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May 6, 2025

44th Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2025-May-06 (PDF)

L009 - Tue 6 May 2025 / Mar 6 mai 2025

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Tuesday 6 May 2025 Mardi 6 mai 2025

Orders of the Day

Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour protéger l’Ontario en rendant les rues plus sûres et les collectivités plus fortes

Members’ Statements

Member for Kitchener South–Hespeler

National Nursing Week

Member for Markham–Thornhill / World Asthma Day

Consumer protection

Mother’s Day

Highway improvement

Attack in Vancouver

Ice storm

King Charles III Coronation Medal

Introduction of Visitors

Emergency Preparedness Week

Legislative pages

Question Period

Ontario film and television industry

Transportation infrastructure

Government accountability

Government accountability

Automotive industry

Cycling infrastructure

Transportation infrastructure

Government accountability

Affordable housing

Economic development

Hospital services / Hospital parking fees

Public transit

Small business

Pension plans

Deferred Votes

Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour protéger l’Ontario en libérant son économie

Introduction of Bills

Cutting Taxes on Small Businesses Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour réduire les impôts des petites entreprises

Petitions

Assistive devices

Cancer treatment

Cancer screening

Soins de la vue

Long-term care

Taxation

Gasoline prices

Health care

Child care

Orders of the Day

Safer Municipalities Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour des municipalités plus sûres

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 pour protéger l’Ontario en rendant les rues plus sûres et les collectivités plus fortes

Mr. Downey moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 10,

An Act to enact the Measures Respecting Premises with Illegal Drug Activity Act, 2025 and to amend various Acts with respect to public safety and the justice system / Projet de loi 10, Loi édictant la Loi de 2025 sur les mesures visant les lieux où se déroulent des activités illégales liées à la drogue et modifiant diverses lois en ce qui concerne la sécurité publique et le système judiciaire.

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

Hon. Doug Downey: Good morning, Madam Speaker. I would like to begin by noting that I will be splitting my time with the Solicitor General and the Associate Attorney General this morning.

I am pleased to rise in the House to open second reading debate for the Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act, a bill that would, if passed, strengthen our justice system, protect our communities and help keep repeat violent offenders behind bars.

Before I begin, I must acknowledge and thank my colleagues and their teams at the Ministry of the Solicitor General and the Ministry of Transportation. I also want to acknowledge my colleagues and their teams at the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming for all of their work related to measures that supported the significant efforts in this legislation that helped deliver on our government’s commitment to public safety and protecting communities in Ontario.

I also want to thank some of the many stakeholders who have provided meaningful input that supported so many of the proposals that I’m about to speak to. We’ve talked to justice partners over the last, quite frankly, more than a year on some of these items. We’ve gone after the federal government to do their part, and we will continue to do that.

But I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention my own team. Thank you to the excellent professionals at the Ministry of the Attorney General and my outstanding ministry team itself within my office. It’s been a significant push and a phenomenal effort, and everybody’s worked so hard to help put this together.

Madam Speaker, just two months ago, our government received a very strong mandate from the people of Ontario to protect the people of Ontario. It’s a mandate to protect our workers and businesses from tariffs and economic uncertainty, but it’s also a mandate to protect our communities and make our streets safe. The proposed changes and related measures that we’re introducing today build on our government’s ongoing work to strengthen public safety and protect Ontario communities. We will spare no expense to keep our communities and kids safe today, tomorrow and into the future. There’s no place for gun violence in our communities or any other illegal activity anywhere in our province.

Gun and gang activity is on the rise in Ontario, and we need to take significant steps to combat this disturbing reality. Drug, human and gun trafficking are fuelling gang activities and operations, and they continue to recruit at-risk youth and young adults. Our message to gang members and violent criminals across this province is clear: The violence must end.

We are taking action to keep the people of Ontario safe from the continuing threats of gun violence and gang activity. That’s why we’ve invested in initiatives under the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy to further expand our dedicated guns-and-gangs units in targeted regions of the province. It will deal with the cross-border import of illegal firearms and it will deal with gang activity and many other gang-related atrocities in our community.

At the same time, we’re announcing measures to address the pervasive problem of auto theft in the province. Drivers and families across Ontario need to have the peace of mind in knowing that their vehicles will be left right where they left them. We hear too many stories about people feeling unsafe with the growing threat of auto thieves in communities across the province.

We know more needs to be done to protect communities and keep people safe. That’s why we’re proposing measures in this act to hold offenders accountable, recover stolen vehicles and disrupt and dismantle organized crime. These new measures build on our ongoing work to tackle auto theft, stop criminal activity before it even happens and support victims in this province.

For example, last year, we amended a regulation under the Victims’ Bill of Rights to make it easier for victims of auto theft and other crimes to sue convicted offenders for emotional distress and related bodily harm. What that means is that if somebody is a victim and the perpetrator is found guilty, that victim doesn’t need to go through a process in a civil suit to re-prove their trauma and the impact of the crime on themselves, mentally or physically. We also issued a prosecution directive to ensure consistency in the prosecution of serious crimes, including carjacking, to help protect victims and the public.

I know my colleagues are going to provide more details on our initiatives to combat auto theft in Ontario.

Whether it’s on the streets or in the digital world, our government is doubling down on our commitment to protecting Ontario and keeping communities safe.

The rapid advance of cyber and digital technologies is changing the world and, with it, public safety. Criminals are moving heinous criminal activity online to evade detection and to evade justice, and to money launder and do other things that perpetuate gang activity. Every day, there are new reports of data breaches and new kinds of online frauds, and, let’s face it, even though cybercrime happens online, the effects are no less real and no less destructive.

That’s why we’re creating the first cybercrime and cryptocurrency prosecution team in Canada right here in Ontario. We’re the first among the provinces to lead the charge and will set an example for our nation. Premier Ford’s commitment to public safety is unwavering, and our government will never rest as we work to protect Ontario.

This cybercrime and cryptocurrency prosecution team is a first, but it will match resources that are happening already with the Solicitor General in the policing world, where they’re already tackling online crime and harm. This will allow the prosecutors to work alongside them to help guide and assist to make sure that we’re getting the criminals who are doing this heinous activity in jail, behind bars and out of the computers of our communities.

Our government is going to do whatever it takes to keep our communities safe, all at the same time while we deliver meaningful solutions to improve quality of life. We are going to hold offenders accountable and we are going to put them behind bars. We’re doing everything in our power to strengthen bail and keep criminals off the streets.

I’ve heard directly from leaders, communities, victims and many more who have asked for change, notably to our bail system. In fact, we hear almost daily how the current bail system is failing expectations. Revolving-door bail policies from the federal government have led to violent crime in our communities. We need to keep violent repeat offenders off our streets.

That’s why we’re introducing a three-pronged, tough-on-crime strategy to strengthen our justice system and improve the existing bail system. We are giving prosecutors the tools they need to hold violent and repeat offenders accountable. That means stronger bail teams, tighter monitoring and faster action in the courts. These new proposed measures build on the $112 million that we are investing over three years to ensure that high-risk and repeat violent offenders comply with their bail conditions.

Just over a year ago, we launched new bail teams made up of special prosecutors, and they are already producing results. This is in addition to the police officers, the boots on the ground, that are doing follow-up to make sure that people are doing what they’re supposed to be doing in the places that they are supposed to be. We need accountability in the system and this is where it starts. But these special prosecutors then do the follow-up. If somebody isn’t where they’re supposed to be or they’re doing something they’re not supposed to, and the police are able to detect that, then the prosecutors step in.

Our teams have been involved in more than 3,000 cases, helping keep people accused of serious crimes behind bars and helping resolve these cases faster than ever before. That’s why we’re introducing changes to make these dedicated intensive serious violent crime bail teams permanent across Ontario.

Speaker, we will continue working to ensure the justice system works to protect Ontario, support victims and keep communities safe. Our government has stepped up by hiring new judges and prosecutors that can support workers in supporting our police officers. But more needs to be done. That’s why we’re also improving and increasing the collection of forfeited bail money from people who breach their bail conditions and their sureties. We’re also launching a comprehensive overview of the bail system to ensure it is effective and consequential—as consequential as possible.

Madam Speaker, it’s well known within the system that often somebody will step forward as a surety and they really don’t think there is a consequence. They don’t do the supervision, and often the money isn’t forfeited; it’s not collected. That’s not acceptable. We built capacity in the system to do the things that the Ontario people expect us to do so that we will be in a position, and we are in a position, to follow up: that if somebody is a surety, if somebody is posting money—a pledge, more importantly—for bail, that means something, that it actually has a consequence if bail is breached.

I am committed—we are committed—to making sure that people are held to account for their actions or inactions, because sometimes there is a positive obligation as a surety to do the follow-up, to make sure that you’re actually doing the supervision, and if that’s not happening, you need to know there will be a consequence.

Part of this is GPS monitoring, otherwise known as ankle bracelets. We’re working to establish a new user-fee system for people who were ordered to wear an ankle monitor as a condition of their release or their sentence. Our plan will have those accused or convicted of a serious crime cover the cost of these monitors, rather than putting the costs on the taxpayers. This means the proceeds will cover the costs of the ankle monitoring program, or it will support victims of crime.

We’re doing whatever it takes to make our streets, our homes and our communities safe again, but we cannot do it alone. We continue to call on the federal government to pull its weight and deliver real change to the bail system. Bring in stronger penalties and more restrictive conditions for bail so repeat violent offenders stay behind bars and off our streets and out of our communities.

It wasn’t that long ago that the Premier wrote a letter—all of the provincial Premiers and territorial leaders signed on to that letter—and it was to the federal government saying, “We need reverse onus for serious and repeat violent offenders.” Reverse onus is, instead of the crown prosecutor having to show why the person should be held behind bars until their hearing, the onus is on the accused, the person who is the alleged perpetrator, to prove why they should be let free. And these are for repeat violent offenders.

Well, that was January when the Premier sent that letter, co-signed by all the Premiers and territorial leaders. And very shortly after that, I happened to be at a graduation with the Solicitor General when I got a call from my federal counterpart, Minister Lametti at the time, saying, “Hey, would you be willing to have an FPT—federal, provincial, territorial—meeting on this?” And I said, “Absolutely.

You name the time and the place.” So on March 10, we went to Ottawa—all of the Attorneys General and Ministers of Justice from across the country—and we had a conversation about reverse onus as it relates to repeat violent offenders. Shortly after that—I give them credit, the federal government—they brought legislation to do what we had asked them to do in that first instance. And not only did they bring that legislation, it was supported unanimously within the federal Parliament. It was such an obvious thing that needed to be done.

But why does the Premier of Ontario have to tell them how to do their job? I don’t know, Madam Speaker, but we have a longer list than that, and we will be engaging with the federal government. I look forward to Prime Minister Carney’s cabinet, so that we know who is playing what role and we can engage with them to make further change. We will ask them to do their part while we’re already moving and doing our part.

Part of it is the pressure on the courts; it continues to grow. We need to support our judiciary by taking steps to help keep pace with the complex and rigorous work being done by prosecutors in the courts to hold offenders accountable, protect victims and uphold the law. We also know that more needs to be done to help our hard-working police officers investigate and arrest those who break our laws. That is why we are introducing new tough-on-crime measures to help strengthen our justice system.

