 It is now time for oral questions. I recognize the leader of Her Majesty's loyal opposition. Thank you, Speaker, to the Premier. Less than two weeks ago, the government announced sweeping changes to Ontario's healthcare system. And late last week, they revealed they'd be rushing these changes through and bypassing any hearings at all. Why is the government refusing to hear from the frontline workers and families who will be impacted by these changes? To respond to the Premier, Mr. Speaker, and these are the problems decades in the making. They were created. They were created by the NDP and Liberals, but they don't like the solutions. But let me quote NDP member from Waterloo, who on December 12, 2019 said about ALC, these are patients who should be in a hospital. Unbelievable, after what we've been hearing what they've been saying lately. They should be in long-term care or retirement assisted living options. The second NDP member for Oshawa, who on March the 26, 2018 said on ALC, I'd love to have a conversation about alternate level of care or ALC, which is taking up our hospital space for folks in transition in limbo. Are there even waiting lists? They just are in limbo. So do they count? Are they on a waiting list? I'd love to put them somewhere. So they're one side, they're saying they shouldn't be in the hospitals. Next day, they should be in the hospitals. Make up your mind. Thank you. Well, Speaker, just to be clear, we don't advocate coercion of the frail and the elderly. The Ford government scheme could force patients into long-term care homes up to 300 kilometers away from their families, 300 kilometers, and hit them with massive fees if they refuse to move. We just completed an election campaign. We didn't hear a single word from this government about this scheme at that time. But now, after announcing less than 12 days ago, they're shutting down any discussion. Why are they afraid to hear from the families and the frontline workers who will be devastated by these changes? Government House Leader and Minister of Long-Term Care. Speaker, honestly, I do not know where the NDP have been. As the Premier just highlighted, of course, they talked about this before. We've known that this has been a problem for decades in the province of Ontario. How to handle ALC patients in our hospitals. We've said the status quo is not an option. We have invested billions of dollars into our long-term care system, Mr. Speaker. Governments agree that the best place for somebody who has been discharged from hospital, who is on the long-term care home waiting list to wait for their preferred home of choice is in a long-term care home. Not in a hospital bed, Mr. Speaker. The status quo will not work, and we will not. We will not stop. We will improve the system for the people who are in our hospitals, who are waiting to become residents of long-term care homes. Despite their protecting of the status quo, we will move forward because it's better for the residents of long-term care homes. Final supplementary. Thank you, Speaker. It's not clear who the government is listening to. Long-term care homes have told the government there are not enough beds in long-term care homes to relieve hospital pressures. The operators themselves. Frontline nurses have told the government Bill 7 does nothing to address the hospital crisis in Ontario. It simply forces patients from one understaffed environment into another. Is the government refusing to hold hearings because they know their plan won't work and they don't want to hear it? Long-term care. Again, Mr. Speaker, to put this into context, there are some 6,000 people who are in hospital who have been discharged from hospital. Close to 2,000 of them are long-term care home patients who want to be transferred into a long-term care home. They are on the waiting list for long-term care. Medical professionals have said that you're better serviced in a long-term care home. That is what we are trying to accomplish here, Mr. Speaker. But I look at the words of the former member for Timmins, Gilles Bisson, who said, when he talked about long-term care, what does this mean when we don't transfer people out of hospitals into long-term care? He said, what this means is that when you bring your child to hospital because they broke their arm, you have to wait longer at the emergency room because there is no place to deal with them, Mr. Speaker. So while they can support the status quo, we will not, because we know that if you're a senior on the long-term care waiting list being discharged from a hospital, your better place to be is in a long-term care home, Mr. Speaker, not in a hospital bed waiting for that transfer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government is refusing to hear from patients and frontline health workers about Bill 7. So the NDP held hearings of its own this morning. Here's what frontline expert called the four-government scheme. That was this morning. The process is anti-democratic. The bill is a shocking abandonment of patient rights. They call this hunger games health care. The bill is callously misleading on terrients. Why is this four-government is moving ahead without hearings? Because they don't want to hear what a disaster it will be. Mr. Long-term Care. Mr. Speaker, we talked about this often, that when you start to build up the system, the NDP's only avenue is to start to tear down the system, right? So we've invested in 258,000 new and updated homes all across the province in every region, Mr. Speaker. North, south, east, and west, rural, remote, urban, we are adding 27,000 additional health care workers, four hours of care. The Fixing Long-term Care Act, a groundbreaking piece of legislation that they voted against, Mr. Speaker. But the reality is there are 6,000 people in hospital beds who have been discharged and are looking for care somewhere else. Long-term care can be part of the solution for the first time in decades. There are close to 2,000 seniors in hospital waiting to be in a long-term care home, Mr. Speaker. I just agree that that is not the place for a senior. They deserve to be in long-term care homes. This bill facilitates that from happening and allows our acute care system to recover for the first time in decades. We can be a part and we will. Thank you again, Mr. Speaker. The scheme of the foreign government will force seniors to move hundreds of kilometres away from their families and loved ones. Expertelysis can be fatal. Not having support nearby can lead to premature death. Advocates and family are worried about their ability to care for their loved ones. This stress alone will make patients' health deteriorate. People on the front lines are warning this government. This puts seniors' lives at risk. Why are they refusing to listen? Why are they not thinking about the 5,000 seniors that have already died in long-term care facilities? Forty over the last two weeks. Repeal Bill 124. Thank you very much. For some reason, the NDP colleagues think that it is better to have a senior who has been discharged from hospital, wait in a hospital bed as opposed to going into a long-term