 time we're going to move to Member Statements. Member Statements, Member Statements, the Member for Starnia-Lampton. Well, thank you. Thank you, Madam Speaker and Mr. Speaker, in a short moment or two. It's an honour to rise again in the Ontario Legislature, and I'd like to take this opportunity to share with the Legislature an update on an important infrastructure project in Starnia-Lampton. This week our government launched public consultations into the much-needed and much-discussed Highway 40 widening project in Starnia-Lampton, expanding the seven-kilometre stretch of highway that links Lampton County's chemistry value and Highway 4 to a critical infrastructure project that will support future growth in the chemistry industry in Starnia-Lampton and Ontario and improve highway safety for residents of Lampton County. Our government began preliminary design and environmental assessment work for the Highway 40 widening in April of 2022. Public consultations are the next step in delivering on this important project. I encourage all interested residents of Starnia-Lampton to visit the website highway40widening.ca to review the project documents and to add their input on how best the Ontario government can expand this highway in the best way possible for our community. Again, please visit highway40widening.ca before December 10th to share your opinion on the design and build of this future highway expansion. Mr. Speaker, expanding Highway 40 is another example of this government's plan to build Ontario with investments in our transportation system that will reduce gridlock, improve economic productivity and get drivers home to their loved ones faster. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Member Statements, Member for Waterloo. Very much, Speaker. Last night I had the great pleasure and privilege of attending the Order of Ontario ceremony, the province's highest civilian honour. I was attending specifically to join Elizabeth Whitmer and her family, but I must say I was so pleased to bear witness to the strength and intelligence of the 26 appointees. Elizabeth Whitmer, as you know, is well respected in Waterloo region. She was our first female MPP and is known as a quiet trailblazer who always carried a spirit of thoughtful leadership and reform. She continues to serve the public and is currently the Chair of Kids Ability. Elizabeth was in good company amongst others, Marva Wisdom, Cindy Adams, the honourable Rosemary Moody. She was also joined by former MPP Diane Cunningham from London. Some of the appointees have spent their entire lives working to make Ontario a better, healthier and more inclusive place. Arthur Lockhart, who established the Gate House, included advocacy to move the shame of sexual abuse to a place of courage. Pauline Shirt, who is described as a wisdom keeper. Eric Lindross, for his charitable work and game-changing advocacy on concussion reform through Rowan's Law, and restaurateur Biazio Vinci, who is involved in the Out of the Cold programme and extended his work to feed hot meals to frontline health care workers during the pandemic. He does so to honour his mother. Last night it was said that his greatest dish is compassion. Speaker, there are too many to highlight. Many of the order of Ontario recipients were visibly uncomfortable in the spotlight. They are just good people, doing good work, and our province is a better place because of them. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the Member for Perth, Wellington. Thank you, Speaker. It's my pleasure to rise here today to highlight the amazing work of a constituent in my riding of Perth, Wellington. Jacqueline Usher, a paramedic with the Perth County Emergency Medical Services, and she recently won the Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs OAPC Humanitarian Award. The award was introduced in 2012 and recognises an act of unselfish donation of time or money by paramedic or emergency medical service professionals to relieve the suffering of humanity. Jacqueline has shown an unwavering commitment to the well-being of the community of Perth County, particularly during the tough times of COVID-19. Not only did Jacqueline serve our community as a paramedic, but during the chaos of the pandemic she identified a local issue that was exaggerated by the pandemic, food security. Jacqueline proceeded to dedicate her time and effort working with the House of Blessing to make sure that a continuous supply of food for the people in need for Perth County. Her volunteerism and dedication to the well-being of our community is commendable and she is a great role model for many who want to see our neighbours and friends prosper. I know I speak for our community when I say that we are grateful for the hard-working and caring people in Perth, Wellington, like Jacqueline. Jacqueline, thank you for making our community a better place to live and raise a family. Thank you. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Oshawa. Thank you, Speaker. People are hungry. Feed the need in Durham is seeing unbelievable increases in visits. In 2019 they had 75,000 visits and they are on track to hit 240,000 this year. So the growth is exponential and despite the generosity of our community, food and funds cannot match the demand, which has grown so quickly. I have faith in the great work that Ben Earl, his team and all the volunteers are doing, but the needs are overwhelming our safety nets. More clients are fully employed and own homes. They just cannot make ends meet as their cost of living has increased over the past few years. We are seeing this across the country. 96% of food bank users in Durham indicate that the reason for their visit to the food bank last year was due to the rising cost of food needed to support themselves and their families. One in four food bank users last year were first-time clients. The bottom line is that Feed the Need, like food banks across Ontario, is being asked to respond to challenges that are the result of policy failures at the provincial level. Social assistance rates are woefully insufficient to say the least. Housing policies will not actually address the challenges faced by residents in Durham and employment standards do not ensure good work that pays at minimum a living wage. Caroline Stewart, the CEO of Feed Ontario, answered reporters at Queen's Park about what the government can do to support food banks. Speaker, they don't want government funding for food banks. They want government to fund people. They want better policy that addresses underlying causes of poverty and to look at social assistance and a proper housing plan. So, Premier, please invest in communities, people and the systems they rely on so people can feed themselves. Thank you. