 It is now time for oral questions. I recognize the leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. Thank you, Speaker. My first question this morning is to the Premier. The response of our public health staff in the face of the novel coronavirus has been outstanding and we need to keep it that way. Earlier this month I asked the government to restore funding for public health units to 2019 levels. And once the coronavirus threat has passed, conduct a review to determine what provincial funding and resources public health units will need to keep Ontarians safe in the future, just as we did post SARS. Will the government do that, Speaker? On behalf of the government, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. Well, I thank the leader of the official opposition for the question and I too applaud the incredible work that's being done by our qualified health professionals and by our public health officials as well. They are doing incredible work to do everything that we can to contain this virus. And they are working in circumstances that are difficult yet. They are responding to it in every hospital that I've been to and into my discussions with public health officials. They are working together. We have a system that has been developed since SARS. We learned a lot of lessons during the course of SARS. We develop protocols and procedures. The system is working. All of the partners are working within it and the risk to Ontarians remains low. The health and well-being of Ontarians is our utmost priority at all times. Thank you, Speaker. Our public health units are doing outstanding work. We need to support their efforts today and draw lessons to ensure we are prepared for the future. Why is the government moving ahead then with funding cuts to public health units at this time and holding discussions about forced mergers of public health units while those very public health units are rightly focused on dealing with a serious public health issue? In fact, we have been dealing with those issues. As you know, we did not make any changes for last year. Any changes for this year coming forward are going to be mitigated that no public health unit is going to incur expenses in addition to more than 10 percent than they did have last year. Our health units have indicated that they are able to deal with that. We also have asked Mr. Jim Pine, who has significant interest in municipal affairs and understands some of the concerns that have been expressed to us with respect to municipalities and public health offices, to look into this. Mr. Pine is conducting a series of consultations across the province of Ontario with all public health units. We have received his initial recommendations, but we are waiting for his final recommendations, both on his regional meetings as well as specific meetings that he's having. And we understand that the public health units are satisfied with this response and are working well with Mr. Pine. Thank you. The final supplementary. Well, Speaker, we know that amalgamation talks with public health units have already been cancelled because public health officials are dealing with the novel coronavirus. All of these units are asking the government to stop the cuts. I believe that's the right thing to do. Will the government cancel the cuts, put a pause on their merger plans, and allow time for public health units to focus on the important work they have to do and when the threat has passed, learn from their experience in fighting this virus just as we learned from SARS. Minister? Well, I would say to the to leader of the official opposition that policies and protocols that were put in place post SARS that are now being dealt with as part of our response to the coronavirus will indicate that all units and all health professionals should be devoting their time to dealing with the preventing the spread of the coronavirus. We understand that there may be a slight delay in some of the discussions that Mr. Pine is having. We want our public health units to be doing their work in their individual areas, but that doesn't mean that things are coming to a stop. They will be started again as soon as the immediate priority has passed. I think that is what the official opposition would expect our health professionals to do and they are doing exactly that. We understand that for the Ministry of Health. Thank you. My next question is to the Premier as well. Yesterday I tried to ask the Premier about his claims that parents supported his war on educators and classroom cuts even when it emerged that he was sitting on a government study showing that the government's education consultations showed the exact opposite. I didn't get an answer speaker. So again, why did the Premier claim that he had support from parents when he knew full well his own consultation showed the exact opposite? Well, through you, Mr. Speaker, I'm out there. I talk to parents. I don't go by some online order. I talk to the parents. I'm hearing overwhelmingly. Number one, they want these strikes to stop. They want the kids back in the classroom and our Minister of Education is doing an incredible job. We have come from we have offered and put on the table and committed to protecting full day kindergarten, maintaining the smallest classroom sizes in Canada for the earliest years, Mr. Speaker, investing more in math and special education, making sure we keep the kids in the classroom. What are we missing? It's all about compensation with the head of the unions. We support the teachers, the hardworking men and women that are out there teaching our kids, but the unions have just lost track. It's all about lining their pockets, Mr. Speaker. A supplementary question. It's too bad this program, this Premier is a throwback speaker. It's a modern society that we have here. Unions are allowed to exist in Ontario and Canada, regardless of the Premier's ideology, doesn't agree. That's the law. But parents are in fact writing about this problem each and every day. Alison and Oshawa wrote the Premier and the Minister six times, and no one has replied to her. She says, and I quote, I feel as though my children and the elementary students in Ontario are being held hostage while Mr. Leche and Premier Ford set out to destroy the world class education system we have in Ontario. That's from Alison. Speaker, Alison asks that this government have meaningful discussions with teachers and settle these contract talks. Why won't the Premier listen to Alison when she says what he is doing is actually destroying the education system that we should all be proud of? Premier Leche. I had a stock that thick on my desk about the parents saying, make sure you focus on keeping the kids in the classroom. We're investing $1.2 billion dollars more than any government in the history of Ontario. We're investing $3.1 billion more in special education funding, the highest levels this province has ever seen. We've announced a four-year $200 million math strategy, Mr. Speaker. We're