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March 29, 2021

42nd Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2021-Mar-29 (PDF)

L240 - Mon 29 Mar 2021 / Lun 29 mar 2021

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Monday 29 March 2021 Lundi 29 mars 2021

Private Members’ Public Business

Homelessness

Members’ Statements

Affordable housing

Passover

Hospitality industry

Abilities Centre

Windsor Symphony Orchestra music education program

Affordable housing

COVID-19 response

Hospital funding

Paramedic services / Services ambulanciers

Gas theft

Question Period

COVID-19 response

COVID-19 immunization

Climate change

Public transit

Indigenous housing

Climate change

Services for children and youth

Hospital funding

COVID-19 response

Broadband access

Education funding

Government fiscal policies

Education funding

Supportive housing

Notice of dissatisfaction

Deferred Votes

Homelessness

Petitions

Health protection legislation

Conservation authorities

Addiction services

Long-term care

Addiction services

Land use planning

Opposition Day

Long-term care

Orders of the Day

Protecting the People of Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2021 / Loi de 2021 visant à protéger la population ontarienne (mesures budgétaires)

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Private Members’ Public Business

Homelessness

Mr. Chris Glover: I move that, in the opinion of the House, the government of Ontario should commit to addressing the homelessness crisis by immediately acquiring emergency shelter space that will ultimately be converted into permanent supportive housing, building at least 69,000 affordable housing units, and building at least 30,000 supportive housing units accompanied by wraparound supports including overdose prevention, employment programs, and mental health and addictions resources for those hardest to house.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Pursuant to standing order 101, the member has 12 minutes for his presentation.

Mr. Chris Glover: A couple of weeks ago, we were in here, and my colleague from Timiskaming–Cochrane told a farm story about an International 1066 tractor. I’ve never driven an International 1066 tractor, but I do have a farm story.

When I was young, when I was a youth, I was part of a youth exchange, with Sri Lanka, and I was posted to a farm just outside of Hamilton in a small four corners called Binbrook. I was there for three and a half months living on the farm, and it was one of those transformational experiences. I went in as a scrawny kid, and because of the hard work and also the good food, I put on 25 pounds. I came out weighing basically what I weigh now.

The beauty of the experience living in a small community like that was you can see the values that create a healthy society. I developed this theory while I was there. I thought, there are three values that make a healthy society. The first one is self-reliance and hard work, and community, and compassion.

Self-reliance and hard work: Everybody in that community, pretty much, was a farmer, so everybody’s working hard—extremely hard. They’re also responsible for their own business, their own farm.

As far as community goes, it was the harvest season, but it was also the time that people were preparing for the fall fair. Everybody, whenever they could, would go down to the fairgrounds. We were all pitching in. We were building chicken coops. We were white-washing the rail fence around the race track. We were all pitching in. The fall fair was a wonderful event, but I really think the experience of building community was in those days when we were preparing for that fall fair.

The third value is compassion. If a farmer breaks his leg or a farmer becomes ill, the other farmers in the community will pitch in, and they will make sure that his cows are milked or his pigs are fed or his fields are harvested. Everybody looks out for each other.

I’ve have been thinking about these values ever since, about, how do we create a healthy society? As a government in Ontario, how do we create a healthy society in Ontario? I think when you look at this value of hard work and self-reliance, hard work deserves a just reward. The minimum wage in Ontario is $14 an hour; 25% of the workers in Ontario make less than $17 an hour. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives says that if you’re living in the cities in Ontario, you need to make at least $20 an hour in order to be able to afford a one-bedroom apartment.

Some of the actions of this government are actually fuelling the homelessness crisis, which is the topic of my motion today. There’s an eviction blitz going on. I listened in to one of these Landlord and Tenant Board hearings. It was a woman being evicted because she had missed two months rent at the beginning of the pandemic because of a loss of work and income. Since then, she’s gone back to work, she’s been able to make all her monthly payments, but she wasn’t able to make up those two months that were missing, and so, she got evicted. She and her daughter got evicted from their home because of that.

This government last week voted down a motion from my colleague from Toronto Centre asking for rent support so those kinds of evictions wouldn’t happen. It’s this gap between wages and affordability of housing that is fuelling the homelessness crisis that we’re experiencing.

Dini Petty, a talk show host that many of you will be familiar with—throughout this pandemic she’s been supporting people experiencing homelessness. She says that the biggest reason for the recent increase in homelessness is that people can’t pay their rent anymore. This eviction blitz that is happening is breaking up our communities.

I talk about the value of compassion. There’s one gentleman we were helping last week—he has schizophrenia and he lives in a shelter. He lives in a shelter because there isn’t nearly adequate housing for people with mental health issues in this province. He developed COVID-19. He spent four days in the hospital. Then after four days he was discharged. He went back to his shelter. He wasn’t allowed in the shelter, because he’s COVID-positive. There’s supposed to be a shelter for people who are homeless but also COVID-positive, but he couldn’t find it.

There were a bunch of us scrambling, trying to get a hold of him, trying to find him, because he doesn’t have a cellphone. And so, this person with schizophrenia and who’s COVID-positive was walking around the streets of Toronto, trying to find a place to stay warm in last week’s temperatures, which were dipping down below zero at night.

When you’re thinking about the two parts of this motion—one is to build supportive housing; the other one is to build affordable housing—I would ask you to call into question your own value of compassion for people like that person with schizophrenia who is COVID-positive. People need housing. They need supportive housing.

I see in the values of the community members around this value of compassion. Alicia Liebregts, who lives in Liberty Village, started a program a couple of years ago called Liberty Village Cares that supports people who are vulnerable or people who are experiencing homelessness.

Susan Potvin, who lives near a tent encampment at Lamport Stadium, says, “It was deeply distressing to see so many people living in squalid tents all this winter. While nearby office towers and condo units lay vacant, warm and bright....”

At the beginning of this pandemic, a friend and I started a community care program that’s now feeding 1,000 people a week—seniors, vulnerable residents and people experiencing homelessness. Ayesha Khan, one of the volunteers in the program, says, “Having had the chance to get to know many people suffering from homelessness, I have met good people, people who protected others, people who suffered from disabilities and mental health issues and yet kept close-knit in their homeless communities to survive.”

I’d ask you to call on that value of compassion that you hear from these community members when you’re deciding how to vote on my motion.

I was also speaking with Kim Curry, who’s the director of a program called Seeds of Hope, which is just a couple of blocks from the Legislature here. She says during the coldest days in February, there was no place for people to go to get warm. The restaurants are closed. The libraries are closed. At one point at 10 o’clock at night she was scrambling around trying to find a place for one of the people she’s caring for just to sleep for the night, because he was freezing and he was in pain. We lost 78 people who were suffering from homelessness in Toronto in 2020.

Recently, two weeks ago, two people died in one day. So the decisions that we make in the Legislature are life-and-death decisions for many people.

The first part of my motion is asking for 30,000 supportive housing units to be built over 10 years. This is a recommendation from Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions Leadership Advisory Council. These supportive housing units are to include wraparound supports, overdose prevention, employment programs, and mental health and addictions resources to help reintegrate people back into the community, because when people are homeless, are they really part of our broader community? When we evict people from their homes and put them on the streets, are we saying they’re part of our community? We need to welcome these people back into our community by providing housing.

Let me read this other quote. There are a number of agencies that are supportive of those 30,000 supportive housing units. Patricia Mueller from Homes First Society, Sonja Nerad from the Toronto Shelter Network, and Kira Heineck from the Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness: They all say that, without those 30,000 units—“Without this motion, for many shelter clients there is no next step, no pathway out of homelessness.” They say that shelters manage homelessness, but supportive housing will end it.

We are all one community. It’s not just people in the encampments and people experiencing homelessness who are suffering. It also has impacts on community members around. Martin Del Campo says, “The communities surrounding these tent encampments have also been affected. We need compassion and empathy for the homeless and for the residents who live near the encampments.”

Caroline Cai says, “In a time of chaos, fear and uncertainty, voting for this motion is a statement that we Ontarians are united to support each other, especially the less fortunate.”

The second part of my motion is about affordable housing. The Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association and the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada recommend that we build 69,000 affordable housing units over the next 10 years. I’m hoping that many of these units will be co-ops.

I have had the good fortune of living in Campus Co-op, which is a co-op housing development not too far from here, when I was an undergrad. It was an incredible experience. Co-ops have really strong communities. There are people who are paying full market rent and there are other people who have their rent subsidized, but it’s a democratic organization. Everybody—everybody—who lives there is a member and everybody gets one vote in all the decisions that are made in the co-op.

The other thing about affordable housing: Not only do we need to build affordable housing, we also need to makes sure that we’re not losing affordable housing. The residents of Chinatown are deeply concerned that 70% of the housing in Chinatown is rental housing, much of it is in rooming houses, but this is all under threat from gentrification. It’s a process that threatens the very character of Chinatown. Chinatown was under threat once before. Community leaders like Jean Lumb fought to save it, and contributed greatly to the diversity and richness of our city that Chinatown brings.

I have written to members of my community for feedback on the motion. Universally, the response was positive. I received emails supporting this motion from Ashley Dent, Indra Narayansingh, Phil Zanotti, Louis George Frank, Margot White, Wenting Li, Ronny Yaron, Sylvia Grady and so many others.

The other, final reason that I would like to bring out for you to support this motion is that we’ll save money. Affordable housing costs for somebody who’s fully subsidized is between $800 and $1,000 a month. Supportive housing costs $2,000 a month. A shelter bed costs $4,000 a month. Jail is $7,000 a month, and a hospital is $10,000 a month.

Djanka Gajdel, who is a business owner in Spadina–Fort York, says, “The West Queen West Business Improvement Association,” that employs thousands of people with 450 businesses, “says there is no hope for a robust economic recovery until homelessness is addressed.”

I will ask all of you to look at your values of hard work and self-reliance, of community and compassion, and I ask all the members of this House to support my motion today.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Mr. Parm Gill: It’s a pleasure to rise in the House today to discuss the member opposite’s private member’s motion. We’ve seen the impact that the pandemic has had on vulnerable people in our communities, including those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. That is why, from the onset of COVID-19, we provided $765 million to service managers and Indigenous program partners through our social services relief fund. In the member opposite’s riding, the city of Toronto received over $284 million. This funding is flexible so municipalities can use it to best respond to their local needs.

This funding can be used to create long-term housing solutions for those at risk or experiencing homelessness, increase rent banks, purchase PPE, build modular housing, and expand or purchase new shelter spaces for the most vulnerable. With new COVID-19 variants of concern, we’ve directed service managers to be transparent with their SSR funding and address any gaps within their outbreak management plans and provide details on planned next steps.

We also provided the city of Toronto with an additional $6.9 million to create up to 280 beds across two emergency isolation centres so those affected by COVID-19 can safely isolate away from others. These isolation facilities are also providing a range of wraparound services, including meals, security, transportation and links with health and social services.

