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December 9, 2025

44th Parliament, 1st Session

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Hansard Transcripts

Votes and Proceedings

Orders and Notices

Hansard Transcript 2025-Dec-09 (PDF)

L049 - Tue 9 Dec 2025 / Mar 9 déc 2025

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE DE L’ONTARIO

Tuesday 9 December 2025 Mardi 9 décembre 2025

Orders of the Day

Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 visant à maintenir les criminels derrière les barreaux

Members’ Statements

Holiday events in Kitchener South–Hespeler

Victorian Order of Nurses

Ferry service

Holiday messages

Government accountability

Transportation infrastructure

Disaster relief

Victoria Mboko

Housing

Emancipation Month

House sittings

Introduction of Visitors

Question Period

Government accountability

Government accountability

Government accountability

Government accountability

Forestry industry

Government accountability

Ontario economy

Tenant protection

Government accountability

Climate change

Rural Ontario

Government accountability

Government accountability

Transportation infrastructure

Housing

Notice of dissatisfaction

Deferred Votes

Barrie — Oro-Medonte — Springwater Boundary Adjustment Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur la modification des limites territoriales entre Barrie, Oro-Medonte et Springwater

Estimates / Budget des dépenses

Reports by Committees

Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy

Standing Committee on Justice Policy

Introduction of Bills

Environmental Protection Amendment Act (Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Source Separation Programs), 2025 / Loi de 2025 modifiant la

Loi sur la protection de l’environnement (programmes de séparation à la source des déchets industriels, commerciaux et institutionnels)

Safe Night Out Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 visant à favoriser des sorties sans danger

Massage Therapy Tax Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur l’imposition de la massothérapie

Petitions

GO Transit

Emergency services

Social assistance

Transportation structure

Consumer protection

School governance

Interprovincial trade

School transportation

Public transit

Subventions destinées à l’éducation

Health care

Northern Health Travel Grant

Pharmacare

Orders of the Day

Peel Transition Implementation Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur la mise en oeuvre de la transition de Peel

Estimates / Supplementary estimates

Peel Transition Implementation Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur la mise en oeuvre de la transition de Peel

Private Members’ Public Business

Development charges

Adjournment Debate

Education funding

Education funding

The House met at 0900.

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

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 visant à maintenir les criminels derrière les barreaux

Mr. Kerzner moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 75,

An Act to enact the Constable Joe MacDonald Public Safety Officers’ Survivors Scholarship Fund Act, 2025 and to amend various other Acts / Projet de loi 75, Loi édictant la Loi de 2025 sur le Fonds Joe MacDonald de bourses d’études à l’intention des survivants d’agents de sécurité publique et modifiant diverses autres lois.

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

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: I’m proud be sharing my time with the Attorney General and the Associate Solicitor General, the members from Barrie–Springwater–Oro-Medonte and from Milton.

Madam Speaker, I’ve said this many times in the Legislature: I’m proud to be part of a government, led by Premier Ford, that will never apologize for keeping Ontario safe; that will never apologize for standing with the brave men and women who put on their uniforms every day, our police officers, our firefighters, our correctional, probation and parole officers, our amazing 911 call operators—the unsung heroes—and the civilian members who help the fire and police services and our correctional institutions.

I’m proud to stand with the animal welfare inspectors, the members of the coroner’s office, the members of the Centre of Forensic Sciences, and everybody that understands that we all have a role in keeping Ontario safe.

Perhaps, Madam Speaker, there is no greater role than being here today as the Solicitor General, the minister responsible for public safety, and carrying out exactly what the government says morning, noon and night: that we will stand with the men and women, but we will also stand with the associations that represent the men and women that keep Ontario safe. That’s the Police Association of Ontario. That’s the Toronto Police Association. That’s the Ontario Provincial Police Association. That’s the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs. That’s the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association. And that’s also OPSEU, which represents our amazing correctional officers.

For all those associations that take tender, loving care of their members, on behalf or our government, I simply wanted to say thank you. I’m delighted that we have representatives from them here today.

In case I did not mention it, there’s one more association that’s equally as important: the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police. I can’t thank the chiefs enough across our province, who, together with IPCO—that’s the Indigenous Police Chiefs of Ontario—also play a vital and critical role.

Madam Speaker, we’re living in times that find us, globally, where geopolitical stressors are commonplace. We can’t control that. This Ontario Legislature can’t effect change in the regions of the world that—please, God—should find peace, especially now in this holiday season. But what this Legislature can do is do what our government said we would do if the people of Ontario saw fit, in February 2025, earlier this year, to re-elect us for an unprecedented third majority.

I want to speak for a minute about the people that find themselves in Ontario, because it is not a province that looks like the province that my late grandfather Murray Penwick, who was born steps from the Legislature in 1905, would have found when he was born here. We are a province of amazing diversity. It is something that I champion every day and say that our diversity is our greatest strength. Everybody who comes to Ontario has an equal right to succeed, to belong, to contribute and to find themselves living in a province that is safe.

Earlier this summer, I had the privilege of being invited to many cultural picnics in the beautiful riding of York Centre that I’m honoured to represent. When I attended these picnics, my eyes opened up even wider. I met people from the Owerri Nigerian community, I met people from Ghana. I met people from the Ivory Coast. I met people from Cameroon and, of course, the Philippines and Vietnam and Italy. Many communities have proudly called our riding, our constituency and our province home. I couldn’t be happier to attend.

I remember what one gentleman said to me: “For years, we asked elected representatives to attend, and none showed up until you took the invitation seriously and showed up.” It opened my eyes to how wonderful and special and diverse our province is.

The common thread that binds our province is public safety. It is the simple right—and I’ve said this many times—that simply allows us to wake up our kids in the morning, see them off to school, check in on our loved ones and seniors, and to go to work and to shop and to pray safely. We bind ourselves together in not only the love of our province—and, boy, today, I say to my friends down in the States, “Don’t underestimate our pride and patriotism. Don’t do that.” Because the people that call Ontario home are proud and we understand that we all belong here.

We share common values of decency and tolerance, and in spite of the rise of worldwide hate that is finding its way here and thinking it can wedge through a crack and change how we feel—we say we have to love thy neighbour, but Ontarians understand that.

In my riding of York Centre, probably the most diverse in the province, where we also have a very proud—one of the largest Russian-speaking diaspora communities in Ontario is proudly located in York Centre. We are a microcosm of people getting along, understanding that we can rally behind a simple fact: All we want to do is live our lives and to do it safely.

This diversity actually moves forward in public safety. I’ve had the honour, which is quite remarkable, to have attended 14 march-past ceremonies at the Ontario Police College. I’ve marched past now 6,400 men and women who are now police officers, wearing flashes of their police service that represent a bond of the past, a bond to the present and that will connect to the future.

It’s equally an honour to attend many fire graduation ceremonies of our newest firefighters. I’ve watched and received their helmets bestowed on them by the chiefs and I can tell you, the interest of people who want to become police officers and firefighters has never been higher.

I’ll tell you why: because we have a government, led by Premier Ford, that gets it, that is not afraid of coming forward, like we are today, to introduce the debate on the Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, Bill 75, because we know everything revolves around public safety—everything: economically; from a health care perspective; from an infrastructure perspective. Absolutely everything revolves back.

I can’t tell you how honoured I have been when I attend the ceremonies on the firefighters’ side, on the policing side, and to welcome also our newest correctional, probation and parole officers. The common thread that I ask them is a simple thing: How did you know who you were until you crossed the line and made a decision that “I wanted to help add my name to keep Ontario safe”? Who were you before and who are you now? Each time, I hear these miraculous stories of thanking the government, led by Premier Ford, that is so strong on public safety.

And we don’t do it alone. We are supported by incredible public servants through the OPS here in Ontario. We have two of the finest deputy ministers ever, Deputy Mario Di Tommaso, the Deputy Solicitor General on the public safety side, and Deputy Erin Hannah, who is the Deputy Solicitor General for corrections. They lead a department that is committed every day to keep Ontario safe.

I want to shout out also another individual who is exceptional. We’re proud that the Ontario Provincial Police is part of the Ministry of the Solicitor General, and it’s led by an incredible individual, Commissioner Tom Carrique. I want to thank him and his deputy commissioners and everyone who is part of the OPP. I am so proud to champion the Ontario Provincial Police, which protects over 330 municipalities every single day, 75% of the land mass. Thank you to the OPP.

When we talk about why we are coming forward today to debate Bill 75, you have to look no further to our track record that we have done to date. When I became and I had the honour of being sworn in not once but twice as Solicitor General, in June 2022 and in March 2025, I committed that I would work as hard as I could to support everyone that keeps us safe. But they can’t do it alone. They need a government that, as Premier Ford says many times, gets it, that we have to have their back. We say it; it’s true. People will agree with us. But we have to come forward with legislation, with regulations, with an expectation and with a tone. The words have to match the actions.

I couldn’t be prouder to work alongside my great friend and colleague the Attorney General. By the way, getting to know the Attorney General as I have, we are an incredible team when we go to the federal, provincial and territorial meetings, this year to be joined by my associate minister, the member from Milton. We were a force par excellence that sent a message around the table to our provincial and territorial partners: “Look what Ontario is doing. Look when you have a government that gets it in public safety.” We have not only, what I’ve said, the inherent right to be fulfilled, to live safely, but we lay the seeds for people to want to invest in the province.

We have a Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade that travels around the world selling Ontario. But he has to also be able to tell people and look them in the face, “We are a province that believes that some things have to matter, that the rule of law has to matter, that people’s rights to live free and be in a democratic society where they have the surety that if they need help from a first responder, that help will be there.”

I want to also acknowledge the municipal partners, who understand that when we support our local municipal police services, we have an unstoppable way of keeping Ontario safe.

Let me touch on a few things that are in this bill that will showcase how hard the Ministry of the Solicitor General, the Ministry of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Transportation and the other ministries who have collaborated with us have come together in this fall justice bill.

One of the things we wanted to do is to send a message for people that think it’s okay to break the law. Firstly, number one, I have room for you in our jails. We’ve been very, very transparent in how we are not following what happened in the prior government, led by the Liberals, where they didn’t prioritize public safety. That is something that we can’t forget about, but I’m not using that as the yardstick of how we’re going to go forward. It’s not about the seven jails they closed and the 2,000 beds they took offline. It’s about how a government should be transparent.

Where are we building new correctional capacity? I’ve said it in this place. I’ve said it at this desk: We’re building in Thunder Bay. We’ve completed a modular build in Kenora. We’re building a new modular build in Niagara. We’re building a new modular build in Sudbury. We are expanding units that were previously closed in London and in Toronto. We’re not going to stop. We’re going to be ambitious in eastern Ontario. We’re going to build in Kemptville. We’re going to expand in Brockville. We’re going to build an expansion in Quinte. And we will be transparent, to the last bed, where the capacity is going and how many correctional officers we are hiring.

But at the end of the day, we have to have greater deterrence on people that can’t live peacefully. I call our society the 99.99%: the people that can come into this Legislature and listen to our debates and understand that we want to obey the law because it’s ourselves and our fellow neighbours, and we want to be able to have this this level of public safety because we do obey the law. But there’s that 0.01% that can’t do it. And for those people, we need to have the greatest deterrence possible so that they don’t reoffend, so that they don’t get stuck in the first place. And for that, we’ve made some very, very important changes in this bill.

