 It is now time for oral questions. I recognize the member for Nicolet. My question is to the Minister of Health. Every question period in this parliament, the official opposition has brought the story of struggling Ontarians. People who waited hours in the emergency room in pain. People who had to leave the hospital without getting the care they needed. People who have waited in agony for urgent surgery. All this because of staff shortages being made worse every day by this government's action. Why is this government willing to make the waiting worse by expanding private surgical clinic, siphoning more of our staff away from public hospitals? And to respond, the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. Thank you, Speaker. We have always said that we need to look at these challenges in a way that goes outside of what we are currently doing in the province of Ontario. As the member opposite knows, we do have clinics like the Sholdice hospital that currently operate and have operated for decades in the province of Ontario. We will continue to work with those partners, all partnerships. We've seen innovative models with community care paramedics. We've seen innovative models with 911 offloads, with dedicated offload nurse practitioners who are able to take those emergency department patients so that the paramedics can go back out onto the road. All of these are innovations, new ways of approaching an existing problem that has been plaguing our health care system for frankly years and years. And we're going to make sure that those innovations are available to all communities. We've often spoken about the paramedic program that's available in 49 areas. We're going to expand that because it's working. Thank you. A supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. Over the last month, families in Ontario have watched and across the province, sorry, have watched as the crisis across the province in health care has gone worse and worse. Over the summer, at least 26 hospitals have been forced to close their emergency department to patients. And across the province, nurses and health care workers are leaving in droves. More than ever, we need a plan to strengthen publicly delivered health care and support nurses and frontline health care workers who provide it. Why is this government so determined to let this crisis go on and tell us that the only way out is to privatize more of our health care system? Mr. Health? You know, I'm proud of the work that we've already put in place. We've already expanded the ability for hospitals to have more post surgeries happening beyond the standard 9 to 5 or 9 to 6 operations. We're easing pressures on our emergency department. And of course, as recently as this week, the College of Nurses has now worked with us and expedited internationally educated health care workers. You know, we're working with our partners. When they bring forward ideas and suggestions that we see have an opportunity to improve the health human resources in Ontario, we're doing that. This is not an Ontario exclusive issue. We're seeing it in jurisdictions across Canada, indeed the world. But we're making sure where we have opportunities for engagement, for improvements. We're doing that. And of course, most recently, that's the College of Nurses with our internationally trained educators. Thank you. Nurses and health care workers have been crystal clear. This government is making the health care crisis worse, whether it is punishing seniors by forcing them away from their family into substandard for-profit long-term care home, whether it is funding more for-profit clinics, pulling money away, money and staff away from the public system. The crisis is getting worse, not better. No one in Ontario should be wondering whether the emergency department is going to be open when they need it. Will the government stop selling more of our health care system to private investors and bring in a staffing strategy that will improve publicly delivered health care? Thank you, Speaker. You know, I'm proud of the fact that our five-point plan that we announced last month with the Minister of Long-Term Care has already started to bear fruit. We've seen that with a willingness and frankly excitement from both the College of Nurses and the physicians and surgeons of Ontario where they are going to expedite and they've brought forward additional ideas on how we can get those internationally educated health care workers here working in Ontario. We're doing that because we know we want to have the best health care system in the province of Ontario. We're doing that by working with our hospital partners, our nursing partners, our paramedics. You talk about individual situations. We're actually coming up with ideas. We're listening to the experts in the field and we're acting on those ideas. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. The next question, the member for Davenport. Thank you. Good morning, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. After two long years of interruption and remote learning, parents sent their kids off to school this week. They're looking for peace and stability and supports in the classroom so their kids can finally get back to some sort of normal. Yet day after day, this Minister of Education is ratcheting up the rhetoric against the people who make our schools work. Why does this government seem so determined to create conflict in our classrooms? Minister of Education. Mr Speaker, we are determined to stand up for the voices of parents in this province who want their kids in class. And this Premier and our government has been crystal clear on our intention. It is to ensure that these kids have a more normal, stable and enjoyable return to class right to June without disruption. And I ask all members of this legislature to join the government to oppose these types of impacts on kids. While we agree, Speaker, that we could have a very spirited debate at the negotiating table and we disagree with is the imposition of a strike on a child after two extraordinary and difficult years. We want them in school. We want them to learn. We want them to be nourished and supported by their educators and their friends. And Speaker, I hope all members of this House will stand with this government to keep kids in school right to June. Speaker, the Minister claiming he's here to help parents is like Godzilla claiming he's come to save Tokyo. Parents and teachers remember the PC record of cuts and conflicts. Mandatory online learning. 