how that could have been quite different.

Of course, as I mentioned earlier, we as a government also must weigh multiple factors. I believe I have covered the safety aspect of things, but the flip side of each story is the service outage. We cannot just say, “Well, as long as no one was hurt, it’s all okay.” Part of the equation we are continuing to explore and to try to resolve is to maintain the reliability of our underground networks and to make sure that excavators get the necessary information to identify where infrastructure is buried before digging.

It is easy to see how important it is not only for people to call or click before they dig, but also we need that system to work well so that the information can be obtained efficiently and allow the process to work smoothly. This is prevention, and it’s an essential aspect of what this bill is about and the improvements that it makes on the existing legislation.

This brings me back to the first and arguably most important part of this bill: that is, to explicitly prohibit owners and operators of underground infrastructure from charging fees to provide locates. The proposed legislation seeks to enshrine into law a free-of-charge locate system mirroring the long-standing industry practice observed across Canada and the United States. This would ensure that projects can be built cost-effectively, while protecting our workers as well as the critical infrastructure below us. This keeps our great province powered and connected.

By banning locate fees, we would stem the possibility of a spiralling cycle of costs that would delay the construction of key infrastructure projects and reduce their feasibility.

This legislative change also removes a cost barrier to accessing locates, which should improve public safety, in my submission. Costs associated with the provisioning of locates could encourage individuals or businesses to skirt the locate system and dig without the necessary information to do so safely.

We have heard loudly and clearly from stakeholders like the association of road supervisors of Ontario on their support for this change, both in the interest of public safety and for cost-efficiency. They have all expressed that charging for locates will not simply transfer the cost to the owner or the party requesting the locate.

With the administration of these charges, including invoices, payment, collection and processing—all those tasks that would incur additional costs to both the owners of underground infrastructure and excavators—they will likely want to recover themselves by adding to the fees that they charge. All of these added costs simply do not add value to the entire process and would in fact, I submit, undermine the process.

Particularly in an area where staffing is in short supply and municipalities and other organizations are already overburdened, the addition of administrative tasks could potentially create delay, and that delay would affect adversely the timely execution of any locates needed. These delays would, in turn, add further costs to building infrastructure.

Our government is building a stronger Ontario by leading one of the most ambitious capital plans in Ontario’s history. This proposed legislation would help make it easier to build the housing, the roads and the public transit for our growing needs. At a time in our history when being more connected, having more affordable homes and improving our transportation options are at the forefront of our province’s continued success, making sure this process is cost-effective and working smoothly is in everyone’s interest.

These things are not solely about timelines; they are also about predictability and being able to make long-term plans. This is something my ministry has heard from businesses in other areas. Whether it takes three days or three weeks to get something done is not always the point. Obviously, it is usually better to only have to wait for something for only three days, but if you know that it is going to take three weeks, that is a timeline you can plan around and know when you need to have people in place to get things moving.

We have heard, Speaker, from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. The members of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce have expressed support for extending locate delivery timelines for larger projects, specifically phase 1 of our government’s proposal, which calls for locates for large projects to be completed within 10 business days. That is to begin in May of this year. We understand that this change would help mitigate some of the challenges we have heard in delivering locates within five business days for all locate requests, regardless of the size and complexity of a project.

As our government moves into phase 2, this would enable opportunities to further differentiate between dig projects based on size. As such, moving to more attainable time frames for locates will also give added visibility to the locate industry to better align resources and to better provide for attention focused on large-scope locates.

A few weeks ago, when Toronto was in the middle of a cold snap—one of the few this year so far—many of you may have driven by construction sites when it was as cold as 22 degrees below zero. Now, it has been a while since we have had temperatures that low, and seeing workers who were digging trenches, laying pipes and running cables in that particular cold snap, it does give us an understanding that you do not want people standing out there, waiting to do that work because they have to wait to get the locates. It’s not only frustrating but also expensive, and quite frankly, quite inconvenient.

Another concern we have heard is the spiralling of costs I touched upon earlier. If locates were ever done for a fee before beginning construction, I want to repeat, there is a long-standing industry practice that now we’re explicitly putting into the proposed legislation: a ban on those locate fees. This is a practice that’s followed throughout Canada and the United States, but we’re taking the legislative lead on enshrining it in law. For example, a local hydro company charging a municipality for locate requests when that hydro company is digging nearby before beginning a new construction project—that fee for the locate would be an additional expense.

Expanding critical infrastructure is a large-scale project. We are not talking about a few backyard fence posts, Speaker. We’re talking about underground infrastructure that could stretch over hundreds of kilometres. The cost of those locates could be very significant. By charging that fee, one entity, the hydro company, could recover the costs of the delivery of those locates, meaning the municipality would then have an outstanding expense.

So the natural inclination in such circumstances would be that the municipality too would have to charge fees when providing locates that would be later on for the utility companies before their new water mains can go in the ground or be repaired. In fact, it is not just an inclination; it becomes an imperative to recover costs from excavators. So it does not take much imagination to see how this would end where every underground infrastructure owner and operator is charging and being charged to identify infrastructure. Speaker, this is what I do mean by a spiralling cycle of costs.

It has ripple effects that would be obvious. That is why the long-standing industry practice was followed. To the extent that there was a concern—and there was a concern—that it may not continue to be followed, we took action with this proposed bill.

In fact and in effect, at some point, in a pay-for-locates system, as you charge one company and then they charge another, those fees simply come back to you when you need to get locates done. These very same underground infrastructure owners and operators who complete locates may themselves need locates done with completing their own infrastructure projects. Underground infrastructure owners and operators have a responsibility to each other.

It just makes common and financial sense to maintain the current standard of requiring underground infrastructure owners and operators to complete locates without charging for them. If infrastructure owners and operators do this work without charging fees, there is also a natural motivation to do the work in the most cost-effective manner possible, while protecting their own capital investments in underground infrastructure.

Speaker, this spiral of costs, at some point, would have reached a level of absurdity. But possibly, the bigger risk is what happens on the ground when crews are in place, ready to work. These are the kinds of things we heard from stakeholders when we met with many of them earlier this year and last spring. It raises the question of whether it is possible that digging could begin without locates being done. While I want to think that no crew would take this risk, I could also see a situation where higher costs could create an incentive for someone to cut a corner here or there. Speaker, let me be clear, that is a very dangerous and potentially illegal move.

Our goal is to create legislation that eliminates that possibility. This is a scenario that we can help avoid, and I think it is incumbent upon this House to take steps like this that help put the conditions in place to make the entire locates process smooth, efficient and cost-effective. If we can do things that help move along the process without undue costs to anyone who is digging, I think we owe it to the people of Ontario to make that happen.

Now, Speaker, there are additional measures that this bill would address, and I would also like to speak about these additional measures for just a few minutes. For most people, requesting a locate is a simple enough process. For example, many of us who own a home may have contacted Ontario One Call ourselves to request a locate. This could be for projects like planting a tree or drilling holes to support a new deck.

The process to request a locate is generally quite easy. One simply visits ontarioonecall.ca, fills in the email address and the relevant phone number and then follows the prompts on screen. A few days later, people from utility companies, telecommunications and pipeline owners and operators will mark their infrastructure: red for electrical, blue for potable water, yellow for gas and other pipelines and so on. These are the multicoloured spray-painted lines, or sometimes what we observe as small flags that we see on the ground as we walk past ground that is about to be dug up.

For a homeowner on a small, discrete project, it is usually that simple; however, on a large scale with larger projects and at a system-wide level, matters start to become somewhat more complicated. There is a lot of other work that must go in behind the scenes to get all of these locates done in a timely manner. That is why Ontario One Call, one of 12 administrative authorities under my ministry, has a growing role in helping to make that system work well and to educate the public every step of the way.

Before I get into the additional improvements this bill would make to Ontario One Call, I would like to address for the House some general points about administrative authorities—some call them delegated administrative authorities. While many people think an administrative authority is the same as a government agency, it is not, Speaker.

Whereas a government agency is usually controlled by the government, an administrative authority is an independent, not-for-profit corporation that operates within a strong accountability and governance framework. Administrative authorities are designated certain responsibilities by the government in specific sectors and industries to administer and enforce certain Ontario laws, including laws regarding consumer protection and public safety.

Some of these administrative authorities help ensure that certain businesses that Ontarians receive services from are qualified and competent. In fact, Speaker, going back to what I mentioned earlier about the breadth of my ministry’s purview, if you use the services of a real estate broker or salesperson, or you live in a condominium, you have benefited from the work of an administrative authority.

Also, if you have ever hired a licensed electrical contractor, rode in an elevator or enjoyed a glass of Ontario’s VQA wines, you have benefited from the work of one of our administrative authorities—one or more of our administrative authorities in the case of condominiums. And if you have ever hired an Ontario travel agent, bought a car from a motor vehicle dealer or have needed services from a funeral director or a cemetery, you also have benefitted from the mandate of an administrative authority under the authority of my ministry.

These organizations ensure that equipment is properly maintained and that consumers are being educated about their rights when making certain purchases. Government retains its law-making, regulation and oversight roles while giving the administrative authorities responsibility for the daily operations of how to best carry out their mandates, including matters such as licensing, enforcement and other relevant concerns or things or matters. It is our government’s responsibility to ensure that they are consistent in the way they work, the powers they have and how those powers are used.