We are proposing new changes to the Courts of Justice Act to streamline the judicial appointments process and speed up the appointments of judges to the Ontario Court of Justice. Shifting to a pool-based recommendation process would increase the number of candidates available to be selected for various judicial positions. One of the hallmarks, though, of the Ontario Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee is the interviews that are done of applicants. That’s something that Ontario does that the federal government does not do, and I believe it makes it a better system. It’s a feature of our system that will be retained; even though we’re moving to pool-based, it will allow us to move faster.

The Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee would also be required to use criteria that I, as Attorney General, have established as part of the criteria it uses to review and evaluate judicial candidates. We will continue to ensure transparency in the recommendation process. We may hear from some saying, “But what kind of criteria?” And the answer is, it will be public, whatever it is.

Because up until now, the judicial appointments process is very much a black box, even for lawyers who are interested in it, and I have been talking for years about shining a light on the process so that we encourage the best and brightest to come forward, understand what the process is and apply. We need more applicants, Madam Speaker. We need to reach throughout the bar, continue to do the phenomenal diversity that we’ve been able to expand and make sure that we have the best and the brightest on the bench.

That criteria will be published on a website for all to see, so that people know what it is that is important to our government.

I can tell you some of the things that I anticipate will be on there. It will be a sense of community. It will be understanding the perspectives of victims. It will be things like making sure that you have some connectivity to the space that you’re going to be in. So we’ll go through that, we’ll make it public and hopefully encourage others to apply because the system is a little more demystified than it has been until now.

These changes are going to support our plan to deliver faster access to justice for victims of crime and help them avoid the grief and anxiety that come with long delays. We will continue working to address backlogs and delays in the Ontario Court of Justice, as we work to modernize the system at the same time and support victims of crime and their families.

Last year, our government made history by significantly increasing court capacity at the Ontario Court of Justice with a $29-million investment to add at least 25 new judges to the court. But, this year, we are going further. I’m proud to announce that we’re allocating an additional 17 judges to the Ontario Court of Justice, for a total of 42 new judges in a system that had a complement of 300. This is historic progress, and as we work to reduce pending cases before the courts and ensure they’re resolved in a timely manner, it’s all part of our plan to increase court capacity to protect Ontario.

And it’s not just judges, Madam Speaker; when we add a judge, we also add crown prosecutors, victim service workers, navigators, court clerks. We make sure that the capacity of the system grows across the administration to support that judge and the work that they do. So it’s not just 42 new judges; it’s 42 new judges plus staff to go along with each.

I’ve been talking a lot about how we’re addressing crime in Ontario. I want to now turn our attention to how our government is supporting victims. We’ve heard disturbing stories about the rise in human trafficking here in Ontario and across the country. There is no place for this in Ontario. You have spoken, Madam Speaker—you were the driving force behind so many initiatives to support victims of human trafficking, and you continue to be, and for that, I thank you.

To combat human trafficking in hotels and the short-term rentals sector, our government will bring into force the Accommodation Sector Registration of Guests Act on January 1, 2026. This will provide police with the tools they need to help investigate human trafficking, as they could more easily obtain related information from hotels and other prescribed businesses. We’re also proposing to proceed with consultations on regulations to support the implementation of Bill 41, the Protection from Coerced Debts Incurred in relation to Human Trafficking Act.

This would reduce the financial hardship survivors face because of human trafficking and allow them to make progress on their path to recovery.

We need to do more to stop intimate partner violence and protect victims. The victims and vulnerable persons division is part of my ministry, and they do such great work with so many outstanding agencies in the province who deal with many heart-wrenching stories. We honour the work of many of these victim services agencies and other volunteers during the Attorney General’s Victim Services Awards of Distinction. These are coming up at the end of this month.

As you know, we saw a significant upswing in intimate partner violence during the pandemic. That’s why we continue to make changes to legislation that will improve the outcomes for victims of IPV and their families.

I know that the Associate Attorney General is going to give you more details on our initiatives here, so I’ll stop on that, but understand that we are committed to doing everything we can to protect vulnerable Ontarians. Vulnerable people, including those with addiction issues, will not have a blind eye. In fact, the Associate Attorney General will tell you more about some of the measures we’re implementing to combat it.

Just before I wrap up, Madam Speaker, I want to tell you about justice centres. You’ve heard about them before, but we now have several set up in Ontario, and the number is going to increase. But what is a justice centre? A justice centre empowers the community it’s in by moving justice out of the courtroom into the community. So instead of being able to put all the social services into the courthouse, we’re putting the machinery of the courts into the space of the social services. Individuals are still held to account, but we can meet their needs—not just what they did but why they are there.

It’s a way to approach justice from a community-focused lens and address issues in a way that reflects the community’s values and needs. They have been very successful. That’s why they’re expanding. We have the stats and the data to prove it.

I’ll give you one: In the 12 months after their appearance at the downtown east justice centre—that’s downtown Toronto. They’re not all in Toronto; they’re in London, Kenora and around—active clients incurred fewer criminal cases than they did in the previous 12 months, with 77% demonstrating improvement in reoffending. So I’m thrilled to report that we’re planning on expanding them to even more communities. We’ll talk about that more in the future. It will help the victims of crime, because there will be less crime.

I’ve talked a lot about significant issues in the legislation. I want to thank the House for indulging me as I speak to the new tough-on-crime measures proposed in this legislation. If passed, the initiatives in the Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act would strengthen our justice system, protect our communities and keep repeat violent offenders behind bars. These will also help strengthen our courts and correctional systems.

I will now turn things over to the Associate Attorney General, Michael Tibollo. Thank you. Merci. Meegwetch.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Laurie Scott): I recognize the Associate Attorney General.

Hon. Michael A. Tibollo: Good morning, Madam Speaker. I’m very proud to be here alongside my colleagues to support changes our government is making to get tough on criminals and, crucially, to support victims of crime.

The Attorney General just outlined some of the initiatives in the Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act that we’re introducing to help protect children and youth, support victims and survivors and keep repeat violent offenders off our streets.

Since 2018, with support from the federal government, Ontario has committed over $358 million up to 2028 to combat gun and gang violence. This is all part of our plan to protect Ontario from violent gang members who threaten people with illegally obtained firearms. Disrupting gang activity is crucial to cracking down on crime in neighbourhoods throughout this province, and that’s why we’re expanding our dedicated guns-and-gangs units in targeted regions of the province. This will bolster our border security by addressing the impact of illegal firearms coming into Canada.

These units have expert prosecutors that work with provincial and municipal police forces to tackle the challenging nature of gang activity, to identify and disrupt dangerous gangs and deter young people from getting involved. They have led the investigation of 34 major projects, leading to hundreds of arrests. As part of their work, they have also seized $5.4 million in property and cash. This expansion will build on the excellent work that these units are already doing across the province.

Speaker, violent crime is on the rise, and we are doing whatever it takes to keep people and communities safe. I want to address a type of crime that is affecting communities like never before. We’ve all heard about it, we’ve read about it and probably know someone who has been directly impacted by it; in fact, it might have already happened to any one us. I’m speaking about auto theft.

I know the Solicitor General is going to have more to say on this topic, but let me top-line this for you: Car owners across Ontario need to have the peace of mind that their vehicles will be safe wherever they park them and if their vehicle is stolen that law enforcement has the tools they need to investigate this crime.

The greater Toronto area is facing some of the highest rates of auto theft in the entire province, but our government is announcing measures that put those committing these crimes on notice. We are making the dedicated major auto theft prosecution response team permanent, with a focus on crime spots like the GTA, Ottawa, London and Windsor.

The prosecution team provides legal advice, helps dismantle organized crime networks and offers specialized prosecution expertise to support the provincial and municipal police investigations. This includes those conducted by the OPP organized crime, towing and auto theft team, as well as auto theft and car-jacking teams within municipal police services.

These new and permanent measures are holding offenders accountable, giving police the tools they need to stop thefts before they happen and keep our communities safe.

Speaker, criminals are increasingly using keyless entry technology, like illegal key fob programming devices, fob scanners and some smart phone applications, to steal cars from unsuspecting victims. That’s why we’re proposing changes to the Highway Traffic Act to give police the authority to search for and seize electronic devices that are intended to be used for vehicle theft. These changes would provide law enforcement with stronger tools to keep keyless devices off the streets and out of the hands of would-be criminals.

By cracking down on the unlawful use of these devices, we’re disrupting criminal activity and giving police the tools that they need to stop thefts before they happen and keep our communities safe for everyone.

Passing these measures will support law enforcement in safeguarding our streets and making it easier to stop car thieves in their tracks.

Whether it’s on the streets or in the digital world, our government is doubling down on our commitment to protecting Ontario and keeping communities safe. Cybercrime is on the rise throughout our country, and it’s fuelling major crime and gang-related activities. Now, when most people think about cybercrime, they think about hacking, ransomware and data theft, but the reality is much darker. These criminals are involved in human trafficking, cryptocurrency payments that are extremely difficult to track, marketplaces that facilitate the sale of illegal firearms and drugs, and digital child sexual abuse.

There are real people involved behind the computer screen, and they’re committing real harm. That’s why we are creating the first cybercrime and cryptocurrency prosecution team in Canadian history right here in Ontario. Our government is leading the charge across the nation, expanding the efforts and taking meaningful steps to protect communities. The cybercrime team will work directly with police services at the federal, provincial and municipal levels. This collaboration will be essential. Team members provide advice to police at the investigative stage to help make sure cases are managed and prosecuted effectively. This is crucial, because cybercrime cases tend to be large and complex.

Once charges are laid and cases move into the justice system, crown attorneys, the cybercrime team and the police involved with these files make sure they are prosecuted fairly and effectively. Because whether it’s cybercrime or auto theft, it has devastating effects on the people of this province. People should live in safety, free from intimidation or violence. Violence is not confined to distant, hidden places. It can occur right within the home.

Our proposals build on what our government is already doing to address intimate partner violence, initiatives like the Domestic Violence Court Program in each of the province’s 54 court jurisdictions. This program allows police, crowns and Victim/Witness Assistance Program staff to work with community partners to coordinate support for victims.

There is also the Early Victim Contact initiative that provides timely outreach and support to the victims of intimate partner violence, and domestic violence high-risk committees that identify and proactively provide an additional layer of case management and monitoring of high-risk intimate partner violence while they are going through the criminal justice system.

I would also like to mention the Partner Assault Response Program that provides specialized group education for intimate partner violence offenders, as well as support, referral and safety planning for victims. Our government also supports Indigenous-specific intimate partner violence prevention programs and other culturally responsive programs to support Indigenous persons in contact with the justice system, victims, their communities and their families. These initiatives clearly demonstrate that intimate partner violence is a grave issue that our government is dedicated to tackling head-on.

Nobody should have to live in fear. Everyone has the right to live in safety, with dignity, free from intimidation and the threat of violence.