taking cell phones out of the classroom, getting the kids to focus on math. And our world class education system, why, Mr. Speaker? We have the highest paid teachers, but guess what? We have the lowest math scores in the entire country. We have an issue. Who's against merit-based hiring? The most qualified person. I'll tell you who's against it. The unions are against it. It doesn't allow the younger teachers to move up. It's based on seniority. Who does that in the private sector or the public sector? It's unacceptable, Mr. Speaker. The final supplementary. Thank you, Speaker. We do know that the Premier likes nepotism. We've seen him implemented across this government. But look, Kay is a parent in London, and she's a mom to two boys, and her oldest son has ADHD. She writes, and I quote, he would not be the student he is today without his teacher, his learning support teacher, and the care circle that we created for him with his doctor and his teachers. Kay says her son needs consistency and routine, and he wants to be in school. She also says, and I quote, it's the job of the Ford government and the Premier to facilitate this solution. So why won't the Premier listen to Kay in London and help get students like her son back in the classroom where they will be able to thrive? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. This government is committed to getting a deal that keeps kids in class. Mr. Speaker, if I could address a matter mentioned by the Leader of the Opposition earlier in her defence of a regulation in this province created and conceived by the Liberal Party that permits 100% hiring in Ontario premised on seniority and union, that is incompatible with the priorities of parents that want merit, qualification, and yes, diversity to triumph when it comes to hiring. Mr. Speaker, if you want to undermine education, then that is the plan. Our plan is to ensure merit leads the way, to ensure money's flow in schools, not in compensation. That is our plan. It is what parents want. It is what this government will deliver. The next question, the member for Davenport. Good morning, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. This government has bungled nearly everything they have touched, including our kids' education. Joining the long list of failed schemes, like glow in the dark vanity plates and stickers that don't stick, is now the government's so-called financial assistance plan for parents. We have heard from parents frustrated that they're not receiving the funds they were promised. They're getting rejection letters with no information for why they're being rejected. I suppose it's not a shock that this government's half-baked scheme to buy off parents for their failure to get a deal with teachers is a complete disaster. Premier, why won't you just reverse your cuts, get back to the bargaining table and make things right for our students? Mr. Education, you respond. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government is absolutely committed to providing financial support for parents through the union-led escalation. That is the right thing to do. What the member opposite did not disclose is her opposition to that concept, to the principle of giving money back into the pockets of working parents who have done nothing wrong, nothing wrong at all, and yet members in this House would rather they pay the price of union escalation. The only ideological commitment is the new Democrat support for unions when they should be on the side of working parents in this province. Speaker, that is why our government, I'm proud to report, over 750,000 applications have been received supporting families in every region of the province. Up to $60, up to $60 per day to help those parents while we remain absolutely focused on the real- Mr. Speaker, opposition come to order. It keeps kids in class. The supplementary question. Mr. Speaker, no one believes them. No one believes them. Speaker, this morning, media are reporting that union-led parents are struggling. Up the clock, both sides of the House must come to order. Restart the clock. I apologize to the member for that. Speaker, this morning, media are reporting that even more parents are struggling to have their children verified by the ministry. Those parents are being directed to an automated phone line that tells them that the ministry can't help them. So much for looking out for parents. This government ignored what parents had to say in their sham consultations, and they ignored students who are upset with lost courses and less one-on-one education. Their entire education agenda has been one boondoggle after another. Will the Premier stop his cuts, get back to the negotiating table, and get our kids back to class? Mr. Speaker, the government is always committed to getting a deal. In fact, on Monday we went to the negotiating table with a mission to drive that outcome. However, Mr. Speaker, what has become ever so clear is that the union-led parents were prepared to impede progress of a deal because of a benefit enhancement ask. OSSTF's website has a request of 46%. If we took that, now, edfo according to the Global Mills, that's 7%. Let's take the 6% number for the purpose of this data. If you provincialize that in class, the House will come to order. Mr. Education, please wind up. A 6% increase in benefits, Mr. Speaker, which represents over $600 million, the taxpayer, over the course of that contract, that is incompatible, inconsistent with what taxpayers want us to advance, which is a fair deal for our workers, but a good deal for our students. And that's exactly what we're committed to doing in this negotiation, Mr. Speaker. This question is for the member for Rillodale. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Premier, I'm thrilled about our economic success in this province. We are leading the country and providing good jobs again for families and individuals. Finally, the people of this province have a government who will champion all entrepreneurs and businesses no matter what sector they are in or what part of the province they are from. The people have a government that is creating prosperity, growth and opportunity, the likes of which this province has never seen before. Through you, can the Premier please share with the House about the positive economic impact the tourism sector is having in our province thanks to the support from this government? Premier. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our all-star member from Rillodale. First of all, I want to give a great shout out to our Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture. She's doing an incredible job. She's out there working, spreading the message. They come to Ontario, telling the world Ontario is open for business and open for jobs. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the City of Toronto and the GTA. Just Toronto alone set a new record of 28.1 million new visitors compared to 27.5 million last year. People love this province. They love the City of Toronto. Mr. Speaker, the Toronto Region Board of Trade further stated the visitor economy generated 10.3 billion in overall impact in 2018. Visitors to Toronto spent 6.7 billion on restaurants, attractions, transportation and accommodation. Again, Mr. Speaker, everyone around the world. Thank you very much. The supplementary question. Thank you very much, Speaker. And back to the Premier. Premier, those are some really great record-breaking numbers. And the success of this vital industry would not be possible without the dedication of tens of thousands of Ontarians from that industry. Scott Beck, President and CEO of Tourism Toronto, said it best that the Toronto tourism sector supports 70,000 jobs with new jobs being created every day. This industry further helps to generate billions in tax revenues and drives growth in the overall economy for the city, the region and the province. Premier, our government's mantra of Ontario is being open for business. Can you share with this House about Ontario tourism sector success in strengthening our economic ties to other countries? Premier. Thank you to the member. Mr. Speaker, Toronto's tourism market is on fire right now. It's absolutely booming, like the rest of the province. The economic impact for the meetings in Toronto in 2019 reached a record, a record of $1.24 billion. In 2019, Mr. Speaker, Toronto was named Canada's top meeting destination for the second consecutive year from SeaVent. Visitors from the U.S. and their great friends from the U.S., Ontario's most important trading partner that we do over $390 billion a year in two-way trade. Over 2 million visitors, a 15% increase over the last five years. That's over 2 million visitors. Spending $1.3 billion, that's a 51% growth over the last five years. China remains Toronto's one of the largest overseas market with 220,000 visitors. Mexico with 64,000 visitors, up 146%, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. Next question to the member for the University of Rose Hill. Thank you, Speaker. This question is to the Premier. Ottawa transit riders woke up this morning to learn that their brand new LRT had broken down again. Transit users today are stuck on platforms waiting for trains wondering how transit in Ottawa is ill-equipped to handle snow. They want answers. The Ottawa LRT is a public-private partnership imposed on Ottawa by the previous government. I have asked the Auditor-General to investigate transit P3s like the Ottawa LRT. In the meantime, will the Premier put a moratorium on costly and risky public-private partnerships? The question will be replied to by the Minister of Infrastructure. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I'm happy for the opportunity to respond to the member about the great infrastructure investment that the province of Ontario is making. $144 billion in infrastructure over the next 10 years, Mr. Speaker. We're building and renewing Ontario's infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, I was at the Good Roads Convention this week, and I asked the question to our municipal partners. I said, are your shovels ready? And they said yes, because they want a partner with a structure investment. This is changing the province of Ontario under the leadership of Premier Ford to get Ontario open for business, open for job, and building the infrastructure that the province needs that was neglected for 15 years by the Liberal government. The supplementary question. Thank you. Well, this is a message from the people of Ottawa to you. You better make sure that you get it right. So this is a message again to a question to the Premier. People in Ottawa were told, first by Liberals and now by Conservatives, that public-private partnerships would make their commute easier. Instead, they've endured month after month of... Government side, come to order. ...delays and problem after problem after problem. The Ottawa LRT and the Eglinton Crustown are proving that P3s are riskier, costlier, and take longer to build. People deserve some answers. Will the Premier put a moratorium on costly and risky public-private partnerships until these projects are reviewed? Minister of Infrastructure replied. Well, Mr. Speaker, to the member opposite again, let me tell you about Ontario's P3 projects. Since 2005, Infrastructure Ontario was assigned 125 P3 projects, worth over a hundred billion dollars. Do you know what IO's track record is with that? The results confirmed by a third party report in 2018 showed that 95% of projects are completed on budget and nearly 70% on time to their original completion date. Mr. Speaker, I don't know why the member opposite doesn't want transit-built, house-built, hospital-built, schools-built, courthouses-built. Why does the member opposite not want these things built for the people of the province of Ontario? Because guess what? Thank you. Please start the clock. Next question, the member for Don Valley West. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Education. Since the government introduced its scheme of requiring mandatory online courses for high school students, it has been rejected by students, educators and families. The government cannot point to one jurisdiction where such a policy has increased the likelihood of graduation or improved the learning environment for students, particularly those students most at risk of not graduating. Likewise, there is no support for increasing class sizes in our schools and the government has clear evidence of that in the virtually unanimous responses it has received from parents and students across the province. In a Ministry of Education memorandum to Directors of Education sent March 15, 2019 from the Deputy Minister of Education, in fact, these two wrong-headed policies come together. It's a laying out of the delivery of mandatory online courses and the memo specifies this and I quote, the average class size would be adjusted to an average of 35, unquote, not 28, not 25, but 35. An average of 25 students means that in a particular class there could be and would be 40 to 50 students making it impossible for a teacher to provide any consistent individual attention. Mr. Speaker, this is clear evidence that these policies are about... Thank you very much. Yep, thank you. Minister of Education, a reply. Thank you very much, Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite for the question. Mr. Speaker, in this negotiation we are committed to seeing more investments year over year in public education. I'm proud to report. In Toronto District School Board, for example, where the member proudly represents constituents, special education funding is increased under this conservative government by over $342 million. That's the investment this year. In Indigenous education, it's at over $5.6 million. In student transportation, over $62 million. Mr. Speaker, we're putting money where it counts, but we expect a deal that ensures that student interests triumph over union interests. And that means