In March 2020, this House, the 42nd Parliament at that time—we are now in the 43rd Parliament of Ontario—passed the Rebuilding Consumer Confidence Act. It had an important role in harmonizing some key accountability, governance and transparency requirements for most administrative authorities.

The Rebuilding Consumer Confidence Act started bringing some much-needed consistency to the way in which administrative authorities work. Strictly speaking, this bill before us today is not technically related to that act. However, it does build on the spirit of that act by proposing changes to help make One Call more consistent with their administrative authority counterparts.

As I said, Ontario One Call is one of 12, and one can compare and contrast the various mandates and powers that each administrative authority has, and in doing so, one can understand some of the aspects of this act that add authority to the Ontario One Call mandate. Better aligning their powers and their responsibilities with other administrative authorities is part of these proposed changes; that is, specifically better aligning Ontario One Call’s powers and responsibility with those other AAs is a crucial part of this proposed legislation.

The proposed amendments to the act would also allow the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery to specify additional objects for Ontario One Call. Think of objects as the jobs an administrative authority has been assigned to do by government. This is very similar to the TSSA, another administrative authority. The TSSA is the Technical Standards and Safety Authority. That particular administrative authority is responsible for elevators, for example, and for amusement park rides at Canada’s Wonderland, the CNE and other small fairs that we see across the province in the spring, the fall and throughout the year.

Like the TSSA, with respect to its mandate, this proposed bill would give the government the ability and flexibility to expand objects for Ontario One Call in the future and to address evolving needs. It would provide that some provisions of the Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010, as they relate to member approval of bylaw changes needed to implement ministers’ orders would not apply to One Call. As it is presently constituted, One Call needs to get approval from members in order to pass bylaw changes needed to implement ministers’ orders.

Some other changes to the One Call act would include protections for the authorities’ officials, their officers, directors, employees and agents, from personal liability. That’s an important proposal. These are common protections for officials that work in other administrative authorities. I submit, Speaker, it is reasonable for this to be extended to Ontario One Call.

These changes are needed now because One Call is different than it used to be. Not long ago, One Call largely acted as a call centre, taking requests from excavators and relaying them to underground infrastructure owners and operators. As our government is now asking Ontario One Call members to take on more complex work to support the improvement of efficiencies and locate delivery, that requires better systems, backed up by better and sustainable resources. These changes are needed to meet the needs of industry, but more importantly, to meet the needs of Ontario’s growing population as we work on our government’s priorities.

This is not the first time that this government has made changes to Ontario One Call’s governing legislation. In April 2022, near the end of the mandate of the 42nd Parliament of Ontario, important changes were made to the One Call act as part of the Getting Ontario Connected Act, 2022; changes that saw numerous improvements that we are following through on today. For example, the Getting Ontario Connected Act created a dedicated locator model. This was for projects related to broadband Internet expansion projects.

This allows a project owner to get all of their locate services done by one locator, rather than waiting on a different locator for each utility or municipality, and that locator does the work for the duration of the project.

It also extended the validity period of locates to help reduce duplicative work and to drive efficiencies. We are continuing this work and we intend to consider further changes in this year, 2024. Duplication was also reduced by allowing contractors working on the same dig site to share locate information. Speaker, these changes are improving the locate delivery system and making the process of obtaining locates much more efficient and, most importantly, they maintain Ontario’s strict safety standards—our top priority, to repeat what I said earlier.

This bill would also remove an excavator’s ability to seek compensation through the Ontario Land Tribunal against One Call members that fail to provide a locate within the legislated time limit. It is very important to note that the changes passed by the Getting Ontario Connected Act will still hold underground infrastructure owners and operators accountable for completing locates within the time limits. Within the act, it provided Ontario One Call the authority to issue administrative penalties, also known as AMPs or administrative monetary penalties. These could be administered or issued against non-compliant members and excavators in the industry.

These powers come into effect via a minister’s regulation on May 1, 2024, and would enable One Call to transform into a modern regulator with the administrative monetary penalties as an enforcement tool and, as such, maintaining the Ontario Land Tribunal recourse provisions would become redundant or duplicative. My understanding is that the recourse to the Ontario Land Tribunal, while it existed briefly and while it’s now going to be phased out if this bill becomes law, was rarely, if at all, used by anyone.

At the same time, Speaker, I want to acknowledge that some One Call members may be apprehensive about administrative penalties. I want them to know that administrative penalties may be and are just one tool, but they are not the only tool intended to encourage compliance. They—administrative monetary penalties—are really a tool of last resort.

Owners and operators of underground infrastructure should find that that is reassuring and would know then that administrative penalties are only one of many tools that One Call has at its disposal to encourage compliance with the law. At the same time, I would also say that excavators should find the results of the changes from the past year quite encouraging.

From January to July 2022, only 45% of locates were completed on time; however, last year, in the period from January to July 2023, approximately 70% of locates were completed on time. This shows a significant improvement, and I believe that our government working with Ontario One Call can help move those improvements along even further.

Now, Speaker, to pick up again on something I mentioned earlier, this is a balanced and reasonable approach that helps get us all toward a common goal.

I would like to highlight a quote in this regard from the president and CEO of Electricity Distributors Association, Teresa Sarkesian. Ms. Sarkesian stated, and I quote:

“Bill 153 equips Ontario One Call with a powerful tool to encourage active compliance. The discretion given to Ontario One Call also allows it to administer a fair compliance process with intention. Ultimately, Bill 153 takes us one step closer to an entirely modernized regime for locating underground infrastructure safely and efficiently.

“The proposed legislation represents a balanced approach that will ensure faster construction times for housing and infrastructure projects, worker safety around high-risk assets (such as underground wires and cables), a reliable and uninterrupted supply of energy to Ontario’s families and businesses, and most importantly, respect for customers.”

Speaker, it is clear the province is at a critical juncture in our history. With the continuing use of online services, our need to get better broadband connection to every corner of the province is more important than ever. We simply cannot afford to leave entire communities without access to online services and information because they do not have a connection to high-speed Internet.

Getting more homes built that people can afford and enabling them better ways to get from there to work and everywhere they need to be—these are today’s infrastructure challenges. Our government is all in on these and we are making investments that will help make them a reality for the people of Ontario. But to make that happen, we really need to dig in on the issues that are slowing them down.

Before shovels can go into the ground on these projects, we need to make sure that the critical safety steps are taken and followed. As I indicated earlier, the explicit banning of locate fees is part of that because we would not want to see any motivation to skip steps that would compromise safety, and the spiralling cycle of costs associated with locate fees being charged would, I believe, create a grave risk of that. Safety must come first.

I’ve shared today about some very large-scale accidents with far-reaching consequences, where accidents have created explosions, service outages and stranded travellers. We want to be the government that took forward-looking decisions, rather than the place where the mistakes were made and lessons learned too late. This forward-thinking approach of our government is, I submit, a non-partisan issue. It is why, I believe, at second reading and at committee, this bill received unanimous support from everyone, from all parties, and why I hope and believe that all parties will support this bill unanimously at third-reading vote.

While we have worked hard in the past few years to get that work done faster and more smoothly, it is not enough to sit and admire our work. This rising above partisanship, as it does, must create a sense of urgency. As we build Ontario together, this approach to locates, to efficiently delivered locate processes must be part of building Ontario. It is a key component of our future, and so we must keep moving forward.

More needs to be done to help contain costs, especially at a time when we are seeing inflation, labour shortages and competition from other jurisdictions. But like the Minister of Finance, I was heartened yesterday to see inflation down to 2.9%—an improvement or a lowering of that rate of inflation even beyond our hopes and expectations at the end of last year.

When we look around, for example, at the intense competition to secure new electric vehicle battery facilities, can we afford to be a place where construction is cumbersome and inefficient or potentially unsafe? No, we cannot, I submit. Among all the things to consider, can we afford not to be the best? That is why Ontario would be a leader if these amendments under this proposed bill are passed. I urge the opposition and all parties in this House to support this bill and continue the trend that was begun at second reading and in committee, because we can act together on some initiatives, this being one.

Speaker, by 2041, Ontario’s population is expected to grow by 30%. Now is the time to meet the demands of the future. This is why our government has introduced this bill. This is why, by this bill, we are proposing to ensure that government is nimble and responsive to the needs of the community. That is why I believe that we have support from across the aisle.

With our growth, new and increasing pressure is put on Ontario’s infrastructure capacity. We cannot look away from this challenge. We must make the critical investments today to keep up with a growing population. That is why Bill 153, I submit, is so vital: so nothing can stand in the way of Ontario reaching its full potential.

I understand that my colleagues in this House have expressed support in preventing owners and operators of underground infrastructure from imposing fees for locates, and I appreciate that support. Prohibiting infrastructure owners and operators from charging for providing locates maintains this, as I said, long-standing industry practice that locates are and should be provided free of charge to avoid and to stem a cycle of potentially increasing costs that could burden anyone who wants to dig or create incentives to take shortcuts and compromise safety.

At the same time, we must continue putting systems in place that will help the framework for the delivery of locates to keep up with industry needs. That is why we are proposing these important changes to this legislation: so that the administrative authority of Ontario One Call can be more consistent with those 11 other DAAs.