Speaker, since taking office, we have increased funding for homelessness every year—more than what the previous Liberal government did for 15 years. We’re taking action to end homelessness by directing service managers to implement by-name lists across our province. By-name lists are a better way to connect people experiencing homelessness with the supports and services they need.

The previous Liberal strategy was filled with gaps and limitations. Our government understands how critical it is to better understand who is homeless and match them to the actual supports they need.

This year alone, in the member opposite’s own riding, the city of Toronto has been allocated almost $200 million through various housing and homelessness programs.

Through our Home for Good program, which provides housing assistance and support services to people experiencing homelessness or who are at imminent risk of homelessness, we provided $18 million to help transform a vacant complex at 389 Church Street into 120 supportive rental apartments for women experiencing or at risk of homelessness. I was proud to announce the critical project in partnership with the city of Toronto earlier this year.

It is critical that we continue to fund innovative housing projects that can be completed rapidly to give those in need a safe place to call home as soon as possible.

Speaker, I also know that the NDP and the Liberal Party are against the use of MZOs, but let me give you three examples of the difference they’re making. At the request of the city of Toronto, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued two MZOs in Toronto last year for two modular supportive housing projects in members of the opposition’s ridings. The minister made these MZOs less than 12 months ago, and today there are vulnerable Ontarians living in the completed modular housing units.

In the Leader of the Opposition’s riding, the city of Hamilton requested an MZO to help speed up the approvals process for 15 new affordable housing units. Without an MZO, the city of Hamilton wouldn’t have met the timelines needed to access federal funding. Our government is proud to work with our municipal partners by using MZOs to accelerate critical projects that get our most vulnerable the housing they need today.

We know that demand for residential services is growing. That’s why our government has invested more than $1.8 billion for residential supports within the developmental services sector.

As part of our 2021 budget, we announced an investment of $13 million over three years to assist more people with developmental disabilities in accessing community housing and to support their independent living through an expansion of the Adult Protective Service Worker Program.

Our government recommits to working closely with all of our partners to ensure that people can access the housing and supports they need today and in the years to come. Everyone has a role to play in fixing Ontario’s housing crisis. We continue to invite members of this House, municipalities, non-profits and private industry to work with us and join us in encouraging innovative ways to build different kinds of housing to make sure everyone can have a place to call home.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

M. Guy Bourgouin: Bon matin. Ça me fait plaisir de pouvoir parler et d’appuyer la motion du député de Spadina–Fort York visant à créer une stratégie provinciale pour adresser deux crises de haute importance : le nombre croissant de sans-abri et le manque de logement et de services pour leur venir en aide.

Tout d’abord, j’aimerais vous parler d’une situation particulière dont plusieurs personnes seront surprises d’entendre parler : les sans-abri francophones. Lors du mois de novembre dernier, des journalistes d’ONFR+ ont fait une série de capsules adressant la situation des francophones en situation d’itinérance ici à Toronto, dans les alentours de cette Assemblée législative. Les journalistes d’ONFR+ ont parlé entre autres du fait que les centaines de francophones en situation d’itinérance sont doublement touchés par ce qu’ils vivent.

Ils sont isolés du reste de la société dans des conditions toujours préoccupantes dans une crise sanitaire. De l’autre côté, ils sont doublement touchés, car la barrière linguistique les isole encore plus.

Dans ce rapportage, ONFR+ parle du fait que la première personne décédée de la COVID-19 en situation d’itinérance ici à Toronto s’agissait d’un homme francophone dans la cinquantaine. C’était un francophone d’origine congolaise, venu en Ontario dans les années 1990 avec l’espoir de trouver une meilleure vie.

I want to finish by underscoring the housing crisis that affects Indigenous peoples in Ontario, both on- and off-reserve. This past winter, Jackie Hookimaw from Attawapiskat First Nation brought light to the situation in North Bay, where Indigenous homeless people sometimes lack essential and most-needed services, but also culturally appropriate services, access to elders, healing and language, as well as clean, livable, affordable housing.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Mrs. Robin Martin: I’m pleased to rise on this motion by the member from Spadina–Fort York. I wanted to talk a bit about the mental health aspects of the motion as it brings those forward.

As you know, Speaker, our government believes that mental health is health. We were elected on a promise to make mental health and addictions a priority. That’s why we committed to invest $3.8 billion over 10 years to create new services and to expand existing programs.

Minister Elliott was the Vice-Chair of the 2010 select committee on mental health and she was determined to ensure that we took action in this very important area. When we were first elected, I was charged by Minister Elliott, in my role as parliamentary assistant, to make the area of mental health and addictions my primary focus, which I was delighted to do.

An important first step was to understand what services existed already on the ground, where the gaps were and where we had strengths and weaknesses. To inform our planning, Minister Elliott and I hosted round tables all across Ontario—I think 18 in total; some of them I did with Minister Elliott, some of them I did separately. We consulted with many people in the sector and users of the services.

As a result of that extensive consultation across the province, we created our centre of excellence for mental health and addictions, which is now part of Ontario Health, and our Roadmap to Wellness, which we’ve talked quite a lot about. It’s Ontario’s comprehensive plan to build a fully connected mental health and addictions system where every Ontarian is fully supported.

Ontario is investing $176 million in 2020-21 in mental health and addictions services. This investment builds on the $174 million the government invested last year for mental health and addictions programs. This brings new base investments across the sector since 2019 to a total of $350 million. This is, of course, on top of the existing funding that was there.

In December 2020, Minister Tibollo and Minister Clark also announced that our government would invest $47 million to provide supportive housing for individuals with severe mental health and addictions challenges who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. This includes creating a new Back to Home Program to help patients transition from hospitals to permanent housing. The funding will do the following:

—help support and empower individuals living with severe mental health and addictions challenges and help them to live independently;

—alleviate hospital capacity pressures and therefore move us one step closer to our plan to end hallway health care; and

—provide landlords the resources they need to upgrade and maintain supportive housing to provide a safe and comfortable home for their tenants.

The province’s targeted investment for mental health and addictions supportive housing includes:

—$13.7 million to create this Back to Home Program that will provide supportive housing for patients in hospitals with mental health and addictions challenges who do not need hospital-level acute care;

—$6.6 million in additional investments to help up to 25 supportive housing providers across Ontario that maintain housing units for those at risk of homelessness;

—$1.9 million to assist the transition of the Homes for Special Care Program to the modernized Community Homes for Opportunity program, which will provide enhanced support services for tenants, such as the purchase of electronic devices to ensure tenants can maintain connections with their family and participate in virtual appointments;

—$850,000 in rent supplements to retain supportive housing properties where agreements with Ontario are expiring;

—$10 million to strengthen mental health and addictions supports for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in communities hit hard by COVID-19.

In addition, over $14 million for supportive housing programs designated for justice-involved individuals, which was announced in November as part of our plan to expand mental health services across the justice system, will fund up to 524 new units across the province for individuals who are either on diversion plans from mental health court or have been released from a provincial correctional facility, including $1.03 million for up to 20 units that are affiliated with five new post-court transitional case managers.

Transitional case managers will also provide support to individuals involved in the justice system with mental health or addictions challenges to rapidly access services such as counselling, therapy etc.

I think this government has shown a lot of compassion toward people with homeless issues, and we are going to do more. We’re doing more every day.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Mr. Faisal Hassan: It’s an honour to rise this morning on behalf of the decent and hard-working people of York South–Weston to speak to the vitally important motion put forward by my colleague from Spadina–Fort York.

Madam Speaker, I have worked extensively in housing and homelessness over the years. There are thousands and thousands of folks waiting on the waiting list for affordable housing. There are also reported to be 10,000 homeless in the GTA alone.

As a young man, I found myself homeless on the streets of Rome, and I know the struggles faced by those who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, and those losing their homes. Any of us in Ontario could find ourselves in that position, Madam Speaker.

This motion addresses the devastating crisis in housing that exists in Ontario. This crisis began in 1994 and continues by downloading—from Mike Harris to Ernie Eves to Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne—to municipalities.

With this motion, Madam Speaker, we have an opportunity in this House to clearly and definitely call for the government to address the homelessness crisis with concrete measures that would provide immediate support to those struggling.

The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that the right to housing is protected under international law, and indeed Canada has endorsed such rights guaranteeing an adequate standard of living, including adequate food, clothing and housing.

It is time to act and make real change that can address the homelessness and housing crisis in Ontario. Let us pass this motion, Madam Speaker, to get to work for the people of this province and address the issue of homelessness and housing. It is our responsibility and our moral imperative to act.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Mr. Mike Schreiner: It’s an honour to rise and speak to the motion from the member for Spadina–Fort York on affordable housing. Speaker, the bottom line is we are facing a housing and mental health crisis in Ontario, but you would not know that from reading last week’s budget. I was hoping that the government would recognize the crisis that we’re facing, especially when members come to Queen’s Park and they see the various tent cities in parts throughout Toronto, including right here at Queen’s Park circle. But it appears that the

chapter to address this somehow was forgotten at the printer when the budget was printed last week.

Speaker, how can people be expected to stay home during a pandemic when they don’t have a home to stay home in? That’s exactly why it is vital that we address the housing and mental health crisis, especially coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reality is we had a housing crisis and a mental health crisis prior to the pandemic; COVID has only made it worse. Pre-pandemic, 170,000 people in Ontario were on the waiting list to access social housing.

In Toronto, a minimum wage worker has to work 79 hours a week to afford a one-bedroom apartment and 96 hours to afford a two-bedroom apartment. It’s not much better in Ottawa, where it takes a 70-hour workweek—0% of rental housing is affordable to a full-time minimum wage worker in cities such as Barrie, Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, Peterborough, Ottawa and Thunder Bay.

According to the Homeless Hub, the vast majority of people experiencing homelessness are also experiencing mental health and addiction challenges. Supportive housing is widely considered as the best, most cost-effective strategy to addressing both the homeless and mental health crisis.

Speaker, let me be clear: The numbers in this motion are the absolute bare minimum of what is needed in the province of Ontario. These numbers come from An Affordable Housing Plan for Ontario, a joint report in 2018 for the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association and the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada. I’ve been told by mental health experts that the 30,000 number was literally the bare minimum. That’s essentially what this motion is asking the government to do, to provide a floor to address this crisis. Speaker, that’s why the budget was so disappointing.

If I could just quote Toronto city councillors. They talked about the fact that, “The city has ... secured nearly 1,250 new supportive housing units” to help address the homeless crisis. Of those, 1,100 are waiting for operating funds from the province.

In my riding of Guelph, we have three projects that if properly funded will end homelessness in Guelph-Wellington. The federal government has provided the funding for the capital, and now we need the province to provide the funding for the operating expenses. As a matter of fact, this is such an exciting project that an unprecedented level of support from all three levels of government in Guelph-Wellington and across three different political parties—all are supporting these projects and asking the provincial government to just step up with the operating funds.

As a matter of fact, one of the projects is an amazing combination of a non-profit association, Kindle Communities, with a for-profit developer, Skyline, who actually donated the land and is donating the building expertise. The federal government is funding the actual capital needed for the project. We just need the province to provide a bit of money for the wraparound supportive mental health and addiction services.