care home, a home that they are on the waiting list for. We are facilitating that to happen. Long-term care can be part of a solution. You know why it can be part of that solution? Because we are making incredible investments into long-term care. 58,000 new and upgraded beds across the province, 27,000 additional healthcare workers, four hours of care. All things that the Liberals and NDP refused to do when they had the opportunity. Something that this Premier said he would do even in advance of becoming the Premier. It was a major response. We started from day one transitioning healthcare in this province and we will not stop. We will not support the status quo because we can do better and we will do better for seniors and all of us. You had four years to improve the system and made it infinitely worse over those four years. The system has been in desperate crisis for that whole time. The healthcare crisis is hitting northerners especially hard and Bill 7 will make the crisis work not better. We are forcing seniors to move 300 kilometres away from their loved ones will be devastating and traumatic for elders and their families. Currently in Thunder Bay Superior North we face actually we have beds. We have some beds but there is no staff and this has been going on for a long time. Seniors and persons with disabilities are being defined as bed blockers by this government only to be repurposed as profit enhancers for privately owned homes when they haven't fulfilled their 98% to get their full public allotment of dollars. Why is this government refusing to address the staffing crisis that has is the source of the funding crisis? Thank you. Remind the members to make a comment for the chair and the Premier to reply. Mr. Speaker you could ask anyone in Ontario would they want their elderly, loved one sitting in a hospital in a bed as noise are going around 24-7 not being able to get out and take a walk when you can give them a home. Not a bed but a home and a home would be a long term care home that they have entertainment at night. They are able to walk around, family members are able to come in and watch the entertainment with them. That's a home versus a hospital that you're stuck in a room with four other patients the alarms are going off, bells are going off. That would be cruel to leave a loved one, any parent in this province in a hospital. We need them in a home and that's what we're providing 58,000 new homes. Thank you. Thank you. Speaker this morning we heard from people from across the province actually who represent different sectors, seniors, advocates, retirees, healthcare workers. We heard from folks who represent workers. We heard from people who are very concerned about Bill 7 and of course we heard from healthcare workers from different sectors and one PSW told us that Bill 7 blames the most vulnerable people for a healthcare crisis that's not the fault of their own and forces them hundreds of kilometres outside their communities away from their families and friends. There absolutely is a stuff in crisis in healthcare in this province this PSW said but this won't do anything to address it. Already overworked and underpaid healthcare staff will be faced with the ethical dilemma of compromising quality of care to discharge and clear beds. So my question is speaker why is this government refusing to listen to frontline workers who are offering real solutions? We are listening to frontline workers, we're listening to healthcare professionals all who are unified in telling us that when somebody has been discharged from hospital, when your loved one has been discharged from hospital the best place for them to be is in a long term care home. There are close to 2,000 seniors waiting in hospital who have been discharged who want to be in a long term care home, who want to be in a long term care home. This bill facilitates that to happen Mr. Speaker. It ensures that they stay at the top of the waiting list for their priority home. It provides additional levels of care whether it's behavioural services Ontario, kidney dialysis, it works with our healthcare professionals. Had the opposition even read the Fixing Long Term Care Act they would know Mr. Speaker that no home in this province can accept a patient unless they have the appropriate level of staffing and resources to handle the person that they are getting. It is about fixing long term care, it is about making things better for seniors Mr. Speaker. We are in a healthcare crisis, emergency rooms are closing, hundreds of healthcare jobs are vacant and the fundamental problem with this bill is that it's blaming the patient, the most vulnerable, the seniors for a problem that's not their fault. Instead of solving the issue it's blaming the patient, it's blaming the seniors. Patients, experts and frontline workers have offered this government solutions. Instead of listening to the government, this government has ignored them all. Repeal bill 124, give them paid sick days, hire more nurses, hire more PSWs, you can do so many things, get internationally trained professionals recognised. These are real solutions to address this problem, not bill 7. This government has put a cruel plan forward Speaker that threatens seniors and puts them with huge fees if they refuse to move hundreds of kilometres from friends and families. My question is why is this government being so cruel to the most vulnerable people of our province Speaker? Mr. Longton. An odd question coming from the opposition given that all of the things that the member listed they have actually voted against so we did bring in additional healthcare workers, 27,000 just for long-term care, they voted against it, 14,000 additional nurses. We're bringing on new medical schools Mr. Speaker. The first time the Minister of Colleges and University has talked about this, the first time in what over 100 years we are making massive investments in healthcare all over the province. We started in 2018 when we brought in Ontario health teams. We then went further Mr. Speaker by adding 58,000 new and upgraded long-term care beds. We closed down the ward rooms. We brought infection prevention and control measures and supported that. This bill brings back the respite care program when a senior has no other option. No other option but to bring one of their loved ones to hospital because there's no other option. We are bringing it back so you can bring them back into a home care Mr. Speaker. Experts agree this is the best quality care and we'll stand up for the best quality of care for our seniors. Next question. The member for Oxford. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Under the previous level of government people in jobs in rural regions like mine felt abandoned. Announcement after announcement of investments and employment concerned only the GTA. My constituents want to know that things are different with our government. Speaker, what is the Minister of Economic Development, job creation and trade doing to ensure that my constituents and others in rural Ontario will have good secure well-paying jobs for themselves and their children for years to come. Job creation and trade. We've heard time and time again that the Liberals and the NDP have damaged rural Ontario's economy. That's why in 2018 we promised families that our government would do things differently and we have. We quickly launched a $100 million regional development program to support businesses and create rural jobs. This program supports regional and rural Ontario companies and it invests and creates jobs. It has attracted almost $1 billion to date in outside investments, created 2,200 jobs. In Woodstock, Arcelor and Mithill, tailored blanks invested $17.4 million in a project to upgrade its auto parts manufacturing facility. With the help of our regional development program, 32 jobs were created. Speaker, that's an example of our commitment to the people of Oxford and the families of rural Ontario. Thank you, Mr. Minister, for that answer and the investments that we've made in Oxford. Last week I heard the member from Newmarket Aurora mention that her constituents are concerned about entrepreneurship opportunities in her riding. Well today I'm echoing those concerns for my constituents. Entrepreneurs and their small businesses employ thousands in Oxford and while the regional development program supports companies in Oxford and across the province, it does not have provisions for those with business aspirations or in the start-up phase. Entrepreneurs and those with small business ambitions need support too. Speaker, what is the Minister doing to help entrepreneurs in my riding start and grow their businesses? Mr. Secretary, our small businesses and entrepreneurs are absolutely critical to Ontario's prosperity. That's why we will never forget them, Speaker. That is a promise. Together, the Liberals in the NDP turned the dreams of entrepreneurship into nightmares. Red tape, unaffordable hydro, high taxes, all of that through cold water on their entrepreneurial flames. We saw the problems that they created so we cut red tape, reduced taxes and fixed their hydro mess. We lowered the cost of doing business by $7 billion each and every single year. So we are providing $362,000 to the Woodstock Small Business Enterprise Centre to offer those entrepreneurs all the tools they need to start and grow their businesses. And another $95,000 for Oxford's Summer Company and Starter Company Plus to help students and young entrepreneurs start their business. Speaker, that's how we're helping those entrepreneurs. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you, Speaker. Question to the Premier. Bill 7 is very concerning for people in the province, even more for Francophones. Why? Because we already have shortages for long-term care homes that are designated Francophones in Ontario. There's only 30 in Ontario. In every care homes, so we will force Francophones to turn to Anglophone housing. And this is unacceptable. Will the government change Bill 7 and respect residents' choices? Thank you, Speaker. As you know, we have invested a lot in long-term care housing for Franco-Ontarians. I've worked with Minister Mulroney to make sure that the Francophone community everywhere in this province have services that is in accordance with their choice. The parliamentary assistant has also worked with me to make sure that the Francophone community everywhere in this province has a choice to have new housing and will be able to communicate in their own language, in the French language. And we are keeping on the same line with this bill, supplementary. I appreciate the Minister's answer, but a lot of housing has not been built yet. A lot of people in long-term care homes suffer from dementia, and so they turn back to their own native language. It is important for them to be surrounded with Francophone people. Will the government respect these long-term care beds in French and allow Francophones to stay in their community and not be transferred against their will and face incredibly high costs? I want to make sure that I'm accurate with the answer, because he raises a very good point in his question. He talks about dementia and the importance that many of the people being transferred out of hospital have dementia, and that is why this bill is so important, because the member will know that we are adding additional resources for dementia care as a result of this bill, some $60 million a year. What that will allow us to do is to look at each home individually, to assess whether they can handle the patient, and if somebody needs additional resources for dementia, as he mentioned in his question, in the language of their choice, we will be able to provide that for the first time. It is part of fixing long-term care in this province, and I hope, given the member's question, he will agree that, given that it is obviously better for somebody as opposed to being in a hospital to be getting that care, the care for dementia, kidney dialysis, in a home, Mr. Speaker. That's what this is about, and I hope that they will support us on that. The next question, the member for Etobicoke, Lake Short. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A new Statistics Canada report has indicated that a number of residents in the province could climb to more than $19 million by 2043. This is an increase of about 30% since 2021, and many are choosing Etobicoke and Toronto as their home. Experts warn that Ontario is ill-prepared to handle the growth as it lacks the infrastructure to support the growing population, especially in major urban centres like Toronto. Because of years of neglect and improper planning on transit expansion by the previous Liberal government, propped up by our friends the NDP, cities like Toronto have already living with the consequences of their inaction. Speaker, what is the government doing to build up our transit infrastructure to address the incoming population increase? Good question. The Associate Minister. Thank you very much, Speaker. That member is a tireless advocate for building transit in her writing. I want to thank her for her efforts and for her questions. It's indeed true. The previous Liberal government left Ontario unprepared, both for today's and tomorrow's transit needs. Fortunately, under the leadership of this Premier, we have a bold plan to advance forward, build transit and get people moving across the GTA. I'm glad to remind members that we broke ground on the Ontario Line at Exhibition Station earlier this year on July 7. The Ontario Line is the crown jewel of our historic $28.5 billion expansion plan for the GTA, the largest in Canadian history, fulfilling our province to deliver transit relief to Toronto's core. It's going to stretch 15.5 kilometres from Exhibition to the Ontario Science Centre and the Ontario Line will generate $11 billion back to the local economy, support over 4,700 jobs a year during construction, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 14,000 tonnes annually. Through the Ontario Line, our government is delivering on the promises that we made and moving people from Point A. This is great news and we have had the opportunity to address the congestion issue today by building a better, cleaner