To make it more adaptable to a rapidly changing landscape can help unearth a greater level of potential from industry as a whole, and it is necessary for the more complex role that we are asking One Call to fulfill. Now, while One Call was originally conceived as an organization to route information from people or businesses that are looking to dig to infrastructure owners and operators, that is no longer the case. They are filling an important role to help get all our infrastructure built faster and make the process smoother and more efficient.

Speaker, there are parallels to be drawn between the consumer protection act, Bill 142, that received royal assent at the end of last year and that was recently debated in this House. There are parallels between that act and this Bill 153, and that parallel is one of shared interests. We appropriately named Bill 142, the consumer protection act, the Better for Consumers, Better for Businesses Act, 2023. It’s a shared interest in consumer protection shared by consumers and shared by businesses who want to find it easier to comply, because that’s good business. And we are all consumers, after all.

We all have that shared interest, just as we have a shared interest in building infrastructure efficiently, safely and cost-effectively and just as we have a shared interest in keeping all matters running smoothly, without interruption, without outages and without potentially fatal accidents.

Like consumers and businesses, excavators and infrastructure owners/operators have these shared interests—interests in maintaining safe and reliable networks that get us the services we need when they are needed. We should all do what we can to foster that work and to get it done in the best possible and a safe manner.

To summarize, Speaker, if passed, I believe that this bill would better protect public safety by legislating the long-standing industry practice of requiring locates to be provided free of charge and to stem that cycle of potentially escalating costs if locate fees were charged. I also believe that this bill, if passed, would support the evolving role of Ontario One Call. The bill would, if passed, provide that expanded authority to align One Call with other administrative authorities.

If passed, and I want to address this point clearly again, the bill would remove the ability for excavators to seek compensation through the OLT, the Ontario Land Tribunal, for delivery of locates past the legislated time limit. Now, this takes away an appeal route, but at the same time, we have balanced with that the administrative monetary penalties as a tool of last resort and other compliance tools in between. At the same time, the reality is, was this a regularly used, or used at all, appeal route? My understanding is it wasn’t.

So it’s a redundant remedy and is being replaced by, I submit, a more effective remedy, with the expanded powers of Ontario One Call and the ability, as a last resort, to impose administrative monetary penalties—as a tool of last resort—and to ensure compliance with this legislation, because, of course, as it’s been said many times in this House and outside this House, we must be a jurisdiction, a nation, a province governed by the rule of law. We are ruled not by people but by laws. Ensuring compliance with the law, both with the letter and spirit of the law, is an essential aspect of what we must do.

So while this ministry has the oversight, the delegation to administrative authorities to ensure compliance with the law is essential. As of May 1, 2024, underground infrastructure owners and operators can be subject, then, to administrative penalties imposed by One Call in respect to late locates, to be clear.

I conclude by submitting this: Bill 153, unanimously supported thus far, is a testament to our commitment to building our province more safely, more efficiently and more cost-effectively. That is the shared interest of all of the people that every member of the House represents in 124 electoral districts. That is our shared commitment, and that is why I believe this 43rd Parliament should continue the trend of supporting this bill unanimously.

I want to thank all of those who helped us get our work to this stage. Over the past many months, my ministry officials—and I want to thank my deputy minister and her team, in particular, and each and every ministry official who participated in this—have worked so hard on this to make it a priority piece of legislation, to get it close to the finish line, as we are now. I also want to thank the many, many industry leaders and the Ontario One Call staff, who have come together to discuss ways to make the locates system work better.

My grandfather was fond of the saying “Come, let us reason together.” I believe that is what has happened in the lead-up to the introduction of this bill and the debate surrounding this bill, a bill that goes above partisanship and is right for the people of Ontario, for the future of Ontario and the need to plan to build the Ontario of tomorrow, today.

Thank you to all the honourable members for their attention to this bill. I strongly encourage all members across this House to support it, for empowering our province to build the infrastructure of tomorrow is a goal that we all stand behind.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): It is now time for questions and answers.

Mr. Joel Harden: I want to thank the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery for that hour lead on Bill 153. As he mentioned, this has been something we’ve been looking at in committee, but as legislation evolves we ask questions. That’s our job.

I do have a question for the minister. I had occasion, on my route down to Toronto, to talk to some of the great people who work in the gas sector that maintain the pipelines. They’re members of Unifor. They told me a few startling things that this legislation doesn’t address, and I’m wondering if the minister would be open to amendments.

They told me that Enbridge at the moment is not obliged to let the province of Ontario and its regulatory authorities know about any compromises in its entire gas pipeline infrastructure in the province of Ontario. I was also told that, in the United States, this is a live discussion there, with many countervailing legal suits going on from municipalities concerned, because methane leaks, as the minister said, are extremely dangerous for workers and extremely dangerous for communities.

Is the minister mindful of that, given that he talked about health and safety, about amendments to this bill that would require all operators of underground infrastructure to disclose compromises—

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): Back to the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: I thank the member for the question. It does bring into play an intersection of a number of issues. I submit that municipalities—you mentioned municipalities would have concerns about this. A significant portion of annual locate requests exist to ensure the continued safety and growth of their communities. Sadly, the NDP sees this as an opportunity to try and continue denying Ontarians improved services designed to help them.

I submit that the member should have no fear about that particular concern that he raises. The implication is that—the practice of disclosure is fully addressed by this bill. I have no concerns whatsoever. I see an improvement in safety and efficiency.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): Further questions? I recognize the member for Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke.

Mr. John Yakabuski: I recognize you as well.

I want to thank the minister for his one-hour leadoff this morning—which is a challenge sometimes, early in the return back to the session, but a wonderful job. And Minister—Speaker, through you—we all have made it clear through Premier Ford and our government that building is the priority of this government. Ontario must build, and we’re going to get it done. This piece of legislation is one of those pieces that is going to help us achieve that goal, and I’m very pleased for you to have brought this forward. Even though sometimes the attempt of the opposition is to stymie us every step of the way, we are steadfast in our goal.

What I’d like to hear maybe from you a bit is just how this is going to make it happen and the little bit of the positive stakeholder reaction to your changes that are going to make it easier for us to achieve that goal of building 1.5 million homes and building the infrastructure that is so badly needed—

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): Back to the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery for response.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: Thank you to the great member from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke. Speaking of speeches, I know we just passed his 20th anniversary as a member of this House, I believe, and I have listened to many of his speeches, both as a private citizen before I arrived here and also throughout my time here thus far. I always enjoy listening to that member, so I appreciate it. And 60 minutes is a bit of a challenge, I have to say, but I think under the standing orders, that’s the maximum unless somebody moved a motion to give me leave to speak longer.

I did not know, as I tabled this bill at first reading, what the outcome would be in terms of support, but I was delighted to see, not only after the consultations that preceded the tabling of this bill but during the committee process and in the debate in this House, how much consensus there is around these improvements. I’m very proud of that, and I thank all those who gave input to show that we’re going on the right track.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): Further questions?

Mr. Wayne Gates: It sounds like Unifor has some concerns; maybe you’d like to talk to them.

But this bill addresses challenges we see in the province around infrastructure needs, and I think that’s important. However, it’s a shame that this government continues to ignore the infrastructure and repair backlog needs of our public schools. The backlog has reached $17 billion—that’s with a B—in Ontario, and that affects schools, our kids right across the province, from Toronto and your riding to Ottawa to Niagara.

So my question is, why is the government allowing our public schools to crumble? That should be the infrastructure goal that we’re focusing on today.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: I thank the member for the question. This bill, of course, is addressing amendments to a 2012 act and, again, the history of this legislation thus far is a consensus among our stakeholders and among members of this House. But I also want to remind the member that the original incarnation of the bill was the 2012 underground notification system act. That was passed in a minority Parliament that that member joined in 2014 in a by-election—

Mr. Wayne Gates: Wasn’t here. Wasn’t here.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: —so congratulations to that member on his 10th anniversary in the House. I believe it’s 10 years ago. But he arrived near the end of that minority Parliament.

The incarnation of this act in 2012 was also something that was about consensus: safe building of infrastructure.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): Further questions?

Mr. Mike Harris: It’s interesting to hear the member from Niagara Falls say he wasn’t here, because the NDP like to talk about all the great Conservative governments that most of us weren’t a part of, except for, I think, maybe the member from Oxford and the Speaker. But we’re very proud of our past history here in the Legislature and certainly want to be able to celebrate all those good Conservative governments that we’ve had. The NDP, I think, have only had one shot at government.

Anyways, to the minister: I hear consistently from municipalities and other organizations that are looking at building critical infrastructure here in the province. One of the challenges they have is they put in requests for locates and sometimes it can take weeks for people to show up and paint the lines and look for the underground services. I’m just wondering how this bill will help speed that up. It’s good to see us taking a look at red tape and finding out ways that we can build things faster here in the province.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: I thank the member for Kitchener–Conestoga. I always enjoy hearing his contributions to debate in this House and receiving his questions. Also he’s a fellow Maple Leafs fan, and they’re on a winning streak now—four in row. I suppose tonight we’ll find out whether Auston Matthews, in returning to his hometown, will get to number 50—

Mr. Mike Harris: Don’t jinx it. Don’t jinx it.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: If, but I believe it will come soon.

