 It is now time for oral questions. I recognize the leader of Her Majesty's loyal opposition. Thank you so much, Speaker. Speaker, my first question this morning goes to the Premier. Today's Auditor General report shows what we already know. The Premier was not ready to support Ontario through the pandemic. When it comes to business supports, the government failed to plan and had to scramble as a result. The AG's report says that small businesses that needed support didn't get it, and many others got support that shouldn't have or that didn't need it. The AG goes on to raise serious conflict of interest concerns as well, and I quote, the chief executive officer of a company that was awarded $2.5 million contract was a member of the Minister's COVID-19 vaccine task force. So can the Premier explain how his buddy, a CEO on the Minister's own vaccine task force, got $2.5 million in contracts when struggling small businesses were turned away? Just the opposite, actually. The small business support grants, which remind the leader of the opposition, she voted against not once but twice, Mr. Speaker. Actually, we're instrumental in helping many small business, small, medium job creators across this province get through the pandemic, Mr. Speaker. We know that there's still a lot more work to do for them, but the small business grant on top of the other supports that were put in place with respect to property taxes, with respect to education taxes, with respect to hydro-relief, Mr. Speaker, we're all part of helping our small and medium job creators get through the pandemic. We know that there's still obviously a lot more work to do and that is something that we've continued to be focused on, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, the Minister of Finance has brought forward an economic statement with the goal of continuing the economic growth that the province of Ontario is seeing as we come out of the pandemic, Mr. Speaker, but again, I remind the leader of the opposition, she voted against these supports for our small businesses, not once but twice, and we, as I said, we have a lot of work still to do on it. Supplementary question. Mr. Speaker, I'll remind the government house leader that the Auditor General's report is not about spin, it's about the facts. She looked at Face Drive contract, the company that was in crisis and virtually dysfunctional, reporting millions of dollars in losses while the CEO literally walked out the door just two months ago in September. They got $2.5 million for contract-tracing beepers and the contract was extended, but no one, they still, right now, no one knows whether Ontario even got the trackers that we bought. The Auditor says the government, and I quote, assessed the project as low risk with minimal follow-up questions. The Premier and the Minister did a promo video, they actually even did a promo video for this company. How could the Premier's buddies at Face Drive get millions in contracts when small businesses were abandoned and turned away by this government? If anybody abandoned small and medium job creators in the province of Ontario, it was the leader of the opposition and her party. We were faced with a global health pandemic, which turned into an economic crisis, Mr. Speaker, obviously. And when we were rushing to get supports out the door for our small and medium job creators, the NDP were very busy voting against those supports, Mr. Speaker. We worked very quickly, very quickly to ensure that our businesses had these supports, and it wasn't just a monetary support, Mr. Speaker. We understood that we had to work with our federal partners, and we did that, Mr. Speaker. In many instances, the federal government was able to step forward and ensure that there were financial supports for job creators, for our essential workers, while we focused on other areas, including healthcare, Mr. Speaker. That's what we did, and we will continue to do that because we understand that you cannot have a proper economic recovery in the province of Ontario unless you support the very people who are creating those jobs. It's our small, medium job creators, Mr. Speaker. And if you look at what the finance minister has brought forward, if you look at the work that we've done since before the pandemic, since being elected, Mr. Speaker, the result was thousands of jobs being created, opportunity across the province, Mr. Speaker. That's good news for the people of the province of Ontario. The final supplementary. The Auditor General also says that the committee advising the Premier on the business grants left no paper trail, nada, zilch, no official minutes whatsoever. That's very curious, Speaker. The report says, and I quote, no official minutes were taken at meetings. 40 meetings took place and not a single note or minute was kept. Many small businesses, as I've already identified and as we all know, asked for support, needed support and got nothing. Yet, and I quote, over $210 million was paid to roughly $14,500 ineligible recipients, end quote. Many got more cash than they even said that they needed, Speaker. And no effort whatsoever has been made to get that money back. How could the Premier shovel out millions in grants to companies without any paper trail of how those decisions were made while abandoning thousands of small businesses in their absolute time of need? Well, Mr. Speaker, I'm glad that the leader of the opposition now realizes that supporting small and medium job creators in the province of Ontario is a good thing, Mr. Speaker, because she will remember that she not only voted against reductions in costs for these small businesses, tax reductions, Mr. Speaker, but she also voted against the very same supports that she now says were so essential. We knew they were essential. That's why we brought a program very quickly to support those small businesses. And when I look at Main Streets across this province, Mr. Speaker, I know, as all members were, we were very frightened of what this pandemic would do to our Main Streets. How would it affect our small businesses? The grants that we brought forward quickly, yes, absolutely quickly. In addition to the supports through energy relief, in addition through education tax relief, Mr. Speaker, in addition to supports to ensure that essential workers had paid sick days, Mr. Speaker, that's what kept our small businesses going, and we're very proud of that. Were some mistakes made, obviously, Mr. Speaker, but that's what happens when you're trying to get supports out as quickly as possible and you have an opposition voting against it. So that's the question. Once again, the leader of the opposition. Thanks very much, Speaker. My next question is also for the Premier. The Auditor General's report also shows very clearly that wait times for surgeries are getting worse and we're getting worse even before the pandemic hit. It was bad enough under the Liberals, but of course it's become much, much worse under the Conservatives, because this government really, I don't think, supports public healthcare, but nonetheless. I quote the Auditor's report, substantial wait times have not been addressed and have worsened in 2020-2021. Gallbladder surgery, for example, the wait time has increased by 57%, 57% under the watch of this Premier. The doctor and nurse shortage is making things even worse. So my question is, why is this Premier leaving patients waiting in agony for the surgeries that they need while chasing nurses and other healthcare