 It is now time for oral questions. I recognize the leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition. Good morning. This question is for the Premier. Our plan to remove tolls on trucks on the highway 407 would save people money and time. It would help ease traffic for everybody. Across the province, people clearly support this common-sense solution. Why is this government willing to sit back and let a private company continue to profit off Ontario drivers instead of doing something to make life easier for them? Thank you for your reply to the government. Minister of Transportation. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Look, this isn't about truckers. This isn't about the 407. This is the NDP's continued opposition to Highway 413, Mr. Speaker. They continue to listen to the protest group. The people of this province sent a very loud and clear message to that member and the previous Liberal leader and the current previous Liberal leader who has actually continued on this campaign to cancel a 413. Come to Brampton. Come to Mississauga. And listen to the challenges people are facing on the streets every single day and the gridlock that they are facing. Our government is committed to building $30 billion worth of infrastructure, roads, highways all across this province. And that is exactly what we will do and will continue on our path forward to build Highway 413. Supplementary question. No, Minister. This is about getting some relief for people today. My question back to the Premier, but this is about political will. The Minister of Transportation said yesterday that it would be just too difficult to scrap tolls on Highway 407 because it's owned by a private entity. He even admitted to journalists that it is within the government's power to renegotiate the 407 contract, but they're not willing to do it. So my question back to the Premier is why is this Premier so afraid of taking on the 407 operator? Minister of Transportation. Very much, Mr. Speaker. You want to talk about actions we can do today. That member knows that on April 1st the carbon tax is about to go up 23%, Mr. Speaker. Let's talk about the challenges that long-haul truck drivers face with the carbon tax today. $15,000 to $20,000 per truck driver on long-haul truckers that they face in the carbon tax, Mr. Speaker. That's $10,000 to $15,000 to $20,000 that they could be putting back to their families. Let's talk about the changes that we've made, whether it was getting rid of the valve tax, $125 per car truck or the reduction of gas tax by close to $0.10 a litre, Mr. Speaker. That member has never once supported any of those measures that we have put forward for drivers across this province. So will that member stand up and call her federal counterpart and Prime Minister and say 23% increase in carbon tax is unacceptable and they will not stand for it and will stand with truckers as we oppose that increase in the carbon tax. Seven, Speaker. The 407. The mistake that this government, this party made and that the people of Ontario keep paying for. This, just last month, this government made a big show about legislation to ban tolls on major highways, but they accepted the only provincial highway that actually charges tolls. Speaker, yesterday we gave them a chance to reverse their soft on tolls policies and actually do something. Order. They refused. Order. So back to the Premier. When are you going to start prioritizing the interests of Ontarians instead of big corporations? Mr. Speaker, let me get this right. You're against the 412 and 418. You voted against getting rid of the tolls. You voted against the 413. You voted against the Bradford Bypass. You voted against the largest transit expansion in North America. But like, which way are you going today? Are you going one way or are you going the other way? At the end of the day, we've done more for the taxpayers of Ontario than any government in the history of this province, reducing the cost and burden of being taxed to death. You're for taxes. We're against taxes. To make good comments through the chair. Supplementary question. I think that people in Ontario are wondering why this Premier is so afraid of the 407 operator. But anyway, I have my next question, Speaker, is back to the Premier. In January, it was announced that the AV Terrace Bay pulp mill would close indefinitely, throwing 400 workers out of work. Workers from the mill, members of USW Local 665 are here today. I welcome them. They're watching us now and they're looking for answers from this government. This is a viable mill in a competitive industry, Speaker. If this mill is allowed to shut down, somebody else is going to open a mill outside of Ontario to do the same work. Can the Premier tell these workers and the people of Terrace Bay what they're doing to save these jobs and get this mill back up and running? Natural resources and forestry. Thank you for the question. We have, and I've told this house many times, been working since the second that mill idled to get it open again. And my greatest respect to the steel workers that are here today that have joined us, that are concerned about their jobs. We are equally concerned about their jobs. And the best thing that can happen is that mill reopens. And we will be remorseless in our, sorry, in our blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Some days you got it and some days you don't. But we will not stop in our efforts to get this mill open. Speaker, I heard their media studio piece this morning and they talked about all the things that we're actually already doing, including making investments in the forestry industry to make sure that there's a forestry industry in the future we can hold on. And this, he and the Liberals had 15 years to do that. They did not do it. We're doing it every day. We're supporting that sector every day. Speaker, thank you. Back to the preview. There are a lot of heads shaking in Terrace Bay and Scriber and across Northern Ontario right now. People in Northern Ontario in Terrace Bay are saying, what about us? What about us? This morning one of the workers said, all we need is some hope. When you grow up in a single industry town and the mill closes or the plant closes, that's it. There's no hope. So they're asking this government to fight for them, to stand up and fight for them. And what is this government doing? They're saying the same things they always say. They're making these empty promises. Those workers came a long way today to hear this government say, we are going to fight for you and we are going to fight for Northern Ontario. Question. Members will please take their seats. House will come to order. Order. Order. Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. Mr. Speaker, we have been fighting through every single day and the opposition knows that they're taking advantage of the situation to play political theater and political games once again today. Meanwhile, we're working the phones. We're looking for the opportunities. We're looking for the operators. We're the ones making the investments in the forestry sector to make sure that Terrace Bay and Scriber and every community in the North can benefit from a strong forestry sector. $60 million announced last week invested in biomass in the forestry sector. The same product that gets used in those days. Because we're looking for it not only today but to the future. So to the opposition, stand up and join us. You know we're doing the right things. Stop playing games and let's get this done. Let's get it done for everyone. Okay, I'm going to start calling out members by name to come to order. Start the clock. Supplementary question, the member for Thunder Bay, Superior North. Thank you. And I'd like to say the biomass projects have nothing to do with helping the workers in Terrace Bay. There has been no communication with the workers in Terrace Bay whatsoever. The owners of the mill, the Aditya Burla Group, received nearly $130 million from the province with an expectation that when they purchased the mill, they were in for the long haul and the community could depend on the jobs. The town, the workers there and all the surrounding communities, they don't have two years to wait until maybe another multinational thinks they can get a good deal on a mill that actually produces some of the best pulp in the world. There has been no communication with the workers and almost no communication with the town leadership. So everybody is waiting to hear something. So I want to know now, today, with workers who have traveled all the way here from Terrace Bay, what is the government doing specifically to bring back jobs for the workers in Terrace Bay to bring that mill back to life? Mr. Natural Resources and Forestry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And to say that biomass has nothing to do with what we're talking about in Terrace Bay is to fundamentally misunderstand how the forest industry works. But be that as it may, I'm not surprised. I'm not surprised, Mr. Speaker. Listen, we've gone over this again. The moment this mill shut down, we were in contact with the mayor. We were in contact with multiple mayors. We held regional meetings. That member was at the meetings. That member knows exactly what we've been doing. The leader of the opposition had a phone call with her. She knows exactly what we've been doing. So for them to play this pantomime that they don't know what's going on, Mr. Speaker, we've been fully transparent about the efforts we've been taking on behalf of those fine workers that have joined us today, on behalf of a community that we want to see this mill going again. It's a private sector company that signed a horrible deal with the previous government. Big shocker there. We want to get the mill going again, and we're going to continue to work for the people in Terrace Bay every single day. Member for Hamilton Mountain, come to order. Member for Kitchener, Conestoga, come to order. Member for Brampton North, come to order. Start the clock. The next question, the Member for Kuwait, now. Miigwet Speaker, Minigazia Bay, good morning. Speaker, Global News Investigation revealed how youth from Northern First Nations are being targeted by for-profit group home companies. These companies do this because their owners can charge First Nations more for the care of our children. These companies see our children and youth as a steady source of revenue as cash cows, Mr. Speaker, as one operator said. Speaker, our children and youth are not dollar signs. To the Premier, do you condone this abuse? Speaker, and I thank my honourable colleague for the question. Speaker, let me make it very clear our government will do whatever it takes to protect every single child and youth in our province, Mr. Speaker. And we didn't need, Speaker, there is no room in our system for providers who refuse to provide high quality care, full stop, Mr. Speaker. Our government didn't need another report to tell us. We took action, Mr. Speaker. We created 20 new inspector positions across the province. We increased the number of inspections across homes, Mr. Speaker. We increased the number of unannounced inspections, Mr. Speaker, that was being done. We improved the quality of the welfare child welfare data to establish a common standard for every children's day society across the province, Mr. Speaker. These actions, Mr. Speaker, have demonstrated that once again we will do whatever it takes to protect every child and youth in our province. Mr. Speaker, it's the moral and legal obligation of every provider to make sure they protect children and youth. We will hold them to account every single time. That's your question. Back to the member. Very good, Speaker. You know, words are good, but actions, we need action. We cannot continue to sit on your hands and we need to do something right. Our children must be treated as human beings when they are in care. Speaker, this is very clear that this government has failed them. Group homes cannot continue to break child welfare laws without any consequences. To the Premier, again I ask, what action will your government take today? Mr. Children, Community and Social Services. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Through the Indigenous Ontario Children and Youth Strategy, we are increasing access to community-based prevention and early intervention support, ones that are culturally appropriate and reflect, Mr. Speaker, Indigenous customs, heritage and tradition. On action, Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, it was our government that said actions were not taken. Enough was not done, Mr. Speaker, to support the children and youth, which is why we had the consultations with Indigenous leadership. The Ontario Indigenous Children and Youth Strategy is co-developed by the Indigenous communities with the Indigenous leadership, Mr. Speaker. And we took action. As I mentioned to you, Mr. Speaker, we increased the number of inspectors across the province. We increased the number of unannounced inspections, Mr. Speaker. We posted just this past summer that we are looking at increasing fines all to make sure that those providers that are looking after children and youth in this province know that they have a moral and legal obligation to look after one, and we will hold them to account, Mr. Speaker. Next question, the member for Newmarket, Aurora. Thank you, Speaker. And my question is for the Minister of Education. Our government agrees with parents in Ontario. Students need to be in class getting back to basics education. Last week, we heard the Minister tell this House that Ontario is second in the nation in reading, writing and math. Top 10 in science and top 15 in math internationally. Speaker, we need to keep this momentum going. We must work to keep children learning and provide them with the stability they deserve so they can continue to succeed in school. Speaker, can the Minister please explain what's being done to support students in Ontario and ensure they stay in class without interruptions from threats of union strikes? The Minister of Education. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the member from Newmarket, Aurora, for this question. I'm proud to report to this House that our government has concluded teacher negotiations with the Catholic teachers, meaning all children, two million kids, are in class all day long. And this is for Ontario families because these kids deserve routine in their lives. And it's been almost a generation since the last time the government has delivered deals without any strike or any withdrawal service at the local or provincial level. It is good news. And we should celebrate progress, stability for children and common sense back in our school system. We are committed to ensuring our kids get back on track. It's why routine is foundational as we go back to basics. I am grateful to Ontario educators, to the families and students, to members of this government caucus who stood up for kids for the right to learn to stay in school with peace and stability for the next three years. That is the legacy we deserve for Ontario kids. A supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for his response. It is great to see our government reach historic agreement to keep Ontario students in class. This is an agreement that parents want and students deserve. Speaker, our next generation have big, bold dreams for their futures. It is of critical importance that they have our support to develop the skills, understanding and self-efficacy they need to grow and thrive. Our government must continue to put education first, deliver stability and invest in students' potential. Speaker, can the Minister please tell the House how our government is preparing Ontario students for future success? Minister of Education. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Our government is reaching higher and demanding better when it comes to ensuring our kids have the skills and competencies necessary to succeed in our country. It's why we have introduced legislation in the past at the Better Schools and Soon Outcomes Act designed to refocus our school system and our school boards on academic achievement to boost reading, writing and math and STEM disciplines in the classroom. Mr. Speaker, we are imposing accountability and transparency on school boards to ensure that the new kindergarten curriculum introduced this year will actually provide daily instruction on literacy and math. We are ensuring that kids get the skills they need, the life skills, the job skills, necessary to compete, get good jobs and graduate with confidence. Mr. Speaker, that's why we are proud to have delivered on our promise to the parents of this province stability, common sense and hope for the kids of Ontario. The next question. The member for Washington. Thank you, Speaker. And my question is to the Minister of Transportation. Anyone stuck in 401 traffic knows how busy the 401 is and it turns out they've studied it. It really is the busiest highway on the continent. While commuters spend hours in bumper to bumper 401 traffic the 407 sits half empty. The NDP solution to divert commercial trucks from the 401 traffic jam to the 407 was unbelievably voted against by this Minister of Transportation. So my question to the Minister is why is he turning his back on a good idea when it means commuters will sit and wait? Mr. Speaker, once again this is just another opportunity for the NDP to try to oppose Highway 413, Mr. Speaker. Every step of the way this government has put forward measures especially in that member's riding as well removing tolls on the 412-418. What did that member do when they had the opportunity to vote in support of removing tolls on the 412-418? She voted against that measure, Mr. Speaker. Everything this government has done has been focused around putting more money back into the pockets of drivers whether that's reducing the tax by 10 cents, removing tolls on the 412-418. Fighting the carbon tax, Mr. Speaker which is about to go up 23% that will not only impact truckers it's going to impact every single family in this province, Mr. Speaker and that is why under the leadership of Premier 4 we will continue to make historic investments in infrastructure, build Highway 413 and put more money in your pockets. The supplementary question. Thank you very much, Speaker I was very proud to table the private member's bill to remove the tolls from the 412-418 and I was really pleased the government made it a priority four years later. People have places to go people want to get home, they want to get to school they want to get to work and this government's pet project as we've heard Highway 413 is at best 10 years away and it may or may not make a 30 second difference in the lives of commuters. In the meantime removing truck tolls is a creative solution to better utilize a highway we already have and this government won't even talk about it. Now that the Minister of Transportation has had a moment to think about it would he like to correct his record and vote for a good idea? There it is Mr. Speaker that member just said exactly what that motion was all about it's about cancelling Highway 413 and absolutely not Mr. Speaker we are going to get shovels in the ground we're seeing historic population growth in this province especially in areas like Peel especially in areas like Halton and York Mr. Speaker we received one of the largest mandates under this Premier to build Highway 413 and that is exactly what we will do we're not going to listen to that Federal Environment Minister that says he's not going to invest or build any more roads or highways get out of the Queens Park bubble hit the roads in Mississauga Brampton 1 The member for Waterloo come to order the member for Ottawa South come to order the Minister of Health come to order as well the next question the member for Whitney The thank you Speaker my question is for the Minister of Energy people in my riding tell me daily that they want to be treated equally and fairly when it comes to