This is very, very important. It’s a very important question, because we are moving the five days to 10 days. We think that’s a more reasonable approach. As I indicated in my remarks, the key is to be able to plan. If you can get your answer within three days and you can get it done within 10, that’s fine, but the key is to plan. As long as you know it may take a couple of weeks, you can deal with and work around that delay.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): Further questions?

Ms. Sandy Shaw: I would like to thank the member for his hour speech on this infrastructure bill. But I would like him to address very specifically the fact that it’s important that consumers aren’t charged for locates and that locates happen quickly. I would like him to address the notion that in the north, “call before you dig,” or One Call, doesn’t work. They end up so often with delays and delays. Because it’s such a short construction season, they often don’t want to get bogged down in that, if they’re trying to build in the short period when they actually don’t have to compete with the permafrost. One size doesn’t necessarily fit all when it comes to Ontario.

How are you going to ensure—how are you going to enforce—that those penalties, when the locates aren’t done on time, are actually levied? And what will Ontario One Call be doing with those penalties if they in fact do show some rigour and enforce that?

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: I appreciate, Speaker, the member’s question. It’s an important one. It’s true that it’s not one size fits all in this great province—15.4 million people, at last count. We do have to have some flexibility and nimbleness. We’re moving the rule from five days to 10 days; that’s number one. Number two: Ontario One Call is having its mandate expire—it cannot be just a mere conduit for location of underground infrastructure. It can’t just be that. It has to be more. It also has to have the nimbleness and flexibility to ensure compliance.

It is a shorter digging season in northern Ontario. We have to deal with that. Ontario One Call will have the flexibility of a number of other tools and options short of AMPs, or administrative monetary penalties, to help ensure compliance with the law and the timelines.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): Unfortunately, that is all the time for debate.

It is now time for members’ statements.

Third reading debate deemed adjourned.

Members’ Statements

Mobile identification clinic in Leeds and Grenville

Mr. Steve Clark: Today I rise to recognize staff from several agencies in my riding who recently joined forces to provide a mobile identification clinic for vulnerable and unhoused people in Leeds and Grenville. The clinic was hosted on Valentine’s Day at the Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Addictions and Mental Health drop-in centre. Speaker, the results were remarkable. In just two hours, over 30 people were connected with OHIP cards, birth certificates, Ontario ID cards and various federal benefits.

I applaud those who showed real initiative by spearheading this effort: Amber Gilmour and Donna Stratton of Rideau Community Health Services, and Amanda Briell and staff of the east region ServiceOntario. They were supported by representatives from Service Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency.

Creating this one-stop shop in a familiar and comfortable location removed all the barriers to securing identification. It was truly an all-hands-on-deck effort, with the Cooperative Care Centre, community paramedics and other agencies providing support for people in need.

Speaker, it was so successful they’re planning another clinic soon and, of course, my office remains committed to supporting this effort.

I’m so proud of these caring and hard-working individuals. Their co-operation, collaboration and innovation have made a life-changing difference for many at-risk people.

Landlord and Tenant Board

Ms. Doly Begum: Speaker, today we’re amidst the most severe housing and homelessness crisis in recent memory. Every day, the Premier reiterates his commitment to providing shelter for the people of Ontario, yet year after year, tenants and landlords alike are left waiting for justice.

The backlog at Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board has ballooned to over 53,000 cases. This backlog is not merely a statistic but is a testament to a system spiralling out of control, as highlighted in the report by Tribunal Watch Ontario. Tenants facing maintenance disputes endure extremely long waits of over 14 months for resolution, while landlords struggling with rent non-payment eviction cases are left hanging for more than a year. This is unacceptable.

The report highlights that the root of this issue lies in the politicization of the LTB by the Ontario government, by this Conservative government, favouring political appointments over experienced professionals. Regional centres shuttered under this government have only exacerbated the delays. Every day, my office hears about the profound consequences of this, with individuals bearing significant personal costs: lost housing; poor living conditions for tenants; and significant financial hardships, particularly impacting small landlords.

Speaker, our Ontario NDP colleagues and I are calling on this government to implement much-needed reforms of the LTB suggested by the Ombudsman. It’s time to ensure that all Ontarians receive the justice and relief they so desperately need.

Non-Profit Sector Appreciation Week

M me Dawn Gallagher Murphy: Last week was Non-Profit Sector Appreciation Week. In honour of this occasion, I kicked off the week by cooking my signature casserole for the community meal at Inn From the Cold. This local non-profit provides emergency shelter, meals, and supportive counselling services to the most vulnerable in our community. It was great to engage with some of the clients, staff and volunteers.

The week continued with a pop-in visit with four great local non-profits—Blue Door Construct, Newmarket Food Pantry, Women’s Centre of York Region, and Abuse Hurts—where I had the humble honour to heartily thank their leaders, staff and volunteers for all their work.

On Valentine’s Day, I hosted more than 40 of our esteemed Newmarket–Aurora non-profit organizations at an appreciation event, recognizing them as the backbone of our community. What day would be better than Valentine’s Day to extend my deepest gratitude and admiration to these incredible people who generously contribute their time, energy, expertise and passion to our community?

In 2023, the government allocated $5.7 billion to non-profit institutions.

I would like to thank the MPP for Richmond Hill for her leadership in tabling Bill 9 to recognize the third week in February each year as Non-Profit Sector Appreciation Week.

Child care

Ms. Jessica Bell: Today I’m here to talk about child care. Parents across our riding, across our city, rely on child care. I think of Liz McLaughlin, who works as a nurse at Princess Margaret Hospital. I met her when her child care centre, Carmelite, announced they were closing, forcing her and 175 families to look for new child care options in a city that has very few available.

A typical wait-list is the kind of wait-list that exists at St. Alban’s child care. There are over 100 people waiting for a spot at St. Alban’s. I asked St. Alban’s, “Why don’t you just expand to meet the need that is clearly available?” They said, “We’re struggling to even survive.” Last year, St. Alban’s operated at a deficit because the federal-provincial arrangement doesn’t allow them to raise child care fees; however, they’re not provided with enough money to cover costs.

They have lost more staff in the past year than they have lost in the previous 25 because they cannot recruit or keep workers, because wages are too low and housing costs are too expensive in our city, so people are moving and leaving. It is a huge problem.

As the need for child care rises, our child care system is not able to meet the need—or even, in some cases, they’re struggling to survive. I worry that the provincial-federal child care program is at risk.

I urge this government to look for real solutions to keep child care a reality in Ontario.

GO Transit

Mr. Mike Harris: It’s a pleasure to rise today, and it’s very nice to see everyone back at Queen’s Park.

Last week, I was thrilled to have Ontario’s Minister of Transportation in town to announce progress on Highway 7. While he was in Kitchener, the minister confirmed his full commitment to increasing service frequency on the GO line. Transforming the Kitchener line into a two-way, all-day rapid transit line is a massive undertaking.

Metrolinx has been completing upgrades to the Kitchener GO line since taking ownership of the track between Georgetown in your riding, Mr. Speaker, and Kitchener in 2018. Poor track conditions and several crossings have been improved, leading to shorter travel times. Safety signal improvements have made our roads safer and increased train speeds through Guelph. We replaced the Wilson Street bridge so work on a second track between Wellington Street and Silvercreek Parkway could begin. Looking forward, Metrolinx will be clearing areas to build a new set of dedicated rail tracks along a portion of the line.

The minister mentioned that as negotiations with CN continue, our government continues to take steps to increase service. This could include a morning train from Toronto to Kitchener on weekdays or increasing weekend GO train service between Kitchener and Toronto.

We are the only party that will invest in transit in Waterloo region. Let’s get going, Speaker.

Fire services in Weenusk First Nation

Mr. Guy Bourgouin: It is with a heavy heart that I want to express my deepest condolences to the family, chief and community following the tragic loss of lives in Weenusk First Nation, sadly again linked to fire preparedness. It saddens me even more deeply that a year ago we were mourning Weenusk in a similar circumstance. The loss of lives in such a preventable tragedy is a stark reminder of the urgent need for action and investment in a central infrastructure in Indigenous communities across our province.

Together in this House, as representatives of all Ontarians, we have a duty to address these pressing issues and work towards meaningful solutions that prioritize the safety, well-being and dignity of all individuals, regardless of their background or location.

I support every request by Weenusk First Nation and First Nations communities in remote areas to receive proper fire equipment and infrastructure. I urge every one of us to work to bring increased funding and resources for those essential infrastructure projects. Let us not wait for another tragedy to bring the help that we are being asked to deliver.

Lunar new year

Mr. Logan Kanapathi: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Last weekend in my riding of Markham–Thornhill, I had the pleasure of hosting a special event to celebrate the lunar new year alongside my residents and the Asian community.

Thank you to my colleagues Minister Michael Parsa, Minister Stephen Lecce, MPP Lorne Coe and MPP Laura Smith for attending this wonderful event. Our celebrations showcased traditional cultural dances, food and artwork from a diverse range of peoples.

This year, the year of the dragon, holds a profound significance. It means to have the power to turn your life around for the betterment of your community.

Speaker, Markham–Thornhill is the most vibrant and ethnically diverse riding in the province, and these celebrations resonate deeply with my diverse constituents, offering a moment of reflection, gratitude and hope for the year ahead.