professionals instead of Ontario with his low-wage policy? Mr. Speaker, you will recall that in the election of 2018, we made healthcare a priority. We made healthcare a priority by suggesting that we had to do something about hallway healthcare and part of that, Mr. Speaker, was the immediate transition that we started to do with respect to Ontario health teams, creating a blanket of care for people. In addition to that, it was about rebuilding and building out our long-term care system. Thousands of additional beds for long-term care that we often, people who needed a different level of care, were being put in or left in our hospitals that was completely unacceptable, Mr. Speaker. We're starting to rebuild hospitals across the province. Now, one doesn't just build a hospital overnight, Mr. Speaker. Later on today, another amazing announcement of another new hospital on top of the hard work that was done by our member for Niagara Day, an expansion there, Mr. Speaker, a brand new hospital for the people of Brampton, expansions in communities and hospitals all across this province. Now, Mr. Speaker, the member is right. We are going to have to do something about health and human resources. That's why we're hiring 27,000 PSWs, hiring 2,000 nurses. There's more work left to be done, but we're getting it done. Supplementary. Well, Speaker, cutting public health units from 35 down to 14 is the disaster that this government brought to Ontario just as the pandemic was hitting. Look, in the year prior to the pandemic, the year prior to the pandemic, one-third of hospital operating rooms remained underused, says the Auditor General. And I quote, available health care system capacity is not being fully used to help clear surgery backlogs. That's the facts. Because this Premier, as I said, simply doesn't support public health care. He doesn't support making sure that patients have enough doctors and nurses to run operating rooms. It's shameful. How can the Premier let operating rooms sit idle and not hire more nurses and doctors in appropriate timelines and pay them properly, frankly, to get Ontario patients the surgeries that they need, that they so desperately have been waiting for, for far, far too long. And again, Speaker, it is worth knowing that the Leader of the Opposition and her party have voted against every single investment that we've made in health care in this province. We knew right from the beginning in 2018 that we were going to be faced with a crisis in many sectors, including health care. The Premier campaigned on ending hallway health care, Mr. Speaker. What we found almost immediately upon assuming office was that we had to rebuild and build out our long-term care system because too many people were being housed in hospitals who needed different levels of care, Mr. Speaker. We were left with an ICU capacity that where 800 people in ICU brought this province to its knees, Mr. Speaker. We inherited a public hospital testing system that could only do 5,000 tests a day when COVID hit us, Mr. Speaker. 5,000 tests a day. That has been ramped up to 100,000 tests a day. Incredible build-outs of new hospitals in Brampton. Expansions in Mississauga. Expansions in Niagara, Mr. Speaker. These are all things that will help us on this and it's not just about the billions that are going to the health care into ensuring our surgeries get caught up, Mr. Speaker. It's about a blanket of care through Ontario health teams as well. Very much. And the final supplementary. No doubt that the Premier campaigned on health care and then got elected and immediately started cutting health care, Speaker. That's what really went on. But the Auditor General also found that there has been no oversight whatsoever of patients being billed by private health care clinics for publicly funded surgeries. And I quote, patients complained about being charged after receiving a publicly funded cataract surgery because they were misinformed of their right to receive standard surgery free of charge through OHIP without any add-ons. The Auditor said that patients are being gouged with services that they didn't need by private surgical companies. Public health care, Speaker, shouldn't be treated like an opportunity for private companies to upsell vulnerable patients. That is disgusting and should not be happening in our province. So why is the Premier OK with his buddies running private clinics gouging Ontario patients when they're trying to access basic health care needs like cataract surgeries? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Listen, Mr. Speaker. It was a progressive, conservative government that brought public health care to the people of the province of Ontario. It has been a progressive, conservative government that has put additional resources into health care. When other levels of government, when other parties were cutting health care, we came into office and started increasing health care. When we came into office in 1995 on the heels of a failed NDP government, Mr. Speaker, a failed NDP government that cut thousands and thousands of beds across our health care system, that laid off nurses, Mr. Speaker, that cut to the tune of billions of dollars, it was a conservative government that started reinvesting in health care, Mr. Speaker, despite the fact that it was a liberal federal government that attacked health care unilaterally in the mid-90s, Mr. Speaker, and it is a progressive, conservative government under this Premier that is making historic investments in health care, Mr. Speaker. Is there more work yet to be done? Yes. The best way to get that work accomplished is if the leader of the opposition would join us and for once vote in favour of the health care investments that were made. Thank you. The next question. The Member for Brampton says... Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Ontario families know all too well that years of health care underfunding from the Liberals and cuts from the Conservatives have left our hospitals on life support. And a new report from the AG shows that when it comes to care for heart and stroke patients, things have gone from bad to worse. The AG's investigation found that under the forward government, practice and recommendations aren't being followed. And worst of all, hospitals aren't even able to provide quick enough treatment for heart attacks. Speaker, the rapid treatment of a heart problem or stroke can literally mean the difference between life and death for someone waiting. And this shouldn't be happening in the province of Ontario. When is the Premier going to stop making empty promises and start making the investments in health care we need to finally get the problems in this province under control? Thank you. Good morning. Again, Mr. Speaker, I certainly am not going to deny that during a global health pandemic there have been some challenges in some areas of the health care system. That is why we recognize that very quickly and we ensured that we put billions of dollars into the health care system to renew it. Hundreds of millions of dollars to ensure that we could catch up on many of the surgeries, Mr. Speaker. It's not just about the money. People who are waiting for surgeries, they don't care about how much money the government has put into systems to catch up. They just want to get that service done, Mr. Speaker. What the Auditor General's reports, what it clearly highlights is that 15 years of liberal government left our health care system