10,000 planned layoffs. Freezing wages with Bill 124. Working with the Liberals to freeze wages with 115. Does the Minister understand that attacking people, the very people who make our schools work, is what puts the school year at risk? Mr. Speaker, with $683 million for this September, with a 6% increase over the former Liberals when it comes to investments in public education, we're talking about per student funding up almost $340 per child over last year. A $92 million increase in special education, a $10 million net increase in mental health, now 420% increase from when the former Liberals were in power. We have $175 million in tutoring. The largest program of its kind in this nation, and Speaker, we have increased investment for ventilation, for happy filtration by another $600 million. There is no government in a history of this province that has invested more in public education, and our Premier and our party will continue to invest to ensure a safe, stable and enjoyable return to school for these kids in this province. Final supplementary. Speaker, paychecks are being eaten away by rampant inflation, legislated wage freezes, and yet our education workers show up every day in our schools working so hard for our kids they deserve respect. They have clear ideas on how to improve our schools. Smaller class sizes, mental health supports, fixing the decades of backlogged capital repairs. Will the minister start implementing these ideas to improve our schools and stop creating conflict in our classrooms? Mr Speaker, we are listening to the voices of parents in this province who want their kids to be in school, and we are standing up for them to ensure stability and a more normal return to class. Mr Speaker, that's why we put in place a tutoring expansion because we know, and our Premier knows, that these kids need to get back on track with their studies and that's why we've invested in a historic plan to increase access to more educators. There's 5,000 more staff in our schools this September because our government and our Premier had the foresight to invest in a plan to catch up. We have $600 million more in publicly funded education investment. And Mr Speaker, on top of all of this, the number one guiding priority of the government when it comes to these negotiations, a contrast with the opposition is we're going to stand up for kids and keep them in school right to jail. Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Good morning, Premier. You should know I received an upsetting call regarding a 90-year-old woman in my riding. She'd been living independently at her home receiving home care three times a week. She recently spent a short while in hospital. When she was discharged, the Lynn and the hospital signed off on her care plan, which was to include home care. When she returned back home alone, she was informed that it would be at least three weeks for her just to be assessed and that there was no home care available for her. She felt abandoned and frightened as we all would. Why is this government punishing our seniors instead of fixing the health care crisis? Minister of Health. Thank you, Speaker. You know, the member opposite highlights exactly why our most recent budget included a $1 billion investment in community care investments. And I've highlighted and I'm going to highlight it again because it is important for your constituent and your community to understand what that billion-dollar investment is going to get them. It is 739,000 nursing visits. It's 157,000 nursing shift hours. It is 117,000 therapy visits, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology in community, Speaker. It's 2,118,000 hours of personal support services in community. 236,000 other types of home care visits. It is precisely why we as a government have made that investment of $1 billion in the community care programs in the province of Ontario and it is frankly disappointing that the member opposite does not see the value of that and did not support it. The supplementary question. To the minister, I would like to say that your words do not bring home care to the people in my community because the money is not in the field. And instead of home care, this 90-year-old woman was offered two choices. She could pay for private care or she could be readmitted to the hospital. This is truly unbelievable. When will this government fix our public home care system and stop? Please stop turning your backs on seniors. Minister Tell. Thank you. That's not all, Speaker. We have also invested nearly $100 million in additional funding over the next three years to expand community care service programs such as adult day programs, meal services, transportation, caregiver support and assisted living services and caregiver support. These are the organizations that are so active in our community with volunteers like Meals on Wheels who are doing that work to make sure that our seniors, our frail who are recovering at home have the supports they need to do it safely in their own home, in their community surrounded by people that loves them, neighbors who understand what their needs are. This is what we are doing as a government, enabling those organizations to do what they do so well, which is looking after our neighbors. Thank you. The next question is from Markham Unionville. Speaker, in my writing, I see firsthand how harmful Ontario's labor shortage truly is for small businesses. Employers and businesses want to do more, but simply cannot because of the limited supply of workers. The skilled and semi-skilled labor shortage remains one of the main factors limiting business growth. Jobs are waiting to be filled and paychecks are waiting to be collected. Speaker, my question is straightforward. Will the Minister of Labor, Immigration Training and Skill Development please explain to this legislature what our government is doing to address Ontario's historic labor shortage issue? Thank you, Mr Speaker. Mr. Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Thank you very much. I want to thank the member from Markham Unionville for this very important question. Through you, Mr Speaker, I really understand that Ontario is facing a historic labor shortage. In fact, today in the province, there are nearly 400,000 jobs going unfilled. We need all hands-on debt to build a stronger Ontario. That is why we're connecting job seekers with the skills and training that they need and promoting the lifelong careers that are available in the skilled trades. We're also making it easier for out-of-province workers and immigrants to fill in-demand jobs and calling on skilled workers from right across Canada and abroad to come here to Ontario to collect these paychecks that are waiting to be collected. Mr Speaker, our government has an ambitious plan to build and we're going to get it done. Thank you. The supplementary question. Thank you, Minister, for that reassuring response. Speaker, about one in five new jobs in Ontario over the next five years will be related to skilled trades. So to tackle the labor shortage, we must address the skills gap and continue promoting the skilled trades. The skilled trades can provide young people access to these incredible, meaningful careers that will keep many of our local industries thriving. Speaker, once again to the Minister of Labor, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, what is our government doing to promote the skilled trades in Ontario? Thank you. Thank you again to the member for that very important question. As a government, we are determined to continue to open doors for young people and help them get the training and financial supports that they need. It's our mission to give more people a hand up to better jobs and bigger paychecks. That's why our government is investing billions in innovative training programs that connect workers to these bigger paychecks. And working together with our labour unions, government and business, we're making Ontario a place where hard work pays off and big dreams come to life. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, this government claims Ontarians are accessing the healthcare they need when they need it. But a constituent of mine reached out after their partner waited eight hours in an ER after having a stroke. Not alone, without family, with only the paramedics who brought them in. Eight hours. Is it acceptable to the Premier that anyone should have to suffer like this after having a stroke? Thank you, Speaker. The member opposite highlights exactly why we have been investing and will continue to invest in our healthcare system. To be clear, 9 out of 10, high urgency patients finish their emergency visit within target times and surgeries are happening 28% of their pre-pandemic rate. We've already added 3,500 hospital beds. We've already added 10,900 new hospital HHR. So nurses, PSWs, doctors, we'll continue to do this work because we understand that we want to make sure that we have a robust healthcare system in the province of Ontario. And most importantly, Speaker, where people want to be, whether that is needed hospital in acute care during acute care crisis, whether that is in their own home recovering, whether that is in a rehab bed, in a facility, or indeed a long-term care bed. We are doing this work. We are making these investments because we understand it is needed in the province of Ontario to deal with our aging population. Through you, Speaker, 9 out of 10 isn't good enough. Certainly not good enough for the 10th patient. Without nurses available, paramedics had to stay with my constituent even over a shift change. Only by sheer luck, the second massive stroke happened after my constituent was in a bed and caught just in time. Wait times continue to grow. The next patient might not be so lucky. Will this government invest the 1.8 billion healthcare dollars they hoarded last year and respect healthcare workers by repealing Bill 124 or will they keep strangling our public system? Speaker, the member opposite actually highlights one of the things that we should be lauding in the province of Ontario and that is, of course, our community paramedics. The amazing work they have been doing in community, in hospital to protect our most vulnerable. You know, I've often spoken about a 49 pilot projects that are currently happening in communities across Ontario. 9-1-1 models of care pilot projects which have born amazing fruit. We have indeed in London middle sex, we have a success rate of 84% and satisfaction rate of over 80% where individuals who are able to be cared for by their community paramedics in their community appreciated and understood that this was the most important and the most valuable role that they could play. We're going to continue to do that work. We're going to expand those models of care that are working in our community to make sure that every community has an opportunity to fully support their paramedics because, frankly, sir, they've been making a huge difference in our community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Through you, Mr. Speaker, the Toronto Region Board of Trade estimates that the gridlock adds 400 million to the cost of goods in the region every year. This morning, for an example, it took me one hour, 20 minutes to drive for 40 kilometers to come to Queen's Park. That strain on the physical and mental health. Commuters are losing over 3 million hours a year sitting in traffic. Time Ontarians should be engaged in what they love to do, work hard to grow, and spending quality time with loved ones. Mr. Speaker, we see firsthand how decades of inaction and underinvestment in transportation infrastructure have hurt Ontarians. In my community, there are hundreds of millions of people sitting with gridlock. Mr. Speaker, to the Minister of Transportation, can you please tell us what this government is doing to tackle the gridlock crisis plaguing Ontarian? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member for Mrs. Aga Malton for the great question. We cannot afford to delay much-needed infrastructure investments. We are not going to delay the gridlock and the gridlock. Our Premier is leading an ambitious plan to deliver the right balance of public transit and road infrastructure projects to keep pace with the demands of today and the future. Over the next 10 years, we are investing more than $25.1 billion to support the planning and construction of highway expansion and rehabilitation projects across the province. As part of these efforts, we are getting on with the building of the 15 and the Bradford Bycast. Finishing long overdue projects like the expansion of Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph and the Highway 3 widening between Windsor and Leamington. It's not enough just to talk about building a better future under our PC government. We are getting it done. Supplementary question. Thank you, Minister. Thank you for your assurance and action to solve the gridlock. I have been in power that talked a lot about building infrastructure, but at the end of the day, that's all it was, talk. The fact is, especially when it comes to transportation, Ontario has an infrastructure deficit that the Liberals cost with greater Golden Hoshu attracting 2 million people in every 10 years. We are going to reach 15 million by 2051, more than the people we have in Ontario today. Unless we do something now, the problem we face today will only get worse. When it comes to fighting gridlock, we have heard no solutions from the opposition, except to pretend that all growth can be solved by transit. But Speaker, we know we need all hands on deck to address this issue. So through you, Mr. Speaker, to the Minister of Transportation, can she share to the members of this House and my residents the government's plan to keep Ontarians moving? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members of this House of the Opposition will tell you there's a choice between building transit and building highways. And that's just not true. Our government is building both. For every dollar that we are spending on highways, our government is spending three more to build transit. And Speaker, over the next 10 years we're investing more than a new transit alone. This includes the largest plan for subway builds in Canadian history and delivering on our government's mandate on two-way all-day 15-minute service across core segments of the GO network. Speaker, expanding our highway and transit networks together will allow us to pave the way for a future that offers more transportation options and less gridlock for commuters. All while creating thousands of good-paying jobs in communities right here at home. Speaker, the wheels are in motion. The government is getting it done. My question is to the Premier. For two weeks, along with several of my colleagues, I am living on a socialist assistance grocery budget of $47.60 a week. Many people who have to rely on social assistance have contacted us since this action went public to tell us that the meager amount we have allowed ourselves for food is almost double what a single person living on social assistance has available for food after paying rent. Indeed, it is abundantly clear that the government needs to double the rates of ODSP and Ontario Works. Will the Minister of Children, and Social Services join us for this two-week advocacy effort so that she might better understand even briefly the hardship that ODSP and OW recipients have to endure in their daily lives. Good question. Thank you Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite. I have spent decades as a physician assisting people to get the services that they need so I have probably a better understanding than most of what people are going through and I'm very proud of our government's efforts to make sure that our vulnerable are served that's including the historic investment in ODSP that's never been done before in the history of this program making sure it's aligned with inflation working across government to make sure that we have programs that are available to people when they need it that's including working with the Minister of Labor Immigration Training and Skills Development to get people back into the workforce when they're able and looking to support people when they're not through the many programs that we offer that are I've listed yesterday as the member would know and would be aware of. Thank you. Thank you Speaker back to the Minister Minister, 900,000 900,000 people in Ontario are living on social assistance and they're living in poverty and their biggest expense is housing. Upwards of 60% of a person's social assistance income is going to housing. You cannot afford to live on $733 a month if you're on Ontario Works or $1,227 a month if you're on disability payments. Minister I am asking you to join us on this social assistance diet to have a better understanding of what it is like to be on social assistance and I'm calling on this Government to double social assistance rates to help people get out of poverty can you do that? The Minister of Children, Community and Social Services Thank you Speaker and thank you again for the question. I will continue to work with all of my colleagues across Government working across levels of government with the municipalities with the Federal Government encouraging our Federal counterparts to bring forward their plan for the Canadian disability benefit. We have urged them to do this we understand the importance of it we're working on the transformation with our municipal partners to put more services into the front where people can benefit from that when they need that expertise in their local communities this is on top of the historic investment they were making in ODSP and this is an all of Government approach. This is requiring the labour pool to be discussed, getting people back into the workforce as quickly as possible understanding the mechanisms that we have to allow people to live in dignity and with respect purposeful and with meaning and this is something that we're working with the Minister of Finance the Treasury Board, Minister of Labor Immigration Training and Skills Development Minister of Education, Minister of Health this is across the board it's something that the previous Government never did Mr. Speaker, we're in a rush to procure enough electricity to replace the Pickering Nuclear Plant closing in 2025 how do we know it's a rush? Well, this Government has an expedited procurement for power starting in 2027 with a big bonus for starting earlier. For example, you produce electricity on business days between May and August 2025 they'll pay you 50% more in July 2018 this Government cancelled renewable energy projects letting hundreds of millions of dollars of investments go down the drain and losing 4 precious years the Premier said then that he was so proud to have done that and now we realize we need that clean electricity you have to dig a little but the list of qualified applicants for the next round of long-term procurement is full of renewable energy. Can we just admit that this Government is quietly getting back into renewable energy something it should never have abandoned the Minister of Energy Well, Speaker thanks to the member opposite for the question this morning what our Government is committed to is ensuring that the people of Ontario and the businesses in Ontario have a reliable supply of electricity that we have an affordable supply of electricity something