transit network that will benefit future Ontarians and the people of Etobicoke Lakeshore. Transit and infrastructure experts are raising concerns about what the future could look like if we don't make the investments needed for tomorrow. They have warned us to keep the pace with the growth we see and we need to plan and act now on transit and other infrastructure needs. Speaker, can the Associate Minister of Transportation please explain how our government is addressing future transit infrastructure needs today? The Associate Minister of Transportation. Thank you again, Speaker. I'm really proud of the city I was born and raised in, but the reality is after 15 years of zero action from the NDP and the Liberals, we're behind when it comes to our transit needs with gridlocked roads and a congested transit system and you see it every day, Speaker, and that's why we're advancing the largest subway expansion in Canadian history with an investment of $28.5 billion to not just build the Ontario Line, but the Eglinton Crosstown West extension, the Young North Subway extension and of course the Scarborough Subway East extension as well, Speaker. We're making travel easier for people by connecting them to work, connecting the grid, a spider web of transit, home, school and all the places that need to be not stuck in getting from point A to point B, Speaker. And what's more, we're expanding the GTA subway system by 50% and that's going to create local jobs and community benefits, cut emissions and gridlock and connect parts of the GTA that have never been connected to the subway network before, Speaker. Unlike the Liberals and the NDP, we're building transit and getting Ontario ready for the future. Great subject. Thank you. The next question, the member for Kiwetanon. Miigwech, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Northern Ontario hospitals are disproportionately impacted by healthcare staff shortages in Sulicote and in Red Lake. Hospitals are relying on low-come physicians and agency nurses to fill the staffing gaps. Speaker, this is not sustainable. Why is the government allowing private agencies to create these gaps when they should be working for working with Northern hospitals to create sustainable solutions? It is important for all of us to appreciate that there have been many plans in the works including of course two exciting new announcements in Brampton and Scarborough for new opportunities for people to become doctors in Ontario and stay and train in Ontario. So along with adding 400 physician residents to support the workforce in Northern and rural Ontario, we've been doing that work. Clearly, you know, when you hear from individuals like Anthony Dale of the Ontario Hospital Association, Ontario hospitals are rapidly becoming the healthcare provider of last resort for thousands of people who actually need access to home care, long-term care, and other services. It is precisely why our government has invested a billion dollars in our most recent budget to ensure that community care happens in community where people want it. Supplementary? Speaker, Sulicote Miniawan Health Centre has to use again agency nurses to remain viable in providing care to the people of QAIDNO. Today, their nursing complement is 70% agency nurses and 30% staff nurses. These ongoing unbudgeted nursing costs lead to deeper healthcare crisis. What is this government doing today to fix the healthcare staffing issues in QAIDNO, not in Southern Ontario? Thank you, Speaker. This question gives me an opportunity of course to highlight some of the work that is happening right now today in the province of Ontario. We're working with the College of Nurses because we understand that there are a backlog currently waiting to see if they have the appropriate education, accreditation to get that licensed to practice here in Ontario. We'll continue that work because we want to ensure that supply of all health human resources is there where people need it when they want it. The issues raised by the member opposite are not new. They are not something that has happened in the last weeks and months. This is something that has historically been a challenge to recruit and retain people in Northern Ontario to practice. Frankly, I would respectfully remind the member that it was a progressive conservative government that actually started the last most recent medical school in Northern Ontario. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Don Valley West constituents also are concerned about Bill 7 and the effect it will have on patient care, which is stated as a priority in the government's budget. Yet elderly patients risk being transferred to facilities far from family in their community which play an important role in supporting seniors in need. Seniors in long-term care facilities, in particular private ones, have suffered a great deal during the pandemic with higher death rates and long periods of isolation. Once again this government is asking seniors, some of our most vulnerable, to take one for the team and help solve the crisis in our hospitals by moving to a home not of their choosing instead of acknowledging that we're in a staffing crisis created by measures like bill 124. Mr. Speaker, could the minister of long-term care tell us why this government is treating our seniors like a burden and legislating unfair treatment with bill 7 instead of solving the staffing problem and treating our health care workers respectfully by repealing bill 124? Mr. Speaker, I can only surmise that the leader of the Liberal Party put a new member up to ask that question because perhaps the member didn't understand the legacy of the Liberal Party. It was the Liberals who treated our seniors so poorly for so long. 611 beds is the legacy of the Liberal Party. 611 beds is the legacy of the Liberal Party, Mr. Speaker. We have invested in 58,000 new and upgraded beds across the province. They refuse to do it. They froze the food budget. We increased it, Mr. Speaker. We increased staffing. We increased inspections, Mr. Speaker. These are all things that we are doing and we are increasing the level of care to four hours a day when we took over it was at two and a half hours. That is the legacy of the Liberal government, a government that spent more than any other government in the history of this province and has what to show for it. They have nothing to show for it, Mr. Speaker. We'll get the job done for seniors because we know we can do better. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and to the minister for his view of history. I'll add to that history about the momentous decrease in hospital beds from which we are still recovering occurred between 1990 and 1999 under two other previous governments. Mr. Speaker, this government's Bill 7 will send seniors to long-term care facilities that are not amongst the choices that are best for them. Furthermore, these seniors could be going into for-profit long-term care facilities which are suffering from severe staffing challenges as referred to in their recent quarterly reporting increases. Mr. Speaker, will the minister of long-term care tell us how he can assure patients and their families that seniors sent to their non-preferred homes, in particular for-profit ones, will receive the care they need when these facilities continue to deal with pervasive staffing challenges? Thank you. Mr. Speaker, because it is the law in the province of Ontario and became the law through the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, nobody can be moved into a home nobody can be moved into a home that does not have the resources to handle the person that is being transferred in, Mr. Speaker. That is the whole point of this Bill. I'm not sure how the member could actually get up in her place and ask this question and then say that she's not in support of the bill that we are bringing forward, Mr. Speaker. But I'll go even further. I challenge the member, Mr. Speaker, to lay on the table. Lay on the table. What the Liberals did with respect to long-term care? Did they get us to four hours? No. Did they build new homes? No. Did they increase the food budget? No, Mr. Speaker. When it comes to health care, they failed not only seniors in this province, they failed so many of the people, the province of Ontario, Mr. Speaker. We're reversing that. We are making historic investments because we know how important health care is to ensuring a strong, stable and a government that can meet the needs of Ontarians for decades to come. The economy, education, we're getting it done because we know how. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Member for Oakville, March. Speaker, the pandemic pushed Ontario's health care system to its limits. After years of chronic staffing shortages, budget cuts and neglect from the previous Liberal government, deep flaws within the health care network were exposed. We must alleviate the strain on the system and ensure that we build a more robust, more resilient health care network. That means having doctors to meet future health care needs of Ontarians. Speaker, can the Minister of Colleges and Universities explain what the government is doing to train the health care professionals needed to care for the people of Ontario? Great. Minister of Colleges and Universities. Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you to the member from Oakville, North Burlington for that important question. We need to increase health human resources and that starts with post-secondary education. Our government is getting it done by taking action to increase health human resources across Ontario through our historic expansion of health care post-secondary education. Earlier this year we established the Northern Ontario School of Medicine as the first stand-alone medical school in Northern Ontario. This gives students the flexibility to study closer to home and serve remote and underserved communities across Ontario. We are also building the first medical school in the GTA at the University of Toronto when they built their medical school back in 1843. We are the government that is building the new medical school, the Toronto Metropolitan University Medical School in Brampton. We are also creating the new University of Toronto's Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health in Scarborough and expanding the Queen's Lake Ridge Health Campus and Doctors will ensure that Ontarians have access to doctors. The supplementary question. Speaker, expanding medical school education needs to happen province-wide so that those in growing and underserved communities can access family and specialty physicians. We remember when the previous Liberal government cut medical residency places amid a doctor shortage. Troubling choices like this push students to pursue their health care education in other jurisdictions and hurt Ontario's medical future. We must bolster Ontario's health resources to ensure that Ontarians can access the health care they need when they need it and wherever they live. Speaker, can the minister share with us what the government is doing to increase the number of undergraduate and postgraduate medical education positions across the province? Thank you again for the question. I am happy to say that our government has taken action on this issue. We need to train more health care professionals across Ontario. Not only are we increasing the number of medical seats that will serve both urban and rural communities across Ontario, but we are also enhancing existing medical and health care programs. Our government is adding 160 undergraduate and 295 postgraduate positions to six medical schools across Ontario, but we are also enhancing. Earlier this year we also announced our Learn and Stay program which over the next four years can help 3,000 nurse graduates receive financial support to cover the cost of tuition in exchange for two years service in an underserved community. Speaker, we understand that in order to keep Ontario safe and open we need to ensure that we have a high quality and resilient health care system and that starts on the high quality postsecondary education system across the province. That is why we are expanding opportunities for students in every part of Ontario to join the health care profession. Thank you. Next question from London West. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, this government's failure to deal with the health care crisis is not just affecting hospitals, it's hurting patients who rely on home care as well. This month Robin Floyd's son, who is vision impaired and has a heart condition, went for surgery at London Health Sciences Centre. After being discharged with a drainage tube he was told that a home care nurse would come the next day to check the incision and drain the tube. After countless phone calls and endless frustration Robin finally managed to get a home care appointment nine days after her son had his surgery. Speaker, does this government believe that that is an appropriate standard of care? Minister of Health. Thank you. Well, clearly our investment of a billion dollars in our most recent budget speaks to exactly why we want to improve home care in homes where people want to be able to to recover and recuperate. So in our last budget a billion dollars over the next three years, but what does that actually give you in your community in the case of Robin's son? The funding will support an estimated 28,000 post-acute surgical patients and an estimated 21,000 patients with complex health conditions every year by providing 739,000 nursing visits. That's 739 nursing visits that never happened under the previous governments. We are making the investments because we understand it's not just about hospitals, it's not just about primary care and long-term care. It's also community care because there are many thousands of people who want to do that recovery in their own home with appropriate supports. We're providing those appropriate support. Thank you. Supplementary. Speaker Kim Fowler's mother has severe COPD and dementia and cannot care for herself. PSWs are supposed to bring her breakfast and dinner but at least once a week they don't show up. Earlier this month Kim's mother became sick from dehydration because