reeling, Mr. Speaker, reeling. Despite the fact that they had a federal conservative government that was transferred 6% a year they don't understand that money on health care, Mr. Speaker. We are getting the job done. There is more work to be done, especially in those instances, Mr. Speaker, but we are making the investments and we will get the job done for them. Let's supplement your question. Thank you, Speaker. For families in Brampton, the Auditor General's report confirms the problems they have been seeing for years. The hallway health care and wait times that skyrocketed under the liberals and conservative cuts in bill 124 means that overworked health care professionals like our nurses are leaving the sector and hospitals that were already understaffed have only gotten busier. That's why the Premier's decision to not build a brand new hospital and emergency room in Brampton is so shocking and the Auditor General's report proves it. The Premier's failure to invest in health care in our community and across the province is putting lives at risk. When is the Premier going to stop playing political games and start building the hospitals and health care centers that people in this province deserve? Mr. Speaker, let's be very clear. It is the two members of this caucus from Brampton who worked day in and day out from the day they were elected to ensure that Brampton got a new hospital. And let's also be very clear that the members from Brampton on the NDP side of the House voted against that investment, Mr. Speaker. They voted against that investment. But there are two members from Brampton didn't just stop at health care. Please restart the clock. Government House Leader. Again, Mr. Speaker, it was the NDP members from Brampton who stood in their place when an investment, a historic investment was being made in Brampton not just for a hospital, Mr. Speaker, but for new long-term care beds. They voted against it. A new medical school. They voted against it. Transit and transportation. They voted against it. Thank God! There are two members of the Progressive Conservative Caucus from Brampton who will stand up for Brampton. They stopped after 15 years. The Liberals didn't. And now the NDP are abandoned in Brampton as well. The next question, the member for Brampton. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Mines, Northern Development, Natural Resources and Forestry. Since coming into office in 2018, our government has invested heavily in Northern Ontario. There's quite a contrast between our approach in the previous governments in action and indifference on Northern development. An approach that was supported by the NDP. The latest example of our investments in the North came last week with a support fund. Could the Minister please share some of the details regarding this fund and why it is needed now? Mr. Member for Peterborough, Co. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm happy to rise in the house today to answer the question from the member from Perry San Muskoka. The member is correct in saying that our government's approach to economic development is vastly different than what the Liberals and the NDPs have suggested. Our approach is working. The Nord's fund is the latest outcome from that positive collaborative forward-looking perspective. Nord's will run for five years, making $15 million available annually to 144 municipalities across Northern Ontario to support their infrastructure needs. The fund is stackable with already existing program funding and bankable, meaning municipalities can leverage this fund to plan for future infrastructure projects. Nord's does not replace an existing investment stream. It's an additional one. And it'll make a noticeable, significant positive impact throughout the region. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you very much, Member, for that answer. It's clear the Nord's program would be a much welcome initiative across Northern Ontario's municipalities. I know the municipalities in Perry Sound District have collectively been allocated more than $2 million, which I know will be put to good use to build infrastructure and create economic development. Back to the parliamentary system. Can the PA explain how the ministry arrived at a budget of $15 million per year for five years and why our approach with the Nord's program is different from the one taken by the previous Liberal government? Thank you. Member for Peterborough, Clarissa. We continuously listen to the municipalities to understand their critical needs. The focus on collaboration and partnership is a cornerstone of our resource revenue sharing framework and was central to the development of Nord's. We developed with direct impact with the municipalities. But don't just take my word for it. Listen to what Wendy Landry, the President of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association, had to say about this new program. Quote, The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is overjoyed by Minister Rickford's announcement. This investment will have a significant positive impact on communities in Northern Ontario. I'm so pleased that the Ontario government has taken action to help municipalities fund infrastructure projects across Northern Ontario. We thank you for your continuous efforts in making this funding available to municipalities to better their communities. End quote. Mr. Speaker, our government insured municipalities have the final understanding of how this new funding is spent. With this approach, we've created an equitable needs-based program in which municipalities maintain their decision-making autonomy to improve their community infrastructure. End quote. Thank you, Speaker. And my question is to the Premier. Speaker, since the surprise decision by the last government to toll highways 412 and the 418 that run through Durham Region, community members from across the region have been able to make a decision to not only reduce the risk of homelessness and problems with tolling of these regional highways, which should connect folks, workers and families and keep people in goods moving. Instead, they sit empty and underutilized. Once upon an election, the now-government PC members promised to make it a priority to remove the tolls. They even voted for my private members bill to go to committee and then refuse to act on it. So clearly there is no political will unless you live in the Minister's writing. And I think that our bypass have unexpectedly and all of a sudden been made toll-free, interestingly, after a lot of uncomfortable community pushback. How did the government make these tolling decisions and how are they making the decision about the tolls in Durham? End quote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the member opposite for the question. Affordability for Ontarians has been a priority for our PC government since day one. And when the pandemic hit in March 2017, our government took action to freeze tolls on highways 407, East 412 and 418 to deliver more relief to drivers during the pandemic. Mr. Speaker, we have been working hard to ensure that drivers get relief necessary throughout the pandemic. We have, as we have been looking at building new infrastructure, Mr. Speaker, we have been concerned about that as well. We look backward, Mr. Speaker, and we looked at what happened when Stephen Del Ducas, Minister of Transportation signed a contract for tolls to toll the people of Durham. And our government determined that we cannot do that