that never happened under the previous Government's watch as a matter of fact as hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs left our province they left our country for other jurisdictions because of the liberal energy policies what we have done through the success of our Premier's strategy and our Minister of Economic Development bringing companies back repatriating companies back to Ontario by electrifying our vehicle fleet by electrifying our green steel making process we need electricity and we have a competitive procurement in place to acquire that electricity 790 megawatts as a matter of fact in the most recent procurement at a 30% savings from what was contracted by the previous Government Mr Speaker Mr Speaker, you know when the plants are already built under a previous Government of course it's cheaper to keep them running The Pickering Plant is a threat we cannot wait until the next election to replace the energy that's going to be lost by the closing of the Pickering Power Plant so I would like to know the plan I think about the following question for the good of Ontario we'll need to produce lots of renewable energy quickly developers are already approaching landowners quietly in anticipation could the Energy and Municipal Affairs Ministers talk then start now to help municipalities prepare for deciding how they will or will not be part of this critical project for example could they help municipalities decide whether or not to zone areas for wind and solar projects now so that developers could know beforehand where they could build clean energy projects with the speed we need question the response of the Minister of Energy Mr Speaker, merci pour la question thank you for the question Mr Speaker for the member of the Government Mr Speaker, I know that's a new member over there and he probably doesn't remember the policies of the previous Liberal Government that forced energy projects on to communities without any type of consultation Mr Speaker they didn't care about a willing host community over there Mr Speaker which is why in 2018 the people of Ontario reduced that party to 7 seats the people of Ontario didn't forget in 2022 because now they got 8 seats Mr Speaker largely because of the energy policy Mr Speaker the Minister of Municipal Affairs and our Government has committed to working with the municipalities to make sure there is consultation with municipalities for new energy projects so that we don't have the mess the divisiveness the unaffordable crisis that we saw in Ontario created by the previous Liberal Government the House will come to order so we can resume the question period start the clock the member for Ajax we know that even before the COVID-19 pandemic there was a shortage of doctors in Ontario many Ontarians have challenges in a family doctor for years which has significantly impacted their health and wellbeing the rapid growth in areas like my riding of Ajax and other areas in the GTA has only increased this problem of doctor retention and recruitment the previous Liberal Government did not take the necessary leadership and make the critical healthcare investments when they had the opportunity Speaker can the Minister of Colleges and Universities of the House what our Government is doing to address the doctor shortages across Ontario Thank you the member for Ajax for that question we need to increase the number of doctors and healthcare workers across the province and that includes rural and remote communities and communities like hers in the GTA that is why our Government has taken historic action by building new medical schools in Ontario the new Toronto Metropolitan University Medical School in Brampton the first new medical school in the GTA since the University of Toronto opened in 1843 we are also creating the University of Toronto Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health in Scarborough and expanding the Queens Lake Ridge Health Campus in Oshawa but we recognize that more action needs to be done across the province that is why we also created the first standalone medical school in the north through the Northern Ontario School of Medicine we have also invested in post-secondary healthcare programs and we continue to work with the Ministry of Long-Term Care to increase the number of PSWs and nurses in Ontario we are working to fill the gaps across the healthcare system and across the province after 15 years of Liberal mismanagement by making these investments in post-secondary education today our expansions will help to serve a growing and aging population in the years and decades to come The urgency for training new doctors in our province is critical the people of my writing especially our seniors experienced firsthand the devastating and negative impacts that medical education cuts by the previous Liberal government had on the quality of their healthcare if the previous government had made the badly needed investment in human health resources and medical residences years ago my constituents in all of Ontarians would not be in the position we currently face I was really shocked to hear that no other government had invested in creating a new medical school in Ontario, in the GTA in Canada for over a hundred years Speaker can the Minister of Colleges and Universities please tell the House what our government's plan is for training more doctors so that Ontarians can have access to healthcare resources that they need Building new medical schools will increase the number of doctors in communities like the Durham region and the whole of Ontario however, our work to enhance healthcare infrastructure does not stop there our government is making record investments in innovative approaches across the healthcare system investments that the NDP and Liberals did not make that's why earlier this year we announced that we are making historic expansions increasing the number of seats for doctors and healthcare students over the next five years we are adding 160 undergraduate and 295 postgraduate seats to six medical schools medical and education expansions at western McMaster, the University of Ottawa and others this will ensure that Ontarians will always be able to have the healthcare resources they need here when they need them our government is creating concrete ways in which we can increase a number of healthcare professionals in this province but as we know the NDPs and Liberals always say no I am proud to say that this government is keeping Ontarians safe with a high