One of the things we have done, and the Attorney General will talk about it more, is having mandatory full-cash security deposits. What does this mean? It means that when you are leaving jail or our correctional facilities with a court-ordered condition, it’s the court that will set the terms. We just can’t have a promise that you’re going to be good. There has to be consequences for what you have done. The courts will set the deposit, by the way, and that is an important distinction to make.

With this change, it might strike a chord in somebody that’s coming back into their community: Don’t do it again. Don’t be a repeat and violent offender. Don’t do it. People forget why you’re in jail. So let me re-explain that: You’re in one of our provincial jails because you’ve been sentenced to two years less a day. It’s a court sentence. You’re there. The second reason: You have been arrested by the police—you’ve been placed there awaiting trial, and some of the people who have been arrested awaiting trial, let me tell you, are really bad people. They’re a threat to our community. They’re a risk to our right to live safely.

I want to, again, thank the Attorney General and the Associate Solicitor General for their advocacy to the federal government, and I want to acknowledge that the federal government did come forward, and we appreciate that. In many ways, I think they came forward to introduce federal changes to make sure that there are also more consequences at the federal level, that bail reform is an important topic, and our Premier led in that discussion courteously, respectfully to the Prime Minister.

I want to acknowledge that you can’t be an island unto yourself; you have to work every day with your federal counterpart and your municipal counterparts every single day. That’s how you get it done, that’s the leadership of Premier Ford and that is something that, long after my tour of duty here is over, I’ll remember how Premier Ford was able to bring people together for the betterment of Ontario. That’s one thing we’re doing to have the mandatory cash security deposits.

The other thing we’re doing is acknowledging that what happened on October 3 when 35-year-old Andrew Cristillo was tragically killed in a car accident was unbelievable. He left behind his wife, Christina; his brother, Jordan; and Andrew’s three beautiful young daughters, Leah, Chloe and Ella—three children who no longer have a father.

Andrew was killed because somebody drove recklessly—actually, somebody who was out on bail drove recklessly. That should never have happened. Reckless driving, stunt driving—it’s something we cannot allow, because driving a car isn’t a right, it’s a privilege, and we must respect the fact that when we’re on the road, not only it is our responsibility to take every precaution, to look around us, but we have to hope other people driving respect us just the same.

If passed, the changes in this act will improve the safety on Ontario roads and highways by introducing new measures to target high-risk driving behaviour, including driving dangerously, careless driving and driving while suspended. The changes in this act will include:

—the police having the immediate right to suspend a driver’s licence for 90 days and impound a vehicle if they have a reason to believe a person was driving dangerously;

—an indefinite driver’s licence suspension upon conviction of dangerous driving causing death;

—increased fines and impoundment; and

—new immediate roadside driver’s licence suspension and increased fines for careless driving, dangerous driving and impaired driving—totally unacceptable.

Let me just draw a distinction about impaired driving, especially now in the holiday season when many RIDE programs are on. I happened to kick off the RIDE program in beautiful Durham. What I can tell you is what I learned from the local

chapter at MADD—that’s Mothers Against Drunk Driving—impaired driving is not, perhaps, what my generation might remember, exclusively. When you drink alcohol to excess and you operate a vehicle, you’re impaired, but it’s more. It’s consuming cannabis, it’s consuming legal prescriptions when you shouldn’t be driving and it’s consuming illegal substances when you shouldn’t be taking those to begin with. Impaired driving kills people on the road. It alters people’s lives. We have to work harder this holiday season to make sure we don’t drive impaired.

I believe something else: I believe one of the things also in our bill, and I want to touch on this for minute, is something that the Ontario government will look at—actually, two things. I’ve spoken about it in the Legislature as well. We want to look at making public information from the Ontario sex traffickers registry.

Equally important, Mr. Speaker, is that we’re going to explore what we call barrier-free access to key places of infrastructure. Ontario has had enough of individuals and groups blocking our roads, our transit during our commutes, harassing people in our communities, and intimidating them and blocking access at our schools and houses of worship. We’re going to work with our partners, as part of the Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, to explore ways to give law enforcement the tools they need to protect our communities.

Again, this is to make sure that critical components of our infrastructure, our cultural centres, our places of worship—we want to ensure that all Ontarians can access these spaces free from fear, violence and intimidation. I’m really proud that we will do this because hate has no place in Ontario.

I got to know the former member from York South–Weston very well, Minister Michael Ford. Minister Michael Ford was an exceptional individual who, in that moment of time, took his place to represent his community that he loves, but also have his voice heard in the Ontario Legislature. I worked with Minister Michael Ford at the time to make sure that the message in our government was resolute, that we will never accept one act of hate, one act of Islamophobia, one act of anti-Semitism, one act of anything that is not going to the root of who we are as Ontarians to be acceptable.

I’ve stood up here, as many members have, to talk about the goodness in our province as opposed to the darkness; to talk about the light that guides us every day to go forward as legislators; to work, at many times across the party aisles, not only to debate legislation that comes forward but to find a way of extending a hand and simply wishing a person happy holidays.

There’s so much here, especially now as the holidays of Christmas and Hanukkah and other holidays converge at the same time. Maybe it’s not so coincidental. I’m beginning to believe it was not so coincidental because there’s enough good cheer to go forward.

I am so proud of the pride that has been unleashed, thanks to Premier Ford. People understand, as we’ve debated this week, why we need to “Buy Ontario;” why we need to support Ontario jobs; why we need to understand that we want to make affordability a centre point of our government’s priority by cutting red tape; why we want to go forward in making sure we have the best health care ever; why we have built an infrastructure that is not exclusively for us, but for the generations like my kids, who will come after me, and perhaps here—an understanding that the seeds that we plant, the flags that we fly, the anthems that we sing represent a pride in our province that’s unstoppable.

At a recent graduation of Toronto police officers, which I was proud to attend, I asked this class of 88, “Why are we here tonight? Why are we here to see this badge be presented to you individually?” And then I said to them, “This is exactly where we were meant to be.”

As we make our mark in this Parliament, having had the honour—each 124 of us—of being elected by our constituents to bring their concerns here, all I can say is, for me, this has been something of a humbling experience that I will never forget.

I want to thank my colleagues who are working hard with me to bring this bill to this day.

And I want to reassure Ontarians that “Protect Ontario” doesn’t just mean anything; “Protect Ontario,” to our government, led by Premier Ford, means absolutely everything.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee): I recognize the Attorney General.

Hon. Doug Downey: I’m really pleased to rise in the House for the second reading debate of the Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act.

I want to thank the Solicitor General for sharing his time today. I’d also like to thank the Minister of Transportation for his parts of this bill that are very important, that the Solicitor General spoke about. Also included are the Associate Solicitor General, the Associate Attorney General—there were a lot of people working together to bring this bill to life. I also want to say a special thank you to the ministers’ offices, to my office, to the people working behind the scenes at MAG and Sol Gen. It has been a tremendous team effort. I’m grateful to everyone who worked so hard to keep the legislation cogent, to keep the legislation relevant and to help us move it forward.

Let me be clear: The proposed new measures and comprehensive reforms that I’m going to discuss today are just the latest step in our government’s ongoing work over the many years that we’ve been here. They’re also part of our plan to help build safer, stronger communities.

Speaker, our government, led by Premier Doug Ford, received a very strong mandate from the people of Ontario in our third majority re-election. It’s a mandate to protect Ontario. That’s literally what we campaigned on. That was our slogan. You saw it on sweaters. You saw it on materials. People resonated with that. They said, “We do want you to protect Ontario. We want you to strengthen the justice system. We want you to strengthen all parts of Ontario.”

So we’re challenging the status quo. We’re not going about business as usual. We’re doing things differently. We’re innovating. We’re making sure that we are meeting the context of the times, and we’re going to continue down that road.

It has been a motivation for me to look at long-standing principles, long-standing processes and say, “Why are we doing it this way? What is the rationale behind that? What is the reason that this particular thing happened, and how did we get here?”

All too often, as things creep along, the inertia that happens—because nobody sometimes remembers why we did something in the first place. A change came about because it was a chance to solve a particular problem of the day, but that problem is not there anymore.

It reminds me, Mr. Speaker, of a re-enactment at an old fort where there were five soldiers standing. Each of them had a job to do: One stood by a cannon, one stood by the cannonballs, one stood with a wick to fire the cannon, one stood on lookout and there was a fifth person standing there. Nobody knew why. We said, “Why is that fifth person there?” They’re just standing there, doing absolutely nothing. Well, in the re-enactment, they kept going forward as they always had for 200 years. That fifth person was supposed to be holding the horses, but there were no horses there. But we continued to do it anyway.

That may be appropriate for a historical re-enactment, because we can have that conversation. But all too often, we have somebody who is standing there using resources and taking up space, with no horses. Well, we’re putting the horses back into the machine, Mr. Speaker. We are making sure that everything we do is effective and purposeful and not wasteful. I can give you several examples, and I may come back to that in my speech.

Our government’s work over the years has been largely fuelled by the understanding that we must always be prepared for the future. And that has always been clear to me. Because if the system slows down or if processes become too complex or too costly, the people we serve will feel it first, such as victims of crime waiting for closure or a family waiting for vital support. These are the people who are often last in line when we waste resources, when we’re not focused.

That’s why we’ve driven a very historic transformation across Ontario’s justice system: modernizing how it works, investing in people, ensuring it meets the needs of our rapidly evolving province. And our province is changing, our province is growing, and the needs and the impacts on the individuals who are living here have changed. So, we need to change what we do and how we do it to meet the needs of the day.

Speaker, our courts face an unprecedented backlog of cases resulting from the global health crisis, but we responded. We responded in real time and we’re continuing to respond. Just to give you a sense of the magnitude of our effort, by 2027-28, we will have invested more than half a billion dollars to address the backlogs that will build a more sustainable justice system and strengthen public safety.

Now, I do this on occasion when I use the word “billion”—because people don’t understand the magnitude of what that is, what $500 million is, over a fairly short period of time. The way I describe it, Mr. Speaker, is we all have a sense of a million. We can picture what a million-dollar house is, or in Toronto, a million-dollar condo. We have a sense of what the magnitude of that is. But a billion dollars is something very different. It is a significant investment. If you take a million seconds, you will get to 11 and a half days. But if you take a billion seconds, you will get 32 years. Those numbers are not close.

We are investing over half a billion dollars just in backlog, on top of the other things that we’re investing in the justice system. Mr. Speaker, this is a significant investment and not just tinkering around the edges. It started in terms of judges. The Ontario Court of Justice alone had a complement of about 300 judges. We added, in 2024, an additional 25 judges to that complement at a cost of $29 million. We have filled 21 of those 25 seats, in addition to the regular 300 seats that we continually fill, but that wasn’t enough, because in April 2025, we added an additional 17 new judicial seats.

And again, to build capacity across the system, in May 2025, as part of Minister Bethlenfalvy’s budget, we added another 10. That’s 52 new judges to a complement of 300. That is a historic investment in our system, but here’s the magic. It’s not just about the judges. Every time you add a judge to the system—we have a formula—we add seven full-time staff: crown prosecutors, victim service workers, court administration staff. And I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, by 2027-28, we will have added 700 new full-time staff to the justice system.