Speaker, I want to close by saying that not only do we have a moral obligation to address this issue, but we have an economic imperative to do it. Every dollar invested in supportive housing creates two and a half times more jobs. The cost of not addressing housing and the mental health costs associated with that costs the mental health system $53,000 a year. It’s the right thing to do, it’s the economic thing to do, and it’s the fiscally responsible thing to do.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Meegwetch, Speaker. Remarks in Oji-Cree .

It’s an honour to rise and speak this morning on the motion put forward by my colleague the MPP from Spadina–Fort York. His motion is to create a homelessness and housing crisis strategy. That is one that is needed across the province. We know that homelessness is a public health crisis.

One of the things that I’ve learned is that sometimes we call homeless people “street people.” One of the things I have done in my work as an MPP is, during the campaign in 2018, I actually travelled with people without homes. I think it’s really important to understand their perspective, their understanding of how things work. One of the things I learned is, don’t call them “homeless people,” because they’re people first. “People without homes” is the proper term.

In Kiiwetinoong, one of the things that has happened is it has exposed the inequities and inequalities that are happening under COVID-19. One of them is people ending up homeless. I think my colleague mentioned there were 78 people without homes who passed away in Toronto in 2020. In Sioux Lookout, there were 10 people without homes who died in 2018. There are only 5,000 people there.

Of course, one of the things I did is I did go to Eabametoong, as well, on March 14. One of the things I found out is that there are people living in tents. That homelessness, houselessness, in the northern First Nations impacts and goes into the urban towns, goes into the cities. We have to be able to come up together and work together and address these people without homes.

I am proud to stand in support of this initiative put forward by my colleague for Spadina–Fort York. Kitchi meegwetch.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate? The member for Davenport.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Thank you, Madam Speaker, and good morning. Today, as always, it’s a pleasure to rise on behalf of my constituents in the great riding of Davenport to support this motion brought forward by the member from Spadina–Fort York and actually the latest attempt by the official opposition to get this government to act to address the housing crisis that has created so much unnecessary suffering in our province and, certainly, in the city of Toronto.

In Toronto right now, economic upheaval, weak tenant protections and a wave of evictions—we’ve talked about an eviction blitz—have pushed people out of their homes and onto the streets. A crowded and overburdened shelter system has meant that the number of people living in makeshift encampments for survival is greater than ever. In the absolute absence of provincial leadership, we have seen—and other members here have mentioned it this morning—community members step in to support their unhoused neighbours, because there are so few options.

This government’s inaction is quite literally costing lives in my riding and across the city, and it doesn’t need to be this way.

There were no new announcements in the budget that was just presented last week—not one new announcement regarding housing. The FAO, the Financial Accountability Office, which is completely independent, noted that $189 million had been cut from housing. In fact, this government continues to take credit for what are essentially federal transfers. Consider that for a moment.

What this motion is seeking to do is to get the government of Ontario to acquire emergency shelter space that will ultimately be converted into permanent, supportive housing and, over the next decade, to build at least 69,000 affordable housing units and 30,000 supportive housing units, accompanied by all of the wraparound supports that we know are so essential, like overdose prevention and more.

Madam Speaker, I urge the members opposite to at least begin to make this right by supporting this motion and investing in housing for all.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Further debate?

Miss Monique Taylor: I’m honoured to be able to stand before you today to speak to this motion and to thank the member from Spadina–Fort York for bringing this important conversation to the floor this morning.

The crisis that we’re all seeing in our communities is continuing to snowball.

In the last week, my office has received three calls from three different constituents who live in three different apartment buildings that are under a renoviction.

The affordable housing crisis is skyrocketing. We look at people who are on Ontario Works, and the maximum allowance that they have for shelter is $390, with a total income of $733, and yet the average rent in Hamilton for a one-bedroom is $1,395. That is a 3% increase from last year.

We look at people on Ontario disability—people with disabilities, no fault of their own, just in case they’re looking for the bootstrap to pull people up by. A single person on ODSP—their housing allowance for shelter is $479 a month, and their total income is $1,086 a month. Again, I’ll repeat: The average rent in Hamilton is $1,395 for a one-bedroom. God forbid you have a child, because if you need a two-bedroom because you have even more than one child—because we know that children are bunking up—it’s at $1,645.

To see no investment in the budget to address these serious issues is only compounding the problem.

I’ve spent quite a few nights doing homeless walks and talking to people who are sleeping on the streets, offering them blankets and a warm cup of hot chocolate or coffee. They have nowhere to go. They’re sent from other municipalities to Hamilton to get housing.

Our housing list continues to grow, and we see this government continue to ignore this. I hope they see the benefits in passing this motion today.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Back to the member for Spadina–Fort York for a two-minute reply.

Mr. Chris Glover: I want to thank the members from York South–Weston, Davenport, Hamilton Mountain and Guelph for your comments today on the motion.

And I want to give a special thanks to the members from Mushkegowuk–James Bay and Kiiwetinoong for reminding us that homelessness is a problem not just in southern Ontario; it particularly affects the fly-in communities in the north. The devastation that the member from Kiiwetinoong was talking about, where 10 people died in a population of 5,000 in one year who were people without homes, is just appalling.

To the government member from Eglinton–Lawrence: You talked about all these mental health supports and the back-to-home plan that this government has. Well, the 30,000 supportive housing units that is in this motion would be a good step in that direction. If you don’t put money behind those words, they are meaningless. In fact, they’re actually cruel, because it means that people who need those mental health supports will not be getting them.

To the member from Milton: I was afraid of your response, actually, because I have heard this again and again. This government constantly trots out these numbers: “Oh, there’s $118 million here; there’s a billion dollars here. We’re giving all this money”—but the federal Parliamentary Budget Officer said, in 2019, that you cut $160 million out of the housing budget, and the government’s own public accounts report shows that you cut, last year, $189 million out of the housing budget. You cannot hide behind numbers.

This is serious. People are out there—they’re freezing. I have dealt with two people who had frostbite on their feet who were sleeping in tents this winter. And I’m sorry that I’m getting upset, but one of them, his foot was so black that we were afraid that it was going to be amputated.

We need to take action. This motion is an opportunity to take action. Please, please vote with compassion. Don’t hide—

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Thank you. The time provided for private members’ public business has expired.

Mr. Glover has moved private members’ notice of motion number 148. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.

All those in favour of the motion will please say “aye.”

All those opposed to the motion will please say “nay.”

In my opinion, the nays have it.

A recorded division being required, the vote on this item of private members’ public business will be deferred until the next proceeding of deferred votes.

Vote deferred.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): Orders of the day.

Ms. Andrea Khanjin: No further business.

The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Lisa Gretzky): No further business. This House stands recessed until 1015.

The House recessed from 0947 to 1015.

Members’ Statements

Affordable housing

Ms. Catherine Fife: Over the last year, housing has been top of mind for my constituents. At best, COVID-19 has given us the time to reflect on what matters when it comes to where we live and work. But I’ve heard from countless constituents who are concerned with the runaway real estate market in Kitchener-Waterloo; for instance, the average price of a home is now $900,000. All levels of government need to work together on this to ensure that everyone can afford a safe and welcoming home. At its worst, the pandemic has shown us that there are too many people in our province who don’t have access to affordable or safe housing.

That’s why I was impressed to see the announcement earlier this week for the construction of 41 supportive housing units for women experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The project is a collaboration between the Kitchener-Waterloo YWCA, the city of Kitchener, the region of Waterloo and the federal government. The federal government has provided the funding; the city of Kitchener has provided a $1 50-year lease to the region and the YWCA, who will ultimately provide the supportive housing units.

Elizabeth Clarke, the ED, said, “This project will take a big chunk—almost a third—of women who are on a chronic homeless waiting list.” About 100 women in the region who are without homes are waiting for a place to live, she said. Most of them are living in the YWCA’s shelter in downtown Kitchener.

I hope all of us in this House can reflect on the need for housing in our constituency and the value of doing the right thing: prioritizing more affordable housing projects across this province.

Passover

Mrs. Robin Martin: Over the weekend, the Jewish community in Eglinton–Lawrence and across Ontario began the observance of Passover, one of the most significant holidays in the Jewish calendar. Passover commemorates the story of the Israelites’ departure from ancient Egypt. To everyone celebrating, I wish you a Chag Pesach Sameach. Happy Passover. In Canada, those celebrating typically hold or attend Seders on the first two nights of the eight days of Passover, surrounded by close friends or extended family. Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, most of those Seders were far smaller than usual, as people opted to gather with their immediate families.

Speaker, I also want to recognize that yesterday was Palm Sunday, the start of the Holy Week for Christians in my riding and across the province. This is the most solemn week of the church’s liturgical year, and much like Passover, it once again looks very different than usual this year because of COVID-19.

On a personal level, I am very grateful that these religious services, rites and ceremonies can proceed this year in all areas of the province, with reduced capacity and enhanced public health measures. While it’s not exactly how we’re used to celebrating things before the pandemic, it is a hopeful sign that we have come a long way since last March, when we had much more severe public health restrictions in place.

I hope that next year, regardless of which holiday you personally observe or celebrate, we can all once again do so safely and gather, in person, with our families and friends.

Hospitality industry

Mr. Chris Glover: Toronto, and my riding of Spadina–Fort York in particular, is known for world-famous diversity, culture and a vibrant music and entertainment scene. At the heart of it all are our local restaurants, bars, live music venues and our small businesses.

Unfortunately, instead of fast-tracking COVID-19 testing and the vaccine rollout, this government has been acting as if lockdowns are the primary solution. While announcing these lockdowns, they have failed to provide what we have repeatedly called for: financial support for tenants, for small businesses and for the workers they employ. As a result, in January, Statistics Canada estimated that 25,614 Ontario businesses have been forced to close.

I spoke to Sarah Bailey, who runs a non-profit called the Full Plate that provides support to hospitality workers. She told me that many restaurant workers and bartenders have been unemployed for a full year, and many are facing food insecurity and are forced to sign up for food boxes or grocery gift cards. Their mental health is being affected, and their bank accounts are running dry.

Danielle Bassett, a Toronto chef with 20-plus years in the industry, spent part of her youth living on the streets and is now using donations from shuttered restaurants to help contribute to the social programs she once relied on. She says she has multiple friends in the restaurant sector who committed suicide in the last year because they “lost their careers and businesses that took them decades to build.”

This government must provide proper supports such as paid sick days, presumptive coverage for those who contract COVID-19 at the workplace, and rent supports for those whose incomes are affected, like the thousands of restaurant workers are trying to do in my riding.

Abilities Centre

The Abilities Centre supports the delivery of services across several government-of-Ontario mandates to achieve the priorities of multiple ministries in a common framework, with a focus on COVID-19 response and recovery. I believe that in addition to providing more services and programs to Ontarians and, most importantly, residents in Durham, this investment in the centre will significantly enhance COVID-19 recovery efforts, resulting in sustained impacts in the years to come.