That’s why we’re also updating the general regulation under Christopher’s Law—a law that requires sex offenders to register with the police in their community. We’re strengthening this crucial law even further so that child sex traffickers are also included on what will now be known as the Ontario sex offender and trafficker registry. This will make it easier for our police services to keep our communities safe. I know the Solicitor General will have more to say on this shortly.

This is another instance where this bill builds on government commitments already in place. We’re dedicated to ensuring that victims receive the assistance and protection they need, no matter where they are in the province. And as part of last year’s budget, our government is providing an additional $6.4 billion over three years to child victim/witnesses and independent legal advice programs. This sustains and expands supports for victims of crime and survivors of sexual violence. Through the Enhancing Access to Justice Act, our government made changes to the Victims’ Bill of Rights.

Together with regulatory changes, the act now makes it easier for victims of crime to sue convicted offenders for emotional distress and related bodily harms for more crimes.

The Ministry of the Attorney General also offers a broad range of court-related supports and legal services that assist those who have been victimized or affected by trauma to meet their unique needs. This includes supports for victims and witnesses of crime to help them understand and participate in the criminal court process. There are also specialized legal support and information services available for victims of sexual violence and human trafficking. In addition, we have culturally appropriate justice services delivered by Indigenous communities and organizations throughout the province.

Speaker, I understand the connection between mental health and public safety, especially within the justice system. In my previous role as the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, I had the opportunity to work on a strategy that supports people struggling to find the help they need when experiencing a mental health or addiction challenge. Patients wait too long for urgent care and services are unequal and inconsistent, with too many gaps. The Roadmap to Wellness is a strategy to answer for those who have faced these challenges for far too long and want action.

That’s why our government has committed to investing $3.8 billion over 10 years to develop and implement a comprehensive new mental health and addictions system. Our Roadmap to Wellness strategy will help improve mental health services for communities across Ontario and support the people and families living with mental health and addiction challenges. We are doing that by building on existing mental health and addictions services to create a system where people of all ages have convenient access to the highest-quality mental health and addictions support and care.

I want to close today by telling you about a provincial success story. We launched Ontario’s first justice centre, in London, Ontario, in 2020. Justice centres empower communities by moving justice out of the traditional courtroom and into a community setting. By doing this, they bring together justice, health and social services to target the root causes of crime and break the cycle of offending and reoffending.

Justice centres don’t let offenders off the hook by avoiding consequences of their actions—quite the opposite. They hold them accountable for their offences while at the same time connecting them to services that can help them so that they have the supports they need to reduce their risk of reoffending.

Justice centres also support communities and victims harmed by crime by stopping the revolving door of repeat offenders through our system of policing, justice, health and corrections.

It’s no wonder that around the world justice centres have been shown to reduce crime rates, support front-line officers and contribute to healthier and safer communities. They also make our justice system more effective by working to increase capacity in local courthouses. When capacity increases, that means there can be more focus on prosecuting the most serious crimes, including violent firearm offences, while offering off-ramps for less serious offenders to end their constant involvement with the criminal justice system.

In Ontario, the justice centres have launched in London, Toronto northwest, Toronto downtown east and Kenora and have become vital means of protecting and promoting public safety and supporting victims in communities harmed by crime. That’s why I’m happy to announce our justice centre expansion plans. The London Justice Centre is going to be housed in a new dedicated facility that will include a young adult integrated intimate partner violence model, and another dedicated facility will be established for the Toronto Downtown East Justice Centre.

This will be a first-of-its-kind hybrid health and justice centre providing supports for people experiencing homelessness, mental health and addictions challenges.

We’re also working with our partners at the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to create a new youth justice centre model in Toronto to process all youth, with satellites in high-need communities. We’ll be opening a new justice centre in Barrie, and in northern Ontario, we will explore options for a justice centre in Timmins. The Kenora Justice Centre will also benefit from an Indigenous-led community kitchen and employment skills training program to help create pathways out of the criminal justice system.

Madam Speaker, we know the devastating impact that crime has on our communities. That’s why justice centres are a success story that we can and want to celebrate.

In closing, I’d like to thank you for the opportunity to discuss this legislation. We’re going to do what we can to protect Ontario communities, support vulnerable people and improve their access to justice. If passed, the Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act would help protect children and youth and establish targeted measures to support victims. Today’s proposed changes would show our government’s commitment to a system that prioritizes justice for those who have been victimized by heinous crimes and need our support.

Thank you for listening. I’ll turn over things to the Solicitor General. Thank you. Meegwetch.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Laurie Scott): I recognize the Solicitor General.

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: I want to acknowledge my colleagues the Attorney General and the Associate Attorney General for their comments.

It is overwhelming, firstly, Madam Speaker, to rise, to be re-elected by my constituents of York Centre who sent me back here to do their work. I think of them every day. There is nothing more important to me than the concerns of my constituents of York Centre.

Madam Speaker, when we look historically—and we don’t have to go back that far, just to June 2018, when Ontarians sent Premier Ford together with his then-elected members of our government party to represent them and to govern here at Queen’s Park. Ontarians did the same thing in June 2022, and they did the same thing this past February, in 2025. Ontarians understand, like we do, that when we have safe communities to live in, we have absolutely everything.

Madam Speaker, I have said it before and I will say it again: When we have safe communities, we have a place that we can wake up our kids in the morning and see them off to school, we can check in on our seniors and loved ones, we have a place to go to work, we have a place to come home to and shop and play in the park, and, as others will appreciate, we have a place to pray. This inherent right is something that is equal, not one person greater than the next.

I will always do everything that I can as a member of this Legislature, as a proud member of this government, as a proud member of Premier Ford’s cabinet, to ensure that those inherent rights of our public safety are treated with the highest priority.

Madame la Présidente, comme je l’ai déjà dit ici, rien pour moi, en tant que solliciteur général, n’est plus important que la sécurité de notre province.

I’m rising, Madam Speaker, to talk about Bill 10, and I’ll give a highlight further to what my colleagues did a few minutes ago. But I also wanted to give some context of a North Star. Madam Speaker some of us, you included, are part of a generation that will remember 1967. That was Canada’s centennial, and the government of Ontario, under the leadership of the then Premier John Robarts, commissioned a song to capture the energy, the creativity and the dynamism of our then-growing province. People will remember what that song is because it says it’s, A Place to Stand.

It was a long time—100 years—for somebody to create a song that represented the fact that Ontario belongs to all of us, that our greatest asset has always been our diversity, and we’re coming forward again today with Bill 10 to recognize that we can’t stop.

We can’t stop for a minute. When others told us to stop, Madam Speaker, I said they were dead wrong. When it comes to being innovative and imaginative, when it comes to being bold, when it comes to creating the best ideas that have to flow from this Legislature in Ontario, this is the place where debates occur.

I want to talk about why Bill 10 is so important today, and I’ll go through some of the comments. Some of them were already raised before.

We’re fighting human trafficking by strengthening Christopher’s Law. That is the Sex Offender Registry. You have to go back in time, and I know the member from Oxford was here, but I don’t know if anybody else was here when Premier Harris led this government that came forward with a bold idea. You talk about being bold and innovative—that was Premier Mike Harris, somebody that we hope will continue to have a long and exemplary life, which he has had in leading Ontario. Some 25 years ago, Premier Harris understood that we had to come forward to protect those most vulnerable.

Today, as we go back in time and we look at Christopher’s Law and where we are today, we know that the changes we are making today as part of Bill 10 will add child sex traffickers to the registry, as well as those convicted of voyeurism.

We’ll provide our police services with critical information to combat crimes, and, as the Associate Attorney General said, we will bring into force the Accommodation Sector Registration of Guests Act, 2021, which will provide police with the tools to combat human trafficking in hotels and short-term rentals.

We’re making further changes to the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019. I want to talk for just a minute about this act, because my predecessor the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health did a lot to bring that act to where it was. I took it forward, and I brought it to fruition, to enactment and to proclamation.

I’ve gone around Ontario to police services all over the province, talking about why it was important that the Community Safety and Policing Act come into force—because you have to go back in time—maybe not to 1967, Madam Speaker, but you do have to go back to when Premier Rae was in government, because that’s the last time Ontario had a policing act that governed our community safety.

The changes that we’re making specifically to the Community Safety and Policing Act, or the CSPA, are to protect police, protect our fundamental rights. It talks about making some changes to the special constable roles, the ability to request assistance, the inspectors general, the ability of the Solicitor General to request interim measures.

I want to also mention my colleague the member from Milton, our associate minister of auto theft and bail reform, who will continue with the same focus and exuberance as my former associate minister, now the Minister of Multiculturalism, the member from Brampton North, did.

We’re also going to hold landlords accountable for knowingly permitting the manufacture or sale of illicit drugs. That’s very important, knowingly permitting the manufacture, or knowingly renting a premises to them, because they can’t get away with it.

I want to talk again about some perspective of the times that find us in a world that, when you look at the face value of it, has changed. The relationship that we have with our closest partner south of Canada, the United States, has changed, and yet I have seen an unleashing of Ontario pride, something that I have to honestly say I have never seen in my generation. It’s a place to stand and a place to grow. The pride perhaps that I may have had—although I was really young in 1967—is something that we see now. That’s why as we’re unleashing everything that we are in Ontario, everything that we have become, we have to do so in a community that allows us to live safely.

I’m very proud to stand alongside Premier Ford and celebrate the accomplishments we have done just in the past few years. When we looked at putting more boots on the ground, it didn’t take that long for Premier Ford to say, “Go ahead and do it. Figure out a way to get double the number of cadets/recruits graduating at the Ontario Police College.”

So when I come to see our new Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response—when we go to the OPP graduations in her constituency, we see the difference in the class sizes. When we go to the Toronto Police College and everywhere—2,100 new boots on the ground coming out of the Ontario Police College is proof in the pudding, as we colloquially say, that our measures are paying dividends today.

But we didn’t stop there. We came forward and said it’s unacceptable that people are stealing our cars or breaking bail conditions. As the Attorney General said, we’re coming forward and representing to the federal government that they have to change those laws, because that’s their jurisdiction, to make sure that people are not out on bail eight, nine and 10 times.

Premier Ford has led in every respect. The police officers; the firefighters; the corrections, probational and parole officers; the animal welfare inspectors; the special constables; the auxiliary officers; the 911 call operators—you name anyone in public safety who keeps us safe, and they will know one thing: Premier Doug Ford and this government will always have your back. It says a lot.

That’s why, again, we’re here today. Whether we’re talking about ways to combat human trafficking, the proposed Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act includes several proposals led by different ministries, because that’s how our government under Premier Ford works. We’re not an island unto ourselves. We listen to our colleagues in other ministries—how can we collaborate and work together? And that’s what happened when it came to strengthening Christopher’s Law.

Why is this so important today? Because any person who has been convicted of a designated sex offence must register with the Sex Offender Registry, and this includes individuals who have been convicted of sex crimes in other provinces or outside Canada. It gives police services access to the information and the investigative tools that they require to prevent and solve these awful crimes.