getting a deal that ensures that seniority in a union is not the priority, but rather merit and qualification and diversity is what, in fact, triumphs in the negotiation. And more importantly, Speaker, what is important is that investment in school, in schools, in classrooms, in spec, and in the areas of priority of working people, not in heightening benefits and wages for educators in this province. Thank you. A supplementary question. Mr. Speaker, the implementation of mandatory online courses will put students at risk and it will put students who are already at risk of not graduating at further risk. The question to the minister is, how can he justify that? And he can say that funding is up, but per pupil funding is down. And he knows that, Mr. Speaker. The reality is that simply requiring that students take a course online in a huge class without the opportunity to receive any of the learning support that they need is a ridiculous notion. In a situation like that, not only will students learn nothing about the technology, especially if they don't have access to it in the first place, but they will not learn the content of the course that's being offered online. What has happened in other jurisdictions is that the kids most at risk simply don't complete the course. How does putting more students at risk help those students and how does weakening our publicly funded education system support the economy? In Ontario, our educated workforce is our advantage. Would the government... Why would the government choose to undermine that economic advantage? Minister. Mr. Speaker, we're committed to ensuring that Ontario students have an economic advantage in this country. That's why we're ensuring that they have every competency required, including technological fluency, to ensure that they know how to embrace the jobs of the future online. The digital economy is growing, Speaker. We want to seize that opportunity. And let me just address some of the issues and misnomers. We are ensuring that students in this province have access to more courses that they would not have before. We're ensuring Internet, high speed internet at every school in Ontario in September 2020. We're ensuring that the courses do not require Internet to operate them. We're ensuring exceptions for those students. For example, special education needs that otherwise ought not be taking learning online. And Mr. Speaker, soon success is a question that was raised or an issue that was raised. The average final mark in online learning is within 5 percentage points of face-to-face courses. And remember, Speaker, that there is an Ontario certified teacher leading this program that's able to interface dialogue and support those students. We think this is critical to the jobs of the future. We're going to help get students get there, Speaker. The member for Niagara West. Thank you very much, Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Speaker, I heard that it's a special piece of land's special birthday tomorrow. So I know that our government understands that the greater Golden Horseshoe is one of the fastest growing areas in North America. We're expecting 13.5 million people to call the Golden Horseshoe home by 2041. With increasing growth, it's important today, as it was 15 years ago, to continue to prevent the loss of farmland and natural heritage, restrict urban sprawl, and develop vibrant communities in our backyard. So, Speaker, could the Minister please tell this House what is so special about tomorrow and how this special piece of land takes the cake? Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Thanks, Speaker. Firstly, I want to thank the member for Niagara West for that important question. And tomorrow, as most of you have probably guessed by now, is the 15th anniversary of Ontario's Greenbelt. So, on behalf of the government, I want to say happy 15th birthday to the Greenbelt. Speaker, at two million acres, the Greenbelt is the world's largest permanently protected area of land. It's actually larger than Prince Edward Island. It protects green space, farmland, forests, wetlands, and watersheds. It arcs around Lake Ontario for 325 kilometres from Rice Lake in Northumberland County to the Niagara River and as far north as Tobemory. In fact, just last week I was in the Honourable Members' riding in Niagara West. Speaker, our government knows how important the Greenbelt is to all Ontarians and to the environment. And I want to assure everyone that I am committed to protecting the Greenbelt for future generations. The supplementary question. Thank you to the Honourable Minister for his response. And I also want to wish the Greenbelt a happy 15th birthday. I've spent many, many hours over the years enjoying the beautiful natural heritage of the Greenbelt and I look forward to spending many more. Speaker, on a serious note, the Greenbelt does a lot for our environment and for our ecosystems. It's home to endangered animals, insects, and plants. Many different species call it home. It's two million acres over the size of Prince Edward Island. And these acres work together to provide Ontarians with fresh air, cleaning water, fantastic local food and drinks, especially in Niagara, and world-class outdoor recreation and tourism experiences. Speaker, we know that Ontarians love the Greenbelt, so could the Minister tell this House a little bit more about some of the economic and environmental impacts of the Greenbelt in Ontario? Good question. Minister. Thank you, the Honourable Member's speech there. The Greenbelt provides so many benefits. I'm worried I'm not going to get them all in at once. So I'm going to try my best. It features 721,000 acres of protected wetlands, grasslands, and forests. It generates $2.1 billion in tourism and recreation expenditures and generates $1.5 billion in farm revenues. It provides homes for 78 species at risk, and there are 161,000 full-time jobs that are dependent on the Greenbelt, and it provides $1 billion in annual provincial revenues. The carbon capturing for the Greenbelt is equivalent to removing over 56 million cars from our roads every year. Mr. Speaker, these are just a few reasons why our government is protecting the Greenbelt in all its beauty. Thank you. Next question, the Member for Niagara Centre. Thank you, Speaker. Through you, the Premier, this government's reckless decision to sell off employment services in Hamilton and Niagara to a U.S.-based multinational corporation will leave people in my riding worse off. In fact, my office has uncovered reports from the State of Maine showing that FEDCAP, the corporation that this government just signed a massive deal with, quote, lacks the capacity to fulfill its contractual obligations. The Department of Health and Human Services found that the program was not individualized, had poor customer service, poor confidentiality of clients' data, poor professionalism, and was unresponsive to participants' needs. In Maine, only 10 percent of participants were ever placed in any real skills training program, and 48 percent of all participants referred to FEDCAP, lost their assistance without securing a job. Based on this disastrous evidence from Maine, will the Premier cancel the pilot program and admit that this was all a mistake? Minister of Labor, to reply. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Our government's priority is to ensure that those people find jobs in the province of Ontario. Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General made it crystal clear. Order. One percent of people on OW and ODSP on a monthly basis are finding employment. That is not good enough for Premier Ford. It's not good enough for our government. And the opposition can continue to defend the status quo. We're not going to do that. But, Mr. Speaker, let me remind the opposition NDP of something. In British Columbia, BC Premier's John Horgan's government also moved to an outcomes-based model. In fact, Mr. Speaker, they also awarded contracts to a mix of non-profit and private providers, including the very same organization that we selected for the Peel region. Mr. Speaker, we want everyone in Ontario to share in the prosperity that's happening. In 18 months, Mr. Speaker, 300,000 people are working today that weren't working then. We will not defend the status quo. The supplementary question, the member for Niagara Falls. Back to the Premier. FedCap has a terrible track record. If the state of Maine is any indication, we're heading for big trouble. We also know that New York and New Jersey, the Department of Labor, investigated FedCap and found that they shorted benefits, illegal collected fees, from their employees' paychecks. Our Canadian dollars are going to a private American corporation that delivers bad results and rips off its own employees. All 65 of good-paying jobs administrating employment service in the state of Maine were terminated once FedCap came in. And the community agency that administrated the programs were let go too. I'm concerned. I'm concerned that hundreds of good-paying local jobs are on the line because this Premier sold a contract to a U.S. company with no roots or connections to Niagara or Hamilton. How much is the government paying FedCap to swoop in? Thank you very much. We put swish-paying jobs and deliver bad results. Minister of Labor. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Again, our priority is to ensure that the people of Ontario have jobs. We all know that jobs help put food on the table. Jobs also ensure that people have a sense of dignity. Mr. Speaker, the auditor general in 2016 was crystal clear on this. Only 1% of people in social assistance are finding a job every month in Ontario under the current system supported by the NDP in Liberals. In fact, Mr. Speaker, of all job seekers, only 38% are finding jobs that is unacceptable to our government. Again, Mr. Speaker, under the leadership of Premier Ford, we've turned Ontario into a place where over 300,000 brand new jobs have been created. Mr. Speaker, the unemployment rate is at a three-decade low. And Mr. Speaker, one of the things I'm most proud of in Ontario today for the first time in over a decade, people are seeing their wages rise under the leadership of Premier Ford. The next question, the member for Gwell. Good morning, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks. Many of the visitors in the gallery are here today to speak out for stronger water protections for Ontario communities. While they were happy that the temporary moratorium on new water bottling permits where it was extended till October 1st, they know that that does not provide permanent protection to communities whose water is under threat because they're in competition with commercial water bottling operations. There's only so many straws you can put into an aquifer before it goes dry. So, Speaker, does the Minister agree that people and communities should have priority access to water by making the moratorium on new water bottling permits permanent? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Well, thanks very much, Mr. Speaker, and thank the member opposite and thank the people from the region coming down and sharing their viewpoint today. And especially, I want to take the opportunity to thank the member opposite who met with me on this issue and we had a good discussion. And of course, the Speaker here as well who came into the office with local mayors and we had a good conversation. And I was proud to extend that moratorium because we just weren't ready to act on this issue at this point. We're doing a third part of review on the data which we are going to release publicly in the short term coming up in the next few weeks. And we plan to make sure that we are ensuring that we are protecting the water in that area and ensure that we have a balanced approach to a healthy economy and a healthy environment. And, Mr. Speaker, what we are going to do is to ensure that going forward that the water is ensure that it's being protected but and ensure the people of the area are happy with what's going forward and ensure that we're representative of the entire province at the same time, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. That's a supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Speaker, I would like the Minister to know, and I'm sure he does know this, that the residents of Senator Wellington in particular have science on their side. The province's own Tier 3 risk assessment establishes that Senator Wellington is at significant water risk which is the highest threat level. I've had people from all over Ontario say that they want their community protected from water bottling operations. It pleased to know that you're going to make the comprehensive review public because the public should have access to that data. And I remind the Minister that when the public consultations for the moratorium were held last fall, 96% of the respondents said they would like to see a moratorium on water bottling operations. Later today, I will read in 3,500 petition signatures on this issue. So, Mr. Speaker, I asked the Minister, will the Minister listen to the respondents to the review in the fall and the 3,500 people who've signed a petition who would like to see a permanent moratorium on new water bottling permits in this province? Thank you very much. Minister to reply. Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. And thanks again for that question. We're always listening to people of this province day in and day out, Mr. Speaker. And we're strong advocates of listening to science on this side of the House, Mr. Speaker. So we will... Order. We will... I'm very interested in this reply. And I would ask the House to come to order so I can hear the Minister. Minister of the Environment. Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. I don't have to remind the members opposite that I do have a university degree in science in pharmacy. So yes, we do follow science in this side of the House, Mr. Speaker. And we're going to make sure the decision going forward is a good decision for the people of the region, for the representatives of the region and balance out our healthy economy and our healthy environment because we are able to do so, Mr. Speaker. And we are listening to those voices. We are going to release that data. I pledge to the Minister, member opposite, if you want to have further meetings, my door is open for you to come and talk to me. Thank you very much for doing your job as an opposition member. Actually having conversations with me, I can't say the same for the official opposition. I haven't heard a word on this issue from them at all. It's unfortunate, Mr. Speaker, but we are going to make sure that this is done right and this is done for the best interest of the people of this province. Thank you very much. The next question, the member for Perry Sound, Ms. Tolka. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. Our government has a plan to build Ontario together with a better quality of life in every region of the province. Fantastic. We recognize just how important the forestry sector is to communities across Northern and rural Ontario. For 15 years, the previous Liberal government ignored and neglected this industry. They forgot about Northern Ontario. 35,000 jobs were lost in the forest sector alone. Can the Minister update the House on how our government is working towards building a sustainable and thriving forestry industry in Ontario? Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. Thank you, Speaker. And I want to thank the great member from Perry Sound, Ms. Tolka, for the question and also for his advocacy for the people of Ontario. It was a great pleasure to attend the Ontario Forest Industries Association Annual General Meeting yesterday with the Premier. The industry generates he recognizes the official role the forest sector plays in Northern and rural Ontario. This industry generates more than 16 billion dollars in revenues and supports 155,000 direct and indirect jobs in communities across the province. We have a plan to help the sector grow and reach its full potential. And I was so pleased when the Premier announced that we're investing 54 million dollars in the forest access road program this year. And we are providing support and certainty to the industry through our forest sector strategy. The goal of the draft strategy is to sustainably grow the forest sector so that we'll create opportunity and prosperity for thousands of Ontario families encourage innovation and investment in the industry and make Northern and rural Ontario open for jobs. Thank you. The supplementary question. Speaker it's great to hear that things are looking up again for the forestry sector in our province. I know that a priority for our government and the people of Ontario is ensuring sustainability and protecting our environment. We want to be responsible stewards of the land so we can preserve our beautiful natural resources for generations to come. Wood products are renewable resources and Ontario's forest sector has earned a well deserved reputation as a world leader in sustainable forest management. Could the minister inform us about the sustainability measures in place in the forestry industry. Minister to reply. Thank you again for supplementary. Ontario wood products are recognized around the world as coming from forests with rigorous sustainable forest management practices. Sustainability is a key principle in our draft forest sector strategy. We know that for Ontario's forest forest industry industry to remain strong and vibrant in the long term we need to ensure that our crowned forest remain healthy diverse and productive. Ontario can leverage the growing consumer preference both at home and abroad for a renewable more environmentally conscious and sustainably sourced products and play a key role in satisfying this demand. We will continue to support our forest sector by laying the groundwork for their success. That's why we've developed a draft strategy that promotes stewardship and sustainability by enhancing recognition of Ontario's world-class forest management plan system. Thank you speaker. The Hamilton East and Caster Dundas. Very much. My question this morning is for the Premier. Last summer the sudden closure of Ontario's second busiest forensic pathology unit in Hamilton led to delays in completing autopsies and delays in closing criminal investigations. Moving Hamilton's case law to Toronto has forced grieving families to travel longer distances and incur costs unnecessary costs to bring their loved ones home to rest. We have called for the Solicitor General to do her job and conduct a full and transparent review into this decision but the government has done nothing. Instead they have doubled down now forcing Niagara Region to send its autopsy cases to Toronto starting March the 1st. When will the Premier do his job? Step up and conduct a full arms length review of this decision. Thank you. Solicitor General. Thank you. You know it is devastating for families when they have victims and they must go through a coroner's report. However as a result of the untimely death of the leader in the leadership in Hamilton we had to make some decisions and the chief pathologist and the chief forensic coroner made a decision that the Hamilton unit would be closed down and the state of the art activity that is happening in Toronto would allow us in a timely and efficient manner get those reports done. We need to make sure that the police and the families and the everyone engaged needs to have very efficient and very quick returns when we are doing those investigations and that's why we have transferred the reports to the forensic unit in Toronto. The supplementary question. Back to the Premier you know dragging people to Toronto is going to take it longer it's not going to improve the services at all and it certainly seems like that when conservatives choose they interfere like wasting thousands of dollars when they cancel the LRT and Hamilton but when it comes to actually improving services the conservatives turn their backs on Ontarians and say it's not their problem someone else should deal with it. Longer wait times for autopsies means that families mourning the loss of their loved ones have to wait to get closure. What's even worse many police officers are concerned that closing the forensic pathology units could seriously seriously compromise criminal investigations so why we'll ask again when will the Premier order his Solicitor General to conduct a transparent review of the decision to close down Hamilton's forensic pathology unit and move autopsies out of Niagara. Solicitor General. Thank you. Look what is unacceptable to me is any type of delay and as I said there was an I'm there was the untimely death of the leader in the Hamilton unit we needed to make sure that those forensic investigations were done in a timely manner state of the art facility in the city of