Windsor Symphony Orchestra music education program

Mr. Percy Hatfield: Speaker, I’ve told you before about our fantastic symphony orchestra in Windsor. While other symphonies had to lay off their musicians and close their doors during COVID, Windsor seized an opportunity to introduce young people to the magical sounds of the symphony orchestra.

The WSO’s associate conductor, Daniel Wiley, developed an education program. It was no easy undertaking, but the symphony’s musicians, production team and indeed the entire board of directors got behind the concept. Ten digital education programs were developed for grades K to 6, and another 12 hours of content were created for the senior grades, from 7 to 12. These concerts all followed established board curriculum. The symphony also put together four additional educational videos, and all programs included a virtual classroom visit from conductor Wiley or maestro Robert Franz.

Nearly 70,000 students were educated and entertained, from Windsor to Rainy River and Peterborough. The videos even made their way as far down as Texas. Across 10 school boards and 150 schools, students who otherwise may never have seen an orchestra had an opportunity to engage with classical music in a meaningful way.

COVID placed many restrictions on all of us, but the Windsor symphony found a way to enrich the lives of these students, and indeed their teachers, with this innovative presentation. For that, I say, well done, bravo and many thanks from all of us here in Ontario’s provincial Parliament.

Affordable housing

M me Lucille Collard: I want to take the opportunity this morning to speak about the important issue of homelessness and affordable housing. The global pandemic has amplified shortfalls in our supply of affordable housing, especially for vulnerable populations. In Ottawa, there are 350 homeless families in motel rooms that cost $3,000 a month. A federal government-commissioned report says the effect of the pandemic on homelessness in Canada could lead to a rise in homelessness by 10% to 15% in some cities, depending on what happens in the labour market.

Now is the time to look at involving the support of new and non-traditional partners to provide much-needed social services and to integrate affordability in housing developments. To encourage a new approach and ensure a suitable and diverse housing supply, the government needs to step in and take the lead with an aggressive strategy. Private sector organizations such as businesses and investors should care more about housing and the contribution they can make in driving affordable supply.

I’ve said it before, but I will say it again: In a province as prosperous as Ontario, everyone should have a place to call home. It’s crucial that we start working together to implement innovative and sustainable solutions to homelessness before the aftermath of the pandemic forces more Ontarians into difficult circumstances.

COVID-19 response

Mr. Aris Babikian: The residents of Ontario faced a very challenging year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many experienced varieties of hardships. The residents of Scarborough–Agincourt were no exception. Last year, many businesses, seniors, families and non-profit organizations had to endure unprecedented hardships.

COVID also provided us with the opportunity to rediscover ourselves and the resilience of our community. Even though there were many heart-wrenching stories, there were also uplifting accounts of generosity, compassion and thoughtfulness. Regardless of our background, we supported each other in many ways.

I would like to pay tribute to some of the Scarborough–Agincourt unsung heroes, such as Scarborough Health Network doctors, nurses, staff, custodians and volunteers; 42 Division officers; the management and the staff of Carefirst Seniors and Community Services Association; Agincourt Community Services Association; the Salvation Army Agincourt Community Church food bank; Chinese Professionals Association of Canada; North American Muslim Foundation; Senior Persons Living Connected; Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto; Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care; Mon Sheong Foundation; Shepherd Village seniors’ community; Armenian Relief Society; Golden Maple Leaf Seniors Association; the Cross-Cultural Community Services Association; Scarborough Senior Chinese Association; Centre for Immigrant and Community Services; Hong Fook Mental Health Association; the Confederation of Toronto Chinese Canadian Organizations; the Chinese Community Centre of Ontario; New Immigrants Foundation for Special Needs; Canada Confederation of Fujian Associations; Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church; St.

John’s Vintage Garden; and last but not least, Villa Elegance.

I am honoured and proud to serve and represent an outstanding group of Scarborough–Agincourt organizations and individuals.

Hospital funding

Mr. Kevin Yarde: The Premier made an announcement on Friday claiming that the government will build a new hospital in Brampton. When I looked at the 2021 budget, I saw the announcement for what it really is: just another election promise.

Bramptonians have been struggling with a health care crisis since before the pandemic, and the city declared a health care emergency earlier last year. Despite this, the only mention of funding for Brampton’s health care crisis was a $1.5-million planning grant and up to $18 million to expand Peel Memorial’s urgent care centre to 24/7 operations. Brampton needs much more. This extension promised by the Premier on Friday is not sufficient, nor is it a new hospital. Also, it does not start construction until 2023.

What Brampton needs is for Peel Memorial to be converted into a full-fledged hospital, and we need another new stand-alone hospital. For one of the fastest-growing cities, with more than 600,000 people, it is unacceptable that we only have one hospital with an emergency room. Brampton deserves its fair share, and it starts with more investment into our health care system, not more empty election promises like we’ve had from previous Liberal and Conservative governments.

Paramedic services / Services ambulanciers

Ms. Natalia Kusendova: In the recently tabled Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy, the government of Ontario has provisioned an absolute game-changer for taking care of our most vulnerable and at-risk seniors in Mississauga Centre.

As a part of the Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care Program, which commits a new instalment of $160 million to support the program in 33 communities across Ontario, $9.75 million in funding is directed to the region of Peel paramedic services. This funding is the next step in revolutionizing care provisions, with a more coordinated, accessible and home-based care model for seniors within reach.

Grâce à cet investissement, les ambulanciers paramédicaux régionaux de Peel et les équipes Santé Ontario collaboreront plus efficacement pour élargir les programmes actuels dont dépendent les personnes âgées en attente de soins de longue durée. Cet engagement de près de 10 millions de dollars se traduira par des soutiens plus adaptés dans un cadre familial confortable pour les aînés, retardant, voire supprimant, le besoin de placement dans des lits de soins de longue durée.

As a result, strains on long-term-care-bed waiting lists will decrease and provide another option for our seniors to get the care that they deserve.

To the men and women in paramedicine who bravely continue to fulfill their duties in Mississauga and across Ontario, as they have throughout this pandemic, we salute you.

Gas theft

Mr. Deepak Anand: A rising trend posing a serious threat for consumers and employees at Ontario gas stations is the 100% preventable crime of gas-and-dash thefts. In 2019 alone, there were 37,000 cases, skyrocketing from a mere 9,200 thefts in 2010. That is over 100 cases of gas thefts a day, and rising.

In the past, there are many instances where workers were chasing cars and getting hurt—even lost lives—to avoid docked pay, an unnecessary yet common practice in Ontario. Though they don’t have to, these vulnerable workers—many times, some of them are new immigrants—often feel morally obligated to catch these fleeing criminals. This also poses risks to innocent bystanders and adds up work to our police officers.

Mr. Speaker, we have a choice, and we can avoid these risks. My private member’s bill, Bill 231, unanimously supported by all members, will decisively address all these issues of community safety by making prepayment at gas stations a requirement. BC and Alberta have already implemented prepayment and have avoided these risks for their residents.

I’d like to thank the Ontario Convenience Stores Association, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and all members of this Legislature for supporting Bill 231. Together, let’s make our community safer and induce further trust in our system.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I want to thank the members for their eloquent statements this morning and remind them that the standing orders allow us to have 90 seconds for individual statements, and if we could plan that accordingly.

It is now time for oral questions.

Question Period

COVID-19 response

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My first question this morning is to the Premier.

When we got back to the Legislature after our winter break in the middle of February, the Premier basically dismissed concerns of the third wave, saying that the numbers were in fact going down. Today, Speaker, the Globe and Mail reports that hospitals are literally making triage plans, including the use of an online calculator to determine which Ontarians are going to get treatment and which ones are not.

The government hasn’t listened to the experts, hasn’t listened to the warnings from hospitals, and now, they’re dragging us into what looks to be a very serious possibility of a devastating third wave. So I guess my question is, after a year, why does the government continue to not listen to the health experts and to the hospital professionals in terms of advice around how to curb this virus?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The parliamentary assistant and member for Eglinton–Lawrence.

Mrs. Robin Martin: Thank you for the question. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, our government has taken prudent, progressive and focused action to protect the health and well-being of Ontarians as we’ve responded to this unprecedented public health crisis. From the outset of the outbreak, our government has been guided by our world-class health care experts, who have continually advised us on our response and the appropriate steps in taking to battle this virus.

This collaborative effort has allowed our province and our health system to successfully respond to COVID-19 in a number of ways, such as developing a robust testing strategy, regularly testing over 60,000 Ontarians a day, with more than 12 million people tested to date. Our government has also opened 185 assessment centres, 120 community-based testing sites, expanded testing to over 210 pharmacies to ensure everyone has access to testing. Now we’re rolling out a comprehensive mass vaccination campaign. We’re working and all the time listening to our public health experts.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: I want to share with the government just three things that were extremely problematic and continue to be so. One is that the government has ignored advice from all kinds of different place and experts, suggesting that they are going too quickly when it comes to taking away the health measures that will stop the spread. They have failed to support everyday people when it comes to COVID-19. We don’t see paid sick days for essential workers, paid sick days for anyone, nor do we see paid time off for people to be able to go get their vaccines.

We don’t see extra measures in schools that we should have seen. The disastrous rollout of this government’s vaccine plan has been very unfair and very confusing.

Speaker, the numbers are climbing. Every day, the numbers are climbing in terms of COVID-19. But it is not too late for this government to curb the third wave. They can do so by implementing some of the things I’ve just mentioned. Will they do the right thing and implement them?

Mrs. Robin Martin: Our government’s top priority is ensuring the health and well-being of all Ontarians. It’s important to remember that everyone is still strongly urged to continue to follow all the public health and workplace safety measures, limit trips outside their household and only congregate with groups of people living in their household.

Since the start of the pandemic, our government has been guided by science and data and our team of expert public health professionals who have continually advised us, which is why, after consultations, our government is allowing for the safe resumption of certain activities with public health measures strengthened. It’s important to point out that these services and activities still have to adhere to public health guidelines.

We have paid sick days through the federal program, as we’ve said many times.

The first one million vaccines took 86 days to administer. Since then, in 17 days we’ve administered a second one million vaccines, so we’re ramping up our vaccine rollout and we’ll get them to every Ontarian.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: The Premier has ignored calls for paid sick days in this province for months and months and months; everybody knows it. And yet, emergency room doctors are actually identifying that a majority of their patients in the ICUs are essential workers who couldn’t take time off when they were sick because they couldn’t afford to and couldn’t take time off to book a vaccination.

Dr. Williams, the government’s own Chief Medical Officer of Health, who the Premier says he always listens to, supports paid sick days. Saskatchewan, a Conservative province, has actually implemented paid time off to get vaccines. So why does this government refuse to undertake these very measures? Why do they continue to not understand how important these things are to stopping the spread and taking away the likelihood of a major third wave?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The government House leader to respond.

Hon. Paul Calandra: As the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Health just highlighted, of course, there are 20 sick days available to the people of the province of Ontario. What we simply will not do is take the advice of the Leader of the Opposition on this and reduce the sick days to 14 days, like she and her party would like us to do. We think 20 sick days is what is important to people of the province of Ontario.