I would like to thank the Chinese and Asian communities for sharing your ancient cultures with all of us, as well as your contributions to our economy, society and politics. You are all nation builders. To all, I say Xin Nian Hao. Gong Hay Fat Choy. Happy New Year.

Government accountability

Ms. Stephanie Bowman: I rise today to share my constituents’ concerns regarding broken promises to the people of Thorncliffe Park. One of the first issues I raised as MPP for Don Valley West involved the location of the Ontario Line maintenance and storage facility. There was no consultation in advance, causing deep strife amongst the community, local businesses and organizations. To add insult to injury, the government promised a community benefits agreement to deliver economic benefits for local residents, many of whom are new immigrants with skills that Ontario needs. So far, this government has not gotten that done—another broken promise by this Premier.

Now, we face a repeat of this debacle for Thorncliffe Park residents. The government did not consult in advance about their decision to build a transit-oriented community there. They simply announced the plan and then had the gall to have Infrastructure Ontario say, “Community input is a key component of IO’s TOC program.” This government has already released 800 pages of planning documents related to this project and spent who knows how much money without any consultations being done. My constituents are once again being sidelined by this government.

I’m asking that the Minister of Infrastructure sign a community benefits agreement now. Without that, future consultations will be nothing more than a PR exercise.

Palma Pasta

Ms. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta: Good morning. It is great to be back at Queen’s Park with my wonderful colleagues. I was delighted to spend time connecting with my constituents in Mississauga Centre—as many of you did, I’m sure, in your ridings—going door to door to deliver calendars and red lunar new year envelopes, hosting my New Year’s levee with beautiful multi-ethnic performances, as well as participating in tours and announcements. Meeting with small businesses was also very important to me.

Small family-owned businesses are the backbone of our economy. One such business in Mississauga Centre I would like to highlight is Palma Pasta. Premier Ford, myself and my Mississauga colleagues had a great time visiting Palma Pasta and seeing their operation up close. I want to congratulate Anthony Petrucci; his wife, Carmela; and their son Noah for running this wonderful and very tasty operation.

Palma Pasta has been in operation since 1985, when Marsilio and Palma Petrucci opened their very first location. I am proud that our government continuously supports small business owners like Palma Pasta, which received a manufacturing grant to modernize and improve operations.

I want to thank Anthony, Carmela, Noah, Filomena and Lori Petrucci and the entire team at Palma Pasta for having us, allowing us to taste their amazing food and for being a vibrant hub of Italian cuisine and culture in our city. Anthony and the whole team at Palma Pasta represent the very best of the entrepreneurial spirit that helps drive our thriving province forward.

Grazie e buon appetito.

Protests in Toronto

Mrs. Robin Martin: It’s great to be back in the Legislature and to see friends and colleagues again.

Unfortunately, there were some events during the legislative break that left me very concerned.

While many across the province were celebrating Christmas Eve on December 24, this holy day marked the beginning of a particularly challenging period for many people in my area. At least seven times over the following two weeks, demonstrators obstructed a highway overpass causing backups on the busiest part of the 401 and causing blocked access at the 401 and Avenue Road overpass. Protesters waved flags and verbally harassed constituents with abhorrent anti-Semitic remarks. They shamefully targeted the large Jewish population in the area but impacted everyone. Thankfully, the police arrested those who continued to protest after warnings on January 9.

More recently, protesters assembled at Mount Sinai Hospital, which was founded by members of the Jewish community, and were chanting “intifada” and harassing and intimidating health care providers, patients and visitors alike.

Thanks to our democratic institutions and traditions, residents of our province enjoy many rights and freedoms. But our rights and freedoms are understood to be subject to the rights and freedoms of others. No one has the right to do whatever they want, wherever they want, no matter what the consequences are for others. That is not freedom.

Living together in a society requires fundamentally that we obey the laws, listen to police officers who are trying to maintain order and respect others who live in our society. Our rights and freedoms, our peace and prosperity and our democracy depend on it.

Introduction of Visitors

Ms. Sandy Shaw: I would like to welcome all the representatives of the ALS Society of Canada here in the House. I particularly want to give a shout-out to Kris Noakes from my riding, who is with the ALS Society. She’s also the mother of Fallon Noakes, who was recently a page here in this Legislature. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Jill Dunlop: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Today we are celebrating the 2023 Polanyi Prize recipients. This is honouring Dr. John Charles Polanyi, an Ontario trailblazer who was the recipient of the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize in chemistry.

Joining us today are Dr. Tianyi Wang, who is receiving a prize in the field of economic science, and Dr. Elisabeth Prince, receiving a prize in the field of chemistry. Also joining her today is her guest, Elliot Selby. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: Today it’s my great honour to recognize the Niagara regional councillor Haley Bateman. Thank you for coming today, Haley. I’m looking forward to meeting with you later on today.

M me Dawn Gallagher Murphy: I’ve got three to announce this morning. As parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health, I’d like to introduce Tammy Moore, Kris Noakes, Ray and Diane Freebury, Patsy and Jasmine Ma, and Wade Hall from the ALS Society of Canada to the Legislature. They will be hosting a reception over the lunch hour in rooms 228 and 230.

I’d also like to welcome Michael Feraday, Gilles Lavigne and staff and practitioners from the Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of Ontario. They will be hosting a reception in the Legislature dining room at 5 p.m. today.

Finally, I just noticed a councillor from the town of Aurora: Rachel Gilliland. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: It is my pleasure to welcome the registered massage therapists to Queen’s Park, more specifically a special shout-out to my constituent from Windsor West, Brittany Wistuba. Welcome to Queen’s Park. I look forward to meeting with you later.

MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam: Good morning, Speaker, and good morning, colleagues. I’d like us to welcome Sue Graham-Nutter, who is the chair of AdvantAge Ontario and the CEO of the Rekai Centres in Toronto Centre, very respected long-term-care homes in our community.

Mr. Joel Harden: If I’m not mistaken, I think I see Nikki Porter up there from Epilepsy Ottawa—I do not. Well, you look a lot like Nikki, and God love you, Nikki, if you’re watching. Welcome to all the guests here at Queen’s Park.

Ms. Bhutila Karpoche: I’d like to give a special shout-out and say thank you to my old intern Olivia Collver, who is spending her last week with us before she moves to the government side. Thank you so much, Olivia.

Miss Monique Taylor: I would like to welcome the Architectural Conservancy of Canada. I had the privilege of meeting with some Hamilton folks this morning. Welcome to the Legislature, Stan Nowak and Shannon Kyles.

Hon. Michael Parsa: I want to introduce Jeff Mole, a constituent of Aurora–Oak Ridges–Richmond Hill, to the House. Thank you for joining us.

Mr. Sam Oosterhoff: I want to welcome today—they’re not actually quite in the chamber but they’re making their way through the security to get in here—branch 613, the Welland-Pelham army cadets from Niagara from my riding. You’ll see them joining us. They’re outstanding young people who are doing a lot in our community, and I want to welcome them to the chamber this morning.

Mr. Jeff Burch: I’d like to welcome Emily McIntosh, and Farrah Grozelle from Women of Ontario Say No; David Arbuckle, executive director, the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario; Haley Bateman, St. Catharines councillor at Niagara region; Jo-Dee Burbach, councillor, city of Stratford; Rachel Gilliland, councillor, town of Aurora; Lindsay Wilson, deputy mayor, town of Ingersoll. I know you had a great press conference this morning with our leader, and I look forward to my meeting with them later today.

Legislative pages

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): It is now my pleasure to ask our group of pages to assemble for their introductions.

I would ask the members to please join me in welcoming this group of legislative pages: from the riding of Mississauga East–Cooksville, Ella Ali; from the riding of Newmarket–Aurora, Skye Baker; from the riding of Davenport, Matias Biderman; from the riding of Toronto–Danforth, Abigail Hart; from the riding of Spadina–Fort York, Jeremy Kinnear; from the riding of Scarborough–Agincourt, Winifred Lin; from the riding of Willowdale, Niklas Low; from the riding of Don Valley North, Isaac Luo; from the riding of Richmond Hill, Colin Niu; from the riding of Hamilton East–Stoney Creek, Mesapé Nsong; from the riding of Hamilton Centre, Pharoah Opoku-Warner; from the riding of Brampton Centre, Sarah Salman; from the riding of Markham–Stouffville, Mercy Samouel; from the riding of Mississauga–Streetsville, Seyona Shetty; from the riding of Brampton West, Paras Sodhi; from the riding of Whitby, Ellen Sun; from the riding of Mississauga–Erin Mills, James Teng; from the riding of Ajax, Anushga Trivedi; from the riding of Beaches–East York, Charles Wells; and, lastly, from the riding of Aurora–Oak Ridges–Richmond Hill, Max Wen.

Once again, please join me in welcoming our pages.

Applause.

Question Period

Health care

Ms. Marit Stiles: Good morning, Speaker. More than two million people in Ontario don’t have a family doctor. The College of Family Physicians is projecting that by 2026, a quarter of Ontarians will be without a family doctor.

Doctors across the province have been raising the alarm about the physician shortage, but we have heard nothing from this government about help on the horizon. There is no plan to incentivize family doctors to stay in their practices or any sign of administrative support to ease their burden.