quality healthcare system supported by high quality post-secondary education My questions to the Premier I bring to the floor the heartbreaking experience of ODSP recipients being faced with housing questions and suspect evictions too often I hear about suspect trends of ODSP recipients evictions because the landlord is moving in family members by a claim that is nearly impossible to prove wrong until after the fact I spoke with St. Catherine's resident Brenda LaCru who experienced this eviction she was thrown into a housing market where she now has to borrow money from her friends to pay her new rent rate Brenda spends 125% of her income on rent right now forget the food and forget the other costs the reality for ODSP recipients My question is when will the Premier commit to doubling ODSP rates and support the most vulnerable people in Ontario Mr. Mr. Secretary of Housing Thanks Speaker through you to the member for St. Catherine's I'd like to know more information about this eviction issue obviously we have a process in place for a rental housing enforcement unit as part of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in addition there are means with the landlord tenant board so I'm very concerned about the case that the member opposite has placed on the floor and I can rest assured that we will get the rental housing enforcement unit involved in this case and do further investigation Thank you Speaker we're speaking about ODSP rates as well here not only about what happened to Brenda LaCru but however we have heard all week about this government's talking point that the increase to ODSP at 5% is historic the only thing historic about the increase is how long it took to make any increase freezing the rates for as long as you did throughout the pandemic is something we have not seen in decades so sorry premier 5% is not historic it's actually a slap in the face but don't take it from me take it from members in my community of St Catherine's and Niagara Tabitha Thomas is also facing a family moving in eviction and has called your increase proof for it doesn't care may I quote proof for it doesn't care about the vulnerable people Brenda LaCru said quote premier is like four don't care about regular people like me Premier will you change course and double ODSP rates in the face of your historical freeze to those rates from last term I realize the member was using quotes it would be better if we refer to each other generally speaking as with respect to our riding boundaries as well as our ministerial title as applicable start the clock the response the minister the response thank you speaker I very much appreciate the opportunity to clarify our government immediately began its mandate in 2018 by increasing the ODSP rate by 1.5% we then went into we have the $1 billion social services relief funding we have now a historic historic a unprecedented law of spending and increase investment in ODSP this does not exist we are aligning this to inflation never been done before we are creating the micro credential strategy to make sure people can get back into the labour force the road map to wellness the 1 billion dollars in childcare spaces the Ontario child benefit the dental care for seniors low income seniors the care tax credit the lift tax credit the Ontario jobs training tax energy and property tax credit wage increase we are making the largest investment in ODSP rates in the history of this province we are aligning them with inflation and we will continue to do this very important work that the opposition never did Mr. Speaker my question is for the solicitor general my constituents in the riding of Carleton are concerned by the increasing gun and gang violence faced by the people of Ottawa just last week there was another shooting in Ottawa's Byward Market which brings a total number of shootings this year in Ottawa to 41 the people of my riding don't deserve to live in fear because of the actions of criminals the city of Ottawa is home to a culturally diverse population good neighbours and friendly people it's not a home for gangs engaging in criminal activity so speaker through you could the solicitor general please explain to this house our government's approach to dealing with this troubling issue faced by the good people of Ottawa reply to solicitor general thank you Mr. Speaker and I'd like to thank my colleague for her question and our hearts go out to the victims of senseless violence community safety remains a top priority for this government and since the member was elected in 2018 our government invested over $57 million in the Ottawa Police Service I have recently met with Chief Bell in Ottawa and I know that we both share a strong commitment to keeping our community safe but we know that illegal guns continue to cross our international borders and into communities like Ottawa and that's why in my conversations with my federal counterpart Minister Mendocino I have stressed that the federal government needs to tighten up enforcement at the border and this is something Mr. Speaker that we will work on and our government our government is taking our province of security very seriously and will always make this security an absolute priority a supplementary question thank you Mr. Speaker and through you thank you to the Solicitor General for that response Mr. Speaker the Solicitor General spoke about the issue of smuggled guns coming across our borders recently the National Post titled a polite reminder that Canadian handgun crime is mostly America's fault the article notes that 72% of guns seized from crime by Toronto police this year alone had likely origins in the United States Speaker once again through you to the Solicitor General what is Ontario doing to address the issue of smuggled guns thank you Mr. Speaker and again I'm a member for her question and recently I was in Lampton County on the Sinclair River with our MPP for Sarnia Lampton and I was at the exact location where the drone carrying 11 handguns was found in a tree back in May I saw for myself how close we are to the US border and how easily guns in contraband can get smuggled in our country and it's no secret where the guns are coming from we need enhancements to the OPP led provincial weapons enforcement unit to combat guns entering Canada and in Ontario and to keep Ontario safe our government has invested over $200 million to combat gun and gang violence fuelled by smuggled guns Mr. Speaker we will work hand in hand with local law enforcement to tackle