I mentioned in my cover remarks—if you call them that, Madam Speaker—that we’re moving to strengthen the Community Safety and Policing Act. This is very, very important. The Community Safety and Policing Act is a living, breathing document, just like any acts of the Legislature are. They have to be revisited over time. They have to be constantly looked at. What can we do to strengthen our public safety? And this was, without a doubt, our government’s signature piece of policing legislation. It replaced, as I mentioned, the Police Services Act that goes back to 1990.

Since the CSPA came into force, the ministry has engaged in ongoing discussions with police services as well as other stakeholders across the province. Through these engagements and through the implementation of the act, we’ve identified some operational issues that need to be addressed. The proposed amendments are necessary to provide clarity and align with the overall intent of the act.

I’ll give a brief synopsis of what the amendments are, and specifically with regard to special constables. I want to give the special constables a real shout-out. Most recently, when I was at the Ottawa Police Service, I had the privilege of meeting the latest class of special constables from Ottawa. I would say, without a doubt, one of the greatest privileges of being the Solicitor General—something that I take with great respect every day—is to go out and to meet with our stakeholders, to see the strong bond we have with the associations. I can’t thank the leadership of the PAO and the OPPA and the TPA enough for working so collaboratively with our government, led by Premier Ford.

But in Ontario, Madam Speaker, special constables are considered sworn peace officers who are granted limited police powers depending on their role. Special constables are employed, as we know, in areas of public transit, on university campuses, in community housing and by police services or by our government in various roles. The proposed Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act includes an amendment to the CSPA which will provide greater clarity that the special constables can only be employed by an authorized special constable employer or a police service in Ontario.

Minister’s regulations made under the proposed amendments would also allow for the discretion to provide special constables with the ability to carry and use firearms.

And the next amendment would make improvements to how police services can make requests for temporary assistance from non-Ontario police services or others governed by the law of another Canadian jurisdiction.

We count on our police services to be able to handle any situation that is a threat to the public safety in our community. The fact is that occasionally there are circumstances where our police services need to request assistance from other police services. Under the CSPA, Ontario police services can currently request temporary assistance from other Ontario police services, but this act includes an amendment that the CSPA will allow chiefs of police to request temporary assistance in prescribed circumstances from entities outside Ontario that are prescribed by the minister.

These entities, as an example, may include the RCMP or provincial or municipal police services from elsewhere in Canada. The proposed amendment would ensure that Ontario’s police services can request assistance from an expanded source of resources without forcing them to choose between being in non-compliance with the law or failing to provide adequate and effective policing.

Madam Speaker, again, what we’re doing in this act, from the perspective of the Ministry of the Solicitor General, is to be practical. It’s to look at the CSPA, the Community Safety and Policing Act, and say, what more do we need to do?

Here’s something else: There’s an amendment under the CSPA which relates to the Ontario Provincial Police detachment boards. I want to congratulate all members who serve on a police service board everywhere in Ontario. You could be on a municipal police service board—and, by the way, they’re great. I’ve been to almost every single municipal police service in Ontario. I have two to go. I will get to Deep River, and I will get to Saugeen Shores, hopefully this summer, but I’ve been everywhere else. I’ve been to many of our First Nations police services as well; I want to acknowledge them.

But let me talk about the individuals that serve on police service boards. These are people that bring their love for their community and their respect for our police services to the work that they do. So this amendment will amend subsection 68(1) to clarify that the OPP detachment boards must participate in the OPP commissioner’s selection of permanent OPP detachment commanders in accordance with the process established by the commissioner, because it’s the OPP commanders all over Ontario in the detachments that have their pulse on the community.

Madam Speaker, although I have not visited every OPP detachment in Ontario, I can tell you this. I’ve been to a lot of them. I’ve knocked on the door, just popping in to say hello, and I can tell you that it is a wonderful experience to listen to the local commanders to see what is going on in their communities, and how proud I am of the OPP.

The OPP is nothing short of a flagship service, led by an incredible individual, Commissioner Thomas Carrique.

I also want to acknowledge the Deputy Solicitor General—that’s Mario Di Tommaso himself, a lifelong police officer who we are delighted to have in this role—our retiring Deputy Solicitor General for corrections, Karen Ellis, and to welcome our newest Deputy Solicitor General for corrections, Erin Hannah. I wish her good luck in her new role.

Madam Speaker, when it comes to talking about why we’ve come forward so bold today and innovative today, it’s because we are a government that is practical. We are a government, whether we’re talking about strengthening Christopher’s Law or updating parts of the CSPA, whether we’re looking at ways to hold people to account—and that’s making sure, again, that if you’re renting a facility, knowingly, to somebody that is contravening the laws and engaging in manufacturing, as an example, illegal drugs, or carrying on otherwise, you too have to be held to account.

Ontarians have looked to us and our government, led by Premier Ford; and to my colleague the associate minister, my great friend the member from Milton; my great friend the Attorney General; and the Associate Attorney General to make sure that, on the enforcement and prosecution side of our rights to live safely in our own homes and communities, we will leave no stone unturned.

Just this past Sunday, I had the privilege to gather with my colleagues to attend the police officers’ memorial to see the names that are engraved on the wall: “Heroes in Life, Not Death.” I said in my remarks, Madam Speaker, that our heroes in life, not death, lived. They lived so we can live. And while they are not here to see fruition of a government’s commitment to keep them safe—I would add, Madam Speaker, a government’s commitment that is absolute and constant, a government’s commitment that has no equal, a government that understands that protecting Ontario does not mean anything; our government, led by Premier Ford, says protect Ontario means everything.

To that, I am grateful to have risen today and contributed to this debate. Thank you. Merci beaucoup. Meegwetch.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Laurie Scott): Questions and responses?

Ms. Jessica Bell: My question is to the member for Barrie–Springwater–Oro-Medonte. As of late 2024, the majority of court cases in Ontario are delayed and held because of unreasonable delays. People never have their day in court.

I recently read about Emily Quint, whose sexual assault case was delayed after a three-year wait. She quotes that she never would have come forward if she knew that that’s what the experience was going to be.

This government is taking a tough-on-crime approach, but it gets flimsy if offenders are charged but they’re less likely tried and they’re rarely convicted due to administrative backlogs. What is the plan to address the court backlogs?

Hon. Doug Downey: I do appreciate the opportunity to answer that question. We’re building court capacity to make sure that we have the judges, support staff, clerks and everything else. But in terms of stats—now, one is too many. There is no question. I had opportunity to speak directly with Emily and gain her perspective and hear her journey and story. It was very, very powerful. So one is too many. But I can tell you that those cases dismissed for delay are less than one tenth of 1%. It’s almost one twentieth of 1%. So we are making good progress in terms of achieving a zero number.

That’s exactly what this bill is about; it’s about building capacity to make sure that victims are protected and that their matters are heard. That’s why we’ve added 42 judges along with the requisite staff in the hundreds, whether it be prosecutors, victim support workers, court clerks, navigators and others. That’s what we’re doing about it, and we are aligned with the member opposite on the urgency and the necessity of doing exactly this.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Laurie Scott): Questions?

M me Lucille Collard: I’ll direct my question to the Attorney General. He knows I have a big interest in this bill. I want to ask him about the function of the Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee. It is a respected organization and its role is to protect the independence of our judiciary. I would like you to explain why the government is eliminating the ranked short-list requirement, because it’s one of the key safeguards against politicized appointments, and how does that removal of this requirement enhance this integrity and independence of the judiciary?

Hon. Doug Downey: Thank you again for the opportunity to address the change.

It is an advisory committee; it’s right in the name: the Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee. The way that it currently functions is the Chief Justice will say we have a vacancy in place X. That letter then goes to the committee—that will not change. The committee will advertise for that location, be it—I will just pick on Windsor—and so they will advertise for Windsor. People will apply to Windsor. They will decide who they are going to interview, under the current system, and those interviews will happen and names will be recommended.

Then, while that’s happening, there may be a vacancy in London and the same process will happen in parallel. The committee will receive individual applications for that and they will assess who they are going to interview, and they’re doing two sets of interviews for these two different locations. It’s very cumbersome and it takes a very long time by the time they do the interview and they do the recommendations back. The change is a pool system so that if they apply to Windsor or London they end up in the same pool.

They only need to be interviewed once, and the committee can assess them as recommended or not recommended. If they’re not recommended, I don’t see the names. That will not change either. So it will speed up by having a pool to draw from instead of these individualized interviews.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Laurie Scott): The member from Burlington.

Ms. Natalie Pierre: Good morning and thank you to my colleagues for their remarks earlier. My question is for the Associate Attorney General. During their remarks, he talked about justice centres and I’m wondering if the Associate Attorney General can just take a few moments and tell us how justice centres differ from traditional courtrooms and why the government is expanding justice centres at this time.

Hon. Michael A. Tibollo: Thank you for the question. Justice centres really are an innovation that have shown and proven to be very beneficial. It doesn’t take away the gravity or the seriousness of the crime of the individual, but what it does is it brings justice into the community.

A lot of it is very similar to what we were doing when it came to mental health and addictions, to try to create a continuum of care, an organization, a structure that allows people to get help where they need that help the most, and provide them supports and resources to make sure, one, that an individual who has committed a crime has the opportunity to rehabilitate, but also to provide opportunities for victims of crime to get support and help that they need.

By creating this integrated opportunity to bring justice to the people, it makes it much more accessible to the people to get the support they need and also reduce recidivism rates. It’s a proven evidence-based structure that we are looking at and that we have implemented and that we are looking to expand, because again, it does reduce recidivism rates which takes pressure off the court system. By taking pressure off the courts, it allows the courts to deal with the more heinous crimes that should be dealt with in a courtroom.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Laurie Scott): Questions?

Ms. Peggy Sattler: My question is for the Attorney General. As this government well knows, in 2022, the Renfrew county coroner’s inquest released a report with 68 recommendations specific to the province of Ontario. Many of which have yet to be implemented including the number one recommendation, which is to “declare intimate partner violence as an epidemic.”

The government had an opportunity to make that declaration as part of this bill and as part of the changes to the justice system that are being proposed, but they did not. We are looking at a period right now of significant financial stress on families in this province. We know intimate partner violence rates are only going to go up. Can the government explain why, when there was such overwhelming support for the declaration of an epidemic when 100 municipalities have made that declaration, why is the government not recognizing intimate partner violence as the epidemic that it is?

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: Our government believes in action. Our government believes in standing with the survivors and the victims. Our government believes in supporting victims’ services, which we’ve done. Our government believes, every single day, that we will not accept this as a norm and that we will hold people to account.

So, Madam Speaker, our government believes in action and not words, and our government will continue to act.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Laurie Scott): Questions and answers?

M me Lucille Collard: Again, regarding judicial independence, I’m sure the Attorney General has read the letter from the Chief Justices of this province expressing concerns about depoliticization of the judicial appointment process. This bill clearly gives more discretion to the Attorney General in the judicial appointment process.

So how does this added discretion align with the principles—those very important principles—that the Chief Justices have expressed concerns about?

Hon. Doug Downey: I have both read the letter and I have spoken with them. The letter does not address this bill or what’s happening in this bill. The letter addresses a different matter.