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Mississauga Lakeshore. Thank you, Speaker. On Saturday, I was proud to attend the grand opening for the new art shelter in the sunflower field at Lakeview Village and thanks to the $103,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to the dance theater company Frog in Hand. This will be an exciting new community space for local art programs. Since last summer, I had the opportunity to announce over $3 million in OTF grants to over 20 local nonprofits in Mississauga. This includes $411,000 for deemed support services to expand their program for people living with integrity of disabilities. This includes $350,000 for Armahouse, the only transitional shelter for domestic violence victims in Peel Regional. This includes $149,000 for Team Unbreakable to expand their free mental health program. The Eagle Spirits of the Great Waters received $21,000 for Indigenous workshops. $191,000 went to the Dawn Rowing Club and $99,000 to the Mississauga Canoe Club, where I volunteered as property manager long time ago. Earlier this month, our sprint canoeist, Katie Vincent won gold at the Pan Am Games in Chile. She was named one of Canada's flag bears for the closing ceremonies. On behalf of all the members, I want to congratulate Katie and I want to congratulate all our nonprofits for receiving these grants and on everything they're doing for our community. So I want to just congratulate them all for all they're doing. Thank you. Thank you very much. Member Statements to Member for Niagara Falls. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Affordability. Our neighbors in Niagara feel in the crunch on the affordability crisis and it's hitting hard, especially around housing. Our municipality in Niagara are falling short on housing targets, at no fault of their own. The council in Niagara Falls hit the nail on the head, including Councillor Piro Angelo, who said this, we can approve them, but we can't ensure that they're going to be built. It's nice to have a plan, but it's better if it's realistic and achievable. And I just don't know how we make sure that it's achievable. The Conservatives Housing Plan is failing this province after wasting years cutting deals with their friends in the Greenbelt. They promised 1.5 million homes. In Niagara Falls, it's a 21-year wait list for a one-bedroom apartment. Nine years in Fort Erie. Food Bank uses has skyrocketed. 800,000 adults and children access a food bank in Ontario this year, an increase of 38%. Those on social assistance are facing legislated poverty. Enough with the lip service, we need solutions. It's time for this province to roll of its sleeves, get back to building homes and tackle the affordability crisis head-on. How can the Premier tell the people of Ontario we are 1,000 times better off from when he became Premier? Family, friends, grandkids are going to bed hungry every night in the province of Ontario. We deserve better. Thank you. Thank you. Member Statements, the Member for Thunder Bay, Attic, Oaken. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was pleased to attend the recent swearing-in ceremony of 45 new Ontario Provincial Police Officers at the headquarters in Averilia. It was a momentous occasion, one that signifies the commitment and dedication of these individuals to serve and protect our communities. Among these dedicated recruits is my good friend Curtis Trotz, who has made the transition from the City of Thunder Bay Police Force to serve at the OPP station in Armstrong. Curtis' decision to join the OPP is a testament to his unwavering commitment to public safety and his willingness to embrace new challenges in the pursuit of a safer Ontario. Congratulations, Curtis. I'd also like to extend my congratulations to Natasha McClellan, who will be serving right here at Queen's Park. Your presence and dedication to serving in the heart of our province and its governance is truly commendable. Your service here, safeguarding the very institutions that shape our great province, is of immense importance. Welcome, Natasha. I want to recognize the sacrifices made by the families of our police officers and the vital role that they have in supporting their family members as they serve our communities. In closing, I want to thank all officers for their dedication to upholding the law, protecting our citizens. Once again, I offer my congratulations. May you all return home safely at the end of every shift. Thank you. Thank you very much. Member statements? The Member for Chatham Kent, Leamington. Thank you, Speaker. Recently, I had the pleasure of joining members of the Blenheim Medical Health Foundation who unveiled plans to develop a local health hub which will provide primary multidisciplinary health care to a catchment area that extends well beyond the community of Blenheim to include rural areas of South Kent, Bridgetown and the surrounding areas. This facility will house a wide range of health care professionals and services, including family physicians, nurse practitioners, diagnostic imaging personnel, laboratory, physiotherapy, pharmacy and mental health care services, all under one roof. I'm so proud of this community-driven grassroots movement and want to acknowledge members of the Foundation, including Mr. Ed O'Brien, Ms. Joan Hackett, Ms. Kathy Smith, Dr. Andrew Lanz O'Brien and the countless blood and maria residents and businesses who supported them all. I want to acknowledge also the extreme generosity of Peter and Annie Timmermans who selflessly donated the beautiful 26,000 square foot building, the former Anderson's agribusiness research building in Highland Drive, to house our future health care hub and make this dream of comprehensive rural health a reality. The collective effort will create a warm, welcoming, comprehensive and professional space to better support all rural residents from young families to seniors who are all being supported by a central integrated whole person health care facility. Thank you, Speaker. Well done. Thank you very much. Member statements, the member for Essex. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to tell the Assembly about Isabelle. Isabelle is a grade 12 student and Isabelle is enrolled in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program. Isabelle takes classes at the Carpenters Union, where she learns the basics of math and reading and writing, but she also takes programming with regard to skilled trades. And Isabelle is going to have all of the basic skills that she needs when she graduates to enter into an apprenticeship program. At the same time, she's going to get her Ontario secondary school diploma all at the same time. All of this is made possible by a great partnership between the Greater Essex County District School Board and the Carpenters Union, which has contributed approximately half a million dollars to make this program possible. And of course, it's also made possible by the excellent policies of this provincial government. Mr. Speaker, I want to encourage Isabelle and the hundreds of students, thousands of students, just like Isabelle, who are going to finish their Ontario secondary school diploma and get great apprenticeship training through the programs offered by this government. Please, Isabelle, and all your friends, keep up the great work. Thank you. Thank you. Member Statements. Thank you. I beg to inform the House that pursuant to Standing Order 9G, the clerk has received written notice from the Government House Leader indicating that a temporary change in the weekly meeting schedule of the House is required, and therefore the afternoon routine on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, shall commence at 1 p.m. The introduction of visitors. I recognize the Minister of Colleges and Universities. Mr. Speaker, and this morning I would like to introduce representatives from Western University, President Allen Shepherd,