with no PSW she had nothing to eat or drink. Kim is trying to manage all aspects of her mother's care while she waits for a long-term care reassessment but she is desperate and close to burnout. Speaker Kim's story is not new and it's not unique. The VON told me they can't meet 50% of the referrals they get. Why is this government completely ignoring the long-standing problems in home and community care? Minister of Health. The member opposite highlights true actual stories that are happening in her community and yet and yet speaker they did not vote in support of a budget that included a billion dollar investment over three years and you know the one very specific example I've talked about complex health conditions but over two million hours of personal support services will now be provided in Ontario in communities like yours to make sure that your constituents your residents have that quality of life in their own home with their families. Thank you. Next question member for Mississauga Erin Mills. Thank you Mr. Speaker. The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic are making it challenging for businesses in Ontario to find the skilled women and men they need to grow and prosper. Small businesses owner continue to feel the pressure of the labor shortage and the skilled and semi-skilled labor shortage remain one of the main factors limiting business growth. We know that small businesses are a significant contributor to Ontario economy so it is essential to help them thrive and feel confident about the future. Speaker can the Minister of Labor Immigration Training and Skill Development share with the House what assistance our governments providing workers to train them with the skills they need to help restart our economy. Labor Training Immigration Skills Development. Number four Mississauga Erin Mills for that question but most importantly all the work that he did in our first working for workers legislation to recognize international credentials Mr. Speaker. Our government under the leadership of Premier Ford is really on a mission to make our families and all of our communities stronger. One of the many ways we're achieving this is through our brand new program Better Jobs Ontario. Mr. Speaker we're offering training to anyone who is who wants to train for in-demand jobs in any community across the province and this includes those on social assistance those who are self-employed gig workers youth and newcomers. Better Jobs Ontario offers up to $28,000 for tuition costs and up to $500 a week for basic living costs like rent and mortgages. Mr. Speaker we're all in for Ontario's workers and we're just getting started. Supplementary question. Thank you Minister the future of our economic recovery and the success of our business rely on Ontario becoming a skilled trade and training leader. Our province badly needs carpenters, electricians, plumbers and a full array of skilled trades and blue-collar workers who will help us overcome our housing shortage reconstruct our infrastructure and help restore our economy. Our workers are the best in the world and they deserve to have a government that value the contributions they make day in day out. Mr. Speaker can the minister tell us what is the government our government's doing to help level up skilled trades for our provinces workers which will help return our economy and businesses to their previous position of strength. Thank you. Mr. Labour immigration. Thanks to the members for that question. Mr. Speaker it's true that under the previous government Ontario really had a maze of confusing and limiting programs at workers and employers struggled to navigate. We're changing this our government is putting workers in their families first. We launched our flexible skills development fund which supports innovative programs that help workers learn the skills that local employers want and over the past number of years it's no surprise training has really taken off. We've launched almost 400 training projects across the province and supported nearly 400,000 workers with the skills they need for better jobs and bigger paychecks. Mr. Speaker with game changing investments like these we're helping workers businesses and everyone in their communities succeed. Thank you. The next question the member for Sudbury. Thank you very much speaker. Speaker in 2018 the premier promised to complete the four landing of highway 69 and at the time there are 68 kilometres left to be tendered and four years later after many many broken promises not one kilometre has been tendered. Meanwhile preventable accidents are continuing speaker. People continue to be injured people continue to be killed. I tell you just this month speaker they were head on collisions on August 2nd, August 8th, August 15th. There's three collisions in 15 days speaker. Multiple injuries one preventable death in 15 days. My question speaker is when will the premier finally keep his promise to complete the four landing of highway 69? Associate Minister of Transportation. Thank you speaker any tragedy on the roads is of deep concern to this government. Our hearts go out to the families and friends that are affected by those incidents on highway 69. Now speaker when it comes to this important highway widening the project is a priority for our government and we said that from the beginning in 2018 despite the lack of movement on that by the previous liberals. Speaker I want to remind the member opposite that 70 kilometres are already complete on highway 69 and MTO is working diligently to get the approvals needed to complete the remaining 68 kilometres of the corridor. In December Minister Mulroney announced the opening of a 14 kilometre extended stretch between highway 69 in the French river area. Speaker work continues to complete a 14 kilometre four landing project south of Albin and this is expected to be done by the end of this year speaker. We're continuing to work diligently to build the rest of the highway and negotiating with the first nations important piece of getting this process done and the environmental assessments that are necessary but we're going to finish the job. I appreciate the associate minister taking credit for not cancelling the projects that are already tendered. I'm talking about finishing the tendering of this three kilometres. Like he said the liberals promise to do this for almost two decades they couldn't get it done. You've been in power for more than four years you can't get it done. The good people of Sudbury are fed up speaker they're fed up with years of broken liberal promises and they're getting fed up with years of broken conservative promises as well. I am simply tired of asking for this again and again people are dying speaker. If the Premier is not going to keep his promise to finish the last 68 kilometres of highway 69 will he come to my riding to explain to those families who have been affected by this to explain why it's not a priority for him. Thank you Speaker. Associate Minister of Transportation. Speaker I'm going to repeat that finishing highway 69 is a priority from this government and I highlighted in