gun and gang violence in Ontario but this is not enough we need our federal government to step up now and take measures to improve border security and inspections next question member for Niagara Falls thank you Mr. Speaker my question is to the Premier this government has established a pattern of leaving Ontarians in the dark about their plans this time they left us in the dark about the grave implications of Bill 7 Ontarians were rightly horrified by how quickly an undemocratic Bill 7 was passed but the minister tried to pacify us by saying that our concerns about how far people will be separated from their families against their will will be addressed through regulations well speaker there's been no word about these regulations but we're already hearing stories from hospitals putting pressure on patients we don't need to create obstacles for elderly and disabled people to see their loved ones and their valid member of caregivers will the minister confirm that people and equitable access to their caregivers and their loved ones Minister of long term care of course Mr. Speaker I've been saying that right from the beginning but the whole point of this was to ensure that those people, those seniors who are in a hospital who are imminently to be discharged have a better quality of care than sitting in a hospital bed where everybody would acknowledge medical professionals completely acknowledge that various forms of different diseases which are not good for them that they don't get the physical activity that they require they don't get the mental stimulation that is required and that a hospital bed is the absolute worst place for somebody to be now if the member had read the bill he would understand that not only are we doing this making sure that our seniors have the right care in the right place at the right time but we're also putting money behind that Mr. Speaker to make sure that when a senior is leaving hospital long term care home that the long term care home has the services that are required whether it's kidney dialysis whether it's behavioral support services we are upgrading those services as well to match the patient leaving the hospital becoming a resident at a home Mr. Speaker Thank you Mr. Speaker back to the Premier I want to be clear to the Minister not only did I read the bill I memorized it accountability and transparency they passed bill 7 they passed bill 7 without so much it's a meeting with the unions and frontline workers they won't listen to advocates patients or their families they're only concerned about what works for hospital CEOs the Minister denied Ontarians a chance to advocate for themselves their loved ones through public hearings so my question is pretty easy will the Minister deny Ontarians their rightful opportunity to comment on regulations during public comment period before the regulations are implemented Mr. Long term care Mr. Speaker the parliamentary assistant along with myself have undertaken extensive consultations throughout the sector both residents councils family councils as well as with applicable associations to gather their feedback we have also met with doctors and nurses to get their feedback as well so we've met with doctors, nurses healthcare professionals we've met with representatives of residents councils we've met with residents of long term care home and they have all come back and told us the same thing Mr. Speaker that a hospital is no place for somebody to be who is waiting for long term care these are people who are on the long term care waiting list and the bill does Mr. Speaker he read the bill but yet he continues to say oh people are going to be charged $1800 a day they are going to be sent a thousand miles from their home all incorrect but he memorized the bill colleagues he memorized the bill this is the same member who said we are going to reopen three and four war bedrooms it was actually this premier and that minister who closed those three and four war bedrooms it is that premier and that minister who brought 58,000 new and upgraded thank you thank you thank you Mr. Speaker Ontario's young families are being frozen out of the housing market due to a lack of housing supply Ontario's population is continuously growing and our current rate of housing construction isn't keeping up young people are already struggling with inflation and the rising cost of living in Ontario over the next 10 years we expect over one third of the new growth will happen in Toronto and Ottawa housing experts have already warned us that the Ontario is falling behind housing infrastructure investment because of the years of red tape and delays caused by the previous Liberal Government Speaker can the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing tell us what our Government can do to empower our large cities such as Ottawa and Toronto to increase the housing supply thank you Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing thanks the member for Scarborough Rouge Park for that excellent question the simple fact is Speaker that Ontario's population growth as Ontario's population grows our housing supply needs to grow with it and what we're doing under our proposed strong mayors building homesack is we're providing the mayors in our two largest cities with the tools that they need to get shovels in the ground faster we said to Ontarians during the last provincial election that we were going to present a plan to make sure that we have 1.5 million homes built over the next decade and we have to ensure Speaker that the mayors in Ontario's two largest cities where we know that over the next decade a third of Ontario's growth will take place in those two municipalities we have to ensure that after the municipal election on October 24th that those tools are in place in Toronto and Ottawa that's what we're doing we need to make sure they have the tools to get it done Supplementary question Speaker our housing market is facing a crisis with rising living cause many young Ontarians are starting to fear that they will never realize their dreams of home ownership the people of my riding want more housing choices whether it be rental apartments or semi-detached houses near their workplace or fully detached houses where young Ontarians can grow and raise their families Speaker can the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing elaborate on what other steps our government is taking to ensure that the dream of home ownership is attainable for the people of my riding and all Ontarians