That’s why we’ve worked very closely with our partners at the federal level to ensure that the Safe Restart Agreement that was in place and the over $1 billion that was a part of that restart agreement were available. As I said, 20 sick days are a part of that. We just simply will not do what the Leader of the Opposition wants and reduce that to 14 sick days. It’s just not sufficient.

COVID-19 immunization

Ms. Andrea Horwath: My next question is also for the Premier. I think it’s clear that the government’s rollout of their vaccination plan has been pretty disastrous. It’s really been problematic. It’s been unfair, it has been confusing and it’s making things worse, frankly.

Dr. Amit Arya says this about where we are right now:

“—Over 400,000 doses are sitting in freezers

“—Many Family Doctors still unable to vaccinate.”

Hot zones are being neglected. “The 3rd wave is here,” Dr. Arya says. “Why have we dropped the ball?”

My question to the government and to the Premier is exactly Dr. Arya’s question: Why has the government dropped the ball on the vaccine rollout?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Eglinton–Lawrence and parliamentary assistant.

Mrs. Robin Martin: Thank you for the question. In fact, our government has done a great vaccine rollout. The provincial vaccine booking system launched on March 15, and now we have administered in Ontario over two million vaccines and over 300,000 second doses. As I said before, that was one million doses within the first 86 days and, 17 days later, we’d administered another million doses.

It’s important that the member opposite realizes that any vaccines in freezers—and I think we’ve administered already 87% of the vaccines that we have, but any vaccines in freezers are actually already allocated to individuals. They are for appointments that have been booked. We don’t want people to have to show up for an appointment and find there is no vaccine.

When we have more vaccines from the federal government, more vaccines will be going out quickly. We can easily ramp up to 150,000 and more daily, and we want to do that. We want all Ontarians to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Well, Speaker, the Premier and his government like to play the blame game, pointing to Ottawa, but Ontario is fifth when it comes to the per capita vaccination rate in our province.

We know that the rollout has been disastrous, no matter what the member opposite tries to claim. Pharmacies in the GTA were forgotten. They were left off the list in those neighbourhoods that were the hardest hit by COVID-19. It’s shameful. In fact, even to this day, when communities identify that they’re going into crisis, they can’t get an answer from the Ford government. The mayor of Sarnia is ignored. Not only do they not get an answer, but they certainly don’t get any vaccines. This is not an indicator of a good rollout, Speaker.

When will the government finally admit that they have a problem here and fix their disastrous vaccine rollout?

Interjection.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Order.

The member for Eglinton–Lawrence.

Mrs. Robin Martin: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for the question. The campaign for our vaccine rollout has been wildly successful. As I indicated, to this point 80% of people over the age of 80 already have a vaccine or have booked for an appointment, and for the group of 70-to-79-year-olds, one third of all Ontarians in that age group have a vaccine. So we’re making great strides, and all of this is of course dependent on receiving vaccines.

The AstraZeneca vaccine that we received was 194,500 doses, received from India, which were to expire on April 3. Those vaccines were given out and allocated to various pharmacies—325, I believe—and also to some doctors’ offices.

When we have more vaccines, those vaccines will get out to all of the pharmacies. I believe we have now signed up 700 pharmacies, and we’re ready to double that as soon as we have the vaccines to put in the pharmacies. We want to get them out there, and we want to vaccinate all Ontarians as quickly as possible.

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

Ms. Andrea Horwath: Oh, the vaccine rollout has been wild, all right. It’s been wildly disastrous, Speaker; wildly disastrous.

But you know, it didn’t have to be this way. We didn’t have to be in a situation where we’re headed to more lockdowns, where we’re headed to a third wave that could be quite horrifying. We could have had paid sick days in our province. We could have had paid time off for people to go get their vaccines. We could have had smaller class sizes and better protections in schools. We could have had a vaccine rollout that actually targeted those that were most at risk.

We didn’t do any of those things in Ontario. Our Premier didn’t want to do any of those things in Ontario, but it can still be fixed. So, will he? Will he fix it?

Mrs. Robin Martin: Thank you for the question. Our government has run a very successful vaccine rollout campaign. As I have said, we’ve launched our online booking system. We’ve signed up hundreds of thousands of people for appointments. We are getting the vaccines rolled out; 87% of the ones we have already have been administered, and we are doing that by priority group.

The member opposite will know that we managed to vaccinate 90% of all long-term care residents fully, and the numbers in long-term care have shown the results of that. The death rate has declined significantly and almost to a complete stop—which was the vulnerable group that needed the priority vaccinations and got them.

That is how our plan is working. We’ve moved on to the elderly, who are the most at risk because of age, and we are now moving on to other groups at risk because of age and because of transmission risk. We will get those vaccines out to those people quickly. As soon as we have them, they will go out.

Climate change

Mr. Peter Tabuns: My question to the Minister of the Environment. Last week, the Supreme Court made it clear that climate change is real and it’s a threat to our humanity if governments don’t act. This government wasted $30 million going to court that should have been spent on building a real plan to fight the climate crisis. We’ve learned they also hired a climate change denier to provide “expert testimony” and defend the Premier’s gas pump stickers that, as you know, Speaker, didn’t even stick.

After losing two court battles and millions of dollars wasted, can the minister tell us how much public money went into the pocket of this climate-denying Trump supporter?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: I thank the member opposite for that question. Since day one of being elected as government in 2018, we’ve worked hard to make life more affordable for families and businesses, while at the same time ensuring that measures are taken to protect the environment, which produced our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan that not only protects land, air and water, but also focuses in on reducing greenhouse gases to achieve our Paris climate target of 30% emissions below 2005 targets. We’re well on our way.

We have a number of initiatives that the member opposite knows we’ve put forward to reduce emissions, such as our emissions testing to get the heavy-duty truck emissions down. Our Emissions Performance Standards Program, which we’re in the middle of implementing, with partnership and approved by the federal government, will ensure that big polluters are held accountable for the pollution they’re making. It’s a fair and tough policy moving forward.

I look forward to telling the member opposite more about our plan for the environment in the supplemental.

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

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Well, the government certainly made life better for climate deniers, no question. This government hired Benjamin Zycher for $111,000. I want to note some of this man’s opinions: racist personal attacks on Michelle Obama, Islamophobic hatred against Muslims, going to bat for Donald Trump to deny climate change. He’s so discredited that he attacked the Republicans in Congress for quietly acknowledging climate change.

The government’s only actions to date on climate change include millions on wasteful court battles that can only be defended by climate change deniers. Why does this government align themselves with climate change deniers time and again, and when will they bring in a green new deal to actually deal with the climate crisis in this province?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: Thanks again for that question. Mr. Speaker, that person the member mentioned is probably going to come out against our government as well. We know climate change is real, and we know it’s a threat to the people of this province and the country.

What we don’t agree with the member opposite on is we have a different way and a plan for dealing with reducing our greenhouse gas emissions which not only keeps life affordable for families, not only allows businesses, small and medium-sized, to stay open and compete, but also balances out with strong environmental protection.

I’ve already mentioned our emissions reduction standards for industry across this province. We’re also coming out with Ontario’s first low-carbon hydrogen strategy. I know the member opposite may not be supportive of that, but this is going to be, moving forward, another alternative to lower greenhouse gases in our communities. Whether it’s mixing with natural gas, a new source of low-carbon or zero-carbon-emission vehicles, trains and buses, I’m pretty excited about our hydrogen strategy coming out. This is in addition to the $20 million we’ve put towards conserving more land throughout this province and the $30 million we put towards the wetland restoration in this province.

Public transit

Mrs. Daisy Wai: Mr. Speaker, if you consider the population growth in the GTA we will experience in the coming years, there’s little doubt about the need to invest in public transit. We need to get building. But it is not just accommodating this growth; it’s also about protecting the economy. This government has critical subway projects under way, all of which will stimulate future growth and job creation.

Residents in Richmond Hill are so excited. They just cannot wait, especially when this month the initial business case for the Yonge North subway extension was released. Could the Minister of Transportation speak about the significance of this news?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: Thank you to the member from Richmond Hill for her question. We are full steam ahead on all of our priority transit projects, because now is not the time for inaction.

Last week, the Minister of Finance spoke about setting the foundations for long-term economic growth, and I couldn’t agree more. It has been estimated that every $100 million invested in public infrastructure supports $114 million in real GDP. Infrastructure creates jobs. Consider the Yonge North subway expansion, Speaker: The equivalent of 4,300 full-time jobs will be created each year of construction. The IBC shows that almost 50,000 people will be within a 10-minute walk of a station by 2041, unlocking access to employment and housing opportunities. This extension will connect GO and Viva, making it easier and faster for people to get around.

We are working closely with York region and the city of Toronto. I look forward to sharing more in the supplementary.

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

Mrs. Daisy Wai: This is very exciting, Minister. We just cannot wait. This certainly is a compelling case for moving forward with these priority transit projects.

I understand that the federal government has a role to play here, too. In the 2019 federal election, the Prime Minister committed to supporting these projects, yet we haven’t seen any money.

Economic recovery is a priority that is national in scope and we need our federal partners at the table with us. Could the minister please provide an update on the status of her discussions with the federal government on the funding of these subway projects?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: Thank you again to the member from Richmond Hill for her question. Our four subway lines are nationally significant and they mark the most ambitious transit expansion plan in Canadian history. These are critical stimulus projects for our economy, and I know that the federal government shares this same view. So I am taking the Prime Minister at his word. We are asking for at least 40% in funding towards the priority subway projects, and a contribution towards an updated Hamilton LRT. This is a continued call not only from Ontario, Speaker, but from our municipal partners as well.

We’ve provided business cases for all five priority projects and we have nominated each of them under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

Speaker, all three levels of government agree on the importance of investing in shovel-ready projects. The federal government is the last piece of the puzzle. We need them to make good on their commitment made in the last federal election.

Indigenous housing

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: My question is to the Premier. The Eabametoong First Nation has one of Ontario’s longest boil-water advisories, and it also has a severe housing shortage. Multiple generations live in overcrowded homes without adequate heat and plumbing. Currently, Mr. Speaker, there are 17 people living in tents and shacks in the winter weather. You cannot isolate from COVID-19 in tents. The Eabametoong have so far been able stop the spread of the virus, but they need resources to stop COVID.

Speaker, when will Ontario stop playing jurisdictional Ping-Pong and address the severe housing shortage in Eabametoong with a real plan to address the crisis?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Government House leader to respond.

Hon. Paul Calandra: Look, I accept the member’s criticism. I understand his knowledge of that area and I wouldn’t even begin to pretend that I have the knowledge that he has on that. But it’s less about jurisdictional Ping-Pong, Mr. Speaker, than it is about the need to actually work together, not only with the federal government on an issue like this, but also with the affected First Nations. We’ve seen that whether it is through housing or through the COVID action plan, frankly. There has been a lot of work that has been done, that has been accomplished by working together.

