 Therefore, now time for question period. The leader of Her Majesty's Land Opposition. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. The government still claims they balance the books. But all with typical liberal math. That's not helpful when I'm trying to get attention for your leader. Thank you. Please put your question. But all with typical liberal math, something doesn't add up. What do you get when you add in $1.8 billion from double-counted cap and trade money? You have $500 million in pension assets, despite the Auditor General's advice not to count it. $1.5 billion in double-counted federal transfer funds. $450 million in land transfer taxes. And lastly, $1 billion from the fire sale of hydro. What do you get, Mr. Speaker, when you add that all together? It's a $5 billion operational deficit funded through cash grabs. I'm going to ask the member from the PN Carlton to withdraw. And I've made it clear I don't want that set. Carry on. Mr. Speaker, it is a $5 billion operational deficit through cash grabs, pension assets, and one time an unusual revenue. Will the Premier come clean and amend the House? The budget is not balanced. Thank you. No, Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to say that this is the first balanced budget in Ontario for nearly a decade, Mr. Speaker. Hard to eliminate the deficit, Mr. Speaker. We knew that that was critical. And our economy is in a very strong position in Ontario. We are leading the country, Mr. Speaker, in economic growth. But the reality is that people are still anxious. And so the foundation of a balanced budget actually gives us the opportunity to make investments that are needed in the province. Also, Mr. Speaker, a prime example of that is OHIB Plus, which allows us to invest in the people of this province and allows children and youth in this province, as of January 2018, to have free medication, Mr. Speaker, because we know investment and kids and young people can get access early to the medication that they need. They will be healthier in the long term, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, back to the Premier. Mr. Speaker, you know what else doesn't add up? The fact that the wind liberals are adding another $10 billion of debt. They say they have a balanced budget. But another reason the liberals claim they have a balanced budget is because they're simply hiding debt elsewhere. If this budget was quarter balanced, we wouldn't be adding debt left, right, and center. But the wind liberals are adding $10 billion worth of debt to the most indebted province in the world. We owe more than any province or state, and it's about to get worse. So, Mr. Speaker, can the Premier explain why we're adding so much debt this year, $10 billion, if it's actually a balanced budget? Mr. Speaker, I understand that the leader of the opposition has no interest and no plan to make capital investment in this province, Mr. Speaker. No interest in it and no apparent understanding that without investment in capital, without investment in transit, Mr. Speaker, in roads and bridges across the province, you know? He was at the city of Toronto today, Mr. Speaker, talking about the city of Toronto. And he's made one commitment to invest one cent in transit in the city of Toronto, Mr. Speaker. We have billions of dollars that's being invested in Toronto, in Ottawa, in Kitchener Waterloo, Mr. Speaker, in Hamilton, around the province, because we know that those investments are critical to the economic viability and growth of those communities in the province overall. We are proud of our balanced budget, Mr. Speaker, first one in a decade in Ontario, and it allows us to have a foundation upon which to invest. Thank you. Thank you. You see the face? You see the face? Thank you. Final supplementary. Mr. Speaker, back to the Premier. You know, this myth of a balanced budget didn't trick everyone, didn't confuse everyone. Just look what Kelly McPearlane had to say in the National Post. I quote, in this article, the budget claims to be balanced, even though debt will rise another 26.4 billion this fiscal year, debt servicing costs will again eat up one billion a month. He added, I quote, billions of dollars in expenditures for capital projects are kept off book. Billions more and borrowing shoved into the future. One-time asset sales like hydro and sell-offs are used to make the numbers look better than they are. And that's from the National Post. Mr. Speaker, clearly this budget is not balanced. And my question, Mr. Speaker, to the Premier is playing with the numbers. Is fudging the numbers really worth hurting the long-term future of on-payments? I'm on the edge with that, please. Just keep it away from there, Premier. Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To be clear, we balance the budget. This year, next year, and the year after that, this is coming from a party who increased debt by 53% when they were in power as a province during the good times. And this member himself, he voted in the largest deficit in our country's history, $55 billion, Mr. Speaker. And he doubled debt during the time that he was there. Mr. Speaker, I'll read a quote from an independent source at rating agencies. They said the following, the government has, to its credit, outperformed its targets each year, efforts to constrain wages and limit spending growth in key program areas, kept the plan on track. Initially, while the province was benefiting from strong economic growth, and more recently, one off-measures, Mr. Speaker, that's the DVRS. It goes on to say the net debt to GDP ratio is seen falling for a third straight year at 37.5% in 1716. Ontario aims to ease a debt-to-GDP ratio. Yeah, that's a good question. Good question. The leader of the opposition. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. This morning, I sat down with Mayor Tory to discuss the Liberal government's 2017 budget. We both agreed on one important fact. A Premier who got elected on the promise that they would fight for the city of Toronto has clearly turned her back on this great city. The Liberals have ignored almost every promise that the Premier made to the city of Toronto. Instead, they sent down a minister to say John Tory had crossed the line. Standing up for the city of Toronto isn't crossing the line. It's honouring the promises they made, which they have broken to the city of Toronto. So my question, Mr. Speaker, is when does this Premier get to actually honour the commitments she made and make sure we actually support the city of Toronto? Thank you. Thank you. You see it, please? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well? The member from Prince Edward Hastings will withdraw and then not to be done again. Carry on. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Let me first say, Mr. Speaker, that I have a very strong working relationship with mayors across this province, Mr. Speaker. I work with them. I go to their gatherings. I listen to their concerns. I believe that the municipal level of government is extremely important to the well-being of the whole province, Mr. Speaker. And I meet with Mayor Tory on a regular basis. So let me just talk about the ways in which we have invested and supported Toronto, Mr. Speaker. And, you know, there's no government in the history of this province that has invested more in housing and transit in the city. First, also, let me note that we have earmarked $30 billion more for infrastructure in the province and a proportion of that, a large proportion of that will go to the city of Toronto over the next decade for future projects, Mr. Speaker. I'm going to supplement you. Mr. Speaker, back to the Premier. And as the Mayor Tory said, what happened 10 years ago doesn't do much for the future. Listing off highlight reels doesn't help with immediate infrastructure needs of the city of Toronto. Now, one very serious example Mayor Tory raised was the stories about people living in Toronto community housing who are who, when they get convicted of a crime, when these people are jailed, they're allowed to jump the queue. We have 82,000 people on the waiting list for Toronto community housing. And someone who is a convicted criminal can jump the queue over those families. That is outrageous. And I don't understand how this government could continue to support allowing violent criminals and drug dealers to jump the queue over our most vulnerable in our city. Mr. Speaker, this is shameful. Mayor Tory and city council have made this request of the province. Yes or no? Will you stop this practice? Will you allow the province to make sure convicted criminals don't get to jump the queue for social housing? Minister of Housing. Well, thank you, Speaker. And thank you for that very interesting question, because it is factually incorrect. The province disappointed that the leader of the opposition wouldn't at least check his facts before he stood up on TV and spread that falsehood. Speaker, here's how it works. I will offer the minister a warning as much as I did for the leader. Stay away from there. Carry on. OK. Mr. Speaker, the only legislation, the only regulation that this province puts in place is that victims of domestic violence get priority, not what the leader of the opposition is saying. You see that, please? Final supplementary. Mr. Speaker, again, to the Premier. And the Liberal government seems to be oblivious to the fact that the entire city council, and Mayor John Tory, made this request, and the wording is, the provincial legislation needs to be changed right now because of the wording disadvantage, you're allowed to jump the queue, a convicted drug dealer or anyone who's committed a violent offense. The entire Toronto City Council has passed this request. You really confuse my job when I'm trying to get them to be quiet and you continue. Mr. Speaker, since I can't get an answer on the convicted criminals being allowed to jump the queue, Toronto Community Housing has one other request, and that's the natural gas purchasing. Because of the way the province has set up, Toronto pays $6.3 million more. Mayor Tory has a legitimate question, a legitimate ask, will the Premier at least acknowledge that if she's got an answer? Mr. Speaker, you know, I thought I gave a fairly clear answer, and I'll give it a game. The province of Ontario gives the only, the only mandate the province of Ontario gives is that those people fleeing domestic violence get priority in this housing. So, you know, I can say that Ontario has a long standing commitment to tackling homelessness, and ending chronic homelessness. You know, the Speaker, I will, I'll say that again, they're the only regulation that we have in place is that those people fleeing domestic violence get priority. Answer. So, Speaker, the, with regards to natural gas purchases. New question, the leader of the third party. Speaker, in the Premier's political response to the pharmacare issue, she left out 10 million Ontarians. Why? Thank you. Can you hear? Well, Mr. Speaker, what OHIP Plus does, and I, you know, I said on, I said last week that I'm very glad that the leader of the third party and her caucus are on the same page in terms of the need for pharmacare support, Mr. Speaker. I think that the more voices that we have leading the charge across the country, Mr. Speaker, joining with our Minister of Health, who has been talking about this and working with his colleagues across the country, the more voices we have joining in that chorus, the better off we are, Mr. Speaker. We made a decision to cover, instead of 125 medications, to cover 4,400 medications, Mr. Speaker, including medications for rare diseases for all children and young people, 24 years or younger, Mr. Speaker. That was the path that we took. It will make a huge difference in children's lives. Supplementary. One in three people in this province have no drug coverage through their work. This situation is getting worse today. Not better, Speaker. Ontario needs a universal pharmacare plan that will ensure those people get the medication that they need. And yet, in the Premier's political response to this issue, she chose to leave them out. Under the Premier's response, people will continue to max out their credit cards, being forced to split their pills in half or go without the medication that they need. Why? Mr. Speaker, I understand the frustration of the third party, but I find it remarkable that I have yet to find another third party stakeholder, patient interest group that actually shares their view because this pharmacare program has been lauded and celebrated and applauded across this country. In fact, Mr. Speaker, even the individuals that were involved in helping the NDP create their income-tested pharmacare proposal have supported this. In fact... Minister? So Steve Morgan, one of the experts in this country that was utilized as she... In fact, he stood right next to the leader of the third party, saying, Bravo at first-dollar single-payer pharmacare plan for children, recognizing that this is critically important. That was his response. Final supplementary? Well, Speaker, I'll give the Minister of Health a little bit more time to read our plan because, in fact, he's got it wrong, but that's okay. He would rather spin than be up front about what's in our plan. But let me say for the record, Speaker... Stop the clock. Minister of Tourism and Culture and Sport. Let me say for the record, Speaker, that I do agree that young people need their prescriptions filled. But maybe their parents do too, Speaker. I believe that their parents need their prescriptions hard, but don't have workplace benefits. Why she thinks they should have to continue to empty their wallets, reach for their credit cards, to pay for their prescriptions, or worse, go without those prescriptions as they do right now. Thank you. Minister? Mr. Speaker, I would hope that we can all celebrate this proposal that's in the budget. This is the biggest transformation in Medicare in this province, probably since the beginning of Medicare, Mr. Speaker. It's a giant leap forward towards universal pharmacare for all Ontarians. It's providing, I believe, that national leadership that the Premier has worked so diligently on over the last number of years. And it means come January 1st, four million children and youth will be able to, with their parents, go into pharmacies, get absolutely free access to 4,400 medications, including cancer drugs, including drugs for rare disease, at absolutely no cost to them. Mr. Speaker, I would hope that a progressive party like the NDP would get up with this and celebrate this incredible visionary transformation of OHIP, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you have a question, the leader of the third party? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My next question is also for the Premier. Nearly a quarter of Canadians between the ages of 30 and 60 are dealing with high blood pressure. The largest cohort of people living with HIV and AIDS are aged 30 to 40, not under 24. The gathering of statistics for people with high cholesterol doesn't even start until age 40, Mr. Speaker. The NDP plan for universal pharmacare would give all of those people coverage for the medications that they need. And that, Mr. Speaker, is a single Ontarian because that's what's needed, Mr. Speaker. That's what's needed. Why has the Premier decided to leave all of these people out of her plan? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, as I said, the leader of the third party and I have come at this from a different direction, Mr. Speaker. What we have done is we have said for young people 24 years or younger, we would cover all of the medications that they might need, Mr. Speaker, 4,400 medications. The leader of the third party chose to bring forward a proposal that would have been much, much narrower. And I'm, you know, we can try to stir up a fight between us on which plan is better, Mr. Speaker. The reality is we both know that a national pharma care plan that covers everyone in the country is actually what is needed in this country, Mr. Speaker. In the absence of God, we have taken a huge step forward so that all children and youth 24 years or younger will have all of their medications covered, Mr. Speaker. 4,400, right in January, 2018. So as quickly as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary? Well, Mr. Speaker, what the Premier refuses to admit and the minister refuses to acknowledge is that the vast majority of those 4,400 drugs will never be utilized by the vast majority of young people in the province of Ontario. The member from Eglinton, Lawrence, second time. The member from Hamilton, East Stony Creek. Please finish. Mr. Speaker, a truly universal pharma care plan will create savings that could range between $800 million and $1.9 billion immediately, Mr. Speaker. These are real savings that are backed up by independent experts. Why has the Premier chosen a response to the pharma care that minimizes the benefits to Ontario's economy? Thank you. Mr. Health and long-term care? Mr. Health, long-term care? Well, Mr. Speaker, I have to admit that I am profoundly disappointed at the NDP's position. And this shouldn't be about which program is of greater benefit. This should be about the important announcement that was made last week that is the biggest transformation of Medicare in the history of this province. Mr. Speaker, I learned of a mother, of a family with a teenage daughter that has cancer. And she indicated that from the time that this program comes into place to when this young person becomes an adult and gets a prosperous life, Mr. Speaker, she estimates she's gonna save $20,000. Yeah. And she said that $20,000 represents her daughter's college education, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Final supplementary? Well, Speaker, I'm profoundly disappointed that 10 million Ontarians are not gonna have their prescription drugs of Ontarians. Once again, we are reminded that these Ontarians are just not the priority for this premier. So let me be clear to all Ontarians. I don't agree. And I am committed to bringing forward universal, comprehensive pharmacare for the people of their actually join me, Speaker, in supporting a plan that does cover all Ontarians as Ontarians would expect a premier to do. Thank you very much. You see that, please? You see that, please? Thank you. Minister? The Speaker, our premier has been advocating for national pharmacare for years. And I know it's recently that that leader of the third party has joined our efforts for national pharmacare, Mr. Speaker. But now, per se, one of the, from St. Mike's, one of the leaders across this country on pharmacare on Metro Morning last week said, quote, this announcement is potentially historic. It indicates that the government is taking action to address the fact that millions of people who don't take medications because they can't afford them will, Mr. Speaker. Danielle Martin, another leader on this, said these are real people who are going to be significantly helped by this, Mr. Speaker. Maybe the member opposite doesn't think that children and youth are real people deserving of pharmacare, Mr. Speaker. And Natalie Merra of the Ontario Health Coalition, I know an individual that the member opposite knows well, said, quote, this is an amazing announcement that will provide national leadership. This is a great first step in the right direction. Thank you. Can you see it, please? Can you see it, please? Thank you. Start the clock. New question, the member from Nipissing. Thank you, and good morning, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Home capital is one of the largest non-bank mortgage lenders in Ontario. The Premier would know them as being under investigation by the Ontario Securities Commission. They've seen a withdrawal of hundreds of millions of dollars from savings accounts, and their shares tumbled 65%. Last week, they received a $2 billion bailout from the Health Care of Ontario Pension Plan, or HOOP. Seeing as one of the players is under provincial government regulators' investigation, and the other player manages the pension funds of Ontario's health workers, we have questions. I ask the Premier, was the government aware of this deal, and if so, when? Thank you. Can you show us your finance? Mr. Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our first priority is always consumers and investor protection. The Ontario Securities Commission is reviewing and assessing the circumstances around home capital. We understand that there's a case before it now. Although FISCO, our financial securities regulator as well, has engaged because of the mortgage component of it, and then there's the investor component of it that the Ontario Securities Commission is involved with. We have actually been doing a review for over a year and a half now, referencing to increase consumer protection, and ensure that full disclosure is made for those consumers and investors to appreciate the degree of risk that are involved in those circumstances. But it is before review, and that's where it is, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. The supplementary. Back to the Premier. The first chair of home capital is Kevin Smith. He earns $357,000 a year and has some one and a half million dollars in stock. But that's only his part-time job. The Premier would know him better as Kevin Smith, CEO of St. Joseph's Health Centre, his other part-time job where he's paid $720,000 a year. And he was also a board member of Hoop. Now Hoop's CEO was Jim Cohane, who also happens to sit on the board of home capital. Speaker, you truly can't tell the players without a program. The apparent conflicts are beyond description. So after the bailout, which helped restore the share value, he's the son from the other's boards. Question. Mr. Premier, is it right for executives of a lender to also be making decisions of a borrower? Thank you. Mr. Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a member of me, I appreciate he knows that home capital group is incorporated federally and it's regulated by the federal financial institutions. FISCO, which is a province that's confident that the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions or OFFSC is carefully monitoring the situation as well. And we're monitoring any impact on mortgage availability in the marketplace. But again, the transparency and the oversight, consumer protection is paramount. It's why we've taken the initiatives that we have to strengthen FISCO's regulation, also moving more of that to the OSC to ensure that our consumers, our investors are protected and our fully disclosed. And it is before a review, Mr. Speaker, and we're trying to protect the interests of the consumers here. Thank you. New question. The leader of the third party. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. Toronto set out some clear and reasonable priorities for the Ontario budget. People living in Toronto community housing need help and the mayor asked that the province join with the city to provide that help. People relying on the TTC need an improved transit system and the mayor asked the province to join the city to help provide that system. Now, I understand what the mayor is talking about and when we met, I was clear. An NDP government will be there for Toronto. The Premier ignored the people of Toronto in last week's budget. As the mayor told people leaving in community housing, quote, the Ontario government is not helping to get your housing fixed, end quote. Why isn't the Premier doing what's needed to fix affordable housing in Toronto and communities around the province? Thank you. So, Mr. Speaker, let me just say once again that we are making billions of dollars of investment in Toronto. We have uploaded literally billions of dollars of cost from municipalities, including Toronto, around the province. But let me just talk specifically about housing because I am concerned about social housing around the province. I am concerned about social housing in the City of Toronto as a Toronto member, Mr. Speaker. I know firsthand the challenges of Toronto community housing, but those challenges are found in other parts of the province as well, Mr. Speaker. For Toronto, what this budget does is it provides $130 million for social housing repair, Mr. Speaker, $340 million for prevention of homelessness, another $130 million for affordable housing, Mr. Speaker, and a specific ask that the mayor had which was about provincial land, we have acquiesced a provincial land worth up to $100 million to build 2,000 new affordable renting housing units. Those are all supports for housing in the City of Toronto, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, the mayor told Torontonians that the city got a big goose egg when it came to social housing repairs. Social housing stock is crumbling and concern doesn't fix it, Mr. Speaker. Funding fixes it, but that wasn't all. To quote the mayor, the most crucial needs of the people of the City of Toronto were not met by this budget. The Premier and our government had a chance to stand up for Toronto on transit. Instead, they turned their backs. Now, when I went with Mayor Tory, we talked about the importance of the province supporting 50% of the TTC's operating costs. Why is the Premier saying no to immediate improvements to Toronto's transit system? Stop the clock. Stop the clock. I'll come back to the leader for that last part to make sure that she has an opportunity to say it, but the member from Eglinton, Lawrence, is warned. Carry on. Why is the Premier saying no to immediate improvements to Toronto's transit and transit systems across the province? Thank you. Well, Mr. Speaker, the chatter that you might have heard behind me, Mr. Speaker, is from members who are not from the City of Toronto, who have watched the funding that has flowed to the City of Toronto and to Hamilton, Mr. Speaker, and to Kitchener Waterloo and to Ottawa. And let me just talk about the money that is going into the City of Toronto. 5.3 billion for the Eglinton crosstown. 1.2 billion for the Finch West LRT. 3.7 billion for GO RER within Toronto. 870 million for the Toronto York Spadina subway. 1.48 billion for the Scarborough subway. And, Mr. Speaker, on future projects, which is I know what the mayor has been talking about, $150 million for planning and design work on the Toronto relief line, a line and a project, Mr. Speaker, for which there is no committed city money at this point, Mr. Speaker, and 55 million for the same work on the Young North subway. No government has put more money into transit in the City of Toronto than ours, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Question to the members from Etobicoke North. Thank you, Speaker. On behalf of my constituents of Etobicoke North, Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Finance, the Honorable Charles Sousa. Speaker, I can tell you that all of my colleagues on this side of the House are in fact quite proud of Premier Nguyen and Minister of Finance Sousa for the Ontario 217-218 budget. In fact, our growth has outpaced Canada's and all of their G7 countries for the last three years. On the ground, that means, Speaker, the greatest expansion of prescription healthcare in a generation, a billion dollars for transit just in my own riding, $400 million for Etobicoke General Hospital. We've created 700,000 new jobs since the recession and our unemployment rate has been below the national average for two straight years. Speaker, when the global economic recession hit, we made a deliberate choice to invest in Ontarians and the things that matter to them most. Will the Finance Minister please itemize more of what we're doing for Ontarians in the 2017-2018 Ontario budget? Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I'd like to thank the member from Etobicoke North for the question and his advocacy in this regard. I'm happy to reaffirm that the 2017 budget is a balanced budget, and it's the first one since the global recession. Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to add again that not only have we balanced this year, but we're on track to do so again next year and the year after that. A balanced budget means that the government will not be boring to pay for operating costs because all of it now goes directly to invest in capital, long-term capital assets. The result is more money and more available for things that matter to the people of Ontario like free prescriptions for children under 24 and under or free tuition. When the global recession hit, Mr. Speaker, we set out a realistic and responsible approach to return to balance in 2017-2018, and last week we delivered on that commitment. Thank you, Mr. Comentary. Speaker, OHIP Plus, new schools, new hospitals or hospital expansions, free tuition for modest income Ontarians, 25% cut in hydro rates, more childcare, eight stops of the Finch LRT in my riding alone. Minister, on behalf of the people of Etobicoke North, muito obrigado. Families in Toronto, Speaker, will benefit from these important investments. Speaker, we are already making the largest infrastructure investment in our province's history, and that Toronto is in fact receiving a very significant funding support, not only for the items that I've listed, but of course for affordable housing as well as transit. Speaker, could the Minister of Finance please comment on how we continue to build up the city of Toronto? Thank you, Minister. Again, I'd like to thank the member from Etobicoke North for his question and his language skills. Mr. Speaker, it's important to remember that no provincial government in Ontario's history has invested more in the city of Toronto. We've increased provincial uploads, meaning that the city of Toronto will save $530 million this year alone. In fact, since 2003, we contribute over $10 billion in transit projects like Ellington Crosstown and the downtown relief line that we're supporting. And this year's budget includes another $130 million for social housing repair, $340 million for homelessness prevention, and $130 million for affordable housing. We're using provincial lands of up to $100 million also to build 2,000 new affordable housing units in the city. The city has asked us for new revenue tools and we've responded, Mr. Speaker. Our balanced budget will give the city the ability to implement vacancy tax and empty homes and as well hotel sacks. In fact, no, to ensure the people of Toronto benefit from predictable ongoing funding, we've also doubled the share of gas revenue to the city. On this side of the house, we support Toronto and all of the city. New question, the member from Elgin, Mr. Speaker, my question is to the minister of finance. Speaker, children and youth are experiencing a mental health crisis because they can't get the treatment they need when and where they need it. The Canadian Institute for Health Information released new data this morning that indicates that children, youth and families facing a mental health crisis are earning up in hospital ERs and inpatient units at disturbing rates. Since 2006, there's been a 63% increase in ER visits and a staggering 67% increase in hospitalizations for children and youth seeking treatment for mental health addictions. Speaker, the new statistics are trending in the wrong direction compared to 2015 and this government is failing our children. My question to the minister of finance. Did the minister of children, youth services request funding in this year's budget to deal with the eroding capacity and community-based children's mental health centers? Impressed. Minister of Finance. Minister of Children and Youth Services. Sir, children and youth services. Well, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the member opposite for the question. I also, again, want to recognize all the advocates, parents and family members and staff who are working across this province to make sure that our children are positioned for success here in the province of Ontario. Mr. Speaker, when I first became the minister responsible for this file, I was given a mandate by the premier to work with providers to transform the child and youth mental health system here in the province. And we recognize without a question that there's more work that needs to be done to improve the services that young people receive. We are facing challenges with wait times. We're facing challenges with service delivery. We're facing challenges with our funding model. And, Mr. Speaker, our agencies have said this. The auditor general has said this. And we've accepted this. Yes, sir. This is exactly why we're seizing the opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to give Ontarians a community-based mental health system for today and into the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll take that as no, I did not ask the minister for any funding. Speaker, the data shows how the erosion of community services not only leaves children and youth unable to obtain the help they need, but also strains our hospital resources. The data shows that the government's inactions endanger lives and cost the systems 175 million a year. Children's mental health Ontario estimates at $118 million the system needs annually could save a billion dollars in the long run while ensuring children and youth receive the services and treatment they need. Speaker, will the minister of finance explain why none of the new federal health transfer money for mental health initiatives was allotted to children and youth? Also a good question. Minister? Minister of Health? Minister of Health, long-term care. And the importance of this issue is part of the reason why we announced $140 million towards mental health services, including access to cognitive behavioral therapy, supportive housing as well, while we announced in Barry 10 inpatient beds for children and youth's mental health, as well as a set of outpatient services, Mr. Speaker. But this is precisely why OHIP Plus is so important. We know that 70% of mental illness emerges during childhood, Mr. Speaker. And for the first time in this process, those children and those youth are going to have free access to the medicines that they need to deal with their mental illness. That's right. He's a farmer. Thank you. And your question, member from Tamek Hocker. Thank you. My questions to the Premier. Ontario hospitals have been driven to the breaking point while your government and this budget won't undo the damage. Operating funding for hospitals is $300 million short of what the hospitals say they needed. That means our community hospitals will continue to be squeezed, patients will be continued, will be continued to be treated in hallways and Northern rural hospitals will continue to be forced to cut the services that people count on. Why is this government continuing to refuse the damage they've caused in our hospitals? Thank you, Premier. Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Minister of Health, Long-Term Care. A billion in Ontario's hospitals. And this past week in our budget, we announced more than $500 million or a 3.1% increase to the bottom line that base funding the operational cost of hospitals right across this province. And that means that all Ontario hospitals are going to get a minimum increase of at least 2%. And we've reserved that extra part specifically so we could address those challenges that are faced by a number of hospitals across this province, whether that's in their ERs, whether that's bed capacity facing a high level of population growth in their regions. And Mr. Speaker, I would ask that the member opposite perhaps might want to speak to the Ontario Health Association, sorry, the Ontario Hospital Association, the OHA. Answer. With regards to their response to what is outlined in the budget, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Supplementary. Four years. Speaker, once again, back to the Premier. Hospital budgets have been frozen for years. And a 2% increase, a 2% increase is basically inflation. Like that's nothing to crow about. Giving