the carbon tax with the carbon tax rates set to increase next month and Terrians can expect to see a hike at the gas pumps from 14.3 cents per liter to 17.6 cents per liter Mr. Speaker this is absolutely unacceptable people are already struggling with inflation it's unfair that they're being forced to pay more for gas it's obvious that the independent liberals and opposition NDP don't care that this unnecessary tax is making life more unaffordable for their constituents that's why our government will continue to support in Terrians and call for an end to the carbon tax Speaker can the Minister please tell the House how the federal carbon tax is hurting the hard working individuals and families in this great province Mr. Vanerjee Mr. Speaker and the member from Whitby is absolutely right once again the federal carbon tax accomplishes nothing that it intended to do and it's only hurting Ontario families Mr. Speaker when the federal government introduced the carbon tax they told us a couple of things they said applying the additional tax to fuels would help reduce emissions and they also told us that we would get back more than we paid through the carbon tax rebate well we know that that's not the truth but here we know both of these things have been proven to be untrue the Bank of Canada says that interest rates have been affected because of the carbon tax the Parliamentary Budget Officer has said we're not getting back more than they said we would and still members of the Liberal Caucus are saying that that is the case and the Commissioner of the Environment a federal agency Mr. Speaker has even put out a report saying the federal government will miss their own emission targets Mr. Speaker the jig is up it's time to scrap this for an armful tax parliamentary question well thank you Speaker the Minister is right this carbon tax isn't working for the people instead it's making life more expensive Speaker under the previous Liberal Government people on my riding saw their electricity prices skyrocket because the Liberals insisted on signing energy contracts for power we didn't need we didn't need since we were elected in 218 our government has taken a different approach we've worked to make energy more affordable so that hard working Ontario families don't have to choose between paying their electricity bills or Speaker putting foot food on the table unlike the opposition NDP and the independent Liberals we will always put Ontarians first Speaker can the Minister please explain how our government is delivering the support Ontarians need as they experience more financial hardship due to the carbon tax Mr. Speaker through our powering Ontario's growth plan we're putting all kinds of new generation in place expanding our nuclear facilities which are creating an environment for new investment in our province but at the same time we have fought the carbon tax since the very beginning Mr. Speaker the carbon tax is driving up the cost of everything and that's been proven out by the experts that I cited earlier Mr. Speaker but families at home know the folks from Terrace Bay who drove all the way here know exactly what it means when they go to fill up their pickup trucks in northern Ontario Mr. Speaker and we're in the midst of an affordability crisis not in Ontario but across this country so if you were in charge of the federal government in an affordability crisis would you pause the carbon tax would you potentially rewind the carbon tax or would you do what Jugmeat and Justin are doing full steam ahead on the carbon tax in three weeks time raising it by another 23% it's irresponsible Mr. Speaker the member for University Rosedale. Thank you Mr. Speaker my question is to the Premier Metrolinx has just cancelled its plan to build nearly 3,000 homes at the Mimico Go Station after Van Dyke properties went bankrupt so what that means is that local residents have been waiting 10 years for a Go Station upgrade and all they've got is a hole in the ground so my question is to the Premier how many times does Metrolinx have to fail to deliver on a project before this government holds that trads an agency to account the Minister of Infrastructure the member for the question what are the circumstances that we are in Mr. Speaker we are having economic challenges those challenges are not immune to the province of Ontario the process is before the courts and a new landowner will be selected but Metrolinx acted really quickly and brought itself out of the deal in order to protect the infrastructure and protect the transit oriented community transit oriented community at Mimico Station we will continue to work with the City of Toronto and we will continue to work with the new landowner to make sure that we build housing affordable housing public realm space and of course a Go Station that the people in Etobicoke rely on thank you thank you Speaker back to the Minister for folks watching at home there's a reason why you didn't get an answer to that question today the sad thing is Speaker public transit construction in Ontario has been hijacked by a self serving state bureaucracy led by a million dollar man Phil Verster that this Premier and that Minister will not hold to account so are we going to hear another speech after my supplementary question Speaker about wonderful transit projects to come in 10 years or is this government finally going to hold a corrupt bureaucracy to account and fire Phil Verster I'm actually really pleased to have this opportunity to talk about the transit work that is happening particularly in the GTA under Phil Verster's leadership under Premier Ford's leadership and Minister Socaria's leadership Eglinton Crosstown West is being tunneled and is approaching Royal York Station Mr Speaker and the Ontario line construction has started as has construction at exhibition station and now of course we're focusing our energies on Young North Mr Speaker this was a transit plan that they said would never be done and work is underway and we will continue to build stations and public transit Order the next question the member for beaches east York Thank you very much and good morning everyone My question is for the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing I'm sure the Minister fondly remembers last year at committee when I asked him about the major transit station area approvals it has now been 111 days since the Minister told me that sign off would be soon and that soon meant very soon Well in those 111 days not only have the Ontario Liberals released a comprehensive housing plan including a strong focus on quickly approving and up zoning MTSAs but also I have had the time to order a Webster's dictionary for the Minister