Toronto North Toronto we have ensured that we have the staffing in place and to be clear we are getting faster responses and faster turnarounds on these very important investigations. Opposition come to order. Incumbent on us to make sure that those court Opposition come to order I apologize and ask the Solicitor General to conclude her remarks. I understand why certain members want to politicize this issue but I also have a responsibility to ensure that we have timely access to these critical official opposition come to order doing when the with the state of the art in the state of the art organization that we have in our new facility North Toronto. The next question the member for Carlton. Thank you Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker my through you my question is to the Attorney General it's no secret that the local planning appeal tribunal has experienced significant delays and a backlog of legacy cases that has indeed impeded the construction of new homes in the province impacting approximately 100,000 Whitby housing units in Toronto alone. What progress has the government made with respect to unclogging the backlog of cases that's preventing new housing units from being built? The Attorney General. Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you for the for the question from the excellent member from Carlton. It is true this is yet another area where we've had to clean up from the Liberals. They let cases pile up they let delays happen they didn't take the necessary action or any action as far as I can tell to do anything about advancing the cause of cases in front of the ELPAT. That's why our government came into power that's why our government got to work right away. We appointed Marie Hubbard and Marie Hubbard is one of the most well respected authorities on land use planning in Ontario. So happy to have her there as the interim associate chair of the local planning appeal tribunal she's helping to fix the backlog and get the ELPAT back on track. Our government has appointed 18 new members to the ELPAT and reappointed six members in the last seven months alone we're bringing the ELPAT roster up to full complement. Mr. Speaker there are clear signs our determination to improve the ELPAT's efficiency is producing results. In June of last year the ELPAT had 1700 1700 cases backlog Mr. Speaker we have that reduced by 20% already and we're just getting started. Thank you Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker Ontario is facing a housing crisis there's no two ways about it. Under the previous Liberal government people struggled to find homes they could afford and not enough homes were being built to meet the needs of people in every part of the province including in my writing of Carlton. These challenges were compounded by unnecessary steps burdensome regulations in barriers to creating the housing that Ontarians need. Mr. Speaker through you can the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing please tell this house any concrete numbers to show the government's plan is working. That's a great question. Minister Mr. Tharrison I want to thank a lot of my neighbor the member for Carlton for that excellent question. Speaker our government knows that having an objective oversight on land use planning matters is a real necessity that's why the work of the Attorney General is so critical for our plan but we also know that clearing the backlog of cases at the El Pad is just one of the important steps that we need to take to build more homes in our province our housing supply action plan was developed to build more homes and give Ontarians more choice when it comes to finding a home that meets their needs and their budget and we're implementing the plan as I speak speaker and to drive up new supply and we're already seeing some results with starts across the province up 22 percent in January to almost 70,000 units additionally speaker there are more than 9,000 rental starts in 2019 alone the highest since 1992 wow speaker when you look at housing supply in Ontario it's clear our plan is working and we're just getting started great work the next question the member for Brampton North thank you mr speaker my question is to the premier today the Solicitor General Report on the January 12th province-wide false alarm shows that when a scary nuclear alert was issued to every cell phone in Ontario the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre were unaware of their own procedure and staff were not given the proper training that meant there was nearly a two-hour delay before a correction was issued families were anxious some were packing up and planning to evacuate when did the minister become aware this was a false alarm and why didn't the minister order a correction quicker the one thing that the member opposite and I can agree on is that people were concerned which is why we issued an apology and explained that we would do a full report that full report speaker has now been issued and frankly I am very pleased that we have now recommendations and we have already moved forward on 13 of those recommendations to change the process the processes to ensure that this doesn't happen again and if it does happen again that everyone has clear expectations and outcomes of what they need to do and when they need to do it thank you supplementary question thank you mr. Speaker in fact according to today's report on the false alarm the private company that provides the emergency alert palmorex incorporated was calling the shots and I quote from the report at senior and working levels palmorex staff consistently advised emo against sending a second alert via the alert ready system unquote again mr. Speaker families were anxious somewhere packing up to leave your ministry knew it was a false alarm why were you letting the private corporation palmorex call the shots rather than showing leadership so the report clearly highlights some opportunities that we can put in place and frankly have already put in place speaker on how to improve the system the palmorex connection frankly is a canada wide issue it is regulated by the crtc it is a system that is used federally provincially and territorially and as it's mentioned in the report some of the recommendations include clarifying their role at a national level but to be clear we have already put in place a number of initiatives and changes including staff upgrades and training to ensure that this does not happen again and if it ever happens again everyone knows exactly what their roles and responsibilities are thank you speaker the member for markham thornhill thank you mr. Speaker my question is for the minister of health our government has invested 150 million in home and community care but we recognize that more work is needed to be make these services truly accessible that's why the connecting people to home and community care act has been introduced we have seen several issues come up again and again in the home care sector including