 It is now time for question period and I recognize the member from Brampton Center. My question is to the Premier. Despite repeated claims from the Ford government that the COVID-19 pandemic is under control here in our province, yesterday families saw a record number of new cases. But the Ford government still seems more concerned with words than actually taking action. The Premier spent the last few weeks blaming Ottawa for a lack of vaccine planning. But on Friday the government's vaccine task force met for the first time speaker to discuss a vaccine distribution plan that is supposed to be ready for this province in days. Why is the government once again scrambling scrambling to address this crisis? Thank you. Turn to the Minister of Health. Thank you speaker and thank you to the member opposite for the question. In fact, we have been working on vaccine planning for months. This is something that both the Office of the Solicitor General as well as the Ministry of Health have been working on together because this is the largest immunization campaign in at least 100 years in Ontario. This is mass if there are many, many logistics to be thought of and organized here. We do have the task force that's organized by General Hillier who's leading the task force has said on a number of occasions that he was very impressed with the significant amount of work that had already been done in planning and the task force is building on that foundational base. Thank you back to the member for supplementary. Thank you speaker. Before government tries to deny it, the COVID-19 pandemic is a real crisis. Hospitalizations have doubled since November 1st. The head of Ontario's hospital association said this weekend and I'll quote, I don't think the people of Ontario realize the gravity of what's about to happen. Families don't need the premier to make empty claims that the curve is going down while they delay critical investments. The longer this government tries to wait things out, the worse it's going to get. When will we see a plan to ensure that the most vulnerable people in our province and the hardest hit communities get not just back a vaccine, but the help that they need to survive this pandemic speaker. Back to the member or to the minister of health. Thank you speaker and I would say to the member opposite through you, Mr. Speaker, we certainly recognize that this is a very, very critical time, both in terms of testing and making sure that we can care for people. We have built up the reserves in order to be able to do that. We've spent hundreds of millions of dollars to do that. We've created over 3100 more beds. We've created we're building up the health human resources. We've spent over a billion dollars in testing, tracing and contact management. And while we have the light at the end of the tunnel, which is the vaccine that's going to be coming forward, we're urging everybody to still please follow the public health measures that are so necessary in order to prevent further community transition, transmission, but we are ready for it. We are ready. Our hospitals are ready. I am in regular contact with the Ontario Hospital Association and we're making the regulatory changes that we need to. We're making the changes in moving regions, public health regions to green to yellow or red as we need to. That's why we needed to put both Peele and Toronto into lockdown. Thank you to prevent that community. Thank you very much. Back to the member from Brampton Centre for final supplementary. Well, Speaker, the Ford government may want to deny it, but we are now entering the most challenging part of this crisis. More than ever, families, especially vulnerable families, essential workers need their government to step up and start taking action. That means a ban on eviction so that people have a home that they can safely isolate in. That means paid sick days so essential workers don't have to choose between health and taking a loss on a day's pay. And that means a cap on class sizes so that our schools can be a safe place for our children. When will this government stop trying to play the waiting game and spend the money that needs to be invested in this province and help people now? Recognize the Minister of Labor. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. We've been putting workers and the families and the people of this province number one in every decision we make. And in fact, Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to say at our ministry at Labor Training and Skills Development, we launched Community Safety Blitzes on Thanksgiving weekend. We're sending more than 200 provincial offences officers and Ministry of Labor inspectors into zones across the province that are facing high numbers of COVID-19 to ensure that businesses have stepped up their following public health advice and putting in the health and safety protocols to keep workers safe, to keep customers safe, and Mr. Speaker, to keep every community safe across the province. Thank you. Next question, the member from Rampton Center. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, my question is to the Premier this weekend, another 28 families tragically lost a loved one due to COVID-19 in our long-term care homes. For months, the Ford government has denied that their decision to cancel resident quality inspections in long-term care homes has left seniors vulnerable. On Friday, the government's own long-term care commission said that they were wrong and called for inspections to be reinstated immediately. Will the Ford government finally stop denying that these cuts had terrible consequences and reverse them? Recognize the minister of long-term care. Thank you, Speaker. Our government has been clear since the beginning of this pandemic that our priority, our commitment is to the residents and staff in long-term care. These are our most vulnerable people around the world. These long-term care homes and long-term care residents are being affected across Canada. The same the same issue. Ontario has taken steps and we've moved decisively the whole way. We're acting on the auditor general's report from 2015 when there was a transition from the RQIs to the risk-based inspections. And to be clear, this was validated by Justice Gilles in her inquiry recommendations in the summer of 2019. Every home in Ontario is inspected annually and it's unannounced. And there were over 2,000, almost 3,000 inspections last year in comparison to 2012. So risk-based inspections allowed us to double the responses to complaints and critical incidents in this shift that was recommended by the auditor general and supported in the recommendations by Justice Gilles. Thank you very much. Stop the clock, please. Just a reminder, okay? I'm hearing some noise from the opposition when responses are being given and I really, truthfully, I don't appreciate it. So I'm going to ask that we have, and the clerks' table, we have things under control and I would ask that those comments be refrained. So thank you very much. Back to the member from Brampton Centre for a second question. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. Well, Speaker, for months the Premier and his minister of long-term care insisted that for-profit long-term care homes were rigorously inspected and held to high standards. Their own commission now says that this just simply isn't the case. And as a result, residents in long-term care were left unprotected from COVID-19 outbreaks. Will the Ford government now admit the decision to cut these inspections was wrong and commit today to immediately implement the commission's recommendations? To the minister of long-term care for response. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. So we're very grateful to the commissioners for their information, their insights and their guidance and that's why we struck the commission is to understand in a more fulsome way and an objective way what else could be done. As I said, we are inspecting the homes on an annual basis. There are more inspections than were done in 2012 and their inspectors issued more compliance orders in 2019 than 2018, 17 and 16. And the inspections are a combination and not only are the Ministry of Long-Term Care inspectors in homes, Ministry of Labor, Public Health Unit, Medical Officers of Health and their staff are in providing the scrutiny in these homes. And so what the commissioners did say in their second letter was to have a better coordination of these inspections, which I believe is that we will be considering. But there are inspections. There are annual inspections. There are unannounced inspections. There are almost 3,000 inspections this year. And we'll continue to provide all the scrutiny and all the levers. And can we improve? Absolutely. We will continue to improve. Thank you very much. Final supplementary from the member of RUM. We're after the Senate. Well, Speaker, the government's own commission describes a broken inspection system. And the minister knows that there is a difference between the resident quality inspections and the critical inspections that are being done right now. There is a major difference between them. And she knows that for-profit facilities were not properly inspected. And even when those inspections did identify in problems, those recommendations weren't even acted upon. The Premier has been trying to save money when in fact he should be trying to save lives. And he's been protecting those long-term care homes, their owners, when in fact he should be protecting those vulnerable residents in our long-term care homes. When will the Premier stop defending the indefensible and start taking action? Thank you. Back to the minister of long-term care. Thank you, Speaker. Our government's been taking swift and decisive action since the very beginning, putting residents at the center. And the studies do show that the major driver of an outbreak is the incidents in the community and the severity of an outbreak is related to the older aged homes, which were not rebuilt and not redeveloped over the years preceding our government. So our government has been the very first government to look at these issues, these very severe issues, whether it's staffing or the capacity in the homes and the older rooms. So this is something that we've been doing and to mention the dollars is just not accurate. Our government has spent more dollars than previous governments. If you look at the $540 million, the $461 million to improve the pay for our frontline workers, the $243 million that we put out initially to provide staffing and IPAC support, the $30 million to provide more IPAC training, the $2.8 million to provide PPE, and the tens of millions of dollars for additional training. The dollars have gone out. We are making sure that the long-term care sector is... Thank you very much. Next question, the member from Toronto, Dan Ford. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker to the Premier. During this pandemic, while most people were focused on trying to stay safe, this government was busy launching sneak attacks against the environment on behalf of well-connected developers, most of whom happened to be donors to the PC Party of Ontario or to the Premier. Over the weekend, most of the Greenbelt Council, including its well-respected Chair, David Cromby, submitted their resignations in protest against this government's attacks on the conservation authorities, an attack buried in the pages of an omnibus bill. Why is this Premier constantly attacking the environment for the benefit of his developer, friends, and donors? Why? Thank you. Recognize the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of the Environment. Municipal Affairs. Municipal Affairs. I knew that. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the member opposite for that question. Mr. Speaker, of course, we want to thank all members of the Greenbelt Council for their service. The amendments to Schedule 6 of Bill 229 state very clearly that they do not apply to the lands within the Greenbelt. The Minister has been clear that we will not permit any development in Greenbelt. Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to expanding the equality and quantity of Greenbelt in our budget 2020. That's why the Minister asked the Council for an action plan that we could use to achieve this. But unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, there's been no progress or clear strategy put forward by the Council. And we're hoping that with the fresh perspective on the Council, we will be able to fulfill this commitment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Next question back to the member from Sudbury. Thank you, Speaker. My question is also to the Premier. Speaker, my office has been flooded with calls from Sudburyans who are demanding that Schedule 6 be removed from the COVID bill. It's not just Sudburyans, Speaker. The Greenbelt Council, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, conservation authorities, environmental groups, cartridges associations, and thousands of regular people have asked the Conservative government to stop its attack on the conservation authorities. But instead of listening to these nonpartisan voices, the Premier and his ministers treated these people with disrespect and contempt. The Conservatives have doubled down, made their bad bill even worse. And why is it, Speaker, that the only people who count for the Premier are his developer friends and donors? Thank you. Thank you. I refer to the government house leader for response. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course, nothing can be further from the truth. Many of the recommendations with respect to change the conservation authority come after months of consultations between the minister and stakeholders. We have heard in this House on a number of occasions the importance of flood mitigation and building on the Made in Ontario Environment Plan. Of course, we have brought the conservation authorities back to their core mandates, which is flood prevention. And in adding to that, Mr. Speaker, we've enabled conservation authorities to issue stop work orders. They've never been able to do that before. We're allowing conservation authorities to appeal under certain sections of the Planning Act. We've not done that before. And we've made appointments to the conservation authorities more democratic, Mr. Speaker. I think these are good changes. They build on the progress that we've made on protecting the environment. And I hope the members opposite will support it after question. Thank you. Next question, the member from Aurora, Oak Ridges, Richmond Hill. Thanks very much, Speaker. Over the past few weeks, my constituents, along with all Ontarians, have been relieved by the great news coming from the life sciences sector. Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca have all announced positive results regarding their COVID-19 vaccinations. But we know this is going to be the largest logistical undertaking that we've had in Ontario in a generation once vaccination production ramps up. We have to get this vaccine to every corner of this province. It's no small feat and we know we can't do it alone. We need the help of businesses and people with the necessary expertise in logistics, technology, patient care and pharmaceuticals. These partnerships will be essential in supporting the province's large scale logistical efforts for Ontario's COVID-19 vaccination program. Speaker, would the Premier please share with my constituents about what our government is doing to ensure that we have a smooth vaccination rollout? Thank you to the Premier. Well, through you, Mr. Speaker, it's great to see you in the seat there, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the member of Aurora, Oak Ridges, Richmond Hill for that question. We'll be leveraging the expertise and the resources right here in Ontario from both the public and private sectors. Our government has taken decisive leadership and created COVID-19 vaccine distribution task force to provide advice, recommendations on this very, very timely, effective and ethical execution of Ontario's COVID-19 immunization program, Mr. Speaker. The task force will focus on several key areas, specifically on delivery, logistics, administration, clinical guidance, as well as public education and outreach. Members of the task force include experts in logistics and distribution, bioethics, behavioral science, vaccines, vulnerable populations and IT infrastructure. I want to thank General Hillier for stepping up and serving as chair of this task force, Mr. Speaker. Give supplementary back to the member from Aurora, Oak Ridges, Richmond Hill. Thanks very much, Speaker. My supplemental question is also to the Premier. I also would like to send my thanks to General Hillier and all members of the vaccination task force for their commitment and sacrifice to the people of this province at this critical time. As reported, our government has been preparing for months with hundreds of officials planning for the day we receive our first vaccines. And as General Hillier said, he has been amazed at just how much work has been done. That's why our government has put the best and brightest on the task force to help this critical juncture. They will stress test and make sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that Ontario will be ready. Premier, I know that you have been, that you've had continued discussion with major pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer. Speaker, with the Premier, please elaborate more with the legislature about Ontario's vaccination preparedness and our call for further clarity from the federal government. Back to the Premier. Again, I want to thank the member for the question. I'd also like to thank the vaccination task force and for their commitment and sacrifice for the people of this province have really stepped up to the plate. Mr. Speaker, as reported, our government has been preparing for months, not days, but months and hundreds of officials planning for the day we receive the first vaccine. As General Hillier said, and our MPP have said, and everyone has said, he's amazed on how much work we've done over the last few months. That's why our government has put the best and the brightest minds on this task force to help this crucial juncture. They will stress test and make sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that Ontario will be ready. And as sure as I'm standing here, Mr. Speaker, we are ready and we're ready to get the vaccine distributed. All we need to know from the federal government is what we're getting, how much we're getting and when we're getting it and we're ready to move the troops out. Thank you. Thank you. Next question, the member from London, Vanchana. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Today's report by the Auditor General confirms what families have known for years. Retirement homes have become homes for thousands of people who should be in long-term care. And many residents are left to suffer, not being offered suitable meals, not being provided with personal hygiene services such as bathing and grooming, and bed sores that become infected. Why has the Ford government turned a blind eye? Thank you. Thank you. To the government house leader for response. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. As you know, the Minister of Seniors who has responsibility for retirement homes has been undertaking a tremendous amount of work in cooperation with the Minister of Long-Term Care and, of course, with all members on this side of the house. We recognized, obviously, right from the beginning when we took office and the Premier made it a priority that we had to rebuild and build out our long-term care sector as soon as we possibly could. That's why significant amounts of resources were put into place, Mr. Speaker, to ensure that that could happen. That also meant that additional resources would be made available for our retirement homes. We are consistently working on that, Mr. Speaker. We understand how important it is to families across the province of Ontario. And, of course, we will continue to build on the success that we've had, even despite the challenges that we've faced during the past few months. Very much. Back to the member from One Infantry for supplementary. Speaker, the auditor's findings should not be news to anyone, much less the Ford government. During COVID-19, families have heard about retirement homes infested with bedbugs, cockroaches, and broken bathrooms. The auditor reveals today that licenses are issued despite identifying red flags. That five retirement home operators have not installed fire sprinkler systems. And the financial welfare of the operators is put ahead of the mandate to protect residents. When will the government stop turning a blind eye and start making changes that residents need? Good. Recognize the minister of children, community, and social services. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And we thank the auditor general for her report. This morning, there's a lot of great information and analysis done on a number of different sectors of government, Mr. Speaker. But I can tell you that Minister Cho, the minister responsible for seniors, has been looking at all of the issues within his ministry, issues that are 15 years in the making, Mr. Speaker, because for a long, long time, that sector had been ignored by the previous government. What I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, is that Minister Cho is actively working on a comprehensive review of the Retirement Homes Act, as well, our government's senior strategy. The one thing that Minister Cho is really concerned about, Speaker, is that we help our adults, our older adults, stay healthy. We want them to be as active as possible. We want them to be as socially connected as possible within their communities. And we want them to live in safe residences, Mr. Speaker. And that's why Mr. Cho is taking the recommendations from the auditor general's report extremely seriously and will be implementing those recommendations over a period of time. Thank you. Thank you. Next question, the member from Scarborough, Gildwood. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Over the weekend, Chair David Cromby and six members of the Green Belt Council resigned in protest of this government's stubborn refusal to back down from Schedule 6 of their budget bill, 229, and doubling down on environmentally destructive amendments. Speaker, this government has once again given Ontarians no reason to believe that they would act in good faith with the broad new powers that they're granting themselves to override environmental stewards. This government has a shameful track record on the environment, as shown by the auditor general, they're failing to protect endangered species at risk, attempting to open up the Green Belt for Development in Bill 66, and bulldozing over science-based decisions and using MZOs to pay favors to the Premier's developer friends. When will this stop? This is an unbridled march to environmental disaster. The Premier was clear when he in his campaign trail said, we're going to open up the Green Belt for Development. Thank you. Thank you. Sure. Let's hear it. Over to the Premier. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I want to thank the member for her comments. I also want to thank the members, the Liberal-appointed members from the Green Belt Council for their service. I'm committed to expanding the quality and quantity of the Green Belt in 2020. Mr. Speaker, during the election I said I wasn't going to touch the Green Belt. Unlike the Liberal government that touched it 17 times, I have not touched the Green Belt. We won't touch the Green Belt. We won't build on the Green Belt. Now, when it comes to MZOs, Mr. Speaker, I know they aren't in favor of accelerating 3,700 long-term care home beds, 720 affordable housing units, 100 supportive housing units, 16,000 market-priced rental homes, and 26,000 jobs. And we're waiting for the Liberals. And we've been waiting for another 20 years as we did under their administration. Back to the member from Scarborough-Gildewitt for supplementary. Mr. Speaker, while the Premier knows full well that the amendments does not protect the Green Belt. It's just words. What do we have to do to make this firm? You are caught on tape promising your insider friends to pave over the Green Belt. You can't take that away. Instead of listening to the public who want a clean, safe environment, cottagers, environmental groups, and the 36 conservation authorities themselves, the government has doubled down on their goal to weaken environmental protections in this province. At the 11th hour, they introduced amendments after the opportunity for public scrutiny and input has passed. Speaker, the Premier must stand today and commit, one, not paving over the Green Belt and keeping it off limits to developers, and two, removing Schedule 6 from Bill 229, yes or no. Over to the Premier. Mr. Speaker, I've committed not to be paving anywhere in the Green Belt unlike the Liberals for 15 years. They were paving everywhere throughout the Green Belt. Matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, they switched it 17 times. Did they switch it for just because they felt good? No, because they were protecting their development buddies. Now, the hypocrisy is, Mr. Speaker, Stephen Dalduca, Stephen Dalduca. Excuse me. Excuse me, Premier. I'm going to ask you to withdraw that one comment. Okay. Continue. Stephen Dalduca, the Liberals' leader now, has carved up the Green Belt 17 times again, but the leader of the Liberals, Stephen Dalduca, himself, ignored local planning processes and built a private swimming pool for him and all his buddies and totally ignored the conservation authority. And then when he got caught, Mr. Speaker, rather than fixing his mess, he tried to convince the TRCA to allow him to keep his pool and all his buddies over there, doing the backstroke with all his development buddies. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next question, the member from Aurora, Oak Ridge, is Richmond Hill. Thanks very much, Speaker. My question is mornings for the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. Order. Thanks very much. Speaking of my questions, mornings for the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. I was proud to hear that our government has made investments to assist our frontline police officers across the province in handling mental health cases. Minister, we know that while the mobile crisis teams we are launching and expanding have been in demand for so long, our government has always been focused on ensuring Ontarians living with mental health or addictions challenge have access to wraparound supports, which will fully support them on their journey to mental wellness. Minister, could you please update the members of this legislature on how our mental health investments in the justice system will lead to better supports for those living with mental health or addiction challenges, such as those in crisis? Thank you. Over to the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I want to thank the member for Aurora, Richmond Hill, Oak Ridge's for the question. Mr. Speaker, as part of this much needed investment in our justice system, we would be providing over $14 million for supportive housing programs designated for justice-involved individuals. What that means, Mr. Speaker, is we're going to fund 524 new units across the province for individuals who are either on diversion plans for mental health court, or have been released from a provincial correctional facility including a million dollars for up to 20 units that are affiliated with five post-court transitional case managers. Mr. Speaker, this will ensure that we are able to provide the most appropriate supports to individuals living with mental health and addiction challenges within the justice system, while offering rapid access to services, such as counseling, therapy, and peer support with the aim of safely transforming the individuals and transitioning them back into their community. Mr. Speaker, our investments are real and they're there to help individuals come back into and be productive in our society. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you to the member from Aurora. Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the Minister for his response. I know my constituents will be pleased to hear that our government is doing everything possible to support our frontline heroes as they handle mental health cases, especially during these difficult times. Since the pandemic first started, people across our great province have been experiencing anxiety and depression and alarming rates. We've seen polls and reports from a number of organizations highlighting these figures. And we are now, we know that our frontline heroes have been there to support us every step of the way. As Ontario continues to navigate through this second wave of COVID-19, our frontline heroes need our support. I know our government has taken action to address the burnout, anxiety, depression, and even PTSD that our frontline heroes have been struggling with. Minister, would you please update the members of this legislature on the steps that we have taken to address mental health of our frontline heroes? Back to the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I want to begin by thanking all the first responders and our frontline workers for the incredible work they've done through this unprecedented time. And Mr. Speaker, we know and we recognize that since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, we've seen thousands of Ontarians reach out for help, including thousands of our frontline workers, especially our frontline healthcare workers. And Mr. Speaker, that's why we invested $26.75 million during the COVID-19 pandemic to help mental health, their agencies hire and train more staff, purchase the necessary equipment and technology they need to help patients and support the creation and enhancement of virtual and online supports for mental health services, including ICBT. Mr. Speaker, through this emergency funding, online ICBT was also made available to frontline healthcare workers experiencing anxiety burnout or post-traumatic stress disorder. Mr. Speaker, we're here to support our frontline workers because they are looking after us in the province of Ontario. Thank you. Thank you. Next question, the member from Davenport. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning. Week after week, we have listened to the Minister of Education. Oh, and my question is to the Premier. Week after week, we've listened to the Minister stand here and swear up and down that everything is A-OK, that schools are fine, that we don't need testing or smaller class sizes. Today, schools are being shut down over an explosion of previously unidentified COVID cases. Mr. Speaker, not only are COVID outbreaks in schools worse than anyone ever thought, we don't even know how much worse it's going to get. We have asked repeatedly for the government to explain why they ignored expert advice to cap class sizes at 15 to keep our children safe. The government wouldn't provide that information. We went through freedom of information and guess what? Again, the wall comes down and we get back blank pieces of paper. What is this government trying to hide? If the government knows it's done the wrong thing, show some leadership and turn this ship around. I referred to the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education for response. My thanks to the member opposite. Thank you, Speaker. Our government has always been very clear that we will do whatever it takes to ensure that students and staff are kept safe across our province. It's why we've introduced new initiatives and more funding to ensure that schools are being supported, safe and kept open throughout the second wave. We are again building upon our plan to protect students and staff. We have increased funding and expanded testing, training and interactive learning supports to keep our schools open and, of course, safe. Speaker, let's be clear. Our government has launched voluntary COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic students in regions of the province which currently have a high number of active COVID-19 cases. And expanding this asymptomatic testing will introduce a critical layer of prevention in our schools to ensure that students are kept safe today and into the future. Thank you. Back to the member from Davenport for supplementary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, back to the Premier and the member opposite should be looking out for the people in his community of Smithville where they are experiencing an outbreak. The problem with this government's spin is that they've spun themselves so far away from reality that they have no idea what's going on in schools right now, Mr. Speaker. While the government rolls out a Hail Mary effort telling schools to keep the windows open during the winter and hope that keeps COVID away, more children are testing positive, more staff too. Speaker, through you again to the Premier, it's clear that this government has not just lost the plot, they've lost the confidence of all Ontarians. When will the government step up with a real plan that stops prioritizing political consultants and PC insiders and finally puts our children and our families first? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Back to the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy Education. Speaker, Ontario has a robust plan that is fully endorsed by the Chief Medical Officer of Ontario, Ontario's top doctor, a medical expert who has dedicated his life to professional service in order to ensure that students and our staff are kept safe in schools across this province. Let me remind the member opposite that we even invested an additional historic 1.3 billion dollars to hire an additional 3,000 teachers, 1200 custodians, 625 new nurses and the member, of course, speaking about local communities, knows that 99.9 percent of TDSB students do not have an active case and 99.5 percent of TDSB students have never had COVID. Speaker, we are investing in what matters most and that's the health and safety of Ontario students. It's why we have a robust plan, one that keeps students and staff safe. Thank you very much. Next question. The member from? Welsh. Morning, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. The chair of the TRCA a long time conservative wrote in a column asking the government to remove schedule six from bill 229 and I quote, I greatly admire the leadership of Bill Davis and Brian Mulroney for how they balance environmental stewardship with fiscal responsibility. It saddens me that the party would turn away from that. Former progressive conservative cabinet minister David Cromby wrote in his resignation letter. This is not policy and institutional reform. This is high level bombing. It needs to be resisted. So Speaker, it's not just AMO. It's not just the big city mayors. It's not just the OFA. It's not just community groups and environmental NGOs calling on the government to stop attacking conservation authorities. It's conservative politicians by the Premier to stop this fiscally irresponsible attack on protecting us from flooding. So will the Premier commit today to listening to the people and removing schedule six from Bill 229? Thank you very much. Recognize the government house leader. Again, thank you for the question, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad the member referenced all the accomplishments of conservative governments in protecting the environment across the province of Ontario. He's quite correct. The ministry environment was created by a progressive conservative government. He is quite correct. Conservation authorities were creatures of a progressive conservative government. He's quite correct. It was a progressive conservative government under former Premier's Harris and Eve's that announced the elimination of coal-fired plants in the province of Ontario. It was a conservative government that invested in our nuclear capacity, which allows us to allow us to get rid of coal-fired power, Mr. Speaker. And it is a conservative government that, once again, will lead the way in protecting the environment across the province of Ontario, Mr. Speaker. That member can count on that. Thank you. Thank you. Back to the member for golf or supplementary question. Speaker, I would say this member is quite correct that the government is throwing that legacy away. Over the course of this pandemic, they've gutted the environmental assessment process. They've gutted the Endangered Species Act, and now they're gutting the ability to conservation authorities to protect us from flooding. To put that into perspective, the province contributes 8% of CA budgets. They only paid 7.4 million in flood mitigation prior to 2019. And then in 2019, they even cut that meager amount in half. We know that flooding costs are going to triple over the next decade. So, Speaker, will the government listen to AMO, the big city mayors, Greenbelt Council, conservation authorities, conservative politicians, community organizations, environmental industry, all calling for them to stop this reckless attack on CA's. Can they explain to us who actually supports what they're doing? Thank you. I return back to the government House Leader for response. Thank you, Speaker. As I mentioned earlier, it is exactly that reason why we are making these changes right now. The member has highlighted on a number of occasions the importance of conservation authorities focusing on flood abatement. And that's what this does, building on the Made in Ontario Environment Plan, we understand how important it is. That is why the conservation authorities have the authority now under this legislation to issue stock work orders. That is why conservation authorities will have their rights to appeals under certain parts of the planning act, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, the important work of conservation authorities will continue. We expect that. But as the member said, we need to focus on flood mitigation. That's what our conservations need to continue to do. They need to do it better. Speaker, these amendments will help them do that. Thank you. Thank you. Next question. The member from Aurora, Oak Bridges, Richmond Hill. Thank you very much, Speaker. Speaker, we know that COVID-19 has been difficult for families and businesses in Ontario, paired with the liberal legacy of skyrocketing electricity costs for major employers like the auto industry. Many of my constituents have been asking our government for help to jumpstart economic recovery. With the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mine to tell this house what our government is doing to support employers in my riding. Please. Very much. Recognize the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Energy, Northern Mines. Northern Development Mines and