Madam Speaker, I can tell you that there is no expanded discretion in this bill. It does allow me to put forward criteria but, quite frankly, that’s saying the quiet part out loud. Every Attorney General, with their obligation to make appointments, has criteria that they’re looking for and that they’re looking at, whether it be protecting a victim perspective, whether it’s being connected to your community or any number of things.

I’m committing to change the process to bring more light to it, more transparency and more predictability; to tell people what it is that I’m looking for so that they can apply and have some encouragement that they may be able to meet the criteria.

But there is no expanded discretion outside of an obligation on me to say what it is that I’m looking for, Madam Speaker.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Laurie Scott): Questions?

Mr. Brian Riddell: My question is for the Attorney General. The bail system is a shared responsibility between the federal government and the provinces and the territories. What changes can we make without federal approval?

Hon. Doug Downey: We can improve the system and make sure people are where they’re supposed to be and doing what they’re supposed to be doing.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Laurie Scott): Thank you for that short answer.

We are now proceeding to members’ statements.

Second reading debate deemed adjourned.

Members’ Statements

Member for Kitchener South–Hespeler

Ms. Jess Dixon: It was my birthday a few days ago. My mother has an odd sense of humour, and she celebrated by bringing over the original laundry basket that she put me in when she brought me back, along with the blanket and everything.

In our household, my birthday is always followed shortly thereafter by Mother’s Day, which is approaching this weekend. I wanted to take a minute to celebrate all the mothers out there, but of course especially mine.

Everybody in this chamber knows how challenging this job is, and the fact that we’re only able to do this job with its crazy hours and its pressures and its occasional psychological pressures because of the people that keep the home fires burning. In that case, that is undoubtedly my mother.

I’m an only child, and I think I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: I think I am actually a much bigger source of stress and anxiety and work to my mother now as a politician than I ever was as a child or a teenager. Nevertheless, she puts up with me. The things that she has to hear about now require a great deal more understanding than just complaining about homework and friends.

But I know that everyone in this chamber knows how much the work of our mothers matters. Thank you to all the mothers but thank you very specifically to mine.

National Nursing Week

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: I rise today to honour and celebrate National Nursing Week across Canada. This week we recognize the extraordinary dedication, resilience and compassion of nurses all across this province. Whether working in hospital, long-term-care homes or providing critical care in home settings, nurses are the heartbeat of our community and our health care system. Nurses have answered the call during times of crisis, through pandemics and even quiet moments when care is needed the most. They hold hands in hospice, visit homes to ensure dignity and administer care in emergency departments when our health care system is in complete shambles.

Too many health care workers are overworked and underpaid and burnt out. The staffing shortages we see today are not sudden, Madam Speaker; they are results from years of past governments under-investing and policy choices that have pushed workers to the brink. We need legislation that ensures safe staffing levels and offers fair wages reflecting their value and their work.

When constituents share the horror stories of waiting 16 hours in the ER, they quickly point out how amazing their nursing staff was. Ontarians recognize that nurses are doing their best, and the state of our health care system is not on their shoulders. Let us deliver the policies, protections and respect they deserve.

To all the nurses in Ontario: We see you, we value you and we stand shoulder to shoulder with you.

Member for Markham–Thornhill / World Asthma Day

Mr. Logan Kanapathi: I rise today with deep gratitude to thank the residents of Markham–Thornhill for placing their trust in me once again. It’s truly an honour to serve our vibrant and most ethnically diverse community in all of Canada. I want to sincerely thank the volunteers, supporters and community members whose dedication powered our campaign. Your passion and belief in our shared vision made the victory possible.

I also extend my warm congratulations to all my colleagues and across the aisle. I look forward to working together to build a strong Ontario.

Today is also World Asthma Day, a reminder of the 3.8 million Canadians living with asthma, including many in my riding. I personally witnessed the impact of asthma: My mother and my grandmother suffered through their entire life. I commend the organizations like Asthma Canada and our doctors and health care professionals for their tireless work in treating asthmatic patients in care.

Let’s continue to support clean air initiatives, medical research, asthma education and open conversations that help people, especially children, manage their chronic condition with confidence.

Consumer protection

Mr. Terence Kernaghan: If it seems too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. There is no shortage of vile, insidious ways to trick good people out of their hard-earned money, which often target seniors.

The CRA, the government and your bank would never ask you to start contact with them by text. Please keep that in mind.

I had my team dial the number to request an information package. To my profound surprise, Ontario Benefits sent my office a package of official CRA forms. The documents also promise a personal contact person to help with the completion of the documents. How helpful of them.

What is deeply disturbing is that this company uses legitimate means to not provide resources to you but to effectively take them away, administering your benefits to you. If you sign these forms, Ontario Benefits could take 30% of all your benefits, current and future. Any late payments are subject to 2% per month, or 24% per year. There’s no additional $50,000, and you’ll be paying them forever.

Despite the claim of the original card, the follow-up contract states, “I understand Ontario Benefits is not from the government nor is this a mandatory program.”

I encourage everyone to always be vigilant with your personal information. Ask a friend, ask a family member, ask a co-worker, contact your MPP or MP.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Mother’s Day

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu: I rise today in recognition of Mother’s Day and to pay tribute to the incredible mothers and mother figures in our lives. Mothers are the heart of our families and the backbone of our communities. They nurture us, guide us and sacrifice endlessly to ensure we have every opportunity to succeed. Their strength, compassion and resilience inspire us every single day. Whether it’s late-night conversation, a warm home-cooked meal or an encouraging word in difficult times, the care of a mother leaves a lasting impact on who we become.

Madam Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank all the mothers across Ontario, including the hard-working mothers in my riding of Brampton West, for everything they do. Your love and commitment shape not only your families, but the very fabric of our province. To all the mothers in Brampton West and across Ontario being celebrated this weekend, thank you. Your love and dedication do not go unnoticed.

Highway improvement

Mr. John Vanthof: If there’s one thing that President Trump has done, he has galvanized Canadians and Ontarians to work together and to build our country. We want to work with the government to do that, and we’re all looking at where the weak links are in the chain. And there’s one very weak link in the chain in Ontario.

Everywhere else in Canada, we have a divided four-lane highway to cross this country so goods and people can travel freely across the country. That’s becoming even more important. The one place that doesn’t have that? Ontario. The Trans-Canada Highway in Ontario is an undivided two-lane where northerners are regularly run off the road. It’s time that the government—or we, as the governing people of this province—actually take this seriously.

The Premier wrote a letter to the Prime Minister about five projects. One was a deep-sea port. Great, but you don’t even have a road capable of getting stuff to that deep-sea port. So how about we make one of the projects to actually have a divided four-lane highway across this country, including this great province? Because we’re the only province in the country that does not have a divided four-lane highway for goods and people.

Attack in Vancouver

MPP Andrea Hazell: Today I stand before you to salute and mourn with my Filipino community of Scarborough–Guildwood, a vibrant community and home to a significant population of Filipinos. Ontario has the largest Filipino population in Canada, with over 355,000 residents.

It is with a heavy heart that I honour the lives lost during the tragic Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver where 11 lives were senselessly taken, leaving dozens injured. These individuals gathered to celebrate their culture and community, surrounded by family and friends, only to have their joy shattered in an instant. Each of those lost was a cherished member of their community, filled with dreams and aspirations. Their absence leaves a profound void, especially for their families, who now face overwhelming grief. We must honour their memories by standing with the Filipino community during this difficult time.

As we reflect on this heartbreaking moment, let us unite in support and compassion. We must amplify the voices of the Filipino community and strive for a future where everyone can celebrate their culture safely. Together we mourn, together we stand and together we will move forward with strength, love and unity.

Ice storm

Ms. Laurie Scott: I rise today to recognize the incredible strength and resilience of the people of Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock in the worst ice storm our region has ever experienced.

On March 29 and 30, a devastating ice storm swept through our communities, toppling trees and hydro lines, knocking out communications and blocking roads. As we all struggled to get out from under the ice, it was astonishing to learn that 90% of our riding was without power and states of emergency were being declared.

Hundreds of Ontario hydro workers answered the call to help us. Soon joined by crews from Saskatchewan, Quebec and New Brunswick, they grew to over 1,000 workers per day being deployed. Together they worked tirelessly to replace hundreds and hundreds of broken poles and rebuild power grids. It was incredible to see.

I want to issue a heartfelt thank you to our hydro heroes. Thank you to all the municipal leaders, emergency personnel and volunteers who stepped up to support those in need. We are grateful to Ontario Corps, the Red Cross, neighbouring paramedics and EMS services. We also appreciate the Premier and the minister of emergency management and preparedness for visiting our communities to show their support and thank our front-line workers.

I could not be prouder of how our community came together: neighbours helping neighbours, volunteers stepping up and workers pushing through fatigue to restore power and hope. This has been a reminder that in Ontario, when disaster strikes, we stand together, and together, we overcome challenges.

King Charles III Coronation Medal

Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos: In my community of Oakville–North Burlington, I was honoured to present the King Charles III Coronation Medal to six outstanding individuals whose lives have been defined not by titles or accolades, but by commitment, character and compassion. They are united by one powerful idea: that every person can make a difference.

Brad Flick, who has served his church and community with humility, faith and a generous heart; Don Foster, founder of the Compass Food Bank and a long-time champion of public health, youth mentorship and the arts; Warren Howard, a former councillor who champions community-focused development, is a trusted adviser on energy policy and a collector of Indigenous art; Santokh Pahal, a pillar of the community whose leadership brought together the Sikh community to establish the gurdwara in the Halton region, and the first gurdwara in Toronto, with vision and devotion; Sonia Robinson, as a community advocate, played a key role in the passage of Keira’s Law and leads grassroots efforts to safeguard Burlington’s green space; and Xin Yi Zhang, an educator, author and school trustee who builds opportunity through learning, service and cultural connection.

Each of these individuals inspire us all, and their stories remind us that community isn’t just a place we live, it is something we build through action and care. Today, I thank them once again for showing us what’s possible when service comes from the heart.

Introduction of Visitors

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): It is now time to move on to introduction of visitors, and I would like to begin by introducing five residents of Flamborough–Glanbrook who will be receiving the King Charles III Coronation Medal later today.

From Flamborough–Glanbrook: Pat Daly, Margaret Robertson, Drew Spoelstra, Peter Mercanti and Jim Whalen. Thank you for coming today.

Hon. Jill Dunlop: Good morning. Today, I’m pleased to welcome three interns who will be working in my constituency office this summer. A warm welcome to Grace Dilawri, Stevie Steeves and Ciya Mehra. Thank you for making the trip down to Queen’s Park, and I hope you enjoy your opportunity this summer.

MPP George Darouze: I’d like to recognize Hasan and Rumi Prince from my riding of Carleton here today. They lost their son, Rudhro—he was eight years old—in 2018, and are here to advocate with Asthma Canada. I want to thank them for being here. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Ms. Stephanie Bowman: Good morning. I’d like to welcome all of the members of the Masonry Council of Ontario and, in particular, kreitmaker, who is based in my riding of Don Valley West in the Leaside Business Park.