Look, this is an issue that we inherited, and it’s not just something that we inherited from the previous government; it’s something that has been an issue for many governments, dating back many, many years. I am with the gentleman in suggesting that we have to do a better job working together on this, and it is unacceptable in this day and age. But I say very sincerely to him, we can’t not work with our federal partners and with our First Nations on this. The only way we’ll solve this is by working across party lines and with all partners at the table.

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

Mr. Sol Mamakwa: Back to the Premier: Philip Wapoose and his wife lived in one of the tents I just told you about. She was in poor health and on dialysis while living in a tent with no proper heat, no running water—no kitchen, no bathroom or toilet. She passed away this winter in these conditions. Why is this acceptable for people in First Nations?

Ontario is a treaty partner with Eabametoong, with Treaty 9. How is it possible to not have a proper place to live and die in? Where is the decency? What will Ontario do to alleviate the housing crisis immediately?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I would ask members to take their seats.

To reply, again the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: Again, I agree with the honourable gentleman. These are issues that have to be tackled in the province of Ontario, in co-operation with our First Nations partners and in co-operation with the federal government. We can’t simply work in isolation on these issues. I think the honourable gentleman would agree with us on that. He has spoken often and eloquently about the need for governments to work with First Nations and not dictate to First Nations.

But he’s absolutely correct: It is unacceptable in this day and age that we should have boil-water advisories in the province of Ontario. I note that the federal government had promised that that would be a thing of the past. They have made some progress, yes, but they have a long way to go. It is, of course, an issue that we inherited when we took government. But it is not just the fault of the previous Liberal government, it’s the fault of many governments. We will continue to work very closely with our partners. We will get the job done. We have to, and I know that the honourable gentleman will hold us accountable to getting that done.

Climate change

Mr. Stephen Blais: My question is for the Premier. The Premier has thrown millions of dollars away on lawyers, trying to defend his fringe climate change views. While the majority of world leaders align on the need to take immediate action, he and his government are holding Ontario back from tackling the greatest challenge of our generation. And his government is dangerously out of touch with our new reality.

With a global pandemic under way and worsening effects of climate change, Ontarians need and deserve a government that prioritizes our children’s future and recognizes the connection between economic prosperity, health and the environment—not a Premier who fights science and environmental protections to help his friends.

So, Mr. Speaker, I have to ask, through you: Does the Premier even believe in man-made climate change?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

Hon. Jeff Yurek: Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker, and to the member opposite. As I mentioned in the last response to the opposition, this is a government that believes in climate change. We know it’s a threat to the prosperity of Ontarians and to our future, and that’s why we took measures, once we were elected, to come out with a plan that not only fights climate change and deals with having clean, strong environmental protections; we’ve also taken the measures to balance that out with affordability and economic strength in our province as well.

The member can note, in our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan, there are numerous projects that we’ve moved forward on to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, I mentioned earlier about the new emissions performance standards for heavy-duty vehicles, with our federally approved emissions output pricing that is coming forward. We’re working with industry on a made-in-Ontario solution that is going to lower emissions from the big, heavy polluters of this province, but also keep them competitive, keep jobs in Ontario while we work towards our goal of a 30% reduction in GHGs by 2030.

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

Mr. Stephen Blais: My supplemental is also for the Premier. The money the government has spent on lawyers to fight science and environmental progress could have been put to much better use helping Ontarians.

The Premier has wasted millions pandering to Conservative climate change deniers by cancelling the cap-and-trade program, axing Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner, spending $30 million to fight climate change with the federal government, spending $231 million to cancel green energy projects and kill jobs. They’re selling off the greenbelt and they’re bypassing environmental protections through ministerial fiat. The Premier has fined business owners tens of thousands of dollars for refusing to display the government’s partisan anti-climate propaganda stickers, and the court has struck it down as being “unconstitutional” and “a misuse of a governing party’s legislative power.”

Mr. Speaker, I’ll ask again: Does the Premier actually believe that climate change is real? And if he does, why does he tolerate members of his own caucus, like the member for Oakville North–Burlington, and other climate change skeptics in his party?

Hon. Jeff Yurek: Thanks very much for the question from the member opposite. I’ll repeat: This government believes in climate change. We know it’s a threat to the prosperity and the safety of Ontarians.

Mr. Speaker, I do have to comment on the member that he made mention of—this is a government that is in current consultations now to expand the greenbelt, one of the largest expansions we’ll be undergoing in decades. That member opposite is part of a party that cut up the greenbelt, shrunk up the greenbelt over its term, in 15 years in government. We aren’t going to do that. We’re going to protect and conserve the greenbelt in this province.

We’re also going to invest $30 million to protect and restore wetlands in the province, something that government and the member opposite didn’t do when they were in office. We also have our $20-million Greenlands Conservation Partnership program. We’re working with the Nature Conservancy of Canada. We are conserving quality productive land in this province for future generations to love and enjoy.

Services for children and youth

Mrs. Daisy Wai: Speaker, COVID-19 has hit many Ontarians hard, including our children and youth. Our young ones have been facing additional stress throughout the pandemic, whether with school or mental health or more. We must ensure that these kids are supported throughout the pandemic and beyond, and we must work together across ministries to help these children and youth.

Speaker, can the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services please explain to the House what our government is doing for children across Ontario throughout this pandemic?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The parliamentary assistant, the member for Ottawa West–Nepean.

Mr. Jeremy Roberts: Thank you to the member for Richmond Hill. We know that the member from Richmond Hill is a fierce advocate for seniors in her role as the parliamentary assistant, but we here on this side of the House also know that she is a fierce advocate for children, as well.

Speaker, the member is absolutely right: Children and youth in Ontario need to be supported throughout this pandemic and beyond. That’s why, thanks to our Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, our government is making historic investments into mental health across the province, including for children and youth. This includes mobile mental health clinics for those in rural, remote communities, like youth who live in northern Ontario.

Through the work of the Minister of Education, we have been working hard to keep schools safe, as well as making the necessary investments to build and upgrade schools. We are also supporting children and youth in residential settings by providing funding for infection and prevention control. This is a cross-government effort. We will continue working to keep our kids safe today and into the—

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

The supplementary question.

Mrs. Daisy Wai: Thank you very much, PA. Youth and children are the future of Ontario. Yes, we have to take care of them.

I thank you for what we are suggesting; however, I also want to touch on the other area where the children are particularly vulnerable: they who are part of our child welfare system. Statistics have shown that the high school graduation rates for kids in care is only 46%, versus 83% of all youth in the same year. With the changes the pandemic has created, their health and well-being is all the more critical.

Speaker, can the Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues share what our government is doing regarding the child welfare system so that children and youth who have been hit and left by the Liberals and NDP will now have a chance at success?

Mr. Jeremy Roberts: Thank you to the member again for raising that important question. Speaker, all children and youth in Ontario deserve the same level of care and support no matter their circumstances. This is no different for those who are part of our child welfare system.

The Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues has been hard at work redesigning Ontario’s child welfare system in partnership with First Nations, Inuit, Métis and urban Indigenous partners, with the Black and other racialized communities, those with lived experiences, sector leaders and more.

Speaker, the minister earlier this month announced that our government was extending the moratorium so no youth would age out of care until September 30, 2022. She also stated that our government would be developing a new model for youth leaving care so that they feel more prepared as they leave. This model is being developed with those who have lived experience with the system.

We’re committed to getting this done right. We’re committed to our youth and we’re going to keep moving important forward on this important priority.

Hospital funding

Mr. Gurratan Singh: My question is to the Premier. Brampton is suffering from a health care crisis, but instead of acting now to fix this crisis, last week the Premier made an empty promise to build another hospital in Brampton without a single dollar in the budget or any plan. He was actually called out for this lack of plan and money and came to Brampton last Friday to clarify his position, where he doubled down and admitted that there is no money in this year’s budget to build another hospital. Instead, he made an empty election promise to do some work on Peel Memorial in 2023—that’s after the next election.

People in Brampton need investment now to fix our health care crisis, not in two years after the next election. That means building another hospital in Brampton. That means investing now to convert Peel Memorial from a health centre into a hospital, and properly funding Peel Memorial.

Why is the Premier using Brampton’s health care crisis to make empty election promises?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The parliamentary assistant and member for Eglinton–Lawrence to reply.

Mrs. Robin Martin: Thank you for the question. Speaker, our government is supporting the transformation of the Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness in Brampton from a day facility into a new hospital with a 24/7 emergency department. I don’t know why the member opposite is using this for political grandstanding, but I’m delighted that we’re proceeding with this.

Peel Memorial will provide a range of services. Currently, it provides outpatient services, but this will support the transformation of Peel Memorial into a new hospital. We’re funding the construction of over 250 new beds at the site. We’re also providing $18 million in the 2021-22 budget to expand the urgent care centre to 24/7 operations, paving the way for the emergency department to come as Peel Memorial expands into an in-patient hospital.

This added investment is part of our government’s additional funding of $3 billion in health care infrastructure, which was part of the 2021 budget. We’re delighted about this new urgent care centre and emergency department coming to Brampton, and I wish the member opposite would join us and celebrate.

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

Mr. Gurratan Singh: Back to the Premier: Brampton is a city of over 600,000 people, with only one hospital that is chronically overcrowded and underfunded. But instead of working to fix this crisis, the Premier came to Brampton a year before the election to campaign. What was supposed to be an announcement for a new hospital in Brampton looked far more like a pre-election campaign stop, full of fake, empty promises for a new hospital and, in addition, numerous partisan attacks against the NDP.

Bramptonians don’t need the Premier to come to our city and to campaign a year before the election. We need him to get to work today to fix our health care crisis.

Will the Premier commit today to investing to fix our health care crisis in this year’s budget? That means investing to convert Peel Memorial from a health care centre into a hospital, properly funding Brampton Civic and building another hospital in Brampton?

Mrs. Robin Martin: Thank you to the member opposite for the question. I watched the press conference and I thought it was a great announcement. Certainly the local members, the mayor and everybody else in Brampton embraced this new announcement of Peel Memorial Hospital becoming an emergency department and a hospital with in-patient facilities.

As I said, this is part of our $3 billion in health care infrastructure that was part of the 2021 budget. These investments will help to ensure that the people of Brampton have access to 24/7 hospital services, including urgent care, complex continuing care, enhanced mental health and rehabilitation for patients and their families.

The people of Brampton deserve this, and this government is going to deliver it to them. It’s not politicking. It is what we have planned, and we are delivering it to Brampton.

COVID-19 response

Mr. John Fraser: My question is for the Premier. Ontario’s ICU admissions are on the rise and hospitals are, once again, dangerously close to being overwhelmed. We’re on the verge of enacting a triage protocol that for most of us is unthinkable, and the Premier’s priority today is another campaign-style announcement in Niagara. It’s as if Friday’s shameless political plug on the public dime wasn’t enough. For too long, the Premier has been too focused on too many other things other than the most important ones, like the vaccine rollout.

Today, seniors in Ottawa trying to book their appointments—if they can get through—are getting one in August. It’s the same problems we had last week. So up until this point we haven’t been able to get vaccines into the right arms or to the right places fast enough.