care plan with the set numbers of ours visit and personal support workers traveling long distance between clients mr. Speaker this issue near and dearest to my heart my mother is in the palliative care I'm happy to care that our government recognize these issues and is keeping steps to solve this problem mr. Minister how will this legislation help the home care sector and allow for our health care workers to provide most innovative care for patients great question great deputy premier and minister bell thank you speaker and thank you to the member from markham thornhill for your question that I know is very important to you we fully recognize that there is a need to better coordinate home care services currently those seeking home care can face multiple assessments and certainly long wait times that's why we're empowering Ontario health teams to take an active role in helping home care patients get the care that they need at the time that they need it we're also enabling more flexibility in care planning so that delivery is more responsive and based on patient outcomes not service maximums our government is putting patients first and ending the current one-size-fits-all approach to home care this will allow us to reduce pressures on our hospitals and help Ontario patients stay in their homes and receive the community services that they expect and deserve the supplementary question thank you minister for that answer and thank you to the minister for introducing this important legislation our government is going to continue finding innovative solution to improve our healthcare system and we are going to empower our healthcare provisional to do the same this will be enabled the part of by Ontario health team which will help patients navigate the healthcare system improving home care will do so much to improve the life of patients who currently have no other choice but a hospital bed I am glad to hear that this legislation is fast will allow for new model of delivery and support more flexible care that incorporate hospital and primary care providers can the minister tell us more about how these changes will be implemented and what will changes about home care provision in Ontario thank you we intend to empower local Ontario health teams to take over home care coordination functions to make sure though that services are not interrupted during this transition we will focus the remaining lins on home care in those areas where Ontario health teams are still in development improved home and community care support services can help us move to a more integrated flexible and patient friendly model while maintaining full oversight and accountability we want patients to be able to access home and community care through trusted clinical providers and that is what this legislation would accomplish our government will continue to listen to patients and families as well as our health care professionals to make sure that we will bring more eligible patients publicly funded health care at no personal charge thank you the next question the member for Scarborough southwest thank you speaker my question is to the premier yesterday the government's own consultations confirmed what we have been saying for months that there is virtually no support among Ontarians for increasing class sizes here today to second that is Cherie a parent from my riding of Scarborough southwest her daughter Susanna is a wonderfully gifted four-year-old who has recently been diagnosed with autism Cherie told me Mr Speaker that Susanna is currently getting the attention she needs in the classroom and she's thriving but when the transition when she transitions into a bigger class next year we're worried that she will disappear and never fulfill her potential so I ask the premier Mr Speaker why would you jeopardize the limitless potential of kids like Susanna by cramming them into a crowded classroom thank you Speaker Mr. Vacationer right thank you Speaker and thank you to member opposite for the question obviously we are absolutely committed to the success of Susanna and all children in this province particularly those with special education needs and that's why I'm proud to confirm to this house in this negotiation that this government has committed to the Catholic teachers and to all the federations a commitment to ensure a hundred percent special education continues to flow to support the most vulnerable in our schools in the QP deal months ago we created a win-win outcome where hundreds of new EAs are being hired to the front lines of schools to help those children get ahead now Mr Speaker when it comes to education funding outside the negotiation I'm proud as well that this government is investing 3.1 billion dollars the highest amount ever recorded in public education for speckhead we've doubled the autism envelope within education we've doubled mental health support in education and we know Speaker Von journey continues in partnership with Minister Smith Minister Tobol to support the most vulnerable in our province for every child in Ontario thank you the supplementary question Mr Speaker that answer does not comfort parents like Sherry Mr Speaker Susanna is good at math she's learning to read and she loves music this is all because of the support she's receiving in the classroom for Susanna larger class sizes and cuts to special education will make it harder to learn the skills she so desperately needs and I want to quote Sherry this government thinks that cuts will reach will teach our kids resilience what helps my daughter to be resilient is the teachers and the education workers in smaller class sizes who have the time and expertise to manage her anxiety and work at her level Mr Speaker for Sherry and frankly for all of us class size matters because that's the difference between her daughter being a gifted child and a child who's left behind Susanna has the potential to be an asset for this province so will the Premier listen to the parents and not come in the way of Susanna's futures and reverse the cuts and the planned increase to class sizes thank you Mr Speaker Thank you very much Mr Speaker Thank you very much Mr Speaker Mr Speaker our plan and the negotiation is to keep classroom sizes low it is to ensure that for the earliest years in Ontario classroom sizes will remain the smallest in Canada it is to protect full-day kindergarten Mr Speaker and it's to ensure that for special education funding contrary to the search and main order member opposite spec ed funding will increase under our government year over year over year because we believe in supporting the most vulnerable kids within our schools order is a matter of fact what we also expect is that education workers accept a fair one percent enhancement in compensation benefits not to make red lines on six or seven percent benefit asks to put students first support the most vulnerable in our schools let's make sure every child in Ontario is back response that concludes our question period for this morning