Energy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank the member from Aurora, Oak Bridges, Richmond Hill for that question. What we have seen, Mr. Speaker, during the economic recovery of Ontario, the rising electrical costs made it that much more difficult. And what we're doing now is we're going to be reducing those electrical costs for businesses by funding a portion of the cost of wind, solar and bioenergy, the failed policy of the Liberal government. By doing this, industrial consumers like the auto industry could see a savings of up to 14 percent. Mr. Speaker, Scott Bell, the President of General Motors Canada, stated the issue best by saying, one of the key competitive negatives for manufacturing in Canada is the high Ontario cost of electricity. These are costs our American factories do not respond. Mr. Speaker, we are proud to support the auto industry and everyone who is employed there more than a hundred thousand hardworking Ontarians. Thank you very much. Supplementary question back to the member from Aurora, Oak Bridges, Richmond Hill. Thanks very much, Speaker. And I'd like to thank the parliamentary assistant for that great response. I've always agreed that commercial and industrial rate prayers should not have to pay for the energy mess left behind by the previous Liberal government. It's clear by GM's recent investment in their Oshawa plant that they agree that Ontario is back as the best place to do business. I hear the same concerns from vehicle manufacturers like Magna in my riding speaker. Would the minister tell this house what we're doing to help the vehicle manufacturing industry lead our economic recovery? Thank you. Back to the parliamentary assistant to the minister of energy, northern development and mines. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We're helping commercial ratepayers like manufacturing with electrical costs by shifting the global adjustment costs caused by the Liberal green energy mess. Commercial customers will see a savings of up to 16% on their bills. The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturing Association commended our actions and said this about it. Reducing these costs will help to position the automotive industry for success. Mr. Speaker, we are proud to support the auto industry and its entire supply chain in this difficult time so they can reinvest in their businesses and lead the economic recovery as we come out of COVID-19. Thank you very much. Next question. The member from Waterloo. Mr. Speaker, my question to the minister of long term care. It's been a full year since we debated my bill till death to us part act. Since then, I have been working with local health officials to try and reunite a couple, Joe and Jim McLeod, who have been married for 62 years. Unfortunately, due to differing levels of care and a growing crisis list, they may never be reunited. Joe and Jim are just one of the countless couples separated by our long term care system. The system needs to work for them. Work needs to be done to keep loved ones together, especially during these challenging times. Speaker to the minister, what, if anything, is being done to keep couples together in as they age. You, over to the minister of long term care for response. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you for the member opposite for raising that important concern. It's what brought me to politics in the first place, having experienced this with my own family. So I know how important that this is. Our government is continually working to address really what has been a neglected system for almost two decades, understanding the capacity issues that were left behind and the staffing issues. All of these will need to be addressed to make sure that we put our residents at the center and create a 21st century long term care system that puts our residents at the forefront of with their needs. So this will be an ongoing effort. And as the member opposite knows, we are in the midst of a pandemic and the unfortunately some of the outbreaks are restricting visitors, but our residents can still response, still allow and designate to essential caregivers to make sure that they are able to enter into the home. So we're continuing to adapt and be agile as we move ahead during this difficult time. Thank you very much. Back to the member from Waterloo for supplementary. Actually, Mr. Speaker, because of the outbreak, there's actually beds available in this province. Speaker, we've seen the impact that the pandemic has had on our seniors and those in congregate settings who were denied access to their usual family supports. There is no doubt that people suffered and died. My colleague from Windsor West recognized this and brought forward a bill that would guarantee access for essential caregivers. Well, Speaker, spouses and partners need to be there for one another as well. And I hope the minister takes our request for a more responsive, spousal reunification system very seriously. This couple has been married for 62 years, Mr. Speaker. When couples are separated by a system that is not designed for them, they lose faith in their government. Jim McLeod wanted me to pass along a message to the minister. He wants the minister and I quote, open your eyes, minister, to what is happening in our long term care system. Speaker, what is the government going to do today to fix this broken system? This is a cruel system that keeps married couples from spending their last years together. Seniors in Ontario deserve so much more. Thank you. Back to the minister of long term care for response. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you again for raising this important concern. And my heart goes out to this couple that has been affected by this and everyone that's been affected by it. And I too feel the pain. I know I went through it with my own family. Our government has a sense of urgency for this. And as I said, we are working diligently to address the capacity issues. $540 million was announced in October to make sure that we took the staffing measures, the infection prevention and control measures that needed the $243 million initially, the $461 million to address the pay for our frontline workers, the tens of millions of dollars that we're putting forward to create staffing support while we work on a long term care staffing strategy. So we're not only stabilizing this sector, we're advancing and repairing and rebuilding this sector after so many, many years of neglect. We inherited a broken system on so many levels. And our government has put long term care at the forefront. We will continue our important work for all Ontarians. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next question, the member from Ottawa South. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It was really great to see the Premier this morning. And I wish him, you know, a recovery. It looks like he's getting better. You know, he did tell us he had his back zapped last week. And, you know, in this place, especially where he sits, the one thing you've got to watch is your back. And on that note, we're going to be talking about Bill 213 and Charles McVeedy's special deal today. And we're all hoping the Premier could have had a come to the light moment. The bottom line is Charles McVeedy's words spread division. He tells other people they're a threat. Those are the words that we hear when minorities are persecuted around the world. We've heard them for centuries. They're very, very dangerous words. By voting in support of Mr. McQuestion, we will be endorsing those those members who vote for it will be endorsing those words. Will the Premier be voting to endorse those words today? Yep. I turn to the parliamentary system too. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hate full words have no place in this province, Mr. Speaker. That's why our government continues to work diligently across with all of our partners in the post-secondary sector to ensure we have a world-class education system. One of the reasons we have a world-class education system, Mr. Speaker, is because we have groups like the Post-Secondary Education Quality Assurances Board that ensure that all applications for expanded degree granting authority for nomenclature change, et cetera, Mr. Speaker, meet rigorous scrutiny. Mr. Speaker, we're going to continue to uphold procedural fairness, continue to support P-CAPS recommendations, Mr. Speaker, and continue to ensure that we have a world-class education system in the province of Ontario. Thank you. Thank you. Back to the member from Ottawa South for supplementary. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Make no mistake. It's payday at Queen's Park. Charles McVeedy is getting a special deal. So the Premier's priorities clearly haven't changed. And through this debate, I've watched members on the other side of the house in question period and in debate. And when we talk about this, people's heads are down their desks, even so much that 30 members abstained from a vote condemning Charles McVeedy, 30 members. So there's three things that we can do here today. People can vote in support of 213 and Charles McVeedy, or they can vote against and join us, or they can do what they did on that motion and abstain. Do nothing. Doing nothing in this case is the right thing to do. So I asked the Premier once again. Question? Will the Premier not discipline any of his caucus members who abstained from this vote? Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Back to the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Colleges and Universities for Response. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you again to the member opposite for the question. You know, Mr. Speaker, disappointing from the member opposite, Mr. Speaker, under his previous government, Mr. Speaker, that member, and he should know, when institutions came and including faith-based institutions asked for expanded degree granting, the member would introduce things through private bills. Mr. Speaker, this government is ensuring procedural fairness, Mr. Speaker. This government is ensuring that all institutions are rigorously assessed by the P-CAB process, Mr. Speaker. We're going to continue doing that. And the members opposite know that, Mr. Speaker. We're going to continue to ensure a world-class education system. That was Garbro Gilwood come to order. Mr. Speaker, I know they're frustrated. That's why we've ensured a rigorous assessment process, and we're going to continue to support our world-class education system through lowering tuition fees, Mr. Speaker, through enhanced supports for mental health, Mr. Speaker, and ensuring that Ontario is a destination for people to study, regardless of creed, colour or religion, they'll choose Ontario, Mr. Speaker, because of our high quality of education. Thank you very much. Thank you. Next question, the member from Toronto Centre. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. There are new horrific stories coming out of the Landlord and Tenant Board every single day. In one case, an adjudicator issued an order in a case where they had an obvious conflict of interest. In another, a tenant who identified herself as a survivor of domestic violence was told that she had to disclose her phone number in an online public forum, in an online hearing, putting her safety at risk in order to receive legal aid. On Friday, I listened to a block of hearings, and what I heard, Speaker, made me sick. The hearing was riddled with technical issues. Some tenants didn't understand what was going on. One tenant was evicted in less than a minute. Speaker, how is this justice? Will the Premier finally do the right thing and stop these problem-riddled online hearings from proceeding and immediately reinstate a moratorium on evictions? Thank you. For to the government house leader for response. Thank you, Speaker. As the Attorney General I think I mentioned last week, significant work has been done to increase the availability of adjudicators for the Landlord and Tenant Board of the Province of Ontario. We have heard from the opposition of the need to deal with the delays in that we're at the board as a result of too few adjudicators. That has been resolved, Mr. Speaker, and is that as more adjudicators come online, we will be able to deal with the backlog further. Online hearings, of course, are something that will have to continue, and we are dealing with COVID, Mr. Speaker. As you know, as all members will know, but again, as the Attorney General said, we are dealing with the backlog. We've hired more adjudicators, and we expect the good work of the board to continue even throughout COVID. Thank you. Thank you. Back to the member from Toronto Centre for Supplementary. Thank you, Speaker. And respectfully, a backlog of cases should not be your priority in a pandemic. This government's priority should be keeping every single person in this province housed until we are through this crisis. Speaker, I heard from Sarah, a tenant in Kitchener, who contacted my office last week. Sarah lost her job at the beginning of the pandemic and has since struggled to get caught up on her backed rent. She had an eviction hearing on Tuesday and is now waiting to learn if her family will be forced out of their home. If Sarah, her husband, and her son, who, by the way, has a respiratory issue, if they are evicted, she doesn't know where they're going to go. Sarah's family is not alone. Advocates estimate that 7,000 tenants, many like Sarah and her family, have eviction hearings scheduled between now and January. 7,000 families. Premier, why are you focusing on evicting as many tenants as quickly as possible? In a pandemic, over the holidays, no less, instead of doing everything in your power to help tenants stay housed and weather the storm, will you immediately reinstate a ban on evictions? Thank you. Back to the government house leader for response. Sorry, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the question. The member will know that cases are, of course, split between both issues with respect to tenants seeking recourse with respect to landlords and the opposite. Of course, that is the point of an independent adjudication system, that it takes a look at the issues brought before it, whether it's brought before by a tenant who has an issue with a landlord or a landlord with a tenant. We have increased the number of adjudicators so that these issues could be dealt with quicker and fairer. Mr. Speaker, I have every confidence in the nonpartisan professionalism of the landlord-tenant board to do the work that it is required to deal with tenants fairly, to deal with landlords fairly, Mr. Speaker. That is the hallmark of a nonpartisan adjudication system and the landlord-tenant board does it well and has done a good job even during COVID. Thank you. Thank you. Next question. Member from Orleans. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, many times in this legislature, we've heard the government stand and defend the use of proper process. In fact, I think it was just called procedural fairness, Mr. Speaker. Well, procedural fairness is good for the government when they're defending the process that will help reward their friend and donor Charles McVady, Mr. Speaker. But since forming government in 2018, the government has circumvented the proper procedurally fair land-use planning process in this province at least 33 times through ministerial zoning orders, Mr. Speaker. Instead of adhering to the independent planning process in municipalities, consulting with residents and communities, with stakeholders and groups of interest, they've fast-tracked development applications of their choosing, Mr. Speaker. They're hand-picking the planning lottery winners, Mr. Speaker, and it's got to stop. Question. Mr. Speaker, when will the government stop playing politics and follow their own advice about the importance of independent processes? Thank you. Referred to the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the member opposite for that question, Mr. Speaker. As I've pointed out a number of times in this House, every single ministerial zoning order that has been issued by the Minister has been at the request of the municipality unless the lands are provincially owned, Mr. Speaker. The examples of these projects include such as allowing outdoor patio expansions in Toronto, a medical innovation park in Ormadonte will build PPE, Mr. Speaker, and construction of modular supportive housing units in Toronto. In all, our MZOs are accelerating 3,700 long-term care beds, building 720 affordable homes, 100 supportive units, almost 16,000 much-needed market price homes, Mr. Speaker, doing all of this while creating 26,000 jobs, Mr. Speaker. We will not apologize for this, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Back to the member from Orleans for supplementary. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. The parliamentary assistance said that all of their orders were done in consultation with municipalities are at the request. This morning, the Mayor of Aurora, Tarm Rakis, issued a statement denying that the town was consulted during that MZO process, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the government is issuing MZOs that put agricultural land in Vaughn at risk, that put provincially significant wetland in pickering at risk. And my fear, Mr. Speaker, is that they're going to put Class 1 farmland in Ottawa at risk next, Mr. Speaker. Thousands of voices have joined together to urgently ask the government to stop attacking Ontario's precious wetland and green space. Mr. Speaker, through you, when will the government start listening to Ontarians and stop the sneak attack on agricultural land, wetland and green space? Thank you. I refer to the government house leader for response. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, look, the land in Aurora, of course, is owned by the province of Ontario. If the Mayor of Aurora is unhappy with a close to 200-bed, long-term care home that is coming there, I would suggest to the Mayor of Aurora that Stovell and many other communities would be happy to get that. But we'll take no lessons in environmental protection from the member opposite. I will say to the member opposite, my family was one of the first families to put an environmental conservation easement that cost 60 acres of prime agricultural Class 1 farmland in the town of Stovell, Mr. Speaker, one of the first in favour of the Oak Ridge's Moraine Land Trust in an area that was pristine Class 1 farmland. In the 15 years since that, under the leadership of the Liberals, or lack thereof, that 60 acres of farmland is surrounded by housing, Mr. Speaker, because 17 separate occasions that government, under that leadership... Response. ...invaded the green belt, Mr. Speaker, we have always protected them. And every time we have done that, we have worked on those. It has been with the consent and approval of the local municipality, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. Next question, the member from Hamilton West and Caster Dundas. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question to the Premier... Order. ...today's report by the auditor confirms what families have known for years. The system for regulating... Order, please. ...retirement homes in Ontario and protecting seniors who live in them is badly broken. In Hamilton and Niagara, we have seen this for years, Mr. Speaker, where the Martino family has been allowed to operate homes despite repeated violations. The auditor tells us... ...stop the clock. Stop the clock. I'm hearing some feedback from the government side. I would ask that that would cease so that we can hear the question from the honourable member from the opposition. So I will return back to you and I'll give you extra moments to ask your question. Start again? Start again now, yes. Thank you, Speaker. I appreciate that. The government is particularly sensitive this morning, but I'll try and get this important question in. The system for regulating retirement homes in Ontario and protecting seniors who live in them is badly broken. In Hamilton and Niagara, we have seen this for years, where the Martino family has been allowed to operate homes despite repeated violations. The auditor's report this morning tells us that this government's retirement homes regulatory authority turns a blind eye to red flags. So, Mr. Speaker, at what point will the government fix this broken system? You referred to the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of Minister Cho, the minister responsible for seniors, I know we're thankful for the auditor general's report this morning and the information that she's passed along to us and the analysis that has been done. I can tell you that our government is committed to improving the lives of seniors and providing supports and resources to them so that they can live independently to the question that was posed by the member opposite. Ontario is committed to helping older adults stay healthy and active and socially connected. And I know Minister Cho has started a comprehensive review of the Retirement Homes Act, Mr. Speaker, and the auditor general's report and recommendations will help inform that review that's currently underway, Speaker. The response? In the summer of 2019, the government conducted broad, province-wide consultations with older adults and their family members, caregivers, and support organizations, and I'll have more to add in the supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Back to the member from Hamilton West and Kester Dunn. Thank you very much. You know, the auditor's findings should not be news to anyone, much less the Ford government. Hamilton's Martino Homes violated the law for years, running retirement homes infested with bed bugs, cockroaches, and broken bathrooms. At one point, a resident in a Martino residential home was found tied to a radiator. Oh, my God. At another, a resident was abandoned and forgotten when the home had to be evacuated. Licenses were only pulled when the media reporting, like at the spectator, drew attention to just how appalling the things were here. So why has the Ford government spent so much time protecting these for-profit private operators and so little time, Mr. Speaker, protecting seniors who have to live in these homes? Thank you. Thank you. Back to the Minister of Children, community and social services. Thanks again, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the member opposite for raising this issue. And thanks to the auditor general for, again, for her report this morning. And we look forward to looking at this report more thoroughly over the coming days. And we do know that there has been a problem, Mr. Speaker, in our retirement homes. And that's after 15 long years of being in the wilderness, actually, with the previous liberal government and keeping an eye on these situations. Minister Cho has said that he is conducting a comprehensive review of the situation. We know that the RHRA is a risk-based approach when it comes to inspections. And this ensures that the focus is on the homes that need it most. This includes routine inspections as well as homes where additional compliance support is required as well. So the province continues to diligently monitor the situation in our retirement homes. And Minister Cho is committed to stepping up those inspections. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. I recognize.