Speaker, through you: With case counts rising and the third wave ready to slam us, why is the Premier continuing to focus on campaigning?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The response, the member for Eglinton–Lawrence.

Mrs. Robin Martin: Thank you, Speaker. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, our government has been working with our hospital partners to create unprecedented capacity and be ready to respond to any scenario, and to ensure that anyone who requires care in a hospital can receive it. We have put an additional $1.8 billion in the hospital sector for 2021-22, bringing the total additional investments in hospitals since the start of the pandemic to over $5.1 billion.

Those are a lot of investments, but we’ve also started running the most successful and, frankly, largest mass vaccination campaign in the province’s history. We’ve been getting the vaccinations out there. As I said earlier in answer to a question, the first one million doses took 86 days; the second, 17 days—one million doses. We’ve now got two million doses into arms, and 80% of people over the age of 80 have an appointment or have a vaccine already, and for those 70 to 79, one third have been vaccinated. I’d call that—

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

Mr. John Fraser: It took you half a million doses and 60 days to get the 70,000 patients in long-term care a first dose. I don’t call that success. I don’t think anybody else here does either.

The Premier’s own advisers at the science table have continually advised him on the risk of a third wave. The Premier has ignored much of that advice and is now loosening public health restrictions, and now we find ourselves back where we were again, except this time worse.

The head of the Ontario Hospital Association says Ontario is on track to surpass 420 in our ICU units—the peak. It’s like we learned nothing from the first wave, or the second wave. And there continues to be no sense of urgency from this government. The vaccine rollout and public health measures require the Premier’s fullest attention.

Speaker, through you: When will the Premier stop campaigning and start focusing on the things that are most important to Ontario families?

Mrs. Robin Martin: Thank you to the member opposite for the question. The Premier is focused on what matters most to Ontarians; he has been throughout the entire pandemic. He has been in front of Ontarians every day and dealing with the issues at hand. The vaccine rollout is certainly a very high priority for the Premier, as is ensuring that our health care system continues to provide the care that Ontarians expect and know. Our government’s top priority, as we have said all along, is ensuring the health and well-being of all Ontarians.

The member opposite should know that we’re still encouraging everyone to follow public health measures and workplace safety measures, limit trips outside their household and not gather with individuals outside of their household in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. We have been working with our public health experts to allow some easing where it makes sense, but we’re providing standards to make sure that public health measures are still in place and people are following them.

We think it’s very important to help Ontarians get through these few months before the vaccines hopefully get to everybody. We’re working hard to make it a livable experience for all of us so we can get to the end of the tunnel and see that light.

Broadband access

Mr. Parm Gill: My question is for the Minister of Infrastructure. Last week, the Minister of Finance delivered a strong budget that will protect the health of people of our province and also our economy. There has been a historic $1-billion investment into broadband. And now this budget commits an additional $3 billion to help connect more communities to reliable Internet service.

Of course, I represent Milton. A lot of people may not know, but in a part of my riding, there is a significant rural component—also a rural component of Burlington that I represent. I am honoured to represent each one of my constituents. One of the concerns that I hear each and every day—it’s from families, it’s from students, it’s from small businesses and it’s from farmers.

I’m wondering if the Minister of Infrastructure can please elaborate what this commitment means to everyone in Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Oakville and parliamentary assistant.

Mr. Stephen Crawford: Thank you to the member from Milton, my Halton colleague, for the question.

Our government’s primary focus is to protect every life and every job we possibly can from COVID-19. Without healthy people, we can’t have a healthy economy. Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy is the next phase of our response to COVID-19. With our 2021 budget, our action plan now totals some $51 billion. Part of this investment goes directly to getting more Ontarians connected to the digital economy to ensure that nobody gets left behind.

We know that there are some serious barriers faced by people across this province as they learn and work from home. That’s why we’ve stepped up to the plate to do what the federal government has neglected to do for decade upon decade. We’re taking the steps to ensure 100% connectivity, no matter where you live in this great province. From Barrie to Bancroft, Haliburton to Halton, and Manitoulin to Mississauga, no one will be left out of today’s 21st-century digital economy.

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

Mr. Parm Gill: I want to thank my colleague for that answer. This pandemic has shown us exactly why broadband is so important to the people of Ontario. We’ve heard stories of Ontarians who tried to go online to do simple things like book a vaccine appointment, but because of the poor Internet connection, they’re forced to book an appointment through a telephone. This is an important government service Ontarians need and deserve to be able to access barrier-free. That’s why I’m thrilled to learn that our government’s $4-billion investment will help connect my community of Milton and the rest of the province.

Can the minister please tell the House what other steps are being taken to ensure that all Ontarians have reliable Internet access, regardless of where they live?

Mr. Stephen Crawford: Thank you again for the question to the member. Like the member mentioned earlier, we’ve all heard the stories and we can count on our fingers the number of times we’ve experienced dropped calls, spinning wheels as documents download and abrupt video call interruptions because there simply isn’t enough bandwidth. These challenges are very real and have, of course, been magnified by the pandemic.

That’s why we introduced the Supporting Broadband and Infrastructure Expansion Act, 2021. If passed, this legislation would help connect communities to reliable high-speed Internet sooner by accelerating the deployment of provincially significant broadband infrastructure across Ontario.

Did you know that 700,000 households across Ontario lack reliable high-speed broadband? On this side of the House, we know that 700,000 is 700,000 too many. That’s why we’re taking action right now. We simply cannot wait for the federal government to step up. We need the support of every member in this House to connect Ontario, and I urge all members opposite to support this bill.

Education funding

Ms. Marit Stiles: Good morning, Mr. Speaker. This weekend, like all weekends, I’ve heard from hundreds of front-line educators, parents, students, talking again about how the shift to emergency remote learning during the pandemic has been a really rough one for students, for education workers, for their families. Surely what we’ve learned from this experience is that kids need to be in school, face to face with teachers and education workers, for their mental and emotional health and, frankly, for their academic success as well.

It came as a real surprise last week when parents and students across Ontario found out that this government is quietly moving forward with a scheme to move more students out of classrooms and online permanently.

After such a difficult year, when so many of our children and youth are struggling, why is the Premier so set on undermining the quality of their education?

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

Hon. Stephen Lecce: Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we believe that parents deserve a choice. They benefited in September from having an in-class option, which the vast majority of parents exercised, and an online option, which roughly 25% of our collective constituents chose for their own personal circumstance, be it health in their family or the choice of their child learning online and doing well in that forum. We believe in choice. We believe in allowing parents to make that choice.

When it comes to next September, I think we appreciate that the pandemic is not going anywhere, and I think a lesson learned is to be ready and prepared and to think ahead, while preserving the choice parents could retain.

For the vast majority of parents, I don’t expect them to enroll their child online; they continue to benefit from the development of learning in class, and that makes a lot of sense to me. But for that minority of parents who prefer it, for the 40% of high school students who maybe want to access a physics class that they cannot access in their small school today, this is an opportunity to diversify course offerings, preserve choice and make sure educational quality is provided online and in class in this province.

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

Ms. Marit Stiles: Back to the Premier: Families in this province want their kids learning safely in school. But instead of investing to make our schools safer and to protect students and staff from illness, this government has been winding down COVID-19 supports. They are laying off education workers, and they’re trying to find a cheaper way to educate our students. This plan takes online learning out of the hands of school boards and siphons it off—precious public dollars going into the hands of for-profits.

And let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, when this government talks about choice, we all know what that means: That is code for privatization in education.

Will the Premier listen to the chorus of parents, educators and school boards who have come out against this plan and scrap it?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: So that parents understand where the opposition parties are at on this: They opposed the choice of online learning that was provided to them in September, meaning, under their plan—the New Democrats and the Liberals—they would not have had the choice this past September to opt in online or to provide their students learning in class. They also would have kept schools closed in 2021. They have consistently been on the wrong side of parent and public opinion when it comes to quality public education.

Our Premier believes in giving parents the choice of publicly funded in-class learning or publicly funded online learning provided by Ontario-certified teachers.

We believe, when it comes to strengthening the ability of families to learn in their own circumstance, respecting the choice parents made by investing $40 million more in the budget, as we did to improve the infrastructure, to improve connectivity—a historic $3-billion investment to end the digital divide. These types of investments will ensure that never again will students have to learn at home alone. They will be provided with excellence in learning online and in class.

Government fiscal policies

Mrs. Belinda C. Karahalios: My question is for the Premier.

During the 2018 campaign, the Premier said that this government was the only fiscally responsible option for voters and that he would fix our fiscal mess and put money back in the pockets of taxpayers.

Last week, this progressive government released its third budget in a row offering no tax relief for individuals or businesses and no plan to balance the budget—instead, sustained deficits of over $20 billion until 2023-24, deficits until 2029 and with our province’s debt-to-gross-domestic-product ratio finally eclipsing 50%.

Can the minister please explain what part of running deficits of over $20 billion in 2023 and 2024, after pandemic-related spending has ended, does he consider fiscally responsible?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The member for Willowdale and the parliamentary assistant.

Mr. Stan Cho: I appreciate the member highlighting an important issue.

Obviously, this level of spending is not sustainable moving forward, but this government will not make apologies when it comes to the health and safety of the people we serve. Our Premier has been very clear from the outset of this pandemic that he would spare no expense to that end, and this budget is another example: our third phase in our $51-billion action plan to get us through COVID-19, a measured response—$16.3 billion into the health care system, because there is no economy without healthy people. We will not cease. We will not relent on those investments into health care.

We know that these are investments to fix a fragmented and disjointed health care system. Oftentimes, out of crisis can come opportunity, and this move of revolutionizing and modernizing the health care system is an example of that. Speaker, we will continue to prioritize the health and safety of all Ontarians through the pandemic and beyond.

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

Can the minister explain why, if this government will be implementing pro-growth strategies, they expect such a paltry growth of Ontario’s economy after the pandemic?

Mr. Stan Cho: I know that when you’re protecting the health and safety of Ontarians, there’s no price tag you can put on accomplishing that goal, of course. There are some who believe that the path back to balance involves austerity measures and cuts to programs and services, and there are others who believe that you need to increase taxes on individuals and small businesses. But this government believes that that’s a false choice, that there is a third path, that we can invest and bet on the people of this province, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

We know the growth will return to Ontario. We saw that in our first two and a half years in government, when we saw record job growth, leading not just the country but North America in terms of increasing those revenues to the province. We’re modernizing government, improving the programs and services that we offer. I’m very optimistic about the future that we have, and we will continue to be transparent with the people of this province. That’s why we are tabling this budget, hot off the heels of the last one in November.

We will continue to hit our fiscal reporting targets until we are out of government, Speaker, and I hope for the sake of the people of this province that is a very long time from now.

Education funding

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: My question is for the Premier. Teachers have done an outstanding job in the face of this year’s challenges, and students have shown such resilience. Yet last week the government announced their cuts to education, laying off thousands of people, and we are now in the third wave.