going forward. Our government will never sign a contract like that, Mr. Speaker, because we believe in affordability and making life better for drivers across Ontario. Supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. And again, to the Premier, Mr. Speaker, I think we have been following from a letter the Premier and MPPs just received from John Henry, the chair of Durham Region, signed by all of the Region's mayors, quote, Highways 412 and 418 in Durham Region are the only told North-South Highways in Ontario. We have been consistent and vocal in our advocacy for fair and equitable application of tolls across the GTHA. All Ontarians, including Durham Region residents, pay to use the connecting links to the 407. We need provincial leadership and immediate action to remove tolls on the 412 and 418 to create equity and support economic recovery across the GTHA, end quote. How would the Minister like to justify her Durham-only tolling policy to the regional chair and to the mayors of AJAX, Clarington, Oshawa, Pickering, Scougog, Uxbridge and WIPI, all of their residents and all of the businesses and folks across the Durham Region. Thank you. And the Minister of Transportation. Well, I appreciate the question from the member opposite, but she should have directed it to the leader of the Liberal Party, who was Minister of Transportation and signed the contract to impose tolls on the drivers of Durham Region, Mr. Speaker. That's why we have frozen tolls. We've suspended the collection of interest on unpaid toll fees for Highways 407 East and 412 and 418. Mr. Speaker, we froze those increases because we know that we need to make life more affordable for Ontarians. We will not sign a contract as did as the Liberal Leader of the Liberal Party did. Mr. Speaker, we know that those contracts are bad for Ontarians. It makes life more more unaffordable, and we will not do that going forward. Thank you. Thank you. The next question, the member for Ottawa venue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This morning, the government added to its long list of policy reversals by announcing their plan to install electric vehicle charging station on all Ontario route locations. Let me remind this house that one of the first things this government did when it came to office in 2018 was to rip up the charging station that had already been installed. In fact the former government had committed to investing million to build 500 charging stations across the province. Only 350 were built before this government stopped their development. And now, three and a half years later, in less than six months before the election, this government is only now recognizing the importance of investing in EV infrastructure? Mr. Speaker, my question is, will the Premier explain why this government ripped up EV charging stations in 2018 only to partially replace them three and a half years later? Mr. Benerjee. Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the member opposite for the question. The simple answer to her question is because the equipment that the Liberals installed was substandard. It wasn't working, Mr. Speaker. And over because it was substandard, nobody was using it, Mr. Speaker. It was at those stations across the province. Metrolinx made the decision. Hey, stop the clock. The government house leader will come to order. The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing will come to order. Member for Ottawa's South will come to order. We'll restart the clock. And the Minister of Energy had the floor. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I was very excited about this morning's announcement that actually going to put in world-class technology, thanks to our partnership with IV Charging Network, which is a combination of OPG and Hydro One working together with enroute across the province on the 400 and the 401 series of highways, Mr. Speaker, and Canadian Tire to install these fast charging EV stations that people are actually going to want to use, Mr. Speaker. Not the junk that the Liberals signed up to put in places where nobody wanted to use it, Mr. Speaker. This is going to be a program that the people of Ontario want that's going to encourage people to buy electric vehicles, Mr. Speaker. Stop the clock. Let's start the clock again and begin. Ottawa venue, supplement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And that was certainly not the answer I was expecting. I have to dwell on that. Mr. Speaker, electric vehicle sales plummeted after this government canceled the rebate put in place by the previous government. In fact, sales declined by 55 percent in the year following its cancellation. EV sales in Ontario lagged behind those of BC and Quebec. Both provinces have EV rebates in place and are leading in total sales across the country. Ontario was on par until this government canceled the EV rebate. That's why our party is committed to bringing in the $8,000 rebate for purchases of EVs and charging stations, making them more affordable for families to go green. So, Mr. Speaker, my question is, similar to today's announcement on charging stations, should Ontarians anticipate this government reversing course on EV rebates only to bring them back closer to the election? Minister of energy. Mr. Speaker, thanks to the member opposite for this follow-up question. The one thing that actually is going to encourage more individuals to purchase electric vehicles in the province is a convenience, which today's announcement with IV charging network in the on-routes does. It allows individuals to pull off the highway along the busiest highways in the province and charge fast charging stations, Mr. Speaker, so they only have to be there for 10 or 15 minutes. But the other thing that I think people need to keep in mind is that under this previous Liberal government, the policies that they brought in place under the McGinty win Frasier del Ducal Liberals was to drive the price of electricity through the roof, Mr. Speaker. And if there's anything that's going to discourage people from adopting electric vehicles, it's continuing to drive up the electricity prices to the highest in North America, Mr. Speaker. We've taken measures through the Ontario electricity rebate and many other pro-clock. The member for Ottawa South will come to order. The member for York Centre will come to order. I'll remind the House that we refer to each other by our writing names or by our ministerial title as applicable. Restart the clock. Minister of Energy will conclude his answer. Because of the steps that we've made, Mr. Speaker, to lower the cost of electricity and to make driving more convenient, in the last year we've seen an increase of 210% the number of people buying electric vehicles in Ontario, Mr. Speaker. We're on the right track. They drove this car off the road over 15 years, Mr. Speaker. Question, the member for Scarborough Rouge Park. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addiction. Minister, in 2019 I invite you to the Pan Am Centre in my writing of Scarborough Rouge Park for a mental health and addictions roundtable with the members of the community. So we could learn more about the mental health and addiction challengers being faced by my constituents. It was very clear that for too long individuals and families in my writing could not access culturally appropriate and safe supports to meet their unique needs. Minister, what is our government doing to address the mental, address the issues to access culturally appropriate mental health and addiction care? The Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I want to thank the member from Scarborough Rouge Park for that excellent question. I'm proud to stand in this house today to share that last week our government announced a brand new investment of $2.9 million in annual funding to expand and enhance the substance abuse program for African and Caribbean Canadian youth. This culturally sensitive program has been shown to improve health outcomes for black youth while producing by reducing stigma and barriers to care. The program also serves francophones, those in the LGBTQ2 community and youth impacted by significant trauma, including community violence. Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to make investments that are culturally appropriate to provide individuals that have mental health and addictions issues with the care they need. It is a top priority of our government as we build a continuum of care over the lifespan, ensuring that we have a stepcare model, and ensuring culturally sensitive services to all the people in the province of Ontario. Supplementary question. Speaker, I thank the Minister for his response. For too long we have known about the gaps in services and long wait times for mental health and addiction care, but especially culturally appropriate mental health care across the province. I was pleased to join the Minister in Scarborough last week as our government announced this important investment at the Taibu Community Healthcare Centre. I know my constituents will be pleased to know that their government is there to support them. It is very clear that our government is committed to protecting mental health for all Ontarians and reducing wait lists and wait times for services, but also we know that more to be done. Mr. Speaker, through you, Minister, could you please explain how we are addressing the lack of access to culturally appropriate care, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic? The Associate Minister, your applause. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you again for that question. It was truly historical to be in Scarborough to make that announcement, and I am, Mr. Speaker, incredibly proud of this investment in the new SAPA-C program. For years, the party's opposite signal to expanding this program even while demand for this program kept increasing each and every year. Last fall, our government said yes and funded the expansion of SAPA-C programs to four new satellite sites in Etobicoke, North York, Peel Region, and Scarborough. While the $2.9 million we announced last week not only started and expanded this program, we're enhancing the program as well, and we're proud to expand it through the creation of new locations in Hamilton, Windsor, and Ottawa. Mr. Speaker, through the roadmap to wellness, we'll continue to make the necessary investments in culturally appropriate services so they're always accessible and publicly available, when and where the people in this province need the most. And this fulfills and continues to fulfill our $3.8 billion investment in providing a roadmap to wellness and foundation to building a system of care for individuals throughout the province of Ontario that is culturally sensitive. Thank you. The next question, Member for Ms. Guigelot-Train State. Thank you, Speaker. To the Premier. We've heard over and over again that this government would invest in daycare. From what I'm hearing in my writing, it's quite contrary. In fact, I have a mother in my writing, Vanessa Lacroix, who cannot secure a place for her son in daycare. Because of this, she might not be able to get back to work. Speaker, when will this government quit making promises they can't keep and start securing affordable child care? Thank you very much. We appreciate that child care is too expensive for families in your writing and across Ontario. That unfortunately is the legacy of the former Liberal government that we're all contending with today, but we are resolved as a government to fix it. It's why in the first budget the Premier announced a plan to reduce cost increase affordability through the introduction of the Ontario Child Care Tax Credit. It's also why we've invested a billion dollars over five years to build 30,000 spaces. There's much more work to do when it comes to child care, making it more affordable and more accessible, particularly in more remote and northern parts of our province. So that's why we've dedicated the funding, two billion dollars, every single year to deliver it. It's why we're at the table with the federal government urging them to increase their investment well beyond the 2.5% they currently contribute to get a fair deal that brings cost down for families right across Ontario. I appreciate the minister's answer, but you're not helping the situation. I'd like to say that the government should stop dragging and finally go forward with its duty. They should sign an agreement with the federal government immediately, because in the meantime, it's the families, women in particular, who are suffering and who are affected the most by your inaction. Mr Speaker, when will the government finally sign this agreement and stop stressing Ontario families? Well, thank you very much, Mr Speaker. We absolutely are working with the federal government. We've met with them multiple times, presented our case, which I think is clear. We want to get to $10 a day. Families in this province deserve $10 a day, and we are urging them to increase their investment and provide flexibility so we can support all parents in Ontario. That is what we are doing through our negotiations with the federal government in a constructive way to deliver a deal that gets us to $10, delivers sustainable funding and supports all families in this province. When it comes to what we can do in this province, what you can do is to start voting for the budgets and the investments we're making every single year to reduce costs and increase access. Unfortunately, for that parent and for many others, they would be, I think, deeply concerned to know that when members of the New Democrats and Liberals had a chance, they voted against measures to make child care more affordable. We're going to continue to bring forth initiatives that reduce costs, increase access, and we're going to make the case to the federal government to get this deal done so we can finally make child care affordable for all families in Ontario. The next question, I remember if you walked second. Speaker, I have a question for the Premier. Yesterday was one of the worst days in Canadian history. The federal government, the Premier's New Bestie, Justin Trudeau, denied about 15% of Canadians from boarding a plane or a train. The Premier and I made a different choice, and we all agree that it's still a choice. And if the vaccine works, then the Premier and I are protected. And if it doesn't work, then why are we denying Canadians basic mobility rights? Speaker, millions of Canadians are now landlocked in their own country. We are all Canadian. We teach kids not to discriminate, and we don't discriminate because of people's medical choice. My question to the Premier, will he stand up for more than one and a half million eligible Ontarians and oppose Justin Trudeau's travel ban? To reply, the Government House Leader. No, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, a travel ban is an important way of ensuring that the virus to