HealthForceOntario data is showing us that in Toronto we are missing 305 family doctors; Ottawa needs 171; Barrie and Muskoka, 118; and Hamilton is short 114 doctors. So my question is to the Premier: How can you ensure continuous care is going to be available for Ontarians when thousands of people are losing their doctors every year?

Hon. Doug Ford: Well, Mr. Speaker, what if I told you there’s a place that over 10,000 doctors have registered in the last five years? What if I told you there’s an investment of $110 million to connect 300,000 more patients to primary care teams, that will lead to 78 new and expanded teams, that will connect 98% of a population to a primary care doc? What if I told you, Mr. Speaker, $50 billion, and 50 new locations are either getting a new hospital or an expanded hospital? Mr. Speaker, what if I told you there are 80,000 registered nurses here in Ontario that didn’t exist five and a half years ago? Mr.

Speaker, this place is called Ontario, and we’re going to continue building Ontario’s health care team.

Interjections.

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

Members will please take their seats. Order. Order.

Restart the clock. Supplementary question?

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, I know they spent millions of taxpayer dollars on those ads, so they want to get their money’s worth, but what if I told you there is a province where two million Ontarians cannot find a family doctor and we have a Premier who is not doing his job?

We are very proud to be joined in the House today by steelworkers from the great city of Sault Ste. Marie. They’re here to ask for help after 10,000 patients were notified that they’re going to lose primary medical care at the Group Health Centre. The centre was founded by steelworkers. They agreed to payroll deductions to build it and to support workers and their families, and it came with an agreement that they would receive health care for the rest of their lives. Now, with those physicians retiring or resigning, there is no one to replace them. That’s the reality in the province of Ontario: There is no plan for the founding members or the historical commitment made to them.

So I want to ask the Premier, what is this government doing right now to address the urgent crisis in primary care in Sault Ste. Marie?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: The primary care expansion that the Premier just mentioned, those 78 expansions and new—two of them are happening Sault Ste. Marie. We are committed to making sure the people of Sault Ste. Marie and across Ontario have access to primary care, and that is exactly why we have invested $110 million in expanding 78 primary care teams. Now, I contrast that to a previous Liberal government who actually cut residency positions in the province of Ontario. If they had not cut those residency positions, we would have upwards of 300 physicians practising in the province of Ontario today.

But we won’t stop there. We will continue to work with Sault Ste. Marie, with primary care practitioners, with nurse practitioner-led clinics, to make sure that access is there in community.

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

Ms. Marit Stiles: I want to be completely clear, and I’m going to go back to the Premier on this again: 10,000 people in northern Ontario are expected to lose primary care by May of this year—10,000 more; 30,000 already lost it—and they’re expecting another 6,000 patients to lose care. They’re on the brink.

In total, more than a quarter of the population of Sault Ste. Marie is slated to lose access to primary care. That’s unacceptable to me, and it should be unacceptable to this Premier. Speaker, the official opposition NDP is joining steelworkers and retirees in the call for an immediate strategy to recruit and deploy primary care doctors and health care professionals to Sault Ste. Marie and to other communities in northern Ontario deeply impacted.

To the Premier: When will this government commit to the recruitment and retention strategy for health care workers in northern Ontario?

Interjections.

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

Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Speaker, we started that work in 2018 when we expanded the access to nurses, to nurse practitioners, to physicians, increasing their access to train in the province of Ontario. We also worked with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to make sure that as people were coming into Ontario and Canada, they were quickly assessed and ultimately approved when appropriate.

The member from Sault Ste. Marie has been working actively with his community to make sure that these patients are getting access. That work started immediately. I don’t know where the NDP have been. I can tell you since 2018, when we formed government, that work has been expanding. We will continue to be there for the people of Sault Ste. Marie and everyone in Ontario who wants access to a primary care physician.

Health care

Ms. Marit Stiles: While we have been standing right here, raising the alarm, this government has been in power for six years, and health care is worse today than it ever has been. That’s on you.

Speaker, the steelworkers of the Soo understand the need to protect health care today and into the future. That’s why they have suggested immediate solutions that will continue to pay off for years and years to come and include a plan to support internationally trained doctors to practise in this province. They’ve called for an expert panel as well that’s going to help expedite the training and mentoring that’s needed to bring doctors to communities like Sault Ste. Marie.

Speaker, these solutions could be implemented immediately. They could have been implemented yesterday if this government had the political will to do so.

To the Premier: Will he stop making excuses and act now to urgently bring doctors to Sault Ste. Marie?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: With the greatest of respect, Speaker, where was the party opposite when we were actually investing, when we were expanding residency positions in the province of Ontario? The opposition voted against it. Where was the opposition standing when we brought in investments, when we directed the College of Physicians and Surgeons to assess and ultimately license?

We now have, for the first time in the province of Ontario, as-of-right rules that mean if you want to practise in Ontario, you can do that without the red tape of the practice-ready physicians. It’s concrete changes that we are making that we are seeing the impact of in our communities. Name me the last time we have expanded multidisciplinary teams by 78 in the province of Ontario. It’s historic.

Those are changes that are going to make a difference in communities like Chapleau, like Sault Ste. Marie, like Timmins, like Sudbury, like Innisfil, like Woodstock. These are communities that are getting expansions, that desperately want access to primary care. We’re giving it to them through an investment of $110 million.

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

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, where are these phantom doctors? Where are these phantom doctors? The people of Sault Ste. Marie would love to know. They would love to know. It is unacceptable. I’m not going to stop asking this until we get an answer from this government.

If these patients in Sault Ste. Marie lose access to their primary care doctors, they’re going to be forced to rely on those increasingly crowded emergency rooms for their basic needs. The closest emergency room outside of Sault Ste. Marie is four hours away. We heard today of somebody who waited 15 hours recently who also has lost their doctor.

Access to primary care should not depend on where we live. Across the province, I am hearing from countless, countless Ontarians who are worried about losing access to health care as well. For doctors, it’s not just about staff or office spaces, it’s also about housing and transportation and access to other services. It’s impossible for hospitals and clinics to recruit health care workers when there’s no accessible housing or transportation—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Ms. Marit Stiles: I will tell you what, I will not take lessons from the member from Sault Ste. Marie who has failed his community so badly—so badly.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Leader of the Opposition will please take her seat. The member for Sault Ste. Marie will come to order. The member for Kitchener–Conestoga will come to order.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Perhaps the member for Sault Ste. Marie and the member for Kitchener–Conestoga didn’t hear me call them to order.

The Premier can respond.

Hon. Doug Ford: Again, what if I told you, Mr. Speaker, that there is an area—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Hon. Doug Ford: The Leader of the Opposition really insulted the 2,400 doctors who graduated last year and called them “phantom doctors.” If that applies to all 10,000, I wonder if the 17,500 nurses—a record here in Ontario—are phantom nurses as well. I wonder if the new universities that we are building, medical schools across the province, are phantom universities. I wonder if the 260 undergraduate and 449 post-graduate seats are phantom seats.

I’m wondering about the health care that is at an all-time high right now, at $81 billion. We’ve spent over $21 billion more in the last five years than the—

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

Interjection.

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

The final supplementary: once again, the Leader of the Opposition.

Ms. Marit Stiles: I want to use my last supplementary to ask about another emerging health care issue. This government’s privatization-for-profit scheme is leaving patients across this province frustrated and very, very deeply worried about being charged for medically necessary services.

The Minister of Health has stood there and said that they are expanding private cataract surgeries, but we have more reports today that dozens of patients are being overbilled and charged for additional lenses and services that they did not ask for. This is exactly what we warned about: Patients being told they will only have to use their health card are just being handed a bill for thousands of dollars after their treatment.

The minister’s response has been incredibly disappointing. She recognized this practice as a violation of the commitment-to-medicare act, but has not offered, to this date, any solutions to protect patients.

I’m going to ask the minister, and I don’t want to hear that these patients consented to it, because it’s clear that patients were misled by this clinic. Minister, when will you enforce your own regulations and stop companies profiting off the backs of patients?

Interjections.

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

The Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: I think it’s important to put some numbers and facts on the table, Speaker. In the province of Ontario, every single year we have 150,000 cataract and minor surgeries happening. Over the course of two years, where the member opposite is talking about 13 complaints, we in fact had 300,000 minor eye surgeries and cataract surgeries in the province of Ontario.

Those are real people. Those are real people who are now talking and reading books to their grandchildren, who are now volunteering back in their communities, who are now back in their cars driving around. We have people who are impacted when we make decisions to expand surgical and diagnostic centres in the province of Ontario. In fact, in the last year, one single announcement that the Premier made in January of 2023 led to 17,000 additional people getting access to cataract and minor eye surgeries. Those are the facts.

Northern health care

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Remarks in Anishininiimowin. The question is for the Premier. Speaker, the health care system in northern Ontario has huge challenges. We are short hundreds of doctors and people are getting sicker. People are dying. This is the Ontario that I know.

Two weeks ago, the Nishnawbe Aski Nation declared a health state of emergency across the whole north, not just on reserves. This government doesn’t have the courtesy to respond when emergencies get declared. Northern health care should not operate in a state of emergency. Will the government respond to the state of emergency? Yes or no?

Interjections.

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

Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Speaker, perhaps the member opposite is not aware of the fact that, in fact, our Minister of Indigenous Affairs, our Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and myself have all actively engaged in conversations and offered solutions and assistance to the people of northern Ontario.