When the opposition likes to talk about us not investing in the justice system, cutting this or whatnot, they’re totally in the wrong direction. Mr. Speaker, we are investing so much in so many parts of our system, it really is historic. This level of capacity building is something we’ve not seen in—they say in decades, but I would challenge and say ever. I don’t think we’ve ever seen this level of investment in the justice system. I can tell you, when we took office in 2018, there was not a lot of attention paid to it in the previous 15 years. There just was not. And anybody who looks at the data, anybody who looks at the finances, will say that that is true.

Something else changed in 2018. Something very important changed. When we came to government, we came and looked at it as a whole, so that it wasn’t just the silos that we were left with that often government works within. We had a concerted effort to attach the movement of the Attorney General’s office or the movement with the Solicitor General’s office to each other so that when one part of the system moved the other part of the system moved, as well. So we came at it as a systems issue and not a siloed issue.

And I can tell you, back when the Minister of Health was the Solicitor General, we had a joint staff member who was part-time in my office and part time in her office. And that’s how we started in working in collaboration to build a better system.

And it has worked, because as we’ve increased the very important front-line resources, the police officers and the parole officers and all of the people who work on that part of the justice system, as we increase those resources—and the amazing work that the Solicitor General has done in terms of recruitment and making sure that the we’re covering the costs of training, to make sure that we’re building capacity in all parts of that system.

As that builds, we are also building on our side, to make sure that the whole system moves in the same direction at the same pace ultimately to protect Ontario and to hold offenders accountable and to make sure that the people on the front lines are not wasting their time with files that won’t go forward.

Now, Mr. Speaker, under the leadership of Premier Ford, who understands systems and understands business, this is a critical innovation in how government works, and I can tell you, it is working, and there is more to come.

We all see the violent crime in the province is a problem. We all know that something needs to be done, and far too often, these dangerous and often repeat offenders are let back on the streets because the system is broken and it just isn’t good enough. The proposed changes in the Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act underscores our government’s commitment to crack down on violent crime and to keep our communities safe. That is the purpose of these changes, and it will have that effect.

I’ve talked to many people. I’ve talked to families, businesses across the province, and the resounding message is very clear: Stronger action is needed to protect communities. And it’s such an obvious piece—and I’m going to come back to this later—but it’s such and obvious dynamic happening in our communities. When I hear from people who can talk about their neighbours, either their house is being broken into, or the car is being stolen, or just the fear that they feel in their own community—that wasn’t happening 10 years ago.

It’s been building over time, and it’s a complex, complicated dynamic that got us here. But it’s not too complex and complicated that we can’t respond, that we can’t adapt. But the old system isn’t working. We need to do better, and we need to do more.

The current bail system is failing the people of the province. It’s allowing dangerous offenders, repeat offenders, back on the streets and putting innocent people at risk every day. This has to stop. And even if they’re not actually at risk, they feel at risk, and that has an effect on people. It has an effect on their productivity, has an effect on their families, has an effect on their entire life when they don’t feel safe.

I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, the first thing you learn in psychology 101, the first thing that you understand when you start taking courses in university is the Maslow hierarchy of needs, and safety and security are part of that. We are dealing with the fundamental needs of individuals in Ontario, and they want us to do it.

I’m going to come back to the federal government in a moment, Mr. Speaker, because that is a very important part of what we need to do next.

Now, the changes I’m going to speak about build on our latest efforts in the Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act, which passed earlier this year. As part of this legislation, we made our intensive serious violent crime bail teams permanent across the province. These intensive serious violent crime bail teams are very focused on bail hearings for individuals who are violent, who are using firearms, who are doing things, clearly, that they’re not supposed to do—allegedly, I should add. But we put our best foot forward. We make sure we have the best evidence there.

We make sure that we have all the components that we are allowed to have in front of the JP, the justice of the peace, or the judge, to make sure that they have all the information to make the best decision possible. We put them in place a few years ago. They’re working very well. I can tell you these teams, made up of dedicated crown prosecutors who partner with provincial and local police services, help prepare the strongest possible case to put forward.

The teams have managed over 4,100 cases since 2023—in only two years. They’re permanent as of spring of this year, 2025, and again, they’re focused on violent repeat offenders.

This past spring, we also announced that our government has permanently established a specialized prosecution team to work directly with police and to provide advice during investigations. This includes the provincial gun-and-gang support unit, which supports inter-jurisdictional gun-and-gang investigations and prosecutions, and the gun and gang teams are the best in Canada. We do training in other provinces. We help other prosecution teams, because, quite frankly, we know that the criminals—those who are doing the worst of the worst—are moving between provinces on occasion. So we’re coordinating and not just keeping all the expertise right here.

We are going further. We’re taking action and delivering on our promise to fix the broken bail system by making bail more real and consequential for people accused of serious crimes.

We’re putting forth tough new measures that will expand the collection tools available for the province for the bail debts of accused persons and their sureties. A surety is somebody who pledges money or assets on the promise that they’ll supervise an individual released on bail so that they’ll obey curfews or deal with house arrest. There are conditions: They won’t have firearms; they won’t do a number of things.

Right now, in Ontario, bail money put up by a surety is ordered as a pledge or a promise. It’s not money up front. It’s not money on hold. It’s not money on deposit. It’s simply a promise to do something. If the accused follows all their conditions, well, we don’t need to have the conversation because the money becomes irrelevant. They followed the rules. But for those that don’t follow the rules—and it does happen, and you hear about it regularly—the court can order payment.

But sometimes these payments are still not met, and our proposed amendments would help Ontario increase the power to collect bail debts. It will increase the ability to garnish wages, to recover money through bank accounts and other assets. We’re applying to the Canada Revenue Agency to recoup bail debts for things like income tax refunds. To take things a step further, we’ll be working collaboratively with our colleagues at the Ministry of Transportation to see whether we can suspend drivers’ licences as part of those collection efforts.

Bail needs to have consequences. It can’t just be a promise and, as in a Monty Python skit, “We say stop, so stop, or we’ll say stop again.” Something has to happen. We can’t just keep saying stop again. There has to be a consequence. So we’re strengthening that system and we’re making sure that our bail reform strategy is effective and making sure that it holds people to account.

I see my friend the Associate Solicitor General has come in. Just give me the eye when you want to jump in, because I know you’ve got lots to say about this as well.

We were out in Alberta at the federal-provincial-territorial meeting. I’ll just say this: I’ve been working with the federal government over several years, several different Attorneys General, and the current Attorney General, Sean Fraser, I have to say, heard from the people that we heard from. He heard from the police officers on the front lines and he heard from the provinces. And when we sat down in Alberta, we said, “We need change.” We need change not just to reverse onus provisions; we need change on what “reverse onus” means. We need it to be a higher standard. We need more tools and we need it to be more effective.

I’m pleased to say, although we didn’t get everything that we’ve asked for, we got some of the things that we asked for in the current bail bill. And so I want to publicly thank Sean Fraser for his work in this regard and for listening to the people that we hear from—from the public, from the police officers and those affected. We are together, making change. We are going to stay on them, as the Premier says, like an 800-pound gorilla. We have more to do. We’re not done yet, but we’re happy to see some movement in that regard, and so I want to thank them for that.

I’m going to pass it over to the Associate Solicitor General.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee): I recognize the Associate Solicitor General for Auto Theft and Bail Reform.

Hon. Zee Hamid: I’d like to thank the Solicitor General and Attorney General as well for all the work they’ve done. It is an honour to stand before the House today to share my enthusiasm about this bill.

As both the AG and SG mentioned, this was a team effort, building on the work of numerous ministries, agencies and organizations. If passed, this bill will make our highways safer, provide stronger protection for children and other victims of crime, and hold offenders more accountable while enhancing bail compliance and enforcement.

Through this bill, our government is standing up for police, firefighters, correctional officers and all other public safety personnel. Critically, the Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act reaffirms our government’s commitment to remain tough on crime and do everything in our power to protect Ontario.

I’ll focus on a few key elements of this justice bundle, particularly those pertinent to the bail reform and enhancing support for public safety personnel.

A critical part of this bill is to focus on protecting responsible drivers and making sure impaired and dangerous drivers are held accountable. Ontario already has some of the toughest penalties in North America for impaired and dangerous driving behaviours. We want to build on this foundation to find other ways to ensure that these drivers are held accountable and the victims receive equitable and meaningful support.

We’re proposing measures developed after heartfelt reflection on the death of Andrew Cristillo, a young husband and a father from Stouffville who was killed in a car accident this summer. In response to this tragedy, we’re proposing tougher measures for dangerous drivers, including commercial vehicle operators who speed or drive while distracted.

One thing I’d like to talk about is our ongoing work to support the spirit of this legislation. Specifically, we’re looking at a policy proposal that will explore options to require impaired drivers who kill a parent or guardian to provide financial support to the children of their victims.

Surviving family members can already sue drivers in civil court, but we need to go further. In coming months, we will engage with legal experts and community partners with the goal of finding the most effective way to hold impaired drivers accountable to support children and families.

I’m a big advocate for making our communities safer and stronger. I believe that collaborative efforts, supported by effective legislation, create the most effective, positive impact on public safety. As Associate Solicitor General for Auto Theft, I’m encouraged by the success we’ve seen in this space. Just two years ago, auto theft was out of control in this province. Theft rates had been rising across the country for a decade, with Ontario and Quebec leading the way. In fact, in 2023, stolen vehicle claims surpassed $1 billion for the very first time.

The numbers on a city-by-city basis were even more remarkable. Between 2018 and 2023, Brampton saw a 719% increase in claims costs; Pickering saw a 1,228% increase; and Whitby, a jaw-dropping 2,269% increase.

Of course, higher claims costs do not necessarily mean that more vehicles are being stolen. In part, increases were the result of increasing sophistication of auto thieves themselves. They weren’t just kids out for a joy ride. They were calculated thefts, perpetrated by members of organized crime groups, targeting high-end luxury SUVs, cars and trucks. This was a new kind of auto theft, Speaker, sophisticated in design and international in scope, which made combatting it even harder.

But in 2024, we saw that our efforts to tackle the issue were taking root. According to Équité, a national not-for-profit and valuable partner in our fight against vehicle theft, Ontario saw a decrease of over 17% last year.

Interjections.

Hon. Zee Hamid: That is worth celebrating. And in mid-2025, that decrease stood at over 25% over the same period, over the previous year. The turnaround was a result of the concerted efforts of legislators and law enforcement, working side by side together. And thanks, in no small part, to the innovative work of this partnership, vehicle theft continues to decline across Ontario.

In 2023, our government announced a suite of measures aimed at identifying and dismantling organized crime networks and putting auto thieves behind bars. This $51-million investment over three years supported a range of measures, including the Preventing Auto Thefts Grant, which provides police with funding for education, enhanced surveillance and tools to help identify stolen vehicles; and the OPP-led organized crime, towing and auto theft team, with a mandate to disrupt and dismantle vehicle theft networks.

The government also set up major auto theft prosecution response team, which provides dedicated support to police preparing complex cases for prosecution, to make sure we can put the strongest case forward. In the past year and a half alone, this team has prosecuted over 80 cases and supported over 20 major investigations covering 1,700 stolen or targeted vehicles.

Last year, we took the fight to the skies with the launch of $134-million joint air support unit, which will provide support for the acquisition of five police helicopters for use in Ottawa and the GTA. In this year’s budget, Premier Doug Ford announced a $57-million investment for two additional police helicopters: one for Windsor and the other one for the Niagara region. And just a few months later, we used legislation to give police even more power to fight auto theft.