Thank you Thank you We know that there's no one that will provide a silver bullet that will provide a solution to the housing crisis that we're facing right now but for too long under the previous government housing starts lagged far far behind the demand of Ontarians we knew that we had to act and act decisively as a government by empowering our municipal partners by ensuring that they have tools to cut red tape and get shovels in the ground faster we're going to fight the housing supply crisis but right now doesn't realize the dream of home ownership we want to give them hope we want to give them opportunity and we need mayors in those big communities and quite frankly mayors across this province to have the tools that they need to assist us in ensuring that dream is realized Thank you Mr. President My question Thank you Speaker To the Premier to the French Embassy in Canada in 2021 has indicated that during the last five Services in French have not been provided appropriately What are you going to do to provide those services accordingly? Minister of Francophone Affairs Thank you Speaker and thank you the member for his question These results represent a national issue that is happening throughout the country This is happening not only in Ontario but also in Quebec and other provinces Speaker, our government recognizes the importance of Ontario Francophonie which is why we're working on several aspects to reinforce the demographic of Ontario and we recognize that we need to set in place all the resources that we have to do so We are continuing to work with the federal government and we ask them to provide more control over the immigration process to attract more francophone immigrants to Ontario We request an immigration corridor to attract teachers that are francophone too We have seen this issue keep on getting worse throughout their provinces Services in French are not being provided appropriately Ontario One call doesn't provide a service in French PPO for the security alert last week was only provided in English with a population that was 60% francophone So again my question is what are you going to do to provide these services in French and Ontario Supplementary, thank you Speaker It's very deceiving to see that the opposite member wants to play politics with this situation This is not the moment it's the moment to work together to make sure that we set in place illusions to address the demographics of Ontario The opposite member knows that our government has set in place politics to protect francophonie in Ontario The law was the first one that was set in the province since 1996 This could have been done during the liberal government but this didn't take place They didn't do it when they were in power for 15 years but it was our government under the leadership of this premier that has got it done We opened the Ontario city and provided courses in English rather in French to ensure the services in French The member for Thunder Bay Atacoka My question is for the minister of mines When the previous liberal government was in power they failed to prioritize the mining sector Projects like Côté Gould sat on the shelf collecting dust because investors did not have a committed partner they could work with The culture of delay inaction by the previous liberal government was unacceptable and unlike them our government wants more mines to get built in northern Ontario Mining represents a generational opportunity that is already creating jobs and training opportunities and promises new revenue for Ontarians It provides the raw materials needed to build clean, sustainable new green technology like batteries for electric vehicles Mr. Speaker, what has the government done differently to move mining projects forward and what have been the results Mr. Mines Thank you very much Mr. Speaker for the question from the member from Thunder Bay and Atacoken Mr. Speaker, opposite to the previous liberal government we see the benefits of unleashing the mining sector and re-establishing Ontario as a world leading destination for mining investment We have Côté Gould and work directly with companies to find solutions to challenges that companies can hit development milestones We have seen the sector responding with Argonaut Gold Building Maginot Project, Equinox Building the Greenstone Mine and I am Gold's Côté project finally under construction and Mr. Speaker the Côté Lake project is a world class deposit has a critical mass of 20 million ounces in resource a world class deposit for 18 years These are just some of the recent success stories and we know there are more coming There is more work to be done Mr. Speaker but I look forward to making Ontario the best jurisdiction to invest in the mining industry Here, here Supplementary question Speaker, unlike the previous government we know how important mining is to the economy in the north With Russia's unprovoked and illegal attack on Ukraine and the growing instability the Chinese Communist regime attempts to stabilize that region our global partners are seeking a strong stable and reliable source of materials I know the Plan to Build Act lays the foundation for our government to strengthen Ontario's standing as a critical global mineral leader Before the election our government launched Ontario's first ever critical mineral strategy Speaker, could the minister of mines update all members on what investments our government has provided to the global mineral strategy through the Plan to Build Act helping to create jobs and opportunities for the people of my writing Thank you Thank you Mr. Speaker Thank you very much for the question It's very very simple we know that we can't be green without mining and that's why our government launched Ontario's first ever critical mineral strategy which is by the way a world leading document backed by investments including $20 million to find the minds of the future create exploration jobs in the north and work with the private sector on innovation Through this strategy we are building a link between the critical minerals in the north with the manufacturing might in the south We are working towards a strong supply chain of extraction, processing and manufacturing of clean technologies right here in Ontario will be the world's in this technology this government's financial commitments and focus on development clean technologies will lead on further low carbon and economic growth for Ontario creating more job opportunities in the northern and first nation communities