I want to highlight again the expansions that we are making in northern Ontario that will directly impact communities: Moosonee and area getting a brand new community Weeneebayko Area Health Authority team; Porcupine; Kapuskasing; Sudbury; Burk’s Falls; Timmins; Chapleau; Wawa; Powassan. We have communities in northern Ontario that need action from our government and we have given it with the announcement of 78 expansions of primary care teams in the province of Ontario. We will always be there with our partners to make sure that we assist, but these expansions are something that I very much hope that you and your party will support when we put it in our budget.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’ll remind the members to make their comments through the Chair.

The supplementary question? The member for Nickel Belt.

M me France Gélinas: In another shameful milestone for this government, Sudbury now has a private for-profit nurse practitioner-led clinic charging money to patients for each and every visit. The nurse practitioner said, and I will quote her words, “Had the Capreol clinic received funding to hire a permanent position, I would have likely stayed there.”

Speaker, I have hand-delivered modest funding proposals from the Capreol Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic to the Minister of Health numerous times since 2021. We have underemployed nurse practitioners in northern Ontario that would love to care for us in the public system, but this government is bent into private clinics only, forcing them to go to the private sector.

When will the Capreol Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic get the money they have been asking for since 2021?

Hon. Sylvia Jones: When the Chapleau and District Family Health Team received an expansion in the primary care expansion announcement from last month that will serve an additional over 2,000 residents in her community, does she plan to support or vote against that initiative? That’s 2,200 people that will get access to health care in your own community. We have 78 examples of that across Ontario—in Thunder Bay, in Kenora and area district. We are making the investments. What I’d like to know from the member opposite is whether they are going to support those expansions through the budget.

Long-term care

M me Dawn Gallagher Murphy: My question is for the Minister of Long-Term Care. Every senior in Ontario deserves access to quality care and quality of life both now and into the future. But many families, like those in my riding of Newmarket–Aurora, are concerned about the safety and well-being of their loved ones in long-term-care homes. While our province already has the toughest inspection and enforcement program in Canada, we must take further action to improve compliance and provide comfort and certainty to residents and their families.

Speaker, can the minister please tell the House what our government is doing to strengthen oversight and resident safety in long-term-care homes?

Hon. Stan Cho: The member addresses some very valid concerns for her constituents, because it goes beyond just building long-term-care homes, which this government is doing to a record level. It goes beyond just health human resources, which this government is doing to record levels once again. It’s about the safety of those in long-term-care homes. That’s why, since I was appointed five and a half months ago, we have been working tirelessly to ensure that that is the number one priority within the long-term-care setting.

Supported by an investment of $72.3 million, I announced last month the formation of Ontario’s first dedicated long-term-care investigative unit. The new 10-member unit will go after the worst offenders in the long-term-care system, and I want to be very clear, Speaker: I hope that they never have to be used. These investigators have the authority to add more accountability to address the most serious forms of non-compliance so Ontarians can be sure that their loved ones are safe.

I’ll repeat it in this Legislature once again: Our seniors took care of us. It is our turn to take care of them.

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

M me Dawn Gallagher Murphy: It’s great to hear the minister talk about the measures our government is taking to ensure every long-term-care resident lives with dignity and is offered the care they deserve.

While this is an important step forward in protecting Ontario’s seniors, some individuals are concerned that it will be used to punish workers in the sector. Speaker, we know that front-line staff are essential in providing quality care to residents each and every day. That’s why our government must build on the progress already made and continue to invest in initiatives that will expand and enhance the long-term-care workforce.

Can the minister please elaborate on how our government is supporting staff in long-term-care homes to deliver safe and effective care?

Hon. Stan Cho: That’s very fair. The member raises what is probably the most important piece of our long-term-care-home system and that is the hard-working front-line health care workers who make these homes homes every single day, doing the work for our loved ones that, frankly, many of us cannot do.

This unit is set out—and I want to be very clear on this—to go after the worst offenders and hold them to account for their actions. And as I said, we hope they are never used.

Service to our residents is the most important thing. That’s why our government is making sure we take care of our staff and give them the tools to do their jobs better. Just last fall, we invested $300 million to recruit thousands of PSWs to the long-term-care sector. In 2023 alone, we increased the local priorities fund by $35 million to support residents with complex needs.

We also invested $342 million into immediate and longer-term recruitment initiatives that would add over 13,000 workers to Ontario’s health care system. This includes 5,000 new and upskilled registered nurses and registered practical nurses, as well as 8,000 PSWs.

Speaker, the cat is out of the bag. This Premier is taking care of front-line health care workers and the amazing residents within the long-term-care system.

Addiction services

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: My question is to the Premier. Earlier this month, the mayor of Belleville declared a local state of emergency after EMS responded to 17 drug overdoses in just over 24 hours, with a total of 23 overdoses in less than 48 hours. Devastated by the loss and desperate for support, the mayor of Belleville reached out to this Conservative government, only to have the request ignored.

Belleville needs $2 million to fund a local health and social services hub and a detox centre to address the ongoing addictions and overdose crisis. There is no time to wait. The community wants to see a new service hub open by the end of this year. So my question to the Premier is this: Will you immediately fund the desperately needed service hub and detox centre for Belleville?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): To reply, the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Hon. Michael A. Tibollo: Thank you for the question. Mr. Speaker, after decades of neglect by previous governments, addictions and support services in Ontario have rotted. They are non-existent. It’s a deeply unfortunate situation in Belleville, but unlike those governments, we take these issues seriously and we have already taken action to alleviate the pressure on the city and have begun discussions on longer-term solutions.

Last week, I joined the member for Bay of Quinte in Belleville, where we announced emergency funding to address the immediate needs of the community as identified by the CMHA. We’re helping them to increase temporary staffing at key service providers, add mental health supports for existing staff, improve the security of the downtown area and purchase new equipment for outreach teams and service providers that will help them identify and intervene early in the event of an overdose.

We also met with the mayor, the first responders and health care agencies to talk about the situation and how we’re going to work together to improve mental health and addictions care in Belleville. Mr. Speaker, we have a clear agenda to ensure that we build a system that will help the people of Belleville.

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

Mrs. Lisa Gretzky: With all due respect to the associate minister, you have been in government for six years. The overdose crisis, the number of people dying, the service cuts have been under your watch. It’s time to take responsibility and stop putting it off on somebody else.

Belleville desperately needs adequate funding to build and operate a local service hub, not measly one-time funding. They need reliable, continuous support to address the addictions and overdose crisis.

The community has been asking, pleading for this funding for months with no answer from this government. It’s not a “tough ask,” as the Conservative member for that riding and the associate minister have told the mayor. What’s tough is watching our family members and our community members overdose and die in the streets.

Last week, the Premier acknowledged the need to urgently fund mental health and addiction supports, but the people of Belleville still have no commitment for a much-needed service hub and detox centre in their community. So I ask the Premier again: Will you honour your promise about increasing supports by immediately funding the construction and operation of a local health and social services hub and detox centre in Belleville? Yes or no?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Members will please take their seats, and I’ll remind members to make their comments through the Chair.

The Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Hon. Michael A. Tibollo: Once again, I’d like to point out to my colleague on the other side of the House just where we are, and to suggest that we haven’t done anything in the last six years—Mr. Speaker, this is the first government to have a minister responsible for mental health and addictions; the first government to invest historic amounts in mental health and addictions.

Let’s just start with where we began. How about the fact that you closed 13% of Ontario’s mental health beds and 9,645 hospital beds? How about the fact that you’re the ones that created the doctor shortage in the first place? How about the fact that you cut $53 million in mental health supports when you were in power? How about the fact that you voted against the Roadmap to Wellness and did not provide the support to the government in ensuring that we built the system—

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Member for Windsor West, come to order.

Hon. Michael A. Tibollo: Mr. Speaker, we need a continuum of care, not piecemeal solutions. What we are doing as a government is ensuring that that continuum is built, not only in Belleville but everywhere across the province of Ontario. We’ve opened 400 beds, 7,000 treatment spots—

Interjections.

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

Order. Order.

Okay. Let’s start the clock. The next question.

Agri-food industry

Mr. Will Bouma: My question is for the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Ontario’s agricultural and food industry contributes over $48 billion to our province’s GDP and our economy. In my riding of Brantford–Brant, there are over 1,400 agri-food businesses that all serve a vital role in contributing to Ontario’s economic prosperity and job creation. That’s why it is of critical importance that our government supports measures that strengthen and grow this vital sector.

People in my riding were thrilled to hear the minister first announce the Grow Ontario Strategy to expand production and enhance efficiencies. Can the minister please provide the House with an update on what our government is doing to implement the strategy and ensure we are supporting the agriculture and food sector?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: I appreciate the question from the member from Brantford–Brant very much because it allows us to stand in this House to share with everyone and those watching live that our Grow Ontario Strategy is working. For example, we had put in our strategy that we wanted to increase exports of Ontario-grown and -produced food by 30% by the year 2020 and essentially, in 2022 and 2023, we’ve actually increased exports by 20.9%. Ladies and gentlemen, our plan is working.