The Protect Ontario Through Safer Streets and Stronger Communities Act, 2025, was focused on protecting families and supporting victims of crime, including human trafficking. But the act included amendments to the Highway Traffic Act that gave police authority to seize key-fob scanners and programmers, along with other devices auto thieves use to steal cars. I was proud to be part of this legislation, which passed into law last year, giving police enhanced powers to stop criminals from accessing this technology.

Of course, while we’ve made progress on this front, we will not be complacent. After all, thieves will still try to steal vehicles. It’s important, therefore, that we build on our achievements and continue to work together across government and law enforcement.

Auto theft doesn’t occur in a vacuum, Speaker. It is often the work of sophisticated criminal networks, organizing everything from gun-running to illegal trade to international smuggling and, yes, even human trafficking. And, unfortunately, this criminal activity is enabled by a weak national bail system that is in urgent need of reform.

The details paint a bleak landscape. In 2024, a study by Équité Association estimated that organized crime is responsible for about 75% of auto theft in Ontario. At the same time, we’re finding out that a lot of car thieves have bail issues. Peel Regional Police, in 2024, reported that a third of people arrested for auto theft were out on bail for similar offences. The problem is clear: If we want to have a meaningful impact on auto theft, then we must do something about the current bail system.

And I’m proud to say, as always, Ontario is leading the way when it comes to bail reform. We’ve called for a crackdown on forfeited bail, we’ve relentlessly pushed the federal government to do a full review of the interim release system, and we’ve also launched the Provincial Bail Compliance Dashboard, a state-of-the-art tool that tracks people on bail for firearms-related offences. The dashboard coordinates information across police services, giving front-line officers timely information about repeat violent offenders with a history of using firearms and breaching conditions. Right now, the dashboard is tracking 2,300 offenders.

We’ve also allocated $112 million over three years to strengthen Ontario’s bail and justice systems through innovative programs, including the Bail Compliance and Warrant Apprehension Grant, which supports dedicated police teams to monitor high-risk offenders out on bail.

But it’s not just auto theft that’s being enabled by holes in the federal bail system. Crimes are being committed by dangerous repeat offenders who have been granted free rein in our communities. When it comes to bail reform, there is still a lot of work to do, and that’s why our Bill 75 proposes measures that would strengthen compliance and keep repeat offenders off the streets.

It’s part of a four-point bail reform strategy.

First are legislative changes that would enhance administration of bail liens and collection tools to help ensure bail debts are successfully collected.

Second, we’re proposing changes that would make cash security deposits mandatory. Currently, the system relies on promise to pay by accused persons and their sureties more often than requiring cash up front. And in cases of bail non-compliance where forfeiture is ordered, it can take time and resources to collect. Mandatory cash deposits would encourage compliance and address challenges with collection.

Third, we want to support legislation with a bail reform strategy that incorporates the latest technologies to monitor offenders and sureties more effectively. We also need to take a close look at bail prosecution systems, to make sure we have the capacity and expertise to meet the challenges of today’s ever-evolving criminal landscape.

Finally, we would move to a user-fee system for GPS monitoring. I’m talking about electronic tracking devices like ankle bracelets. They’re a great way to monitor people on bail, but they are expensive. A user-pay approach would offset the cost of this service and could be used to support victim services and other vital justice programs.

Another proposal within the bill relates to the changes we’re proposing to support the province’s public safety personnel. I see some of them in the audience today. These dedicated men and women work tirelessly to keep our community safe. They have our backs every day and we want them to know that we have their backs as well.

Some of the steps may appear insignificant but, in truth, are essential and massive. For example, we’re proposing changes to expand the canine detection program, increasing the number of searches to keep dangerous and illegal substances out of our adult correctional sites, remand centres and jails.

These changes are in line with our government’s broader effort to modernize correctional facilities and enhance capacity, so front-line staff have the space and resources to do their job safely.

Corrections is an essential part of our government’s plan to protect Ontario. We’re investing over $55.4 million over three years, including $30.1 million this year to add more beds to the system. We’ve made progress, Speaker. We’ve added 395 beds since January 2024, and we have plans to add over 700 more beds by the end of 2027.

This includes a new facility in Thunder Bay with at least 345 beds; new modular adult facilities in Sudbury, Niagara and Milton with at least 150 beds; and the expansion of Toronto South Detention Centre by 350 beds.

There’s a lot to talk about in this bill, but in conclusion, it covers a lot of ground. If passed, it will help protect responsible drivers, keep our community safer, stand up for our most vulnerable citizens—especially children—stand up for our first-line officers, make it harder to manipulate the bail system, and improve the lives and working conditions of public safety personnel.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee): Questions?

MPP Alexa Gilmour: I want to thank the honourable members across the aisle for opening the debate on Bill 75, the Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act. However, this bill is a little misleading—quite a bit, actually—because in his lead speech, the Solicitor General spoke about people awaiting trial.

In our justice system, people are innocent until proven guilty. The minister correctly said that some of these people awaiting trial are bad people that may have been accused of crimes before. I am not necessarily going to weigh in on that, but I also note that the Solicitor General didn’t mention that many people are found not guilty. I want to note the Canadian Registry of Wrongful Convictions, which lists 83 names of people whose lives were devastated. And this minister—

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee): Question, please?

MPP Alexa Gilmour: Yes, this minister—my question is this: We’re looking at an American-style failed policy, where charities in the States have to pay bail.

My question is this: If you’re rich and if you are poor, you shouldn’t have—

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee): I recognize the Solicitor General.

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: I have a lot of respect for the member opposite, because as many of us know, she’s a United Church minister. I have had the opportunity of listening to her in her church.

I want to say this: What I said in my remarks is that it’s the courts that will decide the amount of the cash deposit. At the end of the day, what we really want to do—and I’m sure the member opposite will agree—is we want to stop the people that are knocking down our doors at 4 in the morning, holding a gun to our head, scaring our kids and, if not, even worse. What we want to do is make sure the 99.9% of the population can live peacefully.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee): Further questions?

M me Lucille Collard: I’ve heard the minister speak about this bail, and what I hear is a bit of fearmongering, like telling people—just like you mentioned, Solicitor General—about having people come at 4 in the morning with a gun pointing at your head to get your car keys. I’m just wondering, how often does that actually happen? Are we creating a big punishment regime for some bad actors? I do agree that they exist, but are we going overboard to just try to jail many people that are seen as a nuisance in our community, instead of looking at the underlying reason why people find themselves in that situation in the first place and finding a solution to help them, instead of jailing them?

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: I really appreciate the question from the member opposite. What I can say is the greater deterrence that we have goes to the 0.01%. It is that fraction of 1% that can’t live within the norms.

She asked, “How often does it happen?” It happens every day. It happened last week down the street on York Downs. It happened in my own constituency. I get calls every single day that something horrible has happened: a house robbery and, worse, a door being knocked in.

The greater deterrence that we have will send a message.

Also, to the youth that are being inculcated in having a life of crime and being induced into it: Don’t do it. It’s not worth it. Be part of the 99.9%, because you’re welcome as the 99.9%.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee): Further questions?

Hon. Laurie Scott: I want to thank the Solicitor General and Attorney General and all their team for bringing forward a strong justice bill.

As many of you know in the Legislature, I’ve worked a lot on anti-human trafficking legislation and also on Christopher’s Law, the sex offender registry, which part of this bill addresses. With my colleague from Thornhill, we have brought forward changes, and we appreciate what our government has done so far.

I’m very happy to see another step forward to change the Ontario Sex Offender and Trafficker Registry to possibly allow the public to know who may be living next door and further protect victims and the communities. I just wonder if one of the ministers would like to expand on that change.

Hon. Doug Downey: I want to thank the member, who has been working in the justice sector as an advocate for women and human trafficking since before I came to this House in 2018.

She is the one who is the driving force on human-trafficking reform. Any time we can strengthen the system to protect people and to make people feel protected, we need to do that. This is one of the areas that we’re strengthening to make sure that we know who’s in our community, that we know who is among our young women and who are potential threats within our space. We’re working hard to make sure that we’re enhancing every part of the justice system. This is a really important piece. We have so much more to go, but it’s a welcome change, and I want to thank the member from Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock for all of her advocacy in this area.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee): Further questions?

MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam: Thank you to the Solicitor General as well as the Attorney General and the associate for their remarks this morning. My question is really about the capacity of the corrections system at this moment.

We know that, online, we have 8,500 beds, but yet, right now, there’s a lot of overcrowding. We see two or three inmates per cell, and I’ve heard from crown attorneys that sometimes there are four. There are about 10,800 inmates in corrections right now.

We are seeing record high lockdowns, segregation, largely due to the understaffing of these facilities. Out of the 24 facilities that we have in Ontario, 22 of them have experienced significant lockdowns. OPSEU, who represents the corrections staff, are quite alarmed, and they’ve been raising this alarm bell for years, because it’s leading to violence and instability, including attacks on their workers.

My question to the Solicitor General is what investments are coming to ensure that corrections officers are made safe, that you can actually keep the criminals behind bars, but also not penalize those who are there on—

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: I want to thank the member opposite. We have been transparent, without precedent, exactly where we’re building spaces. I don’t agree with her number of what our capacity is. The fact that it’s reported in the paper doesn’t mean it’s accurate, and it’s not. But what I can tell you is that when we said we would bring over 1,000 beds online—in my remarks, I said where: in Niagara, in Sudbury, in Thunder Bay, in Kenora, in Toronto, in Brockville, in Quinte, in Kemptville. I was specific down to the location.

It goes to one thing that I totally want to make clear: Our correctional officers are irreplaceable in the fabric of public safety. When OPSEU had the memorial day here in Toronto, they came to the minister’s office—the first time, probably, ever. And I’m proud to say, I am a good listener because they take good care of us.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee): Further questions?

Mr. Adil Shamji: My question is to the Solicitor General. In regard to

schedule 3 of this legislation around the Constable Joe MacDonald Public Safety Officers’ Survivors Scholarship Fund Act, you are almost certainly aware that the member for Hastings–Lennox and Addington introduced a private member’s motion in regard to that. I wondered if you might elaborate on whether you’ve taken any advice from that and whether that is reflected in this legislation.

Hon. Michael S. Kerzner: The member opposite—and I want to thank him for bringing this forward. The Joe MacDonald fund is a fund, tragically, that none of us should ever have to experience; that is, when an officer is lost in the line of duty presently, their children, as they go forward into college and university, have an opportunity to have that fund assist them, almost like their father or mother would if they were alive.

I’ve signed letters to our children that we’re supporting. These are children of officers that have been lost in the line of duty. What we want to do is to broaden this to make sure that there is a greater scope. Because it’s not only in the line of duty; there’s also because of the line of duty. And we have to always stand with the families who shoulder a burden that is impossible for us to realize.

Second reading debate deemed adjourned.

Members’ Statements

Holiday events in Kitchener South–Hespeler

Ms. Jess Dixon: This past weekend concluded the last of my two Santa Claus parades. I know I’m in a House where some have seven, some have twelve, and I just have the two in Cambridge and Hespeler.