and I've highlighted the definition of soon I'm happy to educate the Minister on his vocabulary soon means without undue time-lapse in a prompt manner straight away shortly sometime in the 21st century Order enough of the vague promises and false hopes we need a specific date and time for municipalities to get shovels in the ground My question to the Minister is when will for Toronto and Ontario to apply the Minister of municipal affairs in housing I appreciate the opportunity of course we are working very closely with Mayor Chao on developing an approval of those official plans Mr. Speaker but at the same time look we understand that after 15 years of Liberal government no homes were being built across the province of Ontario in fact they took away the dream of home ownership that is the legacy of the Liberal government when they were in power Mr. Speaker now they introduced a policy the other day they introduced a housing policy the other day now the new housing critic when asked about major transit station area building he said he was going to fight against it and use whatever lingers he could to stop this outrageous type of development from happening so one of the critics says he wants more but when he's in private with his community groups and outrageous now their Liberal leader she doubles down she calls condo a 12 story condo unit that she disapproved of and rejected an abomination that's the Liberal record they say one thing they accomplish nothing the supplementary question back to the member for beaches east York tick tock you need a clock minister the government truly believes that they're delivering on their housing plan let's look at their track record limit exclusionary zoning municipalities through binding provincial action nope hasn't been done allow as a bright zoning up to unlimited height and unlimited density in the immediate proximity of individual major transit stations nope hasn't been done allow as a bright zoning up to 6 to 11 stories with no minimum parking requirements on all streets utilized by public transit nope hasn't been done because they have yet to implement 52 of 55 recommendations from their own housing task force speaker the Ontario Liberals have a whole housing plan and in 2026 under Bonnie crombie we will fix many many disasters I apologize to the member for beaches east York I had to interrupt her because I could not hear her she's free over time I'm with you know never have I seen her we're paying attention at the time I can reassure all members that that is the case please restart the clock the member for beaches east York my question for the minister is do you need a link to the Ontario Liberals housing plan so you can actually get shovels in the ground please start the clock minister of municipal affairs and housing I certainly won't need a link to anything that the Liberals have done because under the 15 years that they had housing starts never really increased did they in fact they stayed steady you know what happened when we got elected they increased year after year after year you know why because we kept removing obstacles the last year that the liberal leader was in office in mississauga you know how many housing starts they got 12 12 that is the record of the leader of the opposition 12 housing starts in fact in fact she increased development charges by over 27 percent you know what happens when you increase taxes you make housing unaffordable when you put carbon taxes you make housing unaffordable when you increase development charges you make housing unaffordable and you know what communities have done that mississauga did it that's why the population of mississauga decreased Burlington is doing it and that's why they're missing their housing targets where there are conservative merits they reduce taxes they remove obstacles and they're getting their housing done okay start the clock remember for brantford brant thank you speaker my question is for the minister of economic development job creation and trade trade minister the new liberal leader has been such a staunch advocate for the carbon tax she could not be more out of touch with the everyday reality that hardworking families and businesses in this province are facing they are dealing with higher inflation and higher interest rates the last thing they need is governments raising costs even more on them but unfortunately that is exactly what the liberals are doing with their carbon tax which they plan on raising again on April 1st our government will always oppose this tax we are committed to lowering costs for the people and businesses across the entire province speaker can the minister please highlight what our government has done for the cost of doing business across the province of ontario the minister of economic development job creation and trade speaker our party has opposed the carbon tax right from day one while the liberals raise taxes we continue to lower taxes we reduce the cost of wsib premiums by 50% saving the business community $2.5 billion each and every year we have put a capital cost right off in that have saved the business community a billion dollars a year we continue to reduce red tape the burden of red tape 500 pieces have been reduced saving almost a billion dollars a year speaker the carbon tax penalizes business while the liberals raise taxes we continue to lower tax we ask that we scrap the tax today thank you speaker and thank you to the minister for his response speaker the liberals under the leadership of Bonnie Cromby are indistinguishable from their federal cousins in Ottawa they both don't understand the challenges everyday people are facing and think now is a good time to hike taxes again they both listen to out of touch activists in ivory towers who support the carbon tax while ignoring the hard working families in this province who despise it while the liberals ignore them our government will always listen to the hard working people of this province we know that by keeping costs down we can create the conditions for new investments and more good paying jobs speaker can the minister highlight how by reducing costs we've been able to secure new investments and create good paying jobs across the entire province Ontario thank you minister of economic development job creation and trade we have shown the liberals the way we've shown them what happens when you raise taxes and we show them what happens when you lower taxes and by us lowering taxes we have seen the province create a hundred and eighty thousand new jobs just last year alone seven hundred thousand jobs eleven billion dollars in new investment all because we lowered the cost of doing business by eight billion dollars annually