Ms. Laura Smith: I want to welcome Ella Rozen, a dedicated and wonderful young volunteer and Thornhill resident. Welcome to the House.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: I’d like to welcome to the House today the great mayor of Oshawa, Dan Carter; councillor from Oshawa, Tito-Dante Marimpietri; the CAO of Oshawa, Tracy Adams; and the commissioner from Oshawa, Anthony Ambra; as well as leading Toronto trial lawyer, Keith Smockum.

MPP Mohamed Firin: Joining us today from Achēv for their advocacy day are CEO Tonie, Moya and Kristen Neagle. They will be having a reception this afternoon at 5 p.m. in rooms 228 and 230.

And from the Masonry council, who also have their advocacy day, we welcome Stephen and Emidio. They will be having a reception at 4:30 in the dining room.

Mr. Matthew Rae: In addition to my colleagues, I want to welcome the Masonry Council of Ontario here today: Andrew Payne, the executive director, and David Lachapelle as well, the president.

Hon. Sylvia Jones: It is my pleasure to welcome members from Asthma Canada: Jeffrey Beach, president and CEO; Jenna Reynolds, director of programs and services at Asthma Canada; Jasmine Santos, certified respiratory educator; and finally, and probably most importantly, Hasanul and Rumi Prince, strong advocates who tragically lost their son to a severe asthma attack in 2018.

Hon. Kinga Surma: I just want to welcome a constituent of mine, Dominic Montemurro from Medi Group Masonry. He’s here as part of their advocacy day.

M me Lucille Collard: I want to wish a warm welcome to the grandparents of page Tej Gupta, who is from Ottawa–Vanier and captain today: Mr. Ankur and Anita Gupta; and uncle, Mukesh Gupta. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Andrew Dowie: I want to wish a warm welcome to my executive assistant Brianna Robinson, and Emma Beaule, who is a long-time Windsor-Essex resident. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Ms. Jess Dixon: It’s my pleasure to welcome, from my riding and Arriscraft Canada, George Winsor and Scott Jeffries. Thank you so much, gentlemen.

Emergency Preparedness Week

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Point of order: I recognize the Minister of Emergency Preparedness.

Hon. Jill Dunlop: This week is Emergency Preparedness Week, which is an event that educates communities across the province about actions that people can take to be safe, practised and prepared for emergency situations.

You’ll find in each of the lobbies a package for each member from Emergency Management Ontario with educational materials. These are just a sample of the many brochures that can be ordered or downloaded to share with your constituents.

I would ask all members: You’re welcome to join me on the staircase after for a picture to celebrate and acknowledge this important week.

Legislative pages

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Folks, it is now time to introduce to you our pages.

From the riding of Markham–Stouffville, Manur Deva Balaji; from King–Vaughan, Massimo Capozzi; from Timiskaming–Cochrane, Isabelle Ducharme; from Durham, Aashman Garg; from Newmarket–Aurora, Isla Gunning; from Ottawa–Vanier, Tej Gupta; from Waterloo, Hayden Huang; from Dufferin–Caledon, Anhad Kaur; from Scarborough North, Arfa Khandaker; from Humber River–Black Creek, Shepherd Knight; from Thornhill, Sarah Mao; from Brampton West, Antoine Mariyanayagam; from Etobicoke–Lakeshore, Emily McLaughlin; from Brampton East, Shyla Naraine; from Pickering–Uxbridge, Eluckiya Sarmenthiran; from Burlington, Henry Sayle; from Flamborough–Glanbrook, Daniela Turcios Regalado; from Windsor West, Zoya Villamizar; from Mississauga East–Cooksville, Stephaney Rui Jia Wang; from Ottawa South, Ivan Wong; from Kingston and the Islands, Cole Zelmanovits; and from Don Valley North, Edward Zheng.

Please stand and welcome our pages.

Applause.

Question Period

Ontario film and television industry

Ms. Marit Stiles: My question is to the Premier. The film, television and digital production industry accounted for $3.2 billion in revenue to the province back in 2022. It employs about 45,000 workers, not to mention the tens of thousands of spin-offs and dependent businesses.

Now, given President Trump’s latest lob, we are now seeing concerns that the President of the United States is going to impose a 100% tariff on film production from outside the US, and our domestic industry is reeling.

So my question to the Premier is, what does the Premier know about this latest tariff threat to one of Ontario’s most important export industries?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming.

Hon. Stan Cho: I’m glad the Leader of the Opposition brings up this important issue. There is no doubt that the creative industry in Ontario is a hugely important one and a massive economic driver: $3.2 billion in economic spending, as the Leader of the Opposition mentioned, and 26,000 jobs, even in a year where there was an actors’ strike—the year before that, it was over 40,000 jobs. And 2025 is on pace to be a record year for film and television in Ontario.

But, Speaker, it goes beyond just the economic impact. Think about shows like Shoresy, Schitt’s Creek, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Umbrella Academy: These are iconic shows and movies that we should all be proud of, and people are in their communities.

When I visited Sudbury and when I went to Powassan and saw some of the amazing films that are made over there, people take great pride in having these things right here in Ontario.

So our message to President Trump and Secretary Lutnick is very clear: We will do whatever it takes to make sure we protect film and television in Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: I want to say—back to the Premier—the industry here is understandably anxious. I’ve been reaching out; they don’t know what’s coming, but one thing is very clear: A 100% tariff on film production will devastate Ontario’s film industry. US industry production represents about 60% of the production here in Canada and in Ontario specifically. That means about 60% of those jobs that I mentioned would be cut, those direct jobs.

Now is the time to give our local production a boost, right? This would be the moment where we protect and support Canadian content producers, where we put in place more incentives to shore up the industry. That’s how we tariff-proof our economy and this industry.

So back to the Premier: Has he been in touch with his US counterparts in the White House to find out what is in store for another vital industry under threat by this US administration?

Hon. Stan Cho: Our government is very clear: That’s why, during the election, we put aside billions of dollars to say, “We will protect against the unknown.” The uncertainty that is coming out of the President every single day, every single hour, seemingly—sometimes, that is changing hour by hour—we are ready for the unknown by putting aside those resources.

This creative industry that we speak of is massively important in Ontario for all the reasons we said. Whether it’s building a car or an electric vehicle in Oshawa or whether it’s creating the next hit show in Capreol, these are things that matter to this province. These are the things that move the dial on economic success and prosperity in this province.

We are going to continue to fight for this province. We are going to continue to fight for creative industries. We have put over a billion dollars aside in tax credits to make sure that production stays right here at home. We will stop at nothing to make sure that we protect those jobs in the province of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Final supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: I want to say again that this seems like the government is approaching this a little bit like “wait and see.” This isn’t a “ship has left the dock” moment; this is a moment to stand and deliver right now for our domestic production industry, for the tens of thousands of film industry workers who are here and the many more—thousands of jobs and small businesses—that depend on that industry.

How quickly this Premier goes from “Protect Ontario” to “Let’s see what Trump does.” Letting Trump set the agenda over the fate of every important domestic industry is not a plan, right? “Wait and see” is not a plan.

Back to the Premier: What specific steps does the Premier have planned to defend our domestic film and television industry and the thousands of workers and billions of dollars that are at stake here?

Hon. Stan Cho: Speaker, wait and see? This government moved right away for the creative industries and introduced over a billion dollars in film and television tax credits that have led to great successes. These shows are world-famous and being filmed right here in our own backyard. We should be proud of that. That is a direct result of this government’s investments, and that was done years ago.

You know what, Speaker? What I want to wait and see for is I want to wait and see if the Leader of the Opposition and the NDP and the Liberals actually vote in favour of it this time around, because the last time they voted against all those measures to protect those jobs—union jobs.

This government will take no lessons from the Leader of the Opposition. We will stand, we will fight against President Trump and we will fight against any tariffs that are put on the creative industries. We’ve got your back here in Ontario.

Transportation infrastructure

Ms. Marit Stiles: Get that member an Academy Award right away, my goodness—my goodness; please. Listen, I will tell you this—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Stop the clock. I apologize.

I will allow you to start—

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Come to order. Come to order, the government side, the ministers on my right.

I recognize the Leader of the Opposition.

Ms. Marit Stiles: I worked for many years in that industry, and that’s what we would actually call bad acting.

Speaker, as we’ve been saying, the answer to strengthening Ontario is looking after people. The key here is getting our province building and growing our economy. I hear the Premier wants to talk about nation building. Nation building looks like investments. It looks like investments, yes, in critical infrastructure—and that includes transit investments, that includes things like highway investments—but the public deserves to know that multi-billion dollar decisions are based on evidence, not wasteful white elephant projects.

Back to the Premier: Can the Premier explain where the evidence is to support his $100-billion fantasy tunnel under Highway 401?

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

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Here are the facts: We got elected on a mandate to build in this province: $100 billion over the next 10 years will be spent on transit investments and highway investments. I can’t think of a single project that the Liberals or NDP have voted to support, whether that’s building highways in the north—Highway 11, Highway 17—whether that’s the 413 or the Bradford Bypass, or whether that’s public transit, like the Ontario Line that will move 400,000 people a day, get vehicles off the road.

Guess what, Madam Speaker? The NDP and Liberals have opposed every single one of those investments. They don’t believe in building this province. They don’t believe in getting shovels in the ground. Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we have all of our priority subway projects with shovels in the ground and building, and the opposition has done anything and everything possible to try to delay those projects and not get those shovels in the ground.

The people of this province elected us to get things done, to get projects built, and that’s exactly—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the Leader of the Opposition for a supplementary.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, I didn’t hear an answer to the question. I didn’t even hear the minister there reference this $100-million fantasy tunnel obsession of the Premier’s.

I’ll go back to the Premier again: This government talks about nation building? Get real. Get serious. This study that they’re proposing is going to take two years to tell you what everyone else is already saying: This is not a feasible priority project.

In northern Ontario, people are still waiting for the expansion of Highways 11 and 17, which is where all our national trade goes through. Folks in Guelph and Kitchener are still waiting for the expansion of Highway 7. Where are all these long-promised and long-delayed highway investments when we look at this list of priorities? They fall to the bottom every time.

So back to the Premier: Why are all of those projects falling to the bottom of the list while the Premier’s $100-billion fantasy tunnel project takes priority?

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Let me make it clear: We will build that tunnel. It’s going to support billions and billions of dollars of economic growth. It’s going to support thousands of jobs across this province.

And guess what? When we came out with our priority transit projects in 2018-19, the NDP doubted us and said it could never be done. But guess what? Shovels are in the ground, Madam Speaker. There isn’t a single project where the NDP or Liberals haven’t opposed or objected, whether it’s public transit, which is getting cars off the road and thousands of people to where they need to get to faster, or whether it’s highway projects like the 413, the Bradford Bypass.

We want to talk about Highway 11, Highway 17? The NDP and Liberals have voted against our $28-billion plan to build over the next 10 years in the north and across the province.

We will take no lessons from them. We will get shovels in the ground, and we will build this province.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Final supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: Speaker, we’ve got carnage alley between London and Tilbury, and all this government is focused on is building their tunnel of love. I mean, please.