I’ve joked before, except it’s not really a joke, that I’m an only child, and as an adult and a politician, I am just far more work for my parents now, particularly my mother, than I ever was as an actual child. Early on, I had decided with Santa Claus parades that I would dress up as an ice princess, because parades are for kids and they don’t need another politician waving at them out of a dealership vehicle. But it does mean that it requires a lot of work to make a float.

And so I really have to shout out particularly my mother, as somehow or other she has ended up being the person that gets the balloons and the trees and puts everything together, and my dad, who takes my truck and goes and picks up the trailer. I do almost none of the work. I’m not entirely sure how I ended up at that, but I just show up.

Also, a huge thanks to our friend Jim, who does all of the set-up and connecting the generator because none of us can figure it out; and, of course, to my staff and volunteers, who take time away from their weekend to come hand out hot chocolate and wave.

Thank you so much to everybody for everything you do, but particularly my parents.

Victorian Order of Nurses

MPP Lise Vaugeois: Home care nurses who work at the Victorian Order of Nurses are essential to our health care system. They provide specialized care and keep people out of hospitals and long-term care. But after years of wage cuts and soaring inflation, they are the lowest-paid registered nurses in the province, and as a consequence, people are leaving for better-paying jobs elsewhere.

In the words of a VON nurse from my riding, “I have worked at the VON for over 25 years. I have between 15 to 25 clients at a time and I work 10 to 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Sometimes I need to drive for an hour or two between clients in remote areas with no cell service. Our work is unsafe and understaffing is the norm because of poor working conditions. I would like to quit but cannot because what would happen to my clients if I did?”

The Ontario Nurses’ Association is calling for improved benefits and pensions, and wage harmonization and parity with hospital nurses; otherwise, recruitment and retention will continue to fail.

Paying fair wages for home care is vital.

To VON nurses: We see you, we hear you, and you have our support.

Meegwetch. Merci. Thank you.

Ferry service

Mr. Ted Hsu: Speaker, the Wolfe Island ferry is a warning to all of rural Ontario. This PC government will forget about you and leave you behind.

Whether it’s unacceptable or unending ferry disruptions—could be a paramedic call, an equipment failure, or a crew shortage. All of these disruptions mean that hundreds of people miss appointments or events, or get stranded and need a place to spend the night, or they just avoid the island altogether.

The medical clinic closed. Contractors turn down work because they can’t afford to waste time. Local tourism laid off workers. And businesses risk bankruptcy.

The median age went from 50 years in 2011 to 60 years in 2021. Young families are moving off the island. Marysville Public School had only two registered students in September.

It’s a vicious cycle.

For rural Ontario to thrive, we have to invest in moving people and goods. Communities need health care, education and jobs. We can’t ignore rural infrastructure like the Wolfe Island ferry.

The skilled workers shortage is greater in rural Ontario. For years now, the PC government has known about a shortage of captains and mates for the ferry. These MTO employees are crucial to the entire island. There are so many options to significantly improve the situation, but the failure of this PC government to act on any of them is a warning to the rest of rural—

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee): Members’ statements?

Holiday messages

Hon. Laurie Scott: ’Twas three weeks until Christmas up north in our towns

While snowflakes were drifting and calm had come down.

The Santa parades finished, 16 in all

With bright lights, and children, and crowds standing tall.

As the year closes we remember too

The March ice storm that cracked ancient trees through

And the August fires that swept through warm air

Our thanks to first responders who were everywhere.

But hope carried on and our progress was real

A brand new school in Beaverton, making learning ideal.

We have new doctors to welcome, and new homes soon to build

A future of promise our community will fill.

And through the year we found joy with the arts

At the Grove Theatre, Buddy Holly danced into our hearts.

And joy has its flavours, quite literally this year

Two new Kawartha Dairy treats have brought plenty of cheer.

Eggnog and candy cane, each festive and sweet

A seasonal scoop no one can beat.

And behind every scoop are the cows and dairy farmers we praise

Working early each morning and late into the day’s haze.

Their dedication and care helps keep spirits bright

Bringing local goodness to every table each night.

So as families gather with loved ones held dear

Let’s raise up a toast to the close of the year.

To friendship and kindness, to peace far and near

Cheers to good friends, and to local craft beer.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Government accountability

MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam: I rise to call out the troubling misuse of public dollars by this government and their endorsement of employers who mistreat their workers. Through the Skills Development Fund, this government has given almost $10 million to a low-scoring numbered company. The so-called Social Equality and Inclusion Centre, or SEI, has an Instagram account with one single post from 2023 and a website that hasn’t been updated since its 2021 launch.

Jenny Andonov, the sole director of SEI and a PC donor, told the Trillium that she partnered with companies owned by her then boss, Zlatko Starkovski, who also happens to be a long-time Ford supporter, at the nightclub Muzik. Mr. Starkovski now owns and runs Grand Bizarre, Toronto Event Centre and FYE Ultra Club at the CNE. He controls every asset at the horticultural building. All his businesses are stacked on top of each other, paying each other rent, sharing employees, vendors and payroll resources. This circular economy makes Ms. Andonov’s claim that no SDF funding was reaching the FYE Ultra Club unbelievable.

Mr. Starkovski’s new burlesque club now operates under a strip club licence. Servers are scantily dressed or topless, and lap dances are offered in $400 private rooms. They’ve been actively recruiting from other strip bars. They’ve encouraged pretty servers to become strippers and strippers to become aerialists, and they’ve actually forced their employees to sign non-disclosure agreements.

Did the government have money that goes to a strip club—

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee): Members’ statements?

Transportation infrastructure

Ms. Natalie Pierre: I’m pleased to rise today to highlight an exciting milestone for my community of Burlington: the official opening of the new Drury Lane Pedestrian Bridge over the Lakeshore West rail corridor.

This project holds real significance for residents in my community, especially those in the Glenwood neighbourhood. Since the 1970s, this crossing has been an essential link: a pathway for students, families, and one that commuters rely on every day.

While the original bridge served the community well, it was time for an accessible and future-ready structure that meets the growing needs of a growing city. The new bridge ensures Glenwood is safely connected to Fairview Street, the Burlington GO station and Burlington’s broader public transit network.

I am proud that our government supported this project and continues to invest in the public infrastructure that people count on. This bridge is just one example of the public transit infrastructure work currently under way in Burlington.

Construction on the underpass at the Burloak Drive level crossing over the Lakeshore West rail tracks is well under way and will reduce congestion, making it safer for pedestrians, for cyclists and for motorists.

We’re also delivering more frequent GO train service along the Lakeshore West line, upgrading rail infrastructure for future electrification and supporting public transit through our One Fare program, saving Burlington commuters more than $1,600 each year.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the—

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee): Thank you. Members’ statements?

Disaster relief

Mr. Logan Kanapathi: I rise today with a heavy heart to speak about the deadliest cyclone, Ditwah, which destroyed the island of Sri Lanka on November 28, leaving behind unimaginable loss. This is even worse than the 2004 tsunami. More than 600 people have died, 190 remain missing, over 500,000 families have been displaced and more than 1.7 million have been affected.

The central and upcountry region, especially Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Badulla, were hit the hardest, with entire villages lost to landslides. Severe flooding also affected places like Puttalam, Gampaha, Mannar, Mullaitivu and more, leaving communities isolated, homes destroyed.

Speaker, more than 400,000 people in Ontario have family in Sri Lanka, and many are deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of their loved ones, including my riding of Markham–Thornhill. The resilience of the people will help them heal and emerge stronger than ever on this beautiful island in the Indian Ocean.

At this time of great suffering, I urge everyone to stand together in support of Sri Lanka as people begin rebuilding their lives. Dreams will live and hope will rise again.

Victoria Mboko

Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos: It is truly a pleasure to rise today to recognize Victoria Mboko, an exceptional young woman from Burlington. Recently, I was able to join the mayor of Burlington and my colleague the MPP for Burlington at a special event in which Victoria was presented the key to the city of her hometown.

At just 19, Victoria is ranked the number-one singles player in Canada and currently sits at number 18 in the Women’s Tennis Association. Earlier this year, she won 22 successive matches on the World Tennis Tour without dropping a set to claim four International Tennis Federation singles titles.

Victoria is not only an extraordinary athlete but a role model whose achievements inspire young people across my community of Oakville North–Burlington and beyond to pursue their own dreams in sport, academics and any path they choose. Sport plays a powerful role in shaping young leaders. It teaches teamwork, perseverance and the courage to meet challenges head on.

Our government is proud to support women and sport and invest in community-based programs which encourage girls to participate in sport and lead healthier lives. Victoria serves to highlight just what girls and women can achieve.

Victoria, your community is so proud of you as you continue to realize your dreams.

Housing

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: As temperatures drop below zero, my office has seen a marked increase in constituents requesting help due to housing instability. We are receiving calls from families with young children, seniors and individuals with disabilities—all suddenly without safe or adequate housing.

Shelters in our city remain at capacity. People are sleeping in their vehicles, in hospital waiting rooms or outside in dangerous weather conditions. Social housing wait-lists are stretching years into the future, and many feel they are without options. Meanwhile, the government is advancing legislation such as Bill 60—legislation that weakens long-standing tenant protections.

When so many Ontarians are hanging on by a thread, these policy changes can have devastating consequences, pushing people into housing precarity or homelessness. Since taking office, this government has cut spending on community housing by 70%. More than 80,000 Ontarians experienced homelessness last year. That’s a staggering 25% increase in two years. These are not just statistics; they are our neighbours, our co-workers, our parents and our grandparents.

People in our communities are suffering right now. I urge the government to take this crisis seriously, to listen to municipalities and front-line service providers and to act immediately, both to prevent people from becoming homeless and to build the affordable, accessible housing Ontarians urgently need today.

Emancipation Month

Mr. Mike Schreiner: I’m honoured to rise on the fourth anniversary of the passage of the Emancipation Month Act, proclaiming August as Emancipation Month, which received royal assent on December 9, 2021.

It was the first bill in Ontario history to be co-sponsored by all four parties in the Legislature. I want to thank the member from Barrie–Innisfil and former MPPs Mitzie Hunter and Laura Mae Lindo for co-sponsoring the bill. I thank the member from Markham–Stouffville who, as House leader, helped us get it across the finish line.

Finally, I want to thank Dewitt Lee, founder of Emancipation Month Canada, who approached me with his vision to get all four parties to support a month of celebration and education about the abolition of slavery in the British Empire and Canada on August 1, 1834. It’s a time to learn from the courage of freedom fighters who inspired opposition to slavery and to understand how the legacy of slavery persists in Canada today through systemic racism. We all have a role to play in continuing the fight for freedom and justice.

I congratulate Dewitt Lee and Emancipation Canada on the recognition Emancipation Month has received not only in Canada but across the US and in the Caribbean. Thank you for your work on this, Dewitt.

House sittings

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the government House leader on a point of order.

Hon. Steve Clark: I just wanted to advise the House that tonight’s night sitting has been cancelled.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): You are always full of bad news.

Introduction of Visitors

M me Dawn Gallagher Murphy: I’d like to welcome Newmarket’s Huron Heights Secondary School Warriors football team to the Legislature this morning.

A huge congratulations to the senior team on winning the OFSAA Southern Bowl—champions, ranked the number-one team in Ontario and number-one team in Canada; and to the winning team of the juniors, winning the Junior Metro Bowl—champions, ranked the number-one junior team in Ontario.