my first answer all of the progress that has been made. I will agree with the member opposite however that this must be frustrating for the great people of Sudbury because the liberals did simply nothing on this file when they had 15 years to do something and we're moving as fast as we can and that's exactly what we're going to do but speaker also curious from the member's opposite is the tone when it comes to building highways on the one hand they say no to highway 413 but in what comes to highway 69 highway 7 in Waterloo highway 7 in Guelph they're all for the widening of highways they are all for the building of new highway speaker it's almost like they acknowledge that we need to expand the transportation network across a growing province of a world-class province like the one we have here in Ontario. Speaker we're not only going to build that highway in 69 we're going to make sure we build highway 413 and prepare the future generations of Ontarians. Member for Chatham Kent Leamington. Speaker the critical mineral deposits in the Ring of Fire represent an unprecedented opportunity for economic development for First Nations partners and all Ontarians. The Ontario government is partnering with First Nations communities to build road projects that will unlock development in the Ring of Fire and lead to more critical mineral mines. The English Novik Nation Grand Council Chief recently said the Ontario government will need to consult with First Nations the right way and it can be done the right way and it can be done faster. Speaker what is the Minister of Mines doing to ensure the First Nation communities are consulted effectively and as the Grand Chief said X building the process faster. Minister of Mines. Thank you for the question Mr. Speaker from the member for Chatham Kent Leamington. Mr. Speaker by working with First Nations we are ensuring that consultation is done the right way. Webikey and Martin Falls First Nations are leading environmental assessments for road projects and are integrating Indigenous principles with the provincial process. Just last week the Webikey supply road project team held another open house session for Indigenous community members to learn about their project. Mr. Speaker our government stands shoulder to shoulder with shoulder with the First Nations partners and during my recent visit to Webikey First Nations I offered our government's full support to assist with this consultation. Mr. Speaker when we consult the right way we get things done and we will make real progress on economic reconciliation. Supplementary question. Speaker under the previous Liberal government the Ring of Fire development was not a priority. The only work they seemed to do amounted to platitudes, photo ops and not getting people working. The Liberals promised action on the Ring of Fire and time and time again they didn't deliver. They announced funding for the Ring of Fire for three budgets in a row but this is just window dressing. They then removed any reference to the Ring of Fire whatsoever. Speaker I agree with the statement from the Minister of Mines that at the end of the day we can do better than taking 15 years to get a mine built. Speaker what is the government doing to get this project done? Mr. Mines again Mr. Speaker thank you for the question. Mr. Speaker our message is very simple. There is no green economy without mining. We need the critical minerals in the Ring of Fire to meet our climate goals. That's why our government is getting it done by working with the First Nations to build a corridor of prosperity. That leads to the Ring of Fire. Our government committed almost $1 billion to support road development, broadband infrastructure and other community projects. Environmental assessments for two of the road projects are already underway. Mr. Speaker we can accomplish anything when we build strong partnerships with the First Nations and that is exactly what our government is doing. Thank you Speaker. Through you to the Minister of Health from hospitals to urgent care to doctors offices people across this province and in my home community of Niagara are facing dangerously long wait times. My constituent Howard Disher a 79 year old from Welland has an enlarged prostate that is of great concern to his family doctor. He was referred to a urologist however not only are they still facing a serious backlog from COVID Niagara is also facing a doctor shortage. Howard was told not to expect an actual consult appointment for over a year. To complicate matters Howard's family doctor is expected to retire soon. Can the Minister explain to Howard how it is acceptable in the province of Ontario to have to wait over a year to have a serious medical concern addressed. Minister of Health thank you Speaker you know it is I will take this opportunity to highlight yet again the five-point plan that together with the Minister of Long-term Care we brought forward a number of weeks back and it included speaking directly to your constituent Howard investing over 300 million dollars as part of the province's surgical recovery strategy bringing the total investment of 880 million dollars over the last three fiscal years specifically related to doctor shortages of course we have now 400 new practicing physicians in the province of Ontario in rural and remote communities. We also are working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to ensure that any backlog any individuals who have applied to practice in the province of Ontario have that opportunity to go through the assessment and ultimately receive their license. We will do this work because we know how important it is thank you. Supplementary question. Speaker Niagara has 250 physicians 20 of them are over 65 147,000 individuals in our region are not attached to a family doctor. Niagara Health tells me that the rate that family physicians qualify on a yearly basis is a drop in the bucket compared to what is needed to address the shortage. We know that when people cannot see their family doctor or a specialist in a timely manner they end up in an already overcrowded and understaffed ER. It is a domino effect that leads to some of the tragic outcomes we are currently seeing. Will this government finally implement the recommendations we brought forward back in March and remove the barriers for the internationally trained doctors and health care workers we want and need in this province. Minister of Health. Thank you speaker you know we've made it very clear that the status quo is not appropriate and we are not accepting that and frankly in Niagara region I will give you a very specific example leaders in Niagara using and utilizing their excellent paramedic programs so that individuals who call 911 can be diverted whether it is to mental health facilities to long-term care or in fact to their home once they have stabilized and have appropriate community care. We've done all these things working with our partners because we know that innovation is here in the province of Ontario and we want to make sure that when we see these best practices like frankly the Niagara paramedic model we offer and encourage other communities to do the same. Thank you speaker. Thank you. Next question remember for Scarborough agent. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Speaker it cannot be more contradictory when the Liberals oppose having a strong mayor system despite their track record of supporting one. In 2008 Liberal Premier Dalton Maganti was on board with Toronto Mayor David Mills request for additional power saying quote I am in support of a strong mayor system my support remains there end of quote with our province in a housing crisis the members of the opposition must put aside their parties and politics and we should all stand together to ensure we are building more affordable homes for hard-working Ontarians. Speaker can the minister of municipal affairs and housing share with the house how a strong mayor system will be valuable in moving housing projects forward so that more families can achieve their dream of becoming homeowners. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Minister of Affairs and Housing. Thanks. Thanks. I want to thank the member for Scarborough Agent Court for that question. Speaker the member is absolutely correct former Premier Dalton Maganti mauled about proposing a strong mayor system but it is this government under the leadership of Premier Ford that's actually going to get a done speaker. People are proposed changes the mayors of both Toronto and Ottawa our province's two largest cities will have new tools to help them be able to move priority projects like housing projects faster. Speaker this past election Premier Ford committed to the people of Ontario that he was going to keep cost down and he was going to ensure that we put a plan in place to build 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years and I can assure the honourable member and the people of Ontario that we're going to get it done. Thank you minister. Speaker former Toronto City councillors of all political stripes have taught a strong mayor system for its ability to give more decisive direction to the bureaucracy about priorities and shift resources in that direction. To quote former Toronto City councillor Kyle Kyle Ray from 2008 on the need for a stronger mayor powers quote Toronto is an economic engine and that's beginning to get in trouble if that engine starts to break down those fabulous neighbourhoods are going to stop working. End of quote we are already seeing that prediction come true regarding the need to build more housing faster and cut through red tape on the priority projects of my constituents. Speaker what are the minister and all members of the legislative doing to get this done thank you. I want to thank the honourable member from Scarborough Asian Court once again. Speaker I've said many many times in this house that we need to get shovels in the ground faster we need to build more housing of all types of all shapes and all sizes. Too many families are frozen out of the housing market because there simply is not enough housing options for them across the province that's why our government made the commitment in the last election under the leadership of Premier Ford that we're going to build 1.5 million homes over the next years but speaker the opposition they would rather have us wait they would actually rather have us delay they'd rather us sit around for 15 more years to start building homes and that's why we made that clear commitment we looked people in the eye during the election and said under the leadership of Premier Ford we were not going to do as the Liberals had done for 15 years before you know regardless of what is being proposed the hateful eight uh is not going to make us wait. Minister Ernest we're all next question the member for Hamilton Mount. Thank you very much uh Mr Speaker my question is for the Premier the Income Security Advocacy Centre along with over 230 social service providers and community organizations have called on you to double both OW and ODSP rates and to index these rates to inflation my office of Hamilton Mountain has received over 3200 emails in just a very short time in support of doubling these rates people on social assistance are relying on food banks shelters improper medications and quite frankly are in dire straits where homelessness is their only option. Renovictions and rent increases are forcing people on social assistance uh to spend over 60 percent of their income on substandard roofs over their head 73 percent of food bank users are on social assistance and yet food insecurity is falling on the priority list due to substandard housing will the Premier and his minister listen to ISAC and the over 230 providers increase the rates double the rates and include people on Ontario works. Thank you Mr children community and social service. Thank you Speaker and thank you for the question in fact our government is aligning our increases historic increases of ODSP to inflation that's exactly what we're doing and we're taking all of government approach we're listening across the board we are making sure that those who can work are receiving the job readiness programs and the training they need and for those who cannot work we are supporting those individuals those also in financial crises the municipalities order and making sure that the social service providers have the resources they need and that was exactly what the one billion dollar uh social services relief for Hamilton Mountain come we are getting the the funding to the the communities the people who need it through the micro credentialing strategy the roadmap to wellness the new child care spaces the Ontario child benefit the dental care for low income seniors the care tax credit the the the lift tax credit the Ontario jobs training tax credit the Ontario energy and property tax credit the minimum wage increase we are continuing to listen continuing to do what is necessary to support our most vulnerable and to help those who can work i get back into the workforce thank you thank you that concludes our question period for this morning the member for peterborough core that has a point of order thank you mr speaker i just want to congratulate the world leading lacrosse centre of peterborough for once again last night defeating the six nation chiefs to win the msl and represent ontario at the uh for the man cup for an unprecedented second forpeat and i'm requesting unanimous consent for my seat mate who represents us schwiegan where the six nation chiefs play consent to where my peterborough century 21 lakers jersey and if peterborough fourth is seeking the unanimous consent of the house to allow the member for brantford brant to wear the jersey that he doesn't want to put on agreed agreed to government notice of motion number four relating to allocation of time on bill two an act to implement budget measures and to enact and amend various statutes and bill seven an act to amend the fixing long-term care act 2021 with respect to patients requiring an alternate level of care and other matters and to make a consequential amendment to the health care consent act 1996 call in the members this will be a five minute bell