I just want to say, going back again to the Premier, Ontario needs infrastructure. We need transit projects that actually get built, that actually open, not billions of dollars wasted on vanity projects of this Premier and this government. You are pouring money into another vanity project—

Hon. Kinga Surma: Subways are a vanity project—

Ms. Marit Stiles: —yes, to the Minister of Infrastructure, who’s chirping away over there.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Through the Speaker.

Ms. Marit Stiles: We need actual infrastructure, not luxury spas, not tunnels that are fantasies of this Premier. The only folks that are going to make any money off this feasibility study are the high-priced consultants that are looking into it.

So back to the Premier: Will he reverse this ridiculous plan and admit that the only people who are going to make anything off of this are those high-priced consultants?

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Madam Speaker, let me just talk about some of our projects and the jobs that they support, every single one of which the Liberals and NDP oppose: the Ontario Line, close to 4,700 good-paying jobs that are supported by that project. Do you want to talk about the Scarborough subway extension? Close to 3,000 jobs annually will be supported through that project. Highway 413: 3,500 jobs that would be supported through the construction and building of those projects.

But guess what, Madam Speaker? Just like that member, the Leader of the Opposition, is doubting our plans to build that tunnel and to build Ontario, she doubted the 413, she doubted the Ontario Line, the Scarborough subway extension and all of our LRT and subway projects.

There would be no jobs in this province if it was up to the NDP, because they don’t believe in building. They don’t believe in getting shovels in the ground. There isn’t a single transit or infrastructure project that they they’ve supported, that this government has put forward, Madam Speaker. We will—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Questions?

Government accountability

Mr. John Fraser: Speaker, last week in debate about Bill 5, specifically in relation to special economic zones, the government’s deputy House leader listed 20 countries that had special economic zones. The inference was we should be more like those countries—amongst them were Russia, Nigeria, China.

So, Speaker, does the Premier agree we should be more like China or Russia?

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I will ask members on the government side to please come to order.

I recognize the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Speaker, we’ve said this in this Legislature plenty of times now since these tariffs have begun: We are in a war. It’s an economic war with the US, but make no mistake, we are in a war. It has never been more important to ensure that Ontario remains competitive and attracts and lands these job-creating investments around the world. We’re facing a once-in-a-generation crisis with President Trump’s tariffs. He’s been clear: He’s after our jobs; he wants our jobs. All of the industries that we’ve attracted here, $70 billion worth of industries we’ve attracted in seven years, he wants every one of those industries to move to the States, and he wants all of those jobs.

So if we sit around and do nothing, as you’re suggesting, we’ll be handing our jobs over to the United States on a silver platter. Speaker, we are going to do everything in our power to ensure that those jobs remain here and the new ones come here to Ontario.

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

Mr. John Fraser: Minister, you are right. We are in a war.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Through the Speaker.

Mr. John Fraser: What I was suggesting was, is the deputy House leader suggesting that we should be allies with China or Russia in these trade things? That we should copy them, that we should follow them? That was my question. I think it’s fair—check Hansard. Check the autocracy index of the 20 countries that he listed.

So with special economic zones—well, Ontario is a special economic zone, and it would seem to me, when I read this bill, that economic zones are a recipe to create the Wild West, where ministers get to do whatever they want—or actually, probably more likely, whatever the Premier asks them to do, because that’s his record. So would the Premier agree?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: There is a chill on business around the world right now caused by President Trump’s tariffs. There is so much uncertainty. Companies can’t make investments because there’s no clear understanding of what the political landscape is going to be. So that is a real challenge to us here in Ontario. But we view it as a window of opportunity.

This move to pause all investments means there’s a huge buildup of capital around the world. When that capital is ready to be unleashed, it is going to need somewhere to land. We want it to land here in Ontario. That’s why we’ve been moving forward with our legislation to show that Ontario is the destination of choice for all of that capital around the world looking to be put to use to build factories, to build plants and to create jobs.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Mr. John Fraser: I think that the special opportunity is, in creating the special economic zones, that the government is just creating an opportunity for wealthy, well-connected insiders to get the inside track. So it’s interesting that the government’s first choice for a special economic zone is Ontario Place. That’s the site of the Premier’s latest backroom deal for $2.2 billion of taxpayers’ money and a 95-year lease to a foreign company with literally no money and no experience.

I guess my question is, is creating special economic zones just an opportunity for more scandal with this government?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: We’ve just returned from Japan and South Korea, and before that, we were in Germany. These businesses are grappling with the unprecedented amount of uncertainty in the global economy. They’re looking for a place to invest. They’re looking for stable, predictable, reliable partners who can give them that predictability.

We have told them Ontario is that partner. They want to know that their projects won’t be held up in red tape, bureaucracy and lengthy permitting processes. That competition to land these investments will be unlike any competition we face in the last generation. We need to show that Ontario is that place where you can land all of those investments and create all of those job opportunities.

Government accountability

Mr. John Fraser: Anybody who reads Bill 5 objectively knows it’s just a recipe for more backroom deals. You take terms like “special economic zones” and my favourite, “trusted partners”—we know this government and who their trusted partners are.

So when you couple this with unfettered and unchecked ministerial power, it feels to me like the greenbelt scandal. It feels like ministerial zoning orders. It feels like urban boundaries, where the trusted partners were wealthy, well-connected insiders who got a leg up on everyone else.

Does the Premier really think that Bill 5 passes that sniff test?

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

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Over the last seven years, we have seen unprecedented levels of investment flow into the province. Over $70 billion has come here: $46 billion in auto and EV investment, $6 billion in life science, tens of billions of dollars in tech investment. That has helped businesses in Ontario create one million new jobs since we took office.

Speaker, we are going to build on that progress, but we have to acknowledge the rules around the world have changed. We are facing a once-in-a-generation crisis, Speaker. If we don’t adapt by cutting red tape, speeding up permitting and speeding up the approval processes, we’re going to get crushed. We refuse to allow the US to take our jobs, take our industries, and that is why we’re moving forward with this—such an ambitious agenda, and we hope that you will join us today in passing our bills to—

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

Mr. John Fraser: I think if you take a look at this government’s record on following the rules, on wealthy well-connected insiders getting an inside track, I think Bill 5 is just a recipe for more wealthy well-connected insiders to get the inside scoop, an inside track, a leg up, because that’s the Premier’s record.

So, again, does anyone think in this Legislature that Bill 5 is not going to lead to more scandal, more wealthy well-connected insiders getting the inside deal because they know the Premier?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: The member talks about our record. Let’s just flip that for a second and look at his record. We all watched as 300,000 manufacturing jobs fled our province. Now, there was no once-in-a-generation crisis then; there were no tariffs then, just the breeze created by 300,000 industrial workers leaving our province. It was the Liberal promise designed to push those jobs away and crush our goods-producing sector. Now they want us to revert back to that Liberal playbook that saw us lose all those jobs.

Speaker, we will refuse to do that. We will not stand by idly as President Trump tries to decimate our jobs and our industries. We’re going to do every single thing in our power to protect and build the economy that we’ve created here in Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Final supplementary?

Mr. John Fraser: I’m old enough to remember back in 2010 when that party voted against supporting the auto industry. I also know that for five years leading up to 2018 Ontario led the G7 in jobs and growth. What’s happening with this government right now? The highest unemployment rate in a decade, youth unemployment, 17%—great record, Minister—highest unemployment rate in 10 years.

Speaker, the government can tout its economic record, the stuff they like to look at. The reality is they’re creating a bill that is going to legitimize the stuff that we’ve seen like the greenbelt, like the Therme deal—

Interjection.

Mr. John Fraser: —like MZOs, like urban boundaries, where insiders got the inside track because they could connect with the Premier and the Premier said, “Minister, do this.” We know about that.

Hon. Kinga Surma: Let’s talk about 2018—

Mr. John Fraser: I can hear the minister back there.

So my question is, does anybody over there actually really believe that Bill 5 is the right thing to do?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Speaker, our government’s record on job growth comes directly from Stats Canada. One million more people are working today than the day we took office, Speaker—one million people. In fact, 55,000 new jobs were created in the very first two months of this year. We’ve lowered the cost of business by $8 billion every single year, and we’ve seen these job-creating businesses come into our province. We’ve landed, as I said, $46 billion in auto, $6 billion in life science and tens of billions in tech.

We’re going to take this ambitious action to ensure that we remain competitive in these uncertain times. We’re going to break down interprovincial barriers. We’re going to continue to cut red tape. We’re going to speed up the approval process for all of these strategically important projects. Speaker, we are going to keep Ontario competitive to keep those good-paying jobs here and create even more.

Automotive industry

MPP Wayne Gates: My question is to the Premier. The auto sector is in crisis due to Trump’s tariff war and the Premier’s lack of urgency. Auto workers from Oshawa, Windsor, St. Catharines and Brampton are worried about their jobs. We built cars in Canada for over a hundred years, and we buy two million vehicles yearly. This is our industry, and these are our jobs. Some 750 workers in Oshawa, 4,000 in Windsor, along with St. Catharines, Ingersoll and Brampton are facing layoffs. These companies sell in Canada, and they need to build in this country.

Will the Premier stand with workers and join us in demanding that these auto companies commit to keeping these jobs in Ontario?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Minister of Economic Development.

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Speaker, just yesterday, the Premier and several MPPs visited the GM Oshawa plant to meet with the workers. We met with the company, and we met with local union reps. The message from the Premier was very, very clear: As we fight this once-in-a-generation challenge from south of the border, our government will always have your back.

Now GM has reaffirmed their commitment to the Oshawa plant and will continue to build Ontario-made trucks for years to come. We’re going to continue to do everything we can to support a strong future for that factory and its workers.

President Trump’s tariffs, Speaker, are causing chaos. They certainly are. They’re causing uncertainty all across the world. In the face of this unprecedented threat, our government will continue to fight every single day to attract new investment, secure those good-paying jobs and support the workers and their families.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

MPP Wayne Gates: Back to the Premier: Five years ago, when jobs in Oshawa were under threat, the Premier didn’t act to save the jobs; the workers did, and their union did.

To the minister: Our advantage in Ontario over the US is clear. Publicly funded health care, our publicly funded education, a highly skilled workforce, high productivity and a low Canadian dollar at 73 cents give us an incredible advantage. We can’t allow any car company to take equipment out of our plants and ship it to the US plants. Once the equipment is moved it’s never coming back, and our jobs are gone.

Does the Premier—and what the Premier should have said yesterday to those auto workers—believe that auto companies that sell in Canada need to build in Canada? And if so, will they make it happen? So if you want to sell in this country, you’ve got to build in this country—

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

Hon. Victor Fedeli: It’s very clear that that member understands how we saved the 100,000 jobs in Ontario’s auto sector: because we have clean energy, because we have 70,000 STEM grads that we graduate every year, because we have the land available. We took an industry that was sliding downhill—just like it was in Australia. In Australia, they decided to go off the end of the cliff and get out of the auto sector. Premier Ford said, “Not in Ontario.” We have turned that industry around.