Congratulations, Warriors.

Mr. Steve Pinsonneault: It is an honour to recognize members from my beautiful riding of Lambton–Kent–Middlesex: Peter Twynstra, Kurtis Twynstra and Danielle MacKenzie.

I look forward to having lunch with you.

Hon. Laurie Scott: The page captain today is Maggie Charpentier, and it’s her birthday also. She welcomes her family: mom, Christina; dad, Josh; sisters, Eve and Catherine.

Welcome.

Ms. Catherine Fife: I’d like to welcome Brianna Miller. She’s a young leader from Waterloo with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, a third-generation farmer and first-generation meat goat producer who serves on both the Canadian Meat Goat Association board of directors and the Waterloo Federation of Agriculture board of directors.

Welcome to your House.

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I’d like to welcome to the House Ms. Bilmer’s civics class from North Toronto Collegiate Institute, including my nephew John Mulroney.

Welcome to Queen’s Park.

M me Lucille Collard: I’d like to welcome, for the first time to Queen’s Park, my constit assistant, Nick Eisert.

MPP Lise Vaugeois: I’d like to welcome William Breukelman, director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture for all of northern Ontario.

Welcome. It’s great to—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Guelph.

Mr. Mike Schreiner: I’d like to welcome Dewitt Lee, founder of Emancipation Month Canada, to Queen’s Park today. Welcome.

Everyone is welcome to a reception: 3:30 to 5:30 in room 228.

I also want to welcome everyone from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, with a special shout-out to Cathy Lennon, who leads the team in Guelph at the OFA office—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Minister of the Environment.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: I wish to welcome to Queen’s Park today, for her first visit, Spencer Mackenzie, with her father, Matthew Mackenzie, both from Durham.

And, of course, Matt Mackenzie is part of the team at Ontario Tech University.

Hon. Jill Dunlop: Today, I’m pleased to welcome two constituents from Simcoe North: Tim Kastelic, who will be joining me for lunch, and I saw Paul Maurice up in the crowd, who is an executive member with the OFA.

Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Joseph Racinsky: I’m happy to welcome regional councillor for Halton Hills Clark Somerville to the Legislature, who announced yesterday that, after nearly 30 years of service to our community, he will be retiring next year.

Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mrs. Karen McCrimmon: [ Inaudible ] the Ontario Federation of Agriculture here today, especially Andrea McCoy-Naperstkow, Angela Field, Clint Cameron and Katie Stewart.

Mr. Chris Glover: I want to welcome the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

I also want to welcome two special guests: Binesikwe, from Sisters in Solidarity, and Mark MacKenzie, from Restore Democracy.

Mrs. Michelle Cooper: I want to welcome our page captain Mila and her parents Neeral, Anik and Asha. I know her brother is in the mix.

Welcome to Queen’s Park; you have a wonderful daughter here.

Hon. Nolan Quinn: I have two introductions. I’d like to welcome Ithaca Silva, from my riding, as a page. Today, I’ll be having lunch with her.

As well, I’d like to wish my seatmate, Minister McCarthy, a happy birthday today.

Singing of Happy Birthday.

Ms. Lee Fairclough: Welcome to the students who are here from York University today. Welcome to your House.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): And I’d like to welcome Drew Spoelstra. Hi, Drew. He’s from my riding and from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: I would like to welcome Middlebury Public School from my riding. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Hon. Laurie Scott: I’d also like to welcome the people who keep me together at Queen’s Park, Victoria Hume and Owen Beattie. Thanks for being here.

Question Period

Government accountability

Ms. Marit Stiles: My question is for Premier. It’s the holiday season, and now we’ve got the grift that keeps on giving. Yesterday, the OPP confirmed that they are actively investigating Keel Digital Solutions, the company that the Minister of Labour admitted that he personally hand-picked to receive Skills Development Fund, despite their low-scoring application.

Let’s not forget that this government is already under criminal investigation by the RCMP over the greenbelt scandal, so why did the Minister of Labour ignore red flags from bureaucrats and tip the scales in favour of Keel Digital Solutions?

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

Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, as the Minister of Colleges and Universities has said multiple times in this chamber, in 2023, a routine audit raised concerns about a service provider, the process identified irregularities and that lead to a forensic audit. When the results of that audit were complete, within 24 hours the matter was referred to the OPP.

Out of respect for this process, I should say, I cannot and will not comment any further.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Leader of the Opposition.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Well, Speaker, how convenient.

I asked why. Why did the Minister of Labour, despite red flag after red flag that were raised by the civil servants—we know, and he admitted he hand-picked this company. Why did he continue to move forward with it?

The why, I have to say, starts to become clear when you consider that the Minister of Labour was probably already booking his tickets for a suite on the Champs-Élysées, jetting off to join the lobbyist who worked for Keel Digital Solutions, who is his bestie, off in Paris for their wedding; or sitting rink-side with the CEO of Keel Digital Solutions. This is not coincidence; this is a pattern and it is repeated over and over and over again by this government.

Has the Premier and his government had enough, or are they going to keep standing by this minister?

Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, that’s incorrect. At the time, we didn’t have the results of the forensic audit, and when we did get the results, as the Minister of Colleges and Universities has said multiple times, within 24 hours that was referred to the OPP.

Again, out of respect for that external process, I cannot and will not comment any further.

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

Ms. Marit Stiles: The audit had started, the civil servants had already ranked this proposal low, and yet somehow, some way, this Minister of Labour dipped his hands in, pulled out that application and put it up at the top of the file. Regardless of where this investigation goes, it is time for the Conservatives to be held accountable to the people of Ontario. The Premier may not want to answer questions, but we are going to get some answers soon.

In the midst of an absolute jobs disasters in this province that this government created, they are focused only on funnelling money to their friends and their insiders. The grift has gone long enough. The Premier can no longer ignore the calls to fire his Minister of Labour. When will the Premier fire this minister?

Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, again, I would say that at the time, we had no results of any audit. Once we did, as the minister said, a referral was made to the OPP within 24 hours. It shows that the system is working.

Government accountability

Ms. Marit Stiles: Back to the Premier: This minister should do the honourable thing and resign. I think it’s very clear the only people who this government is working for are their insiders, their donors.

But I want to talk about this government’s track record of disrespecting taxpayer dollars. At every turn, the only people who ever seem to win from this government are Conservative insiders.

During the pandemic, we saw companies like Facedrive, Shoppers Drug Mart, Galen Weston and Keel Digital Solutions receive government contracts. And now those same companies are getting Skills Development Fund money.

Why does the same cast of characters keep cashing in on this government’s grift?

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

Hon. David Piccini: As we’ve said on multiple occasions, the Skills Development Fund has gone to organizations that used to traditionally support the NDP, who’ve abandoned them because they abandoned them. They abandoned them when they opposed Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass. They abandoned them when they opposed our infrastructure plan.

Those organizations and those unions are supporting this government because we’ve got a plan to nation-build. We’ve got a plan that’s going to put their workers to work, that’s going to ensure we build a stronger Ontario, Speaker. We’re going to keep working for those workers, providing training pathways for them to build a stronger Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary.

Ms. Marit Stiles: Well, let’s look at Supply Ontario as an example, shall we? There are so many examples. This was something that was supposed to help Ontarians, and it is, once again, helping well-connected Conservative insiders by the looks of it. There’s $1.4 billion—taxpayer dollars—going up in smoke because of this government’s bad deals. And guess who’s in charge, Speaker? The Premier’s own former chief of staff.

This is either gross mismanagement, or it is a total grift once again. Was Supply Ontario set up to be another pay-to-play scheme for this government.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement.

Hon. Stephen Crawford: I appreciate the question. We had an unprecedented situation affect the province of Ontario back in 2020. It was called COVID. Supply Ontario had to run around the world with the government of Ontario to get PPE, which the opposition actually supported. We were in a mad dash to get PPE. This government, with Premier Ford at the helm, said we are going to protect the people of Ontario. Not only protect the people of Ontario; we actually built a facility in Ontario to make our own PPE so we can keep the people of Ontario safe for generations forward. We will make no apologies about keeping the people of Ontario safe.

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

Ms. Marit Stiles: Licence plates that you can’t see, signs too big to read, and now we’ve got masks that nobody can use going up in smoke. Only about 2%, by the way, of the PPE made it to our hospitals, who desperately need it. And do you know what? It is always regular Ontarians who pay the price. People out there are stretching every dollar while this government is just only ever focused on what deals are going to make the best and the most money for their friends.

What is wrong with these people? Speaker, what is wrong with these people? Is this just another stop on this Premier’s gravy train?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): That has nothing to do with the first question. Move on. That has nothing to do with the first question.

Government accountability

Mr. John Fraser: My question is for the President of the Treasury Board. I’m sorry I’ve been slow this morning. I visited the Fraser family dentist, who’s less expensive than the Premier’s family dentist, and had a little bit of work done, so I’m still a bit numb. But I’m really numb from this government and learning that the OPP anti-racket squad is now investigating Keel Digital Solutions. It’s a very serious situation. What’s equally as serious is this government continues to send tens of millions of dollars to Keel Digital Solutions after it had been flagged for and was under a forensic audit, including $7 million in skills development funds.

Speaker, to the President of the Treasury Board, how is it that a company that has been flagged for a forensic audit and is under a forensic audit continues to get tens of millions of dollars from this government?

Hon. Caroline Mulroney: I can say that Treasury Board does important work every step of the way to oversee a robust internal auditing framework that protects taxpayer dollars and strengthens accountability across government.

OIAD, Madam Speaker, is assessed every five years by the Institute of Internal Auditors, and it consistently receives top marks for its compliance with professional standards.

Speaker, because of the great work of OIAD, our government has received eight consecutive clean, unqualified audit opinions, which the Liberals could not do when they were in government the last two years. We’re very proud of the work that OIAD does.

Routine audits reduce government risk, and in this case, where a forensic audit was triggered and identified irregularities, the ministry, within 24 of receiving the report, referred it to the Ontario Provincial Police. Speaker, that is all we can say on the matter, as it has been referred to the OPP.

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

Mr. John Fraser: The President of the Treasury Board just said “when the audit was triggered,” which is at the end of the internal audit. That’s when the forensic audit was triggered. But she’s not saying when that happened. It wasn’t 24 hours after it was triggered.

And the issue here is, what should have happened was, “Guess what? We have a problem, Houston. Danger—stop sending money. If you’re doing business with this company, Keel Digital Solutions, pause”—at the time that it triggered a forensic audit, not when it happened: when we knew there was a big problem.

So my question is, was the President of the Treasury Board just simply looking the other way while tens of millions of dollars and $7 million in skills development funds went to Keel Digital Solutions after they had been flagged for a forensic audit?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the Minister of Colleges and Universities.

Hon. Nolan Quinn: I’m not too sure how the President of the Treasury Board could be any more clear to the interim leader of the third party. A routine audit raised concerns about an external service provider. We do routine audits regularly of our external service provider. That process identified irregularities that led to a comprehensive forensic audit of the organization in question. The results of that audit recommended that the matter be referred to the Ontario Provincial Police. As we’ve stated numerous times in this House, within 24 hours we referred the matter to the OPP.

As the President of the Treasury Board mentioned, we will not be commenting any further because it’s before the OPP at this time.

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

Mr. John Fraser: Well, I appreciated the earlier infomercial from the President of the Treasury Board on what her responsibilities are. We already knew that.