Kim, an educator in my riding, told me that all her classes are currently above the cap, packed with so many students she can’t even walk between the desks. She says just the other day, 96 jobs were left unfilled across the board in London. The 1.5 extra educators that the minister claims are clearly not enough, yet this government is plowing ahead, regressing to earlier, merciless cuts.

Ryan tells me that educators have done everything they can to make education work for kids yet are “being lambasted by our own minister”: no respect, no appreciation. Teachers have been promising students better days ahead and that things will get better, but gutting education and making online learning permanent devastates children’s and parents’ mental health.

Why does this government keep trying to balance the budget on the backs of students?

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

Hon. Stephen Lecce: For precisely 12 months during the pandemic, the one constant has been the refrain from the members opposite suggesting that this government has not invested or hired a solitary new person—teacher, custodian, EA—to support safe schools. For the past week, given the political opportunism now, there is $1.6 billion of critical supports that must be renewed. I guess I ask the question, which one is it? I mean, for a year, we didn’t invest; today, these investments were so consequential to the safety of classes they have to be renewed.

What we’ve done in our budget is provided a $700-million net year-over-year increase, a $40-million enhancement to our Internet as well as our remote learning connectivity, $100 million to the largest summer learning program to mitigate learning loss in Ontario history; and we have the Grants for Student Needs, the upcoming principal vehicle funding to school boards, which will be released in the month of April that will continue to demonstrate a focus on mental health, on special education, on mathematics and STEM learning so that all students can succeed next year.

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

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: Back to the Premier: Through you, Speaker, earlier the minister talked about how parents want choice, but e-learning has always been a choice. I would have really appreciated hearing the minister show some recognition for the work of educators and show them some respect.

These cuts could not have come at a worse time. Students in London need a government that looks forward and invests in their education instead of handing down merciless cuts. Despite best efforts, many children have fallen behind. Maintaining an investment in education would help kids catch up.

Alia, another educator in my riding, tells me that the so-called training for online learning was, “Here’s your login. Go make it work ... tomorrow.” Alia said many teachers even had to supply their own technology. So, here we are, families and teachers propping up the education system because of the government’s neglect.

To this day, I haven’t spoken with any student or educator who has seen a public health nurse in school, despite the minister’s promises.

Speaker, the Liberals underfunded our education system for years. Why, during a pandemic, is this Conservative government doing more of the same?

Hon. Stephen Lecce: Mr. Speaker, as one parent said in a recent media story, “Different kids have different needs. They have different ways of learning, and I think definitely online school caters to a lot of them.” Another parent said, “I do think there needs to be change in our education system, and this could be one of the ways it could be better.”

At the end of the day, we are ensuring students have a choice when it comes to learning online and in class. We are still consulting on the matter, as has been noted clearly, but I think we believe as a default that giving parents, Ontario moms and dads, the option to opt into online learning—or simply to never opt in if they oppose it outright or it doesn’t work for their kids.

The fact is, Speaker, this choice in September uniquely positioned Ontario to lead the nation by providing safe learning when we had to close schools as a consequence of advice by the Chief Medical Officer of Health in our public health environment. We had a backstop that kept our kids learning. That was essential, and we’ll continue to improve it, to strengthen it and provide the choice to parents going forward.

Supportive housing

Mr. Mike Schreiner: My question is to the Premier. Ontario’s housing affordability crisis has worsened during COVID. Lack of affordable housing affects everyone, but it affects the most vulnerable the hardest, increasing homelessness in tent cities. Many people experiencing homelessness are also facing mental health and addiction challenges. They need investments in supportive housing that include wraparound mental health and addiction services.

The federal government is supporting housing projects, but we need the province to step up with the funding for mental health supports. Speaker, it seems like the affordable housing

chapter of the budget was forgotten at the printer. Since supportive housing is essential to ending homelessness, and a vital part of any mental health and addiction strategy, will the Premier commit today to provide immediate funding for supportive housing?

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The response? The member for Milton and parliamentary assistant.

Mr. Parm Gill: Mr. Speaker, our government believes everyone deserves a place to call home, and supportive housing is a key to helping address homelessness. That’s why we are investing over $2.2 billion in supportive housing every year. In 2021 alone, our government has allocated just the city of Toronto with $489 million in various housing and homelessness funding. However, under the National Housing Strategy, Ontario currently receives 33% of available funding, despite having 44% of the Canadian households in core housing needs, representing a funding shortfall of $490 million.

We will continue to work with all levels of government to create and sustain much-needed affordable housing units, but Ontario needs its fair share of the National Housing Strategy funding.

Notice of dissatisfaction

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Pursuant to standing order 36(a), the member for Ottawa South has given notice of his dissatisfaction with the answer to his question this morning concerning vaccine rollout and capacity. This matter will be debated tomorrow, March 30, 2021, following private members’ public business.

Deferred Votes

Homelessness

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): We now have a deferred vote on private members’ notice of motion number 148, standing in the name of Mr. Glover. The bells will now ring for 30 minutes, during which time members may cast their votes. I’ll ask the Clerks to prepare the lobbies.

The division bells rang from 1135 to 1205.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The vote on private members’ notice of motion number 148 has been held.

The Clerk of the Assembly (Mr. Todd Decker): The ayes are 24; the nays are 44.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I declare the motion lost.

Motion negatived.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): There being no further business at this time, this House stands in recess until 1 p.m.

The House recessed from 1206 to 1300.

Petitions

Health protection legislation

M me France Gélinas: I would like to thank people from, really, all over, but specifically from a special pharmacy called Seasons Pharmacy and Culinaria. It goes as follows:

“Temptation Be Gone...;

“Since the global pandemic began, lines at the cash register have gotten longer, as have the waits;

“Whereas marketers know that strategically placing high fat, sugar and sodium foods in and around those lineups pays off in higher sales;

“Whereas there are serious health implication from the chronic consumption of ultra-processed foods, which are high in sugar, fat and salt;

“Whereas the Canadian Cancer Society says that 40% of” all “cancer could be prevented through healthy living and policies that” promote “the health of Ontarians;”

They petition the Legislative Assembly as follows:

“To immediately implement Bill 263, Temptation Be Gone Act, to help promote good health for the people of Ontario.”

I support this petition, will affix my name to it and send it to the Clerk.

M. Guy Bourgouin: J’ai une pétition intitulée « Jour de la bataille aux épingles à chapeau proclamé en Ontario.

« À l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario :

« Alors que l’Ontario reconnaît les droits linguistiques des Franco-Ontariens;

« Alors que la bataille aux épingles à chapeau du 7 janvier 1916 est un

chapitre essentiel dans l’histoire de la francophonie ontarienne;

« Alors que la bataille aux épingles à chapeau est un symbole durable de la lutte des droits linguistiques des Franco-Ontariens et des Franco-Ontariennes;

« Nous, soussignés, pétitionnons l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario pour qu’elle s’assure que le 7 janvier de chaque année soit proclamé le Jour de la bataille aux épingles à chapeau. »

Je suis prêt à signer la pétition et je l’envoie à la table.

Conservation authorities

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I have a petition signed by residents of London West called “Support Conservation Authorities.” It reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities have developed a deep understanding of local ecosystems and have implemented a range of non-mandatory programs to best protect them; and

“Whereas these non-mandatory programs include water quality monitoring and improvement, tree planting and woodlot management, curriculum-based environmental education, trail development and outdoor recreation, support for local environmental initiatives and more; and

“Whereas it is unnecessary and prohibitive to require conservation authorities to secure MOUs with every municipality in their watershed in order to continue non-mandatory programs; and

“Whereas we are deeply concerned that stopping non-mandatory programs will adversely affect the health of our environment;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to support the continued delivery of the full range of programs and services that have been developed by conservation authorities, including programs and services that are not mandated by the province.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my name and send it to the Clerks.

Addiction services

Mr. Jamie West: I want to thank Denise Sandul who collected these petitions for her son, Myles Keaney, who died from an opioid overdose.

“Whereas Ontario is expecting more than 2,200 opioid-related deaths in 2020;

“Whereas opioid-related deaths are up 25% in northern Ontario compared to 2019;

“Whereas death rates in northern Ontario are almost double what they are in southern Ontario;

“Whereas northern Ontario has fewer health resources to handle the opioid crisis than southern Ontario;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly to declare the opioid crisis a public health emergency in northern Ontario and commit to funding local evidence-based initiatives such as harm reduction strategies, awareness programs, anti-stigma training, residential treatment, and overdose prevention services, including a supervised consumption site in Greater Sudbury.”

I agree with this petition, I’ll affix my signature and give it to the Clerk.

Long-term care

M me France Gélinas: I would like to thank Lindsay Fournier from Coniston in my riding for these petitions. It reads as follows:

“Ban Retirement Home PPE Charges....

“Whereas Ontario’s retirement homes are largely privately owned corporations; and

“Whereas these businesses have a responsibility to provide personal protective equipment”—better known as PPE—“to their employees; and

“Whereas many retirement homes are adding PPE charges to the residents’ monthly bill, but the PPE is not for the residents but for the employees of the retirement home; and

“Whereas residents of some Sudbury retirement homes have effectively organized letter-writing campaigns and actions to have the PPE charges to residents cancelled and recognized as a retirement home’s cost of doing business;”

They “petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“Treat our province’s seniors with respect and ban any additional COVID-related fees, including PPE, to retirement home residents.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my name to it and send it to the Clerk.

Addiction services

Mr. Jamie West: I want to thank Kayla Kalijarvi for collecting these petitions on behalf of Myles Keaney, who died from an opioid overdose in Sudbury.

“Whereas Ontario is expecting more than 2,200 opioid-related deaths in 2020;

“Whereas opioid-related deaths are up 25% in northern Ontario compared to 2019;

“Whereas death rates in northern Ontario are almost double what they are in southern Ontario;

“Whereas northern Ontario has fewer health resources to handle the opioid crisis than southern Ontario;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly to declare the opioid crisis a public health emergency in northern Ontario and commit to funding local evidence-based initiatives such as harm reduction strategies, awareness programs, anti-stigma training, residential treatment, and overdose prevention services, including a supervised consumption site in Greater Sudbury.”

I agree with this petition, I’ll affix my signature and provide it to the Clerk.

Land use planning

Mr. Mike Schreiner: I’d like to thank the grade 7 students from a Durham District School Board virtual class, led by Alison Ellwood, who sent me this petition.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the city of Pickering wants to develop a warehouse and parking lot on a protected wetland in Pickering; and

“Whereas the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry designated this wetland provincially significant and therefore the TRCA would not allow it to be zoned for this type of development; and

“Whereas the city of Pickering, region of Durham and the provincial government avoided consultation by using a minister’s zoning order (MZO) to approve the development; and

“Whereas wetlands protect our homes, businesses, roads and infrastructure from flooding and provide a natural filter for our drinking water free of charge; and

“Whereas wetlands are important habitat for plants and animals including migratory birds, endangered species, and native plants; and

“Whereas this is part of the territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, who have not been consulted as part of their treaty rights; and

“Whereas there are three other locations proposed by the TRCA where the warehouse and parking lot can be built tha