the best of our ability doesn't cross borders. We are always prepared to help our neighbours across Canada, Mr. Speaker, as they have been prepared to help us, Speaker. But at the same time, we understand how important it is, especially with this new variant, to ensure that we put all measures in place that would keep the people of the province safe. And that includes all Canadians at the same time, Mr. Speaker. So we welcome the move by the federal government. We will redouble our efforts to make sure that all Canadians and all Ontarians are vaccinated, Mr. Speaker. It is the best way for us to move beyond this pandemic once and for all. And perhaps the member opposite would help us encouraging even more Ontarians than the 90% that we're approaching to get that vaccination. Thank you, Speaker. Mr. Speaker, but the policy and the response by the Government House leader makes no sense because the vaccine doesn't prevent discrimination, doesn't prevent transmission, and doesn't and wanes after six to eight months. Speaker, I'm vaccinated, but my family came to this country to avoid discrimination. Millions of Canadians vaccinated and unvaccinated disapprove of this policy. Enough with the fear. Get vaccinated to get the protection, but don't force others to do things against their will. I wore my Canadian pin today instead of Ontario pin because I choose to believe that we're still the kindest people in the world and we know right from wrong. And this is wrong. We should not ban Canadians from traveling for work or seeing family over the holiday because of a choice over their own bodies. We should stop looking the other way. It's the holiday season. How can anyone enjoy the holidays when we're denying Canadians basic freedoms? Will the Premier do the right thing and oppose Justin Trudeau's draconian discrimination? Government House Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I always have to remind the Honourable Gentleman that he voted in favour of all of these measures that we brought in place for many, many, many months. Mr. Speaker, we will not apologize for working with our federal partners, working with other provinces, working with our municipal partners, 34 public health agencies across the province to ensure that Ontarians are safe. Mr. Speaker, it demands a whole of government approach. It demands cooperating across the country. And Mr. Speaker, we have seen in the past that when the borders were left open, when there wasn't appropriate testing at our airports, that different variants came here. And we are trying to avoid that. Mr. Speaker, of course we want everybody to have a happy and safe Christmas. That is why, and holidays for that matter, that is why of course we're encouraging people to get vaccinated because it works, Mr. Speaker. We are seeing the results of these vaccinations and how it is keeping our hospitals in a better spot than they were before the vaccination. So I would encourage the Member Opposite to do, as he did for so many months, support the government in helping us put this pandemic behind us. Next question, the Member for Mississauga Mall. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is the Minister of Energy. But before I ask the question, Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the residents of Mississauga and thank Premier Ford for making the largest single hospital infrastructure investment in Ontario history to build a new state of the art Mississauga Hospital. Thanks to the resident of Mississauga for your support. It is the result of your advocacy and to the Minister. Minister of Government recently released phase two of driving prosperity of a plan for the future of Ontario's automotive sector. Some of the goals of this excellent plan are to reduce barriers to EV ownership, support Ontario's growing EV manufacturing market and critical mineral sectors, and help achieve Ontario's goal of building at least 400,000 vehicles electrical and hybrid both by 2030. Question. Minister, what is your ministry doing to achieve this bold goal? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Minister of Energy. Thanks very much. And thanks to the member from Mississauga, Malton in the heart of Peel Region for a very, very timely question. Speaker, just this morning, I had the chance to join my colleagues, the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Education in his home riding. King Vaughn to announce an historic expansion of Ontario's electric vehicle infrastructure. Today, our government announced that at least two EV fast-charging stations are going to be built at all 23 en route locations along highways 400 and 401. Some of the busiest highways in the world, Mr. Speaker. It's a great day for all Ontarians. It's made possible thanks to a landmark agreement between our government, the good folks at IV charging network, en routes across the province, and also Canadian Tire. And I'm really proud to be a part of a government that's taking this important step to building out the infrastructure and building up our economy and making it easier, Mr. Speaker, for people to get into the electric vehicle market. Supplementary question. Thank you, Minister. This is a fantastic news. And I'm glad to hear that the great work you're doing, along with the Minister of Transportation and Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks, to build this critical infrastructure all across Ontario. I often hear from my constituents that they are interested in electrical vehicles, but they're worried that if they purchase one, they will not be able to travel far from the home. Minister, can you share with us what today's announcement will mean for those who are already on an electrical vehicle, and like me, those who are considering purchasing one, as well as for the Ontario's economy as a whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Bennington. Thanks, Speaker, and thanks to the member for his advocacy for the new hospital in his community as well. Today's announcement that we made is going to have a positive impact for all Ontarians, talking about the electric vehicle infrastructure announcement. It means convenience, it means greater range and more opportunities for people actually to get out and rediscover Ontario, be it sandbanks in my riding or some other part of Ontario, Mr. Speaker, building the capacity to support more electric vehicles on our roads. It's also good for our environment, Speaker, with more available charging stations, we can put our 94% emissions-free electricity system to good work powering those vehicles on our highways and reducing emissions. And we know the future of vehicle production is shifting to electric vehicles, largely because of the policies that we've put in place with our government, Mr. Speaker, to make this important step forward and to make it easier than ever to drive an EV while boosting our world-class auto sector and continuing to protect the future of our environments. The next question, the member for Stadina-Fordshire. Mr. Speaker, after the 2018 election, this government acted urgently on their bizarre priorities of freezing Ontario's minimum wage at $14 an hour and removing two paid sick days that were guaranteed to all employees. And they kept the minimum wage frozen for more than 24 months through the pandemic and fought against demands for paid sick days and worker protections. By doing so, by freezing the minimum wage, they took $5,300 out of the pockets of the lowest paid workers in Ontario. And