When the forensic audit was triggered, that’s when the clock started. Yet they continued to give tens of millions of dollars, including $7 million to Keel Digital Solutions. And that $7 million, the Minister of Labour intervened on behalf of the company to give it to them. And his close friend Michael Rudderham was the lobbyist. He was also hanging out at a Leafs game at the glass with the director of that company.

Yet they still got money. Even though we knew we couldn’t trust them, they still got money. I don’t know how the President of the Treasury Board can explain that, other than that she was either not doing her job, or she was looking the other way. Which is it?

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

Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, the member doesn’t understand it because, when he was in power, they didn’t have eight consecutive unqualified audits, as the President of the Treasury Board said. We have strong systems in place, and when the results of that audit were given to government, within 24 hours, it was referred to the OPP. Subsequent to that, all payments across all ministries stopped. That’s the system working, Speaker.

As the matter is before the OPP, I cannot and won’t comment any further.

Government accountability

Mr. John Fraser: Back to the President of the Treasury Board. I don’t know how I can explain this any more clearly: It’s when you knew you had to do a forensic audit that you should have said, “Stop sending money.”

But do you know what? This government—on Friday, we learned that they like sending money to people we can’t trust. We know that there was $1 million of the Skills Development Fund that was sent to Connex to test their AI chatbot. And we know that the CEO, Sayan Navaratnam, was sanctioned by the Ontario Securities Commission. He received a hefty fine and a three-year ban from being a director. It’s serious stuff. Yet, like in the case of Keel Digital Solutions, the government sent him a million dollars.

So the President of the Treasury Board is—like, who’s watching the money? That’s your job. Why is it that we’re continuing to give millions of dollars to people who we know that we can’t trust?

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

Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, as I’ve said before, we’ve got over 400,000 tech workers in this province—another 100,000, thanks to the work of this Premier and this government. It’s a sector that that member said, in their platform, they support—and then said later that it’s antithetical to the idea of getting people into jobs. Well, in actual fact, it’s supporting workers of this province, and it’s incumbent on us to make sure we have training available and ready to support those workers.

What that member conveniently also excludes is that—he reviews the support. He should review the support that that individual provided his party.

But again, that’s not what this fund is about. This fund is about training workers for better jobs with bigger paycheques. And that’s what we’ll continue to do.

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

Mr. John Fraser: If the securities commission stuff wasn’t enough, we know that Mr. Navaratnam came to us in the pandemic and said that he had a tracking technology that was made in Ontario and that he would create 70 jobs. Well, what happened? He didn’t create 70 jobs. It wasn’t from Ontario. It was from China. By the time he had $2.1 million of our money, the government stopped sending him money. He asked for $2.5 million. We gave him $2.1 million. So he literally told us something, and we can’t trust him. He lied to us. And then the government said, “We’ll still give you money in the Skills Development Fund.” How can that be? How does that make any sense?

How can the President of the Treasury Board sit there and tell us that she’s protecting taxpayers’ money when that kind of stuff is happening in this government?

Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, when the system is in place and the system works, that protects taxpayer dollars.

As we’ve said, in this fund, over the course of successive rounds, we’ve implemented full financial audits across all programs—something that didn’t exist under the previous government. A risk assessment process, monthly reporting, and the transfer payment agreement which stipulates in it specific targets—that if they’re not met, funding is withheld, including a 15% holdback for all SDF-supported funds.

These funds are changing lives, and they’re helping train a next generation of workers. We’ve pointed to the union training halls all over Ontario, places that member refuses to visit, or he doesn’t know where they are—I don’t know; one or the other.

The bottom line is, for those workers—we’re training them to build the nuclear plants that he opposes; to build the highways he opposes; to build the hospitals that they don’t vote for and oppose in our budget. And we’ll keep training—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Leader of the third party.

Mr. John Fraser: He took the Ontario taxpayer for a $2.1-million ride, and these guys gave him another million bucks. There’s no explaining that. There must be another reason. Maybe it’s that Mr. Navaratnam is an avowed Conservative partisan or, like Keel Digital Solutions—like he and his colleagues—gave tens of thousands of dollars in donations to the PC Party.

This is just another example of how this government treats skills development funds and God knows whatever other funds, under this Treasury Board president, as its personal piggy bank to reward donors, insiders, influence peddlers, lobbyists—whoever is on the docket—but not the Ontario taxpayer.

Speaker, through you: How does the President of the Treasury Board expect us to believe in any way that she’s protecting the Ontario taxpayer?

Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, the fund is changing lives for workers who are getting a second chance, thanks to the work of this government. We met one last week. We’ve met them on job sites—actually contributing to our economy, building a stronger Ontario. It’s providing opportunities for over 100,000 Ontarians to achieve employment—who are underemployed or unemployed outright—in 60 days or less.

I would challenge that member. He has failed, in the last three months, to give us one program, under his 15 years, that took a hundred thousand people off unemployment—or underemployed—and got them a better job with a bigger paycheque.

That’s the work this Premier’s government is doing to build a stronger Ontario.

We cited all the projects that they oppose—new nuclear, new hospitals, new highways, new roads, new bridges. When we took those projects to the people and let them vote on it—how many seats did they get in Brampton, where people are clogged and congested? None.

We’re going to keep building a stronger Ontario and supporting training pathways that are training a next generation of young—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): New question?

Forestry industry

MPP Lise Vaugeois: The Terrace Bay mill produces some of the best pulp in the world. But sadly, after two years, the mill is still sitting idle.

The people of Terrace Bay are feeling abandoned by this government. If the mill is not being heated, it’s game over, and this important piece of forestry infrastructure will become worthless. Does the government intend to heat the mill this winter?

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

Hon. Mike Harris: Thank you for the important question. I think it’s very incumbent for us to know that a strong forestry industry means a strong northern Ontario, and a strong northern Ontario means a strong Ontario.

What I can say in regard to the question is, we’re currently evaluating all options when it comes to AV Terrace Bay. It’s been tough for the community for many years, obviously, having this facility idled, and we’re going to continue to work with the community, we’re going to continue to work with stakeholders and make sure that we do the right thing by northern Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Supplementary?

MPP Lise Vaugeois: Thank you. I didn’t hear the answer to the question about heating.

It’s been bitterly cold in our region for over a week. Time is running out. Once the equipment freezes, cracks and toxins are leaked everywhere, the community of Terrace Bay will not only lose the mill, they will be left with an environmental disaster.

Your government gave $128 million in grants to the owners of the Terrace Bay mill, with no strings attached. If the machinery in the mill is allowed to freeze, who will pay for the cleanup of the toxic mess left behind?

Hon. Mike Harris: Of course, we work with industry and we work with the Ministry of the Environment and the company in question to make sure that all environmental standards are followed. We venture to make sure that those investments are being upheld, when we talk about money that has been put into those projects.

What I can assure you, Madam Speaker, is that for too long, the forestry industry was ignored in northern Ontario. This government is putting its money where its mouth is, making the necessary investments to keep this sector thriving. There will be more to come over the next few months as we unveil a new plan when it comes to forestry here in the province. We’re working through the process right now, and we’re going to have some more great news that’s going to support this fantastic industry that contributes over $20 billion to the province’s GDP.

I’m glad to see the opposition finally taking an interest in forestry, Madam Speaker.

Government accountability

MPP Tyler Watt: Every single day, we get another insane skills development story. And you know that if the roles were reversed today—if this was being done under Kathleen Wynne and the previous Liberal government—you all would be screaming for our resignation here. You all know it. It stinks. This is why I see none of you standing up when this minister has to defend the indefensible, day in and day out. Let’s be real.

With two police investigations now circling the government—that’s two police investigations, the RCMP on the greenbelt and now the OPP investigating a recipient of the Skills Development Fund—Ontarians are rightfully worried about the appearance of impropriety in how this government manages public money. I wouldn’t trust this government to operate a snowball stand at this point.

Speaker, will the minister specify which anti-corruption safeguards were established and then ignored or overridden in support of the—

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

Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, as the Minister of Colleges and Universities said, when examining a funding recipient, the matter was referred to an audit. That audit identified the need to refer it to OPP, and within 24 hours of receiving that result, the government did just that. So that shows that the system is working.

It’s a system that we’ve strengthened through the Skills Development Fund, through financial audits that are required for all recipients, for a program that’s helped 100,000-plus people find employment within 60 days or less. There wasn’t a single program like that in the 15 years that the Liberals held government because their program was to drive 300,000 jobs out of Ontario.

We’ll work hard to put in the conditions to attract investment and to support men and women to create jobs in this province and to help the training—to help them land a better—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member from Nepean.

MPP Tyler Watt: That answer wandered so far that I hope it packed a lunch. Man, you guys are obsessed with the previous Liberal government. By the way, you’ve had eight years—eight years. You love to pin the blame on a government that hasn’t been here in eight years. What have you done in eight years? Seriously, record high unemployment, people can’t find jobs, the people in my riding can’t get access to health care and you stand here and try to defend the indefensible every single day.

Speaker, the minister clearly didn’t answer my question, so let me try this again in the clearest terms possible. Which specific safeguards were missing from the Skills Development Fund: conflict-of-interest controls—which I would argue the minister himself is a conflict of interest—evaluation audit trails, political staff restrictions and stronger matrices? Let me know.

Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, the member himself brought up the previous government, hence why I referenced it in my response.

The member talks about the system, and as we said, the system in place—within 24 hours, this matter was referred to the OPP and all subsequent payments across all ministries were stopped. That’s a system that works. We will respect that process and out of an abundance of respect for that process, I won’t comment on that matter any further.

Ontario economy

Mrs. Michelle Cooper: My question is for the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement.

Speaker, Ontario’s diverse industries, from manufacturing and agriculture to technology and construction, are vital to our province’s prosperity. They drive innovation, create good-paying jobs and keep our economy strong. With global supply chain challenges continuing to impact businesses, it is essential that we take steps to ensure these sectors remain competitive and resilient. That’s why our government introduced the Buy Ontario Act, to keep our procurement dollars right here at home.

Speaker, can the minister explain how the Buy Ontario Act will support industries in Ontario and help them thrive in today’s global economy?

Hon. Stephen Crawford: Thank you to the great member from Eglinton–Lawrence for a very good question.

Speaker, the Buy Ontario Act is about turning opportunity into action. By keeping procurement dollars right here in Ontario, we’re giving local businesses the chance to compete and win. This isn’t just about buying local. It’s about buying a stronger supply chain and driving growth in every single corner of this province.

With over $30 billion in annual public sector procurement and a historic $220-billion infrastructure plan, the Buy Ontario Act ensures those dollars fuel growth in Ontario industries, from steel and construction to agriculture, forestry, advanced manufacturing and tech.

By prioritizing Ontario-made goods and services, we’re creating demand for local steel in bridges, Ontario lumber in schools and Ontario-built vehicles in public fleets. This means more jobs for skilled trades, more contracts manufacturers and more innovation from our tech sector. The Buy Ontario Act puts Ontario first, ensuring that our industries have the tools they need to lead, innovate and grow. That’s—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?

Mrs. Michelle Cooper: Thank you to the minister for his answer.