inflationary costs to the base budget isn't exactly a huge gift. So the people who are in hallways and the surgeries that are being canceled are not going to be corrected by simpler and inflationary increase. Why is this government refusing to acknowledge this problem? Thank you. Thank you. Minister. So Mr. Speaker, Anthony Dale, the President and CEO of the Ontario Hospital Association had this to say about our budget. The government's significant investments in hospital capital because we added 9 million to the 11 million that's already there for a total of 20 billion, sorry, billion dollars over the next decade will help to support a sustainable healthcare system for the future. With regards to the operational investments, today's investment in the healthcare sector is an acknowledgement of the capacity challenges that hospitals have been facing. It also signals a renewed commitment from government to expand and enhance access to care across the continuum. And Mr. Speaker, today's budget announcement, he goes on to say is an investment in patient care and will help maintain system stability and strengthen access to frontline services. A 3.1% more than half a billion addition to the half billion that we increased by last year. That's more than a billion dollars in two years to our hospitals, Mr. Speaker. New question to the member from Davenport. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Last week, our government introduced a budget which includes significant investments in healthcare. In fact, the 2017 budget includes an additional $7 billion for the healthcare sector over the next three years to reduce wait times, provide access to care and enhance the patient experience. But most importantly, Mr. Speaker, this budget includes funding for priority healthcare services that will have a real impact for Ontario families. Mr. Speaker, this budget invests in our hospitals in long-term care homes, in mental health, and in our world-class healthcare professionals. But, Mr. Speaker, there is one piece of this budget that stands out for me as the member from Davenport more than anything else. Youth and parents in my community are particularly excited about the new OHIP Plus program. Can the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care please inform this House of the historic investment our government is making in Ontario's children and youth? Thank you, Minister. Mr. Speaker, it truly is historic, and that's the way it's being described across this country, Mr. Speaker. Pharmacare for Ontarians and for Canadians is so vitally important, that issue of access to medicine. And come January 1st, not sometime deep into the future, potentially, January 1st of 2018, four million Ontarians, including the member from Niagara West Glandbrook, Mr. Speaker, four million children and youth under the age of 25 are going to be able to go into pharmacies with their parents if they're underage with a prescription from their healthcare provider and receive absolutely free of charge. No copayment, no annual deductible, access to 4,400 medications. Drugs for cancer, Mr. Speaker. Drugs for rare disease. And this is truly a historic moment in Ontario's history and indeed in Canada's history, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Thank you, thank you, Minister, for that response and thank you to the Minister and the Premier for all their hard work and dedication in ensuring access to prescription medications for Ontario's children and youth. As the mother of two young boys, I know how important this access is, and this new program will make a tremendous difference for those families who struggle with poverty and social inequality. It's going to give these families and their children in Davenport and across the whole province, Mr. Speaker, a better opportunity to grow strong and healthy and a chance at a brighter future. But most importantly, it is going to impact all of Ontario's children and youth. No matter the circumstances, no matter the socioeconomic status of the child or their parents, all Ontarians under the age of 24 will benefit equally from this program. Speaker, can the Minister of Health and long-term care please share with this House the impact the program will have for Ontario families? Minister? Well, Mr. Speaker, this is such an important advancement to Medicare in this province. It's the biggest transformation, I would argue, in the history of the 51 years that Medicare has existed nationally. It provides that national leadership to Premier by making this decision and showing such courage is making that bold statement to the rest of the country, Mr. Speaker, that this can be done. This must be done, Mr. Speaker. Access to medicine is one of the most fundamental issues of health equity. I'm proud to be in a cabinet and part of a caucus with the Premier that has such vision and courage and hold this visionary aspect of Medicare, and we're going to deliver it come January 1st. And, sir? 4 million children and youth under the age of 25. Thank you. You've seen it, please. You've seen it, please. New question to the member from Kitchener, Conestoga. Yes, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Mr. Speaker, will the Premier explain why she's allowing a return of full-to-radar back on major expressways and roads in the province of Ontario? Full-to-radar. Thank you. Minister of Transportation? Transportation. Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. The member opposite knows that, in fact, with Bill 65, this government is moving forward. The Safe School Zones Act, we're moving forward to help protect our most vulnerable road users because municipalities and road safety partners asked us for the support of the Speaker in school zones and in community safety zones, and only in those municipalities that want to take advantage of the power that this legislation had passed would provide to them, Speaker. Thanks very much. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Mr. Speaker, if only the wind liberals were focusing on protecting students with Bill 65, of course, we certainly support and enhance student safety. But as we know with this government, the devil is always in the details. Instead of a road to student safety, they've chosen a sneaky route, placing us on a slippery slope to allow photo radar on potentially any municipal parkway, expressway, allow photo radar on potentially... North, come to order. This will parkway, expressway, road, and highway right across the province. This Premier is quite literally bringing us back to the future and putting photo radar back to highways in Ontario. Bill 65, the photo radar act is in committee today. Will the Premier bring the focus back to school safety and stop her green light to speed-trap cameras on municipal highways and roads across the entire province? Thank you. Mr. Secretary, thank you very much, Speaker. I think the more pertinent question for that member is why has his party and his leader brought forward 214 amendments, procedural delays, Speaker, that will help deny giving municipalities that choose to use the power the opportunity to protect our most vulnerable road users, Speaker. Something John Tory... I've listened throughout to all of the