Furthermore, research is so important and we need to continue to innovate. Our strategy set out that we wanted to see more than 250 patents and licences realized by the year 2032. Through 2022 to the end of 2023, we actually saw 43 patents and licences realized through funding by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Our strategy is on the mark—

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

The supplementary question?

Mr. Will Bouma: Thank you, Minister, for that response. From the minister’s response, it’s clear that our government has committed to tangible actions that will ensure the continuous growth of the agri-food sector in Ontario.

Agri-food businesses in my community and across the province expect their government to implement measures that are innovative and will address their needs. It’s critical that our government ensures that these industries have access to new processes, new equipment and new technology to expand production and enhance efficiency.

Speaker, can the minister please provide an update on some of the actions and results of the new Grow Ontario Strategy?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: I really am pleased and proud to share with you that not only are farmers responding to the importance and the need to drive innovation to realize efficiencies and increase yields, but our processors are as well, and our programs are hitting the mark.

Just last week, I was in Strathroy, and I visited Nortera. It’s a processing plant that specializes in frozen vegetables. They actually have plants in Strathroy, Ingersoll and Tecumseh in southwestern Ontario, and they process 635 million pounds of frozen vegetables. Last year, they actually invested in new technologies to drive line efficiencies that ultimately resulted from a new enhanced bagging and scale piece of equipment. This spring, based on success, they’re actually investing in new optical sorting equipment that will drive continued product quality.

Again, Speaker, our strategy to grow Ontario is working, and—

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

The next question.

Forest industry

MPP Lise Vaugeois: To the Minister of Natural Resources, through you, Speaker: As you know, the mill in Terrace Bay has been idled since January. I have met with the union leadership, mayors, First Nations chiefs, our provincial and federal representatives and small business owners in Terrace Bay and Schreiber, and nothing has happened to slow down the potential social and economic collapse of these communities. There are 500 direct lost jobs but 1,900 jobs at risk throughout the region.

Given that the owners of the mill won’t communicate beyond saying they will entertain offers of purchase, I’m wondering what update the government can share with these workers about their plans to address this issue.

Hon. Graydon Smith: Thank you for the question. First and foremost, our thoughts are with those workers in Terrace Bay in that mill that has been idled. We want to get them back to work as soon as possible. That’s why, Mr. Speaker, the moment that this happened, we started outreach not only to the workers but to the mayors of the affected communities all through the sector to make sure that we have opportunities that are presented to us to work with the owners, to work with the sector to find a way to get this mill back up and running again.

Speaker, we know that the forestry sector is a very integrated sector. When something like this happens, it can cause challenges all throughout the sector. We are leaving no stone unturned to find a way to get this mill back open, whether it’s with the current owner or whether it’s with another operator. We know that the future of forestry in northern Ontario still remains bright. We will find ways to get over this hurdle and continue to make northern Ontario the strong powerhouse that it deserves to be.

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

MPP Lise Vaugeois: Back to the minister: Thank you for that response. The company received almost $130 million in provincial grants, yet they don’t appear to have any responsibility toward the workers or toward remediating the extensive pollution they are leaving behind.

Who is going to ensure that the company does not get away with leaving a huge cleanup liability for a potential buyer or the community of Terrace Bay?

Hon. Graydon Smith: Again, we continue to work with ownership of the mill to ensure that everything remains compliant and that this mill opens again. The single best thing that can happen is that this mill opens again, continues to produce the products that make northern Ontario strong through the integrated forestry sector, and we can work through the challenges that exist today and to a future tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, this government continues to invest in the forestry sector in Ontario; we’ll make no bones about that. We want to ensure that this sector is very strong in the northwest, in the northeast and all throughout the integrated—and I’ll use that word many, many times, “integrated”—forestry sector that exists in this province. It is one of the backbones of our province’s economy, and 142,000 people work in this sector. We’re making investments every day, whether it’s through our biomass program or our forestry innovation program, to ensure that opportunities continue to exist in forestry in Ontario now and well into the future.

Health care

Mr. Adil Shamji: Mr. Speaker, for the Premier: 60 seconds isn’t enough time to list this government’s failures in health care, but let’s give it a try. What if I told you emergency room wait times are the worst they’ve ever been, and ER closures have become the norm? That’s because we’re losing family doctors faster than we’re gaining them, and thousands of patients are losing primary care overnight.

On top of that, Bill 124 has shattered our workforce for nothing—you sure got that done—and there’s still no health care worker retention plan, so now temporary staffing agencies have stepped in and are burning a hole in our hospitals and long-term-care homes. But the Premier says, “Just let it burn.” As a result, hospital debts are ballooning, and they’re being forced to rely on high-interest loans because this government does not have their back. And now, desperate patients are being forced to turn to private for-profit clinics that are overcharging elderly patients while this government turns a blind eye.

Mr. Speaker, why should this government trust any of the Premier’s promises when all he has to show for his efforts is this long list of health care woes?

Hon. Doug Ford: As I said before, your government destroyed the health care system here in Ontario. Mr. Speaker, they fired 1,600 nurses; we’ve registered 80,000 nurses, 17,500 last year alone. They were so dysfunctional, the OMA, the Ontario Medical Association, wouldn’t even speak to them. They shut down hospital beds like we’ve never seen. They created hallway health care.

What we’ve done: We’ve added 3,500 beds. We’re adding another 3,000 beds. We’ve added 10,000 doctors. We’ve added 80,000 registered nurses. We’re building universities that are going to create the next doctors—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

The Premier will take his seat. The member for Ottawa South will put the cards back in his wallet.

Supplementary question?

Mr. Adil Shamji: While the Premier loves to fall back on the Liberal mismanagement distraction, he does nothing but highlight his own mismanagement, which is, quite frankly, beyond comparison.

The government loves to brag about all the money it spent on health care, but what does it have to show for it? You wouldn’t see me bragging about spending millions of dollars on a car that doesn’t start. This government has created a problem that it cannot fix.

Through you, Mr. Speaker, to all Ontarians: They’re not thinking about your future; they’re thinking about their future. They don’t care about bringing your emergency room wait times down, and they don’t care about emergency room closures. They don’t care about keeping your family doctor or your nurse practitioner. They don’t care about anything unless someone is making a profit, whether it’s temporary nursing agencies, private for-profit clinics, developers drooling over the greenbelt, private companies like Staples, Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaws. This government will always lead with greed.

Mr. Speaker, when will this government realize they could give the people of Ontario so much more if they would only focus on people, not profits?

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

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Oh, Speaker. Let’s do a bit of compare and contrast, shall we? The Liberal government cut residency positions in the province of Ontario. The Conservative government actually expands residency positions, and two new medical schools in the province of Ontario, in Brampton and in Scarborough.

The previous Liberal Premier acknowledged, after you were defeated, that her biggest regret was how she decimated the health care system. It was your Premier and your leader who said that—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order. Stop the clock.

I apologize to the Minister of Health. I had to interrupt because I couldn’t hear what she was saying because of the noise in the House.

I’m going to ask the member for Ottawa South to come to order and the government House leader to come to order.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

Start the clock. Minister of Health.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: Thank you.

The numbers show that we are investing more in health care in the province of Ontario—and we did that, Speaker, without raising taxes. How did we do that? We did that by expanding the economy to make sure that more people are working in the province of Ontario, to make sure that people are investing in the province of Ontario. And by doing that, we’ve been able to invest and expand the health care budget by over $20 billion.

Housing

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: My question is for the Associate Minister of Housing.

Like many provinces, Ontario is in a housing supply crisis, which has been decades in the making. One of the key areas we need to see improvement in is purpose-built rental housing. Due to excessive red tape and high construction costs, fewer rental units have been built over the past 40 years. In fact, over 80% of Ontario’s purpose-built rental units were built before 1980. That’s why our government must continue to take action to ensure we are improving rental housing construction across the province.

Speaker, can the minister please update the House on the progress our government has made on purpose-built rental housing?

Hon. Rob Flack: Thank you to the member from Mississauga–Erin Mills for that question. Know that Ontario set a new record in 2023 on purpose-built rental housing. It was the largest in our history, even above 2022, which was record. CMHA says that we got nearly 19,000 starts last year, up 27%. But we know that much more should be done in that arena and also in all types of housing construction. But results count, and our actions are working. We’ve lowered development charges, we’ve reduced red tape and the costs associated with it, and we’ve removed the HST on purpose-built rentals. Thanks to the Minister of Finance and the Premier for advocating in Ottawa—a job well done.

Speaker, there is much more to do. We know there is, but the best is yet to come.

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

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: I thank the associate minister for the response. It is great to hear how our government is building more new homes and getting them built faster.

My constituents were pleased to hear that we are committed to building 120,000 new homes in Mississauga as part of our plan to build 1.5 million homes by 2031. But, Speaker, we know that the former mayor failed to address the housing supply crisis in the city. Under Bonnie Crombie’s tenure, Mississauga only hit 27% of its 10-year target—one of the worst records in Ontario. The people of Mississauga deserved stronger leadership to help them achieve their dreams of home ownership.

Speaker, can the minister tell the House how Bonnie Crombie’s anti-housing agenda has made it harder to build homes in—

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The Associate Minister of Housing.

Hon. Rob Flack: The record is clear: Mayor Crombie had the worst housing record in the province of Ontario. Allow me to give you some examples.

Last May, Mississauga wouldn