We have saved the 100,000 jobs that were at risk by the previous government, and, Speaker, we’ve added tens of thousands of new jobs: $46 billion—that is unprecedented in Ontario—of new auto business here. That’s on top of the 100,000 men and women who were already working in the auto sector.

Where were you when it came time to vote on all of these issues? You voted against every single incentive that we put on the table to save that auto sector.

Cycling infrastructure

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: “The system is broken,” the Premier proclaimed in his now infamous rant about judges, bike lanes and Trump. During a press conference intended to address crime and violence, the Premier took time to rant about his personal frustrations over judicial consideration of the constitutionality of the government’s decision.

You’re right, Premier, the system is broken. It is broken that provincial leaders are interfering in municipal matters. It is broken that the government would rather remove bike lanes for double the installation costs than invest in transit and safe roads for all. It is broken that during an affordability crisis they are wasting tax dollars. And it is broken that the government conflates an infringement on Ontario’s right to safety with ideology. The Premier asked judges if they have nothing better to do than overturn his decision.

My question to the Premier: Do you have nothing better to do than to interfere with municipal bike lanes?

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

Hon. Doug Downey: You know, the Premier’s frustration is with different levels of government doing things that are just not what the people of Ontario want them to do, not meeting the expectations of individuals who vote for us, who gave us a strong mandate only two months ago on a variety of issues. They’ve asked us to fix the system when our federal partners and our municipal partners are not doing their part. And we will do that.

We will move forward with the priorities of the people of Ontario, and we will not apologize for that, Madam Speaker.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member for Beaches–East York.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Getting home safely is a priority for most Ontarians.

The Premier claimed that judges have a sense of entitlement and admonished them for overruling the government. Hmm, that sounds familiar. This government massively overreached into municipal affairs when they decided to pursue the removal of bike lanes. The government ignored objections by Toronto city councillors and the mayor. And, despite being democratically elected and accountable to those voters, this government unabashedly disregarded the disapproval and outcry of thousands of constituents.

Perhaps the Premier should look inward before he accuses others of entitlement and should fulfill his duties as an elected official before demanding that others adopt the standards he does not uphold for himself.

My question to the Premier: Will you listen to your provincial and municipal colleagues and your constituents who have given you a mandate to protect Ontarians and protect all road users?

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

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: Madam Speaker, I don’t know where to start. The Liberals are so out of touch.

Maybe we can start with one of the comments made by the leader of the Liberal Party yesterday who actually doesn’t even think we’ll be driving vehicles in the future—so out of touch. Whether it’s bike lanes or highways or reducing congestion, the Liberals bring absolutely no solutions to the table.

Toronto has become one of the most congested cities in the world. It ranks top three when it comes to congestion according to TomTom’s study, and it’s because of radical policies that have been enacted that have destroyed our streets like the bike lanes on Avenue, on Yonge. These bike lanes on Bloor have made it so difficult for people to get to where they need to go that it’s impacting economic activity, not only on those streets and for those businesses—

Interjection.

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

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: —that are located on those streets, but also in downtown Toronto.

We are going to continue to build this province. We are going to continue to invest in infrastructure, whether it’s transit, whether it’s highways, and we’re going to get those bike lanes removed.

Transportation infrastructure

Ms. Natalie Pierre: My question is for the Minister of Transportation. Every day, people across Ontario are stuck dealing with gridlock. Gridlock is not just a traffic issue, it’s an economic and quality of life concern, and it’s holding our province back.

I’ve heard from people in my riding who want to see new roads built. They want better highways, fewer delays and faster trips. That’s why I thought yesterday’s comments from Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie were ludicrous. She said that our government shouldn’t be building for the future because, “Who knows if we’ll even be driving vehicles or if there will be alternative methods?”

Speaker, can the minister please reassure the people of this province our government will continue taking action to address gridlock?

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: I was equally shocked by the comments that the leader of the Liberal Party made yesterday.

While I’ll never say never, I can assure this place that we won’t be planning for people to take their jets and hovercrafts or Skypad Apartments to get around.

This is a government that is going to build, no matter how hard the Liberals or the leader of the Liberal Party tries, with a radical ideology, to stop this government from building highways, roads, bridges and public transit.

We will continue to get it done because we know that congestion and population growth is increasing, and we need to prepare for the future. We need to increase our capacity on our roads. That’s why we are committed to building Highway 413, we are committed to building the Bradford Bypass and we’re committed to building and investing over $28 billion all across the province to support our highways, roads and bridges.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?

Ms. Natalie Pierre: Thank you to the minister for that response.

It’s shocking to me that the Liberals think that flying cars from the Jetsons was a documentary and not a fictional cartoon. Maybe they believe we’ll be flying hovercrafts instead of taking the highway or transit to get into town.

But here on earth, and especially for people in my riding, traffic is real. Gridlock already costs Ontario $56 billion a year, and if we don’t act, it could rise to $108 billion in less than 20 years. That’s why our government is building highways, tunnels and better roads.

But the Liberals and NDP keep voting no. Unlike the opposition, we know people want real solutions, not Jetsons fantasy.

Can the minister reassure this place that our government has a plan to keep our province moving?

Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria: That’s absolutely right. Unlike the Liberals and the NDP, this government has an actual plan to build that we’ve put to the people of this province. No, we’re not going to be living in a fantasyland like the leader of the third party is saying, that we won’t be needing cars in the future.

We are planning for the next 10, 20, 30 years. That’s why we are going to be building a tunnel under the 401. That is why we are going to be building the 413, the Bradford Bypass but also investing over $70 billion to support public transit across this province and get vehicles off the road where we can, like the Ontario Line, which will move 400,000 people every single day.

We will take no lessons from the radical Liberals or NDP who don’t believe in cars, who don’t believe in driving and who don’t believe in getting people moving across this province. We will continue to get it done.

Government accountability

Mr. Chris Glover: My question is to the Premier. The former Liberal MP Adam Vaughan, who in 2019 was a vocal opponent of the mega spa scandal at Ontario Place, is now a paid spokesperson for Therme, which lied about its credentials, is receiving a $2.2-billion taxpayer subsidy and received a 95-year lease in a process that the Auditor General said was not fair, transparent or accountable.

So my question is, now that the NDP is the only party in Ontario that’s defending the public interest in Ontario Place, is the minister relieved to have the Liberals’ support for this scandal?

Interjections.

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

Response? I recognize the Minister of Infrastructure.

Hon. Kinga Surma: Madam Speaker, with all of the booing, I just couldn’t hear the very end of the question.

But I love that the member opposite is raising the fact that Adam Vaughan, the former councillor of the area where we’re redeveloping Ontario Place and the Liberal federal candidate, was on Moore in the Morning. Guess what he said? He said that in 2018, under the call-for-development process that the Liberals ran, Therme was the winning proponent. Same process, same outcome: Therme was the winning proponent.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I apologize to the minister. Would the government side and the Liberal side please come to order?

Minister, you have the floor.

Hon. Kinga Surma: I thank Adam Vaughan for bringing that to light. Thank you, Adam, for that wonderful interview.

But what was also very important, what he said, was that, look, Premier Ford is doing something good for Ontario. Premier Ford is building 50 acres of—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Response.

Hon. Kinga Surma: —space. He’s rebuilding the marina to make it more inclusive. There are going to be activities for families once again at Ontario Place. We’re happy to receive Adam Vaughan’s endorsement.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member for Spadina–Fort York for the supplementary.

Mr. Chris Glover: The minister’s response raises the question of whether there is anyone who supports the Ontario Place scandal who is not being paid by Therme.

The second part of my question is to the Premier: There is a connection between the Premier and Therme, and I want to give the Premier an opportunity to clear the air. The financial director of Ares Management became the CFO of Therme. After this, Therme was given the contract to redevelop Ontario Place, and Ares Management purchased the Premier’s company, Deco Labels, in Chicago.

To the Premier, just to clear the air: Will he release his phone records of any calls that he had with the agents of Ares Management or Therme?

Hon. Kinga Surma: I would maybe like to remind the member opposite to read the ruling in the Integrity Commissioner’s report. The NDP filed a frivolous complaint, and the Integrity Commissioner found no grounds to investigate whatsoever.

But what I will highlight is the fact that Adam Vaughan—the former local councillor for the area, the Liberal member—highlighted the fact that Therme was the winning proponent in the 2018 Liberal call for development. What Adam Vaughan also said was this was a great investment—

Interjection.

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

Question?

Affordable housing

Mr. Ted Hsu: During the recent Ontario election, countless renters in Kingston and the Islands told me that their greatest concern was soaring rents; for them, a personal issue, more urgent than Trump’s trade war. When the rental vacancy rate exceeds 4%, real rents typically decline, offering much-needed relief. Yet construction costs remain historically high, worsened by trade tensions.

We’ve asked for this already, but I need to ask again: Will this government finally promise assistance to municipalities so that they can lower development charges on smaller, modest homes for a sustained period of time to boost home construction, boost supply and provide much-needed rent relief?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Hon. Rob Flack: For the record, in 2025, rental starts year to date are up 10% compared to the same period last year in 2024, up almost 18,000 rental starts. That is the one sector of the rental industry, of the housing industry, that is working.

We continue to create the environment for more homes to be built, create the environment like getting fees lower, speeding up time with official plans, MZOs and, most importantly, keeping our talented labour pool in place to continue to build these homes. It’s working in the rental market. We will continue to get the job done.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

Mr. Ted Hsu: I don’t feel that my constituents who rent and can’t face the next increase are feeling the job is getting done.

This provincial government has moved far too slowly on factory-built or modular home construction. Meanwhile, in the federal election, Prime Minister Carney committed a substantial $25-billion investment to drive this industry forward, fortunately not waiting for Ontario to act. Factory-built housing economics dictate local production, creating plants and jobs province-wide, much like aggregate mining. For example, in Kingston, a company called Lodestar just built a modular building in the middle of Kingston, which is the new home of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Will this government finally support and grow this emerging industry by procuring factory-built homes, especially amid the ongoing trade war with Donald Trump?

Hon. Rob Flack: I know the Minister of Education visited the member opposite’s factory in Kingston, and it’s a very impressive site indeed. I will continue to travel this province and visit every potential modular builder, like I did when I was the associate minister.

Remember this when it comes to rental starts: more than double—188%—the annual average of the past decade, and the second-highest level annual rental starts on record. If you look throughout the province, you will see rental costs coming down. There’s supply. It’s working. We’re going to get the job done.

Economic development

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Tariffs and global economic uncertainties have businesses and families worried about their future, and rightfully so. We’ve seen the chaos that has been caused by the President’s actions. Businesses and investors are spooked, and this is having real-life implications for workers, not just in Ontario, but across the globe.

Amid all this uncertainty, we still see companies choosing Ontario for their long-term growth. Last month, the Premier and the Minister of Economic Development welcomed an important investment into the city of Brantford. Speaker, can the minister share more details on that critical investment?

Hon. Victor Fedeli: Last month, we welcomed a $445-million investment from Italy’s Ferrero Group, one of the world’s largest sweet-package