debates on Bill 65, and I've heard that member, and I've heard the member from Nipissing, and I've heard other members on that side of the legislature literally stand up and on the one hand, Speaker, claim that they want to protect our most vulnerable road users, including those older pedestrians and school students, so Speaker, who are on their way to their community and neighborhood schools, and yet, Speaker, again, when they had the chance to work constructively with us on Bill 65 against, Speaker, more than 200 amendments to slow down the process, Speaker. The question is it, why won't we do something, Speaker? The question is, why won't they help us protect Ontario school students? The member from Kitchener-Conestoga. The member from Nicobelt, no question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Prime Minister. But Ontario... Let's repeat. By the decades of liberal cuts. And the Premier budget does nothing to undo the damage already done. As the Ontario Health Coalition says, and I quote, this budget will... Minister of the environment. ...of overcrowding faced by hospitals across Ontario, and patients will continue to wait on stretcher in hospital hallways. Why is this Premier ignoring the overcrowding in our hospital, and basically turning her back on patient care? Thank you. Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Minister of Health, Long-Term Care. Well, we're doing the opposite of that, Mr. Speaker. We're doing the opposite of what the NDP did when they were in government, when they closed 24% of all acute beds in the province, when they closed 13% of all the mental health beds in this province. What we're doing is we added $9 billion to the 11 billion that's already there for $20 billion new dollars for capital improvements, new hospitals, redevelopments across this province. And we named some of those... Windsor. Some of those, including the hospital in Windsor and elsewhere, Mr. Speaker. But on the operational side, more than half a billion dollars on top of last year's, roughly half a billion dollars, that this year's budget alone is a 3.1% increase to operating funding. It means that every single hospital across this province is going to benefit and benefit substantially, Mr. Speaker. We continue to make these investments to make sure that we got the highest quality care. Supplementary. Thank you, Speaker. The premiums budget fails our healthcare system. It fails our hospital and let the crisis of hallway medicine continues. It fails patients who needs care and have to wait days to get it. Today, hospitals are operating 1,100 unfunded beds. More than 250 of those beds are in hallways and storage rooms that were never designed to provide patient care. Surgeries are still being canceled today, as we speak. An emergency room wait time are longer than they have been in a decade. Why is this premier ignoring the damage that she's done and refusing to stop the cuts to our hospitals? Thank you, minister. So, Mr. Speaker, here's what the NDP apparently don't like about our budget. I already mentioned the extra $9 billion on capital. They don't like the fact... Mr. Speaker, they obviously don't like the fact that we're investing $11 billion more dollars over the next three years in our healthcare budget, where we're investing $500 million to support our hospitals, to reduce wait times and expand capacity. They don't like the fact that we're investing $140 million to expand access to mental health services over the next three years, or $101 million over the next three years to support our dementia strategy. They don't like the fact that we're adding $100 million to support the creation and expansion of interprofessional teams over the next three years, or $80 million for long-term care, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Another question from Perry. So, Dana, say it's great. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Labor. Today on May the 1st, we recognize the beginning of Mental Health Week. Mental Health Week is an annual national event to encourage people from all walks of life to learn, talk, reflect, and engage with others on all issues relating to mental health. People often associate the Ministry of Labor's health and safety initiatives with preventing and responding to physical injuries. However, more and more, I'm hearing from constituents about the importance of mental health. Ontarians want to know what mental health will be taking, that mental health will be taken seriously in their workplaces. Can the Minister please share with us what he is doing to ensure that our government is taking action to promote mental health in the workplace? Good question. Thank you, Minister of Labor. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you for that excellent question. Speaker, this week, we're going to recognize Mental Health Week and it reminds us of how much mental health affects us all, Speaker. It affects us at home. It affects us at work as well. In fact, today, speaking Canada, as I speak today, about a half a million Canadians are unable to go to work today because of either mental health concerns or illnesses. Now, smart employers know if they look after their workers as well as their bottom line, they become even more successful. So I'm excited to announce this week two new initiatives of the Ministry of Labor that are going to help promote the importance of mental health in our workplace. The first is a webinar. It's free. It's an hour long. Any organization in Ontario can avail itself of it. I'm also proud to let you know we're launching a new portal later this month. It's a one-stop shop. It contains free workplace mental health resources for all employers in this province, Speaker. Speaker, we're investing in mental health. It's the right thing to do. Thank you. Supplementary. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the minister for his answer. I'm happy to hear how committed our government is in promoting mental health in the workplace. We've come a long way on this issue of mental health. Everyone has continued, continued role to play. It's clear that we've made tremendous strides in advancing workplace mental health in Ontario. Last Thursday, as part of the budget, further plans were announced to support workers across Ontario. Can the minister please give us further details on the recent plans that were unveiled? Good budget. Thank you, minister. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the member for that excellent question again. Speaker, in the budget, the proposed budget that we have before, Speaker, is going to ensure finally that workers who develop chronic mental stress will be entitled to benefits that are provided by the WSIB. Benefits for injured workers in this province, Speaker, have long been a priority of this government, but we know that workers don't just suffer physical injuries. There's invisible injuries as well, Speaker, the ones we can't see, and although they're unseen, they're still equally as significant. Chronic mental stress speakers become a reality for far too many workers in this province. Those workers, they deserve the benefits, they deserve the supports, we're already providing to workers who suffer traumatic injuries and stress. This is one important step in our effort, Speaker, to make this province the most psychologically safe place to work in the world. Speaker, we all need to do a part. We're committed to make sure that Ontarians are protected from chronic mental stress. New question, member from Redford, Nipissing, Pembroke. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Municipal Affairs. The Bodyshire River system has experienced flooding at a level like we've never seen before. People living on Round Lake and Golden Lake and along the river have been engaged in a man versus nature battle for the last few weeks. The amount of damage to homes and properties is extensive. The disaster recovery program now allows for individuals to be compensated for some of their losses, but that program can only be triggered by the Minister and his officials. I'm sending over a most recent copy of the Eganville Leader and I'll provide a thumb drive later with photos so that the Minister can see for himself the damage. There's no question in my mind that this spring's flooding event qualifies and I would ask the Minister to make that call as expeditiously as possible so that people can get on with their lives. Thank you. Minister, may I first? Thank you. I want to thank the member for the question. I want to begin by saying I'm aware clearly of what's going on in Renfrew County. On the weekend, I want the member to know I did reach out to the Mayor's, Mayor Vizneski from Killillow, Hagerty and Richards, Mayor Gruntz from Brondell, Lindock and Raglan, Mayor Love from Atowaska Valley, Mayor Far North Elgona-Wilberforce, Mayor Murphy from Bonacere Valley and Mayor LeMay from Pembroke. When I reached at least five of them, the goal in reaching out to them was to ensure as best I was able to discern from our conversations that those municipalities and those mayors were receiving the assistance and the information that they needed to convey back to their constituents as they all deal with this tragedy, this major environmental issue that's going on. It sounds to me like they're getting the benefit of the information out of the Kingston office. They're well prepared to speak to their constituents. In the supplementary, I'm happy to provide a bit more information for the member in terms of the program, how it works and when, if ever, it gets activated. Thank you. Thank you, supplementary. Minister, I recognize there is a process I appreciate you reaching out to local officials and that officials from your ministry were in the riding yesterday. But people can't wait. They need to know that their government will be there when disaster strikes. It rained heavily over the weekend and another downpour is expected today with heavy rains later in the week. This is only going to increase not only the financial losses but the level of frustration that people are feeling as well. I firmly believe that once the minister has the opportunity to review the data, he will agree with me and local municipal leaders that this spring flooding warrants the enacting of the disaster recovery program. I emphasize once again, this is an event of historical proportions along the Bonnisher River and I ask the minister to recognize this as a disaster as quickly as possible. Can we have that commitment? Thank you, minister. Mr. Speaker, let me first of all thank the member for his advocacy on behalf of his constituents. The way the program will work is that the ministry folks on the ground make the assessment. They cannot do that assessment, Speaker, until the waters have receded so they're able to see and determine exactly what has occurred. Once they've been able to gather that data to make that assessment, they will then make a recommendation back to me as the minister of municipal affairs based upon what they provide back to me. We will then go forward and make a recommendation on whether or not to activate that program. Unfortunately, until the water has receded, it's not possible for the ministry staff to do their work. There is a possibility there, Speaker, for people on the private side to get assistance, possibly. Again, that requires the work of the people on the ground. There's a second component to the program that deals with municipal infrastructure. But again, Speaker, the best I can do for the member in terms of his advocacy for his constituents is to let them know the water has to recede before the ministry can do its work, make a recommendation back to me. Once they receive that, we'll expedite the process as quickly as we can. New question, the member from Kitchener Waterloo. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Mr. Sillat is a retired senior from Waterloo who is living in pain. He survived cancer, and now he needs two surgeries, a knee replacement and back surgery. Mr. Sillat's first met with a surgeon 15 months ago. He doesn't even know when his first surgical consult on his knees will be. But as of December 2016, it is a 413-day wait between consultation and surgery in Waterloo region. He continues to wait to find out how long he'll be waiting for surgery, Mr. Speaker. And while he waits, his situation gets worse. Mr. Sillat is trying to lose weight to qualify for back surgery, but because of his knee issues, he has reduced mobility, which affects his entire health. Speaker, Mr. Sillat is in pain. And after nine years of liberal cuts to hospital funding and four years of freezes, why does this liberal government believe it is acceptable to give hospitals $300 million less than what they need to help people like Mr. Sillat in the province of Ontario? Mr. Health and Long-Term Care. Mr. Health, Long-Term Care. Well, Mr. Speaker, we're contributing more than $500 million to our hospitals this year. That is a 3.1% increase. And it allows us, in fact, to target specific challenges that are being faced. It allows for a substantial new increase in cataract surgeries. It allows for a substantial increase in hip and knee surgery, Mr. Speaker. But what I would encourage the member opposite to do if she hasn't already is that she should remind that individual that wait lists do vary from place to place, from surgeon to surgeon. She should encourage that individual's family physician to see what the wait times are and to see if there might be another provider that can perform it nearby sooner. And work with the Linn, because this is precisely what the Linn is there for. And I've talked with the Linn, and there are many examples of where they work directly in patients to help them with this. Deputy Premier. Order, I have, I want to welcome Joanne Sharon from Vanier Children's Services here today, a great champion of Children's Mental Health. Thank you, Minister Turf from Culture Sports. Speaker, thank you. I'd like to welcome from my riding at Burlington, Brian Hansel. Thank Brian for joining us today in the members' gallery for Children's Mental Health Week. Welcome, Brian, to Queens Park. Minister of Municipal Affairs, on the point of order. Thank you. I was a little late getting to QP this morning. Once again, I'd like to welcome my oldest son, Dustin Morrill, from the members' east gallery. Thank you. There being no deferred votes, this house stands recess until 1 PM this afternoon.