last year and the year before and the year before that twenty eight billion dollars in investment came into this province in the auto sector because we lowered the cost of doing business three billion in life sciences came here because we lowered taxes tens of billions of tech dollars float into Ontario because we lowered taxes you get these results by lowering taxes imagine where we would be if we didn't have a carbon tax very much speaker questions for the premier it's about anti-scab speaker the premier and concerned government talk of the game when it comes to support for workers but nobody is fooled for every single one of the working for workers bills new democrats and new anti-scab amendments they voted them all down last fall I brought forward anti-scab legislation they voted that down anti-scab legislation speaker prevents labour disputes from dragging on it helps prevent conflict my question speakers will the premier tell the millions of Ontario workers from skill trades to public workers why he supports their jobs being taken from them that they find themselves in a strike or a lockout minister of labour immigration training and skills development thank you speaker for the question those millions of workers know this government's got their back speaker 98% of deals 98% in 2023 we're done at the bargaining table and in fact I'd like to congratulate the minister minister of education who just insured who continues to insure students will remain in class because we also land deals with public sector union speaker when it comes to these workers they know that when given the opportunity that party opposite vote against the 413 against the record 50 hospitals under construction and against nuclear refurbishment speaker they can twist themselves into pretzels all they want but when it comes to workers and working in Ontario and a prosperous Ontario and the men and women who are going to get it done it's this government making the investments to insure that they can have a better job and a bigger page response number 4 Windsor West thank you speaker back to the premier last year in March my NDP colleagues and I reintroduced anti-scab labour legislation it was the 16th time the conservatives once again voted against it but last week bill c58 the federal anti-replacement worker anti-scab labour bill passed second reading with all party support even the federal conservatives supported it they voted in favour of it if we were to table anti-scab legislation in this house for the 17th time will the premier follow the example of his federal conservative counterparts and support workers by voting in favour of it thank you speaker as I said 98% of the deals for Ontario workers are done at the table the question I would ask that member opposite is will you support your NDP colleagues across Canada and fight against the carbon tax that's killing life for workers you know Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker I visited that member's community and they know she doesn't support our record investments to attract world-class auto manufacturing jobs in their community the Gordie Howe bridge the painters and the tapers who we need for that bridge the hospital speaker and we just heard again in question period today they would cancel the 413 that party is broke when it comes to ideas for workers that keep men and women in Ontario employed not only are we doing that speaker but we've launched a record fund to help workers get better jobs bigger paychecks we've expanded supports for injured workers speaker all they offer workers is misery because they have no plan to keep up thank you speaker my question today is to the minister of health last month the government caucus voted down my bill to approve the northern health travel grant during the debate the parliamentary assistant to the minister said we know that patients can't afford delays or more talks or endless committees and that it's time to get it done for families in northern Ontario speaker given the statement from the parliamentary assistant I would ask the minister the following question how soon will the minister get it done for northerners and raise the rates for reimbursement and improve the delivery of the northern health travel grant deputy premier and minister of health thank you speaker I couldn't agree more with my parliamentary assistant doing excellent work in the ministry the answer is we're already doing it we have already improved the northern Ontario health travel grant more work needs to be done absolutely I agree on that point but while we are improving that system and program available to the people of Ontario I want to remind the member opposite that the northern Ontario school of medicine a northern Ontario school of medicine that was formed by a a conservative government has now almost doubled the amount of available positions and seats available for people training in the north what does that do speaker it means that people who train in the north will continue their service to the people of Ontario as physicians, as nurses, as lab technicians as paramedics we're putting the effort in to make sure that we expand not only the opportunities for people to train, live and work in the north but of course our primary care expansion it would be... supplementary question again to the minister speaker the fact is more and more northerners are willing to start having to travel for health care as this government allows the system to crumble northern hospitals are at the brink of financial crisis and already we are seeing people in the north lose access to primary care in Sault Ste. Marie and in the Algoma area 10,000 people are losing access to primary care through the group health centre in me speaker I agree with the member from Sault Ste. Marie I think what we need are experts in the field to tell us what the concerns are and where the potential remedies are for those concerns minister the northern health travel grant and primary care are vital to northerners and we should hear from them who's right here minister the member from Sault Ste. Marie or your parliamentary assistant and to make the comments through the chair minister of health moment that the group health made that announcement the member from Sault Ste. Marie was actively working with all of the participants to make sure that they could provide services and ensure that that community was served by primary care there were two primary care announcements made that will directly improve access to primary care in Sault Ste. Marie but that's not all the other speakers that I want to address are members of the Sault Ste. Marie and I can go on the point is we are making the investments in primary care