Speaker, the Buy Ontario Act is a game-changer for local businesses and workers. I can tell you my constituents are genuinely excited. Local business owners have reached out to share how much it means to see broader public sector procurement finally opening up to Ontario businesses like theirs. For years, they’ve wanted a fair shot at supplying goods and services to schools, hospitals and other public institutions. Now, with this legislation, they feel their hard work and innovation will be recognized and rewarded right here at home.

Speaker, can the minister share what he’s heard from industry leaders about this groundbreaking legislation and how it’s being received across Ontario?

Hon. Stephen Crawford: Since introducing the Buy Ontario Act, industry sources and officials have been outstanding. The response has been incredible. Leaders across key sectors see this as a turning point for Ontario’s economy.

Infrastructure Ontario calls it “a partnership that strengthens the provincial economy.” Metrolinx says it’s critical for supporting local suppliers in major transit projects. The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters praise the act for safeguarding jobs and driving innovation, while Supply Ontario highlights how it modernizes procurement. The Cement Association of Canada applauds the focus on domestic supply, and LIUNA calls it a guarantee that Ontario workers and materials lead our infrastructure build-out.

Speaker, this support shows that the Buy Ontario Act is more than policy; it’s a united effort with industry to build a stronger, more resilient Ontario.

Tenant protection

MPP Alexa Gilmour: Speaker, Christmas is right around the corner. Instead of filling stockings, tenants in my riding on Triller and Spencer Avenues are fighting to keep a roof over their heads. Their corporate landlords are hitting them with an 8% rental hike through an above-guideline increase. These are families, especially on Triller, who have lived with roaches, black mould, disrepair, and now Starlight, one of the worst corporate landlords, is charging them for what should be routine maintenance.

To the Premier: Will this Premier stop corporate landlords from abusing loopholes and bring back real rent control?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): The Attorney General.

Hon. Doug Downey: What the member opposite is asking for is that there be some level of controls, and there actually is a process for that. Above-guideline increases can go to the Landlord and Tenant Board. They can be looked at to see if they are warranted or not, and both sides can have the opportunity to say their piece and an independent adjudicator will make a decision as opposed to a political decision.

It’s important that we’ve put so many resources into the Landlord and Tenant Board to double the number of adjudicators and changed the back-office system that was left barren by the previous government. We’re making sure those tenants have the ability to be heard in a timely way, to be able to have their matters heard, to be able to have an independent adjudicator make a decision, so that everyone can move forward in an orderly fashion.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member for Parkdale–High Park.

MPP Alexa Gilmour: I think this minister’s very comfortable answer about a Landlord and Tenant Board that is broken is very rich, given that it is freezing outside and there are 81,000 Ontarians struggling to live on our streets because they can’t afford housing.

What tenants need most is stronger protections, but this government is giving them Bill 60, which makes it easier for landlords to evict people when they can’t keep up with AGI after AGI. We are seeing that impact right now in my riding with that 8% increase.

Speaker, even Ontario’s mayors have sounded the alarm last week, calling for emergency action to address homelessness. Will this Premier listen to them, reverse Bill 60 and bring back real rent control?

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

Hon. Rob Flack: Bill 60 is a great piece of legislation, and I think if the members opposite really studied it, they’ll see that, with the Landlord and Tenant Board, we’re creating balance and fairness.

Speaker, there are 80 more adjudicators.

(1) We’ve doubled the adjudicators; and (2) more money to fund this work, and we have lowered the backlog by 80%.

We continue to create the conditions to get more rental housing supply in the market. That’s what it’s all about. With supply comes competition; with competition comes affordability. That’s what we’re creating, and that is what we’re going to continue to do.

Government accountability

MPP Stephanie Smyth: This is to the Premier. Congratulations: Another day and another company funded from the Skills Development Fund is now under investigation. Given that we’re seeing repeated failures of oversight and accountability, maybe this government’s new motto should be “cash first, questions later.”

So, tell us: When was the moment this government decided that handouts to companies they don’t even trust themselves were more important than actually protecting taxpayer money, and why exactly should Ontarians trust them now?

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

Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, I’ll tell you when we decided. During the pandemic, when folks were staying at home and we had to kickstart the economy, we launched a fund that would help people get to work, that would support employers. We were the first province in Canada to go above and beyond our labour market transfer agreement to put dollars to support training—rapid training—and life-long learning. That’s supporting people accessing rapid training at any stage of their career. The net result has been over 100,000 people employed—100,000 people employed within 60 days or less, Speaker. That’s what the Auditor General said when assessing this program.

We have important external bodies that assess it, like the Auditor General. We welcomed that assessment. We implemented her recommendations, and we’ve continued to improve the program after every round.

They had no jobs plan, Speaker, and they have no jobs plan. They come in this place without a single public policy idea that is actually going to help people get jobs. On this side of the House, we’re focused on nation-building, we’re focused to create conditions to attract foreign direct investment, and it’s helping to create the conditions for jobs.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member for Toronto–St. Paul’s.

MPP Stephanie Smyth: Speaker, this isn’t about our jobs plan right now; this is about a jobs plan that’s gone sideways.

Again, to the Premier: When we’re talking about ethics and accountability—this is the problem here—the Premier himself wrote to his ministers back in 2018 demanding that they hold themselves to the highest ethical standard, both on and off the job. He vowed that he would personally hold them accountable.

So, given that the Skills Development Fund scandal reveals a breakdown so massive even basic oversight failed, when, then, will the Premier stop talking about ethics—stop talking about it and start doing something real, and fire this labour minister?

Hon. David Piccini: Speaker, she’s not talking about a jobs plan because she doesn’t have one. They don’t have one. They drove 300,000 jobs out of this province, and we’ve brought in place a fund that helps people with better training.

The member refuses to go out and visit union training halls; perhaps it’s because they wouldn’t be welcome. They wouldn’t be welcome, Speaker, in those training halls because they oppose the very men and women there who are getting training, the under-represented groups whose barriers we’re breaking down to help find them meaningful employment. Because we’re nation-building: building Highway 413, building the Bradford Bypass, actually building schools in places where they previously shut them down, unlocking the potential of the critical minerals in the Ring of Fire and supporting training in every corner of this province.

I encourage them, over the holiday, to get out of the GTHA, visit corners of the province—like local ironworkers, where we’re supporting them with accessing better training, or the labourers in Thunder Bay who we’re supporting breaking down barriers for Indigenous youth. We’re going to keep doing that to build a stronger Ontario.

They don’t have a jobs plan. They’ve not brought one public policy idea—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Question?

Climate change

Ms. Aislinn Clancy: My question is for the Premier. If I were sick, I would want the care of experts as soon as possible. Well, right now, our planet is on life support, and its condition is worsening every day. Symptoms include more intense and frequent fires, floods, ice storms, tornadoes, drought and extreme heat.

Forty years ago, Canada saw 19 dangerous weather events in one decade; this past decade, 133. But this government can’t even say the words “climate change.” In fact, they passed legislation on forest fires and emergency preparedness without even mentioning the words “climate change,” the very cause.

Speaker, tackling the crisis takes courage, honesty and commitment. We have to work together to protect clean air, our water and our communities from dangerous weather. Through you to the Premier: Does he believe in climate change, and can he say the words in this House?

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Minister of the Environment.

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: I thank the member for the question. When it comes to fighting climate change, our Ontario government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, leads Canada. Our track record on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is higher than all other provinces combined. Two thirds of the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the last several years are due to the results achieved by Ontario, with investments in clean nuclear energy, $10.9 billion; green steel, half a billion dollars; and $70 billion in public transit—transformational investments that will continue to lead the fight against climate change.

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): I recognize the member for Kitchener Centre.

Ms. Aislinn Clancy: This is a fantasy land. The Premier did not get up. The Premier did not say he believes in climate change. The Premier did not say the words “climate change.” Indeed, in the next 10 years, emissions are said to rise 400% on our grid, so that is not in fact the case, what I hear today, because we are ramping up fossil gas plants, operating them 24 hours a day, spewing toxic chemicals into the air that we breathe.

We see worsening wildfires that cause spikes in trips to emergency rooms. We see increased rates of asthma and respiratory illnesses. In fact, last summer, Toronto had the worst air quality in the world—and this Premier can’t say the words “climate change.”

I am here today because this government jeopardizes the very air that we breathe, the air that I breathe, that we all breathe, that our kids breathe. Soon we won’t be able to go out and play in the summertime.

Again, to the Premier: How can he claim to be protecting Ontario when he keeps putting the excess profits of Enbridge and American gas companies over people and the planet?

Hon. Todd J. McCarthy: Madam Speaker, there are so many ways that we work together to protect our shared environment. It is a precious gift that we must preserve and protect for this generation and for generations to come. That’s why we are so proud of the investments we’re making in tackling climate change.

But when it comes to a balanced policy, it also means that natural gas, for example, is our insurance policy when it comes to energy supply. When it comes to the Independent Electricity System Operator, IESO, it found that phasing out natural gas by 2030 is not feasible and could trigger blackouts while raising residential bills by 60%. That’s about $100 more per month on average for households. It’s about balance. It’s about protecting the environment and delivering an energy supply that is affordable and sustainable, that creates jobs and doesn’t chase jobs out of the province.

Rural Ontario

MPP Paul Vickers: My question is for the Minister of Rural Affairs. Rural communities are the backbone of Ontario. They support our food supply, drive local manufacturing and contribute to Ontario’s economic and social fabric. But, Speaker, global uncertainty is certainly creating real challenges for rural Ontario. Rising costs, market instability, and the impact of US tariffs are putting pressure on our local employees, threatening jobs and making life more expensive for families.

Despite these challenges, our government has stood firmly with rural Ontario—helping communities grow, supporting local projects and strengthening the services people rely on. Speaker, can the minister share what she is doing to protect our small towns during these uncertain times and ensure rural Ontario continues to grow, thrive and stay strong?

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

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: It’s a pleasure to take this question from the member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound. He’s a tremendous advocate for rural Ontario—as is our government, because we’re standing firmly with rural communities and small towns, especially in the face of global uncertainty and Trump’s tariffs.

That’s why we doubled the Rural Ontario Development Program to $20 million over two years, giving communities the support that they were asking for and, quite frankly, they need to grow their local economies and attract new jobs and diversify their economies as well.

The ROD program helps small towns and rural communities invest in projects to improve community spaces, support small businesses, revitalize main streets and strengthen local infrastructure. We are partnering with a whole-of-government approach to make this happen. I was proud to partner with the Ministry of Finance to announce $600 million to our rural municipality through the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund. This is good news and we’re going to—

The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly): Back to the member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound.

MPP Paul Vickers: Thank you to the minister for the update. Rural Ontario is built by hard-working families and businesses who keep our province moving. These communities are resilient, but global uncertainty and US tariffs are putting pressure on local employers and threatening rural jobs.

While our government has been stepping up with real investments and real support, rural communities still remember what it was like under the previous Liberal government, propped up by the NDP, when rural priorities were ignored and towns were left without the tools to grow. Rural communities deserve a government that stands for them and backs them with actions, not words.

Speaker, can the minister share how our government is helping rural communities stay strong, and protect local jobs and opportunities in the face of global uncertainty?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: Rural Ontario is resilient, but our communities deserve programs that help them grow even stronger in uncertain times, and that’s exactly what the Rural Ontario Development Program delivers.

Since 2019, Speaker, our investments have supported 473 rural economic development projects, generating $122 million in new economic activity. That’s a return of over $4 for every sin