today, the living wage in Ontario is $17 an hour, and inflation is at a shocking 4.1% the highest in 30 years. That is why the NDP announced an amendment to the government's fall economic statement this week, sharing a plan to mandate a $20 minimum wage while still providing stability and support for small businesses. Will the Premier pass this amendment and provide desperately needed relief for workers by committing to a $20 minimum wage yes or no? Today we're at $20, Speaker. Two weeks ago, we were at $15. Yesterday it was $17, and today we're at $20. So I look forward to tomorrow's announcement from the NDP of what their new policy will be, or maybe this afternoon, who knows. Speaker, here's the reality, is that the policies of the Liberals and the NDPs who supported them so often saw this province lose some 300,000 jobs. That's 300,000 people who lost the opportunity to provide for their families, Mr. Speaker. And these were good-paying jobs, as manufacturing fled the province. That was what confronted us in 2018. What we did was ensure that those companies could come back, that our small, medium, and large job creators wanted to invest in the province of Ontario. And Mr. Speaker, we are starting to see the results of those. In fact, we saw the results prior to the pandemic, but even now, as we emerge from this, Mr. Speaker, we are starting to see some creation coming back in a big way. That's why we've increased the minimum wage. That's why we've cut taxes for our lowest income earners, Mr. Speaker. Now, of course, they voted against that all the time, but we'll be back to the supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think that sounds like a no to the workers of Ontario. This government has said no to making a deal for $10-day child care. No to supporting optometrists who provide critical eye care. No to renewing small business grants for businesses trying to stay afloat. And no to paid sick days during a global pandemic. Yet they seem to have no trouble saying yes to the private operator of the ETR, letting them off the hook for a billion dollars in penalties. They said yes to spending $10 billion on the 413. They said yes to special rules for big box retailers over small businesses. And yes to MZOs for developers building on environmentally sensitive areas. Why is this premier so quick to say no to helping workers and yet so eager to say yes to the large corporations and developers when they need a favour? Speaker, we brought in a bill that was a past just yesterday that was a significant bill to help workers in the province of Ontario to encourage our trades, additional investments in trades, and getting more people into the trades. The NDP, of course, voted against that and were reciprocating their lack of support for that, Mr. Speaker. Of course, we brought in paid sick days. Speaker, they voted against it. I hear the former liberal leader laughing at it. He talks about the time that it took us to bring in sick days. I reminded him yesterday it took him 5,110 days to bring in two sick days. We did it much quicker and we brought in three sick days on top of the 26 sick days that were already there, Mr. Speaker. So we'll take no lessons from either of them, Mr. Speaker, when it comes to protecting the workers in the province of Ontario. But ultimately, they want a job, and this party is ensuring that people have access to good, high-quality jobs. Next question, member for Oriana. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. From the beginning of the pandemic, which hit Ontario in March of 2020, small businesses across our province have been suffering. For months and months, small business owners, chambers of commerce, business improvement areas, advocacy groups, and, of course, Ontario Liberals were calling on the government to offer financial support to small businesses. After nine months of dithering, in December, when the government finally decided to offer small businesses these supports, we've learned today from the Auditor General that they failed to properly protect taxpayers. The government's lost nearly over $200 million to an eligible grants. Some businesses received more money from the government than they lost during the pandemic, Mr. Speaker. It took seven weeks for the government to flag the fact that businesses were applying with mailing addresses and bank accounts outside of Ontario. 14,000 ineligible businesses receiving over $210 million from taxpayers, and the government has given up on getting that money back. Why does the government feel that these businesses deserve this $200 million from taxpayers? Why are they giving up on this money? Mr. Speaker, this coming from a member who's part of a party that literally drove out thousands of small businesses across the province of Ontario. When we talk about losing 300,000 manufacturing jobs, Mr. Speaker, what we forget is that when those factories closed under the previous Liberal governor, so too did the small businesses that supported those factories, the workers who came in for lunch, Mr. Speaker, the coffee shops, the individuals who supported all of that business. Why did they leave the province of Ontario because of the high hydro policies of the former government, because of the high tax policies of the former government? In Ottawa, they had to leave because they didn't have access to a light rail system that the member was in charge of building, but that came in over budget was late, and then ultimately didn't work, Mr. Speaker. So look, what we did is during the pandemic, we ensured that a small, medium, and large job creators had support that they needed to get through the pandemic. We worked with other levels of government, Mr. Speaker, and the results have been encouraging. We're seeing job creation come back incredibly in the province of Ontario. More work to do, of course, but of course, you know, we will get that job done, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary question. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now, $210 million isn't a lot of money to this government that doesn't have a plan to ever balance the budget, but it's a lot of money to Ontarians, Mr. Speaker. Most Ontarians understand that $200 million would have made a big difference to improving school ventilation, to paying school bus drivers more, to get our kids to school, to investing in autism services, Mr. Speaker. We've learned today that after months and months of requests and dithering, finally, on December 17th, the Minister of Finance directed officials to develop a program to provide support for small businesses. The auditor general tells us that the minister approved the final version of that program on December 19th, and it was presented to Treasury Board on the 21st. This, of course, is the time frame when the minister was sonning himself in the Caribbean, Mr. Speaker. So did the government lose $200 million because they delayed their decision and had to rush? Or did they lose $200 million because the finance minister was on the beach when he was making these decisions? Government House Leader. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, what do you say? Can you imagine a Liberal member of Parliament, provincial Parliament, who's in charge of building a light rail system in Ottawa that came in over budget that was late and then still doesn't work, Mr. Speaker, of a party that spent so much money, it has nothing to show for it that made us the most indebted sub-sovereign government in the world. Ontarians have more debt than any other people in the world. Stop the clock. Member for York Centre will come to order. You start the clock. Government House Leader will conclude his answer. So, Mr. Speaker, look, I know the member opposite. He probably regretted reading that question the moment he started at, Mr. Speaker, because when it comes to good, strong, fiscal government that people can rely on, it is always a progressive Conservative Government that does that. It is always a progressive Conservative Government that makes the investments needed to bring our economy and move the people of Ontario forward. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, through you to the Premier. This week, British Columbia was hit with another round of disastrous climate-driven rains. As the world gets hotter, our weather gets wilder. People lose their homes, they lose their farms, they lose their livelihood, and sometimes, Speaker, they lose their lives. The Premier's own Ministry of the Environment produces internal documents showing that they won't meet their own inadequate climate targets. The Premier's failure to act, his government's failure to act, is putting people's homes, jobs, and lives at risk. Why has he not done all he could in the last three years to dramatically cut carbon pollution? Thank you. Mr. Environment, Conservation, and Parks. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate the member's question. We both, I think, share concern with what we're seeing in British Columbia. Simply put, he is. And if you look at the Utter Generals Report, which we greatly appreciate, which uses 2019 as a benchmark, that member will know we got elected in 2018. A few things that were not included that I think would be worth mentioning, and I would love to sit down with a member opposite to discuss, clean fuel standards, which is the equivalent of taking over 300,000 cars off the road, reducing emissions by one megetime. Public transit, the Ontario Line, which the member opposite knows, we recently signed, equivalent of 7.2 million litres of fuel, 28,000 cars off the road. Working with industry, rather than driving them out, as the previous government did, the electrification of the arc furnace at Algoma, three megatons in reduction. I could go on, the Cement Association, regulations that we posted, which is equivalent of three megatons by 2030. Again, meaningful action in partnership with industry who share this government's desire to fight climate change and drive down greenhouse gas emissions. Thank you, Speaker. Mr. Environment. Thank you, Speaker. And again, through you to the Premier, if people's homes and jobs and lives mattered to the Premier, then he would have acted over the last three years to cut emissions over the last three years, not a deathbed repentance as an election looms. The Ministry of Energy would have acted to ensure that the gas utilities in this province dramatically cut emissions through providing deep energy conservation programs to their customers. That hasn't happened. The minister, sorry, the Premier could have been that 800-pound gorilla coming down on the Ministry of the Environment for failing to act to cut emissions for the last three years. He didn't do that. In fact, he let the crisis deepen. What does he have to say to the young people in this province who see three lost years under his jurisdiction? Speaker, again, that member would know at the best case you're using a year later data for measuring GHG reductions. I mentioned in my previous answer, I'm not sure if the member opposite heard it, but this is 2019. And I outlined a number of initiatives this government's taken since then, decisive action that this government has taken since then. The member mentioned climate resiliency. It's a shame that that member opposite voted against the climate change impact assessment. You mentioned BC. Their minister and I had an important conversation about adaptation and resiliency at the COP conference in Glasgow. We both share in a commitment to working with the federal government to increase infrastructure dollars, which our Minister of Infrastructure is advocating for from the federal government to build adaptation and resiliency. It's just a shame that member opposite voted against all of that. Thank you. The next question, member Goodwall. Good morning, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, good land use planning will become even more important to protecting people, property and communities. But according to today's auditor general's report, the government's highway plans are disconnected from good land use planning. The auditor general says this will increase air pollution, climate pollution and degrade water quality. So, Speaker, will the Premier listen to the auditor general's warnings and prioritize protecting people, property and communities by canceling Highway 413? Minister of Transportation. Speaker, well, I thank the member opposite for the question. As he knows, gridlock exists across the greater Golden Horseshoe. And that's why our government is dedicated to taking action to reduce congestion, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. Speaker, we're saying yes to important highway projects like the Highway 413, like the Bradford Bypass, which will help get people where they need to go faster, which will reduce congestion and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I hope, Mr. Speaker, the member opposite will support us. Good question. I'll do respect to the minister. Today's auditor general's report made it very clear that decisions that are completely disconnected from land use planning are reckless and dangerous. Paving over 2,000 acres of farmland, 400 acres of the green belt and paving over 85 waterways puts Ontarians at risk. Their property, their lives, their communities are at risk. So if the minister is not going to, if the minister is going to say no to protecting people, property, and communities, will the minister at least be honest with the people of Ontario and release any land use plans, financial plans, and transportation plans that have in any way guided the minister's decision to build Highway 413? And to reply, the minister gets in house. Well, thanks, Speaker. I want to thank the auditor general for her recommendations. I also want to acknowledge that shortly after becoming minister, I launched my own internal audit of the planning division. But again, Speaker, we're in a housing crisis. We need to use every tool at our disposal. And quite frankly, I make no apologies for the work that I've been able to accomplish in such a short period of time. Predecessors sat back for, I'd leave for nearly 15 years, which led to the housing crisis in Ontario. So since 2018, Speaker, we've passed seven pieces of legislation updated the provincial policy statement. We've released a place to grow the growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. We've redesigned our community housing renewal system. We've redesigned and renegotiated our indigenous housing program. We've created the first province to sign on to the national housing benefit. We've created the Municipal Modernization Fund, the Audit and Accountability Fund. We've increased rental starts, we've increased housing starts, and we've led to a provincial, federal bailout. Thank you very much. Thank you. That concludes our question period for this morning. There being no further business this morning, this House stands in recess until 3 p.m.