the recruitment is happening today and we will see those expansions make a noticeable impact for the people of northern Ontario and across Ontario who want access to primary care physician first expansion of multidisciplinary teams were formed in our government. The next question, the member for Sault Ste. Marie. Shocker Mr. Speaker, Sault Ste. Marie is getting all the love today, loving it. Well Mr. Speaker, I have a very, very important question on behalf of the people of Sault Ste. Marie for our wonderful Minister of Energy. And Mr. Speaker, you know many individuals and families, particularly those in Northern Ontario rely on fuels to heat their homes. Unfortunately, residents in rural and remote and northern parts of Northern Ontario face additional barriers in heating their homes due to the lack of viable alternative speaker. Families and businesses in Sault Ste. Marie are telling me that they already feel the carbon taxes impact on their energy bills every single month. And quite frankly Mr. Speaker, this has been a pretty warm winter in Sault Ste. Marie and throughout the province. It's unfair and unjust for them to bear the burden of this regressive carbon tax. Yet the Liberals and the NDP are content to see the costs related to the carbon tax raise even higher. Minister, please let us know how our communities in the north are suffering more because of this unaffordable carbon tax. Well thank you Mr. Speaker and thanks to the member from Sault Ste. Marie for the question. He's right. Members in Northern Ontario, like in Sault Ste. Marie, don't have a lot of choice when it comes to how they heat their homes. A lot of them are using home heating fuels and natural gas and propane. And April 1st is coming up fast. Mr. Speaker, it's about 25 days away. And April 1st is known as April Fool's Day and this year it happens to be Easter Monday as well. But you know what it is again in Justin Trudeau's world? It's Groundhog Day because once again this year they're increasing the carbon tax. This time they're increasing the carbon tax by 23%. So what does that mean for those who heat their home in Sault Ste. Marie and across Ontario? Almost $400 a year in an increase to their home heating bill, Mr. Speaker. Not to mention what it means for you when you fill up with the pumps and what it's going to mean in the grocery stores. Mr. Speaker, it's time to stop the charade at the federal level. Call Justin, call Jugmeat, put a pause on this carbon tax. We need to stop it today. The supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you so much to the Minister for that exceptional response. As the cost of living continues to rise, people are just finally concerned about the carbon tax and how it's going to make everything in their life more expensive. Workers from all sectors of the economy are already feeling the hardships and the challenges because of the carbon tax speaker. And sadly, the federal government does not care. They just don't care, Mr. Speaker. They're not doing anything to change it. You know, Ontario's hardworking individuals, businesses and farmers, they deserve to be treated fairly and they deserve to be treated with dignity. Our government must continue to stand up for the people of this province and ask Justin Trudeau and the federal government to please end the carbon tax. Speaker, can the minister please explain how further increases of this terrible tax, the carbon tax, this awful tax, is going to hurt Ontarians? Next speaker, it's really simple. The Parliamentary Budget Officer in Ottawa has said it. The Bank of Canada has said it. All of those who understand how the economy works have said that this carbon tax is having an impact on the price of affordability and the price of everything that we purchase from groceries to gas to home heating fuels, Mr. Speaker. And with an increase of 23% in the carbon tax on April 1st, it's going to drive up your home heating bill by another $400 a year. There are many people across this province who simply can't handle that, Mr. Speaker. We've done everything we can possibly do in Ontario to make life more affordable. We've fought the carbon tax all the way to the Supreme Court. We've lowered gasoline taxes by $0.10.7 a litre, eliminated license plate sticker fees, and eliminated tolls on our highways, Mr. Speaker. We've never raised a tax. We've never raised a fee. And you know what's happened? In spite of that federal carbon tax, that terrible tax being in place, we're seeing record growth in our province. 700,000 more people are working today than when we took government insurance. Thank you. Thank you. The next question, the member for Toronto Dad Forks. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker to the Premier. Jackman Daycare and my riding and other childcare centers are facing profound financial problems. Frozen or falling provincial funding for childcare is causing centers to dip into the reserves to keep their doors open. Families cannot afford to lose childcare should centers go under or be plunged into crisis. Will the Premier take steps now to address the financial crisis in childcare centers? To apply the Minister of Education. We have reduced fees by 50% for working families in Toronto and across Ontario. We are building 90,000 spaces in the City of Toronto, 86,000 across the province. We have increased funding for the childcare sector, the provincial level, of course, supported by federal investment, and together we've been able to support our operators, all operators, which of course is an ideological difference of perspective from the Liberals and the Democrats who would have omitted 30% of the sector who are God forbid for profits, small business women who operate on small margins and profit. These are people who work hard in our communities. They deserve to have the full support of parliamentarians. That's why, Speaker, we stood up to the federal Liberal government for a better deal for flexibility and support for all families in Ontario, and they should expect that our government will deliver more relief, more spaces, and stand up against liberal bureaucratic deliverance. Well, Speaker, again to the Premier, we're hearing a lot of happy talk from the Minister about how wonderful things are in the childcare sector. But in reality, parents are facing the loss of childcare in this province. A disaster for them and for their children and for childcare centers. Will the Premier replace the failed provincial funding formula with one that works for childcare? Mr Speaker, what would have been disastrous is if we follow liberal advice and precluded every for-profit operator in the province denying thousands of families the rights to affordable care. Mr Speaker, contrary to the perspectives of the members opposite, we've actually created 40,000, 41,000 net spaces since 2019. We are cutting fees. We are increasing affordable access to families in small towns and big cities. But what we don't agree with, with respect for the federal Liberal government, is that they should omit for-profit families. We believe as progressive conservatives in respecting the choices of parents to raise their kids, we will stand up for flexibility, stand up for affordability, and keep building spaces for the people of this province. The next question, the member for Eglinton Lawrence. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, and good morning. My question is for the Associate Minister of Small Business. Small businesses are the backbone of Ontario's economy, employing millions of people across many sectors. Unfortunately, I've heard repeatedly from business owners in my riding that they're facing ongoing challenges from rising costs due to the federal carbon tax. They were disappointed to say the least in the federal government's decision to cut the carbon tax rebate for small businesses from 9% to 5% effective this year. Speaker, entrepreneurs need opportunity, not obstacles, to drive innovation and growth. While the Liberals and the NDPs turn a blind eye to our job creators, our government is listening and looking out for them. Can the Associate Minister please share with this house what small businesses are telling her about the impact of the federal carbon tax? Thank you, Speaker. I really do appreciate the question from the great member for Eglinton Lawrence. Last week, I had the pleasure to talk to several chambers of commerce from across the province. However, I've heard the overwhelming frustration their members are feeling from last week's changes to the federal carbon tax rebate still owed to our small businesses. Small businesses from all of our ridings contribute significantly to carbon tax revenues, but receive very small portions of it in rebates. Cutting the amount returned to businesses as the federal government is now doing will make the burden worse, especially given that there still owed billions of dollars from previous years of collections. Speaker, whether it's a rural bakery struggling with higher natural gas bills or an urban manufacturing shop dealing with diesel price hikes, business owners all agree this tax is unfair. Businesses need affordable energy so they can focus on retaining and creating local jobs, Speaker. We'll continue to stand up for the prosperity of small businesses across Ontario. It's time the opposition did the same. Supplementary. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the Associate Minister for her response. The carbon tax negatively impacts our businesses. It's a drag on our economy, and it hurts Ontario workers. Business owners in my riding tell me that Liberal and NDP politicians who advocate for a carbon tax are out of touch with reality. Small businesses have contributed as much as 40% of the overall carbon tax revenues, and the sad, sad reality is that these additional expenses are ultimately passed on to every consumer. Our government must continue to advocate for the small businesses across the province and ensure that they receive the support that they need. Speaker, can the Associate Minister share with the House how the carbon tax is costing small businesses and consumers in Ontario? The Associate Minister. Thank you, Speaker, and again to the member for the question. According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, if rebates were returned to all eligible incorporated Ontario businesses, each would see around $2,637 for the past five years. When considering the hardships many small firms have endured already, every dollar return could make a vital difference, whether to cover bills, hire staff, or invest in growth. Speaker, what's worse is the provincial Liberals and NDP failed. They failed to stand up to their federal cousins as they announced. They'd be slashing rebates to small businesses from 9% to 5%, which means they're only going to get less than half back. Speaker, unlike carbon crumby and the Liberals and the NDP, this Premier and this government will keep fighting until Ottawa scraps the tax because small businesses can count on us to have their facts. The member for London North Centre. Speaker, my question is to the Premier. For years, the government has ignored the crisis of predatory HVAC scams which target seniors, newcomers, and those living with disabilities. Scam artists trick people into signing contracts where the devices get more expensive every year. The contract lasts longer than the lifespan of the machine, and the buyout is tens of thousands of dollars when the machine itself only costs hundreds. Sounds like a scam to me, Speaker. When will the government stop talking about a problem everyone knows about and finally act to protect seniors and others who are being scammed to this day? We have heard the pleas of our seniors and our vulnerable citizens on this. We have taken action through section 60 of the recently passed Consumer Protection Act. We have consulted widely across the spectrum, and we are taking action. Doing nothing is not an option. We will stand up with our seniors. What started out as a legitimate registration for HVAC equipment has become a tool for fraudsters and organized criminal activity. We will take action, Mr. Speaker. Doing nothing is not an option. The door-to-door sale solicitation has to stop. We are looking at everything including an outright retroactive ban. Stay tuned. I am really pleased to hear this government can show their support for my bill. We are in a cost of living crisis, and we need to make sure we are looking after these horrendous, costly and lengthy contracts. When these scam companies register a notice of security interest or no-see, it becomes a lien on a homeowner's property. The scam artists target the vulnerable and give everyone else in the industry a bad name. According to the government's own numbers, 38,000 no-sees were registered in 2022. So I look forward today when the NDP tables its legislation to look after no-sees going into the future, and those have been registered historically, that this government will support it. Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, it was government bill 142 that first addressed the abolition of no-sees, and it was the parties on the opposite side that accepted my plea to support it. So we thank them for that. The legislation is passed. More to come. Stay tuned for action on eradicating no-sees, and I look forward to that. Concludes our question period for this morning.