 It's now time for oral questions. The next question. I recognize the leader of His Majesty's Royal Office. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Health. For months there have been worrying signals from this government about their plans to privatize parts of our public healthcare system. In August, the Minister of Health received speaking notes that included the phrase, no, we are not privatizing healthcare full stop. But this phrase was scribbled out and never used by the Minister. Why did the Minister or her staff cross out this phrase in her speaking notes? Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. Thank you, Speaker. I will answer that question the same way I answered that question in August. No, no, no. We will continue to fund healthcare in the province of Ontario so that people get the healthcare they deserve in the communities they need to have that access to care. And we have incredible doctors, nurses, physician assistants. I can go on and on who are doing that work in hospitals, in community, in our long-term care homes. And that work will continue. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. Going back to the Minister of Health. Ontarians are rightly concerned that this government is shifting our public system to US-style healthcare. And that's increasing delivery of our healthcare system by private interests. The Minister's notes also had this phrase crossed out. I want to be clear, there has been no expansion to the number of private hospitals who offer publicly funded procedures in Ontario. Did the Minister or her staff cross out that phrase because there are plans to expand the number of private hospitals and private facilities in Ontario? Mr. Health. Speaker, I'm happy to point to the actions of our government. Two new medical schools being built in the province of Ontario have expanded the number of nurses who are training in the province of Ontario. We actually have programs that they can learn and stay where we pay for their tuition and their books. We have expanded the number of physicians who can train in the province of Ontario. We have worked with the College of Physicians and Surgeons and the College of Nurses of Ontario to make sure that individuals who have applied and asked for licences in the province of Ontario get those assessments done quickly. We are acting, you are fear mongering. Remind the members to make their comments during the show, the final supplementary. Well, there was certainly a big lack of denial in that answer. Speaker, the Minister's answers today have been very concerning. I'll give the Minister one more chance to reassure Ontarians about our publicly funded, publicly developed healthcare system. Can the Minister tell this House today this government is not privatizing delivery or operation of our healthcare system? Members to refer to each other by their writing names and of course introductions are always out of order. Minister of Health to reply. Speaker, I must ask this member, this party, where were they in 2012 when the auditor general highlighted the fact that we needed more family physicians in Northern Ontario. Where were they working with the Liberal government at the time? Were they actually calling for advocating for more Scots? Were they ensuring that individuals who wanted to practice in Northern Ontario had that opportunity? No, no, no. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Minister for Municipal Affairs and Housing. I was shocked to learn, Minister, that nine of the developers at Ownland, being removed by the Greenbelt, donated more than $572,000 to the Conservative Party. These developers bought the protected land at a very cheap price and now with the stroke of your pen, they can develop that land for incredible profit. Minister, how did you decide which land owned by which donor should be removed from the Greenbelt? Municipal Affairs and Housing. Thanks, Speaker. Our province were in a housing crisis. We made a promise to Ontarians during the election that we put a plan in place to build 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years. Ontario is expected to grow by more than 2 million people in the next 10 years, or in the next 15 years. As well, we know that the federal government will be expanding the number of new Canadians coming to our province. We need to ensure that we have a plan that not only builds the volume of homes that we need, but we also need the right types of homes. So we're going to continue to put forward amendments, legislation, regulation that gets us closer to that 1.5 million target. Thank you, Speaker. Minister, the government's own Housing Affordability Task Force made it very clear that access to land is not constraining supply and is not contributing to the housing affordability crisis. The association of municipalities on Ontario is not happy with Bill 23. Since this government refused to extend the hearings and let them speak, I'll read from their written submission. The bill transfers up to $1 billion a year in costs from private sector developers to property taxpayers without any likelihood of improving affordability. In other words, developers stand to gain, we all stand to lose, housing will remain unaffordable. Minister, why proceed with the developer fee cuts if experts are telling you it won't make housing affordable? Speaker, the NDP has laid out their housing policy pretty clearly. They stand with higher fees that add up to $116,900 on the cost of a home in the greater Golden Horseshoe. If you listen really closely, you can hear the sound of nimbyism They'll always stand up for higher fees. They'll always stand up for delay, which adds cost at the end of the day. We're going to stand with young families, with new Canadians and with seniors who want to realise the dream of home ownership. Minister, this government has been in power for four years and during that time rent prices have gone up and housing prices have gone up and nothing has become more affordable. That is your record. The City of Toronto is very alarmed about Bill 23. In their submission, they said the city is on track to lose $230 million in fees at a time when they're facing an $815 million budget shortfall. They will have no choice to postpone or cancel capital projects. Minister, can you at least press pause on Bill 23 so the true consequences of this Bill can be known. We know from our Housing Affordability Task Force that delays in the system cost the end user whether it be a renter or a new homeowner. I'm not going to take any lessons from the delay party, the party who says no to our Housing Supply Action Plan, More Homes More Choice. They've said no when we provided them protections under the Community Housing and Protecting Tenants Act. They voted no to our More Homes for Everyone Plan. They're set to vote no on our Housing Affordability Plan, More Homes Built Faster each and every time. We're going to continue to stand up for those taxpayers who want to realise the dream of home ownership. The NDP really stands up. It's really on Terry Noe that they stand up. Speaker, through you to the Premier. On the heels of controversial legislation that would act as conservation authorities, open up the green belt for development and download hefty costs from private developer friends of the Premier onto the backs of municipal taxpayers. This Premier is now forcing his unwanted and undemocratic strongmare scheme onto regional councils so he can wield even more power, giving himself the authority to handpick regional chairs whenever he chooses an institute minority rule. This affront to democracy has left AMO, Conservation Authorities and newly elected municipal councils struggling to understand the Premier's motives. Everyone knows it has nothing to do with affordable homes. Will the Premier admit he's playing let's make a deal politics, setting up a system where he can serve up our green belt and farmland to his rich friends in exchange for political support and donations to the Ontario PC party? You cannot impute motive in the way that you just did. You can ask you to rephrase the question. Thank you Speaker. Is the Premier playing let's make a deal politics, setting up a system where he can serve up our green belt and farmland to his rich friends and for donations to the Ontario PC party? It crosses the line to imputing motive. I'll allow the Minister of Municipal Affairs a chance to respond. The Premier was honest, open and transparent when he indicated that he was going to extend the strongmare powers past the City of Toronto and Ottawa. We communicated that. People knew that. The Strongmares Building Homes Act moves that forward. We want our mayors in those largest communities. You look at the six regions that we focused on. There is going to be significant housing opportunities in those six regions. You look at the housing targets that the Government of Ontario gave those communities. 20 out of 29 municipalities that are listed will be in tune to build a minimum of 627,000 homes as part of our 1.5 million homes over the next 10 months. We need to ensure that they're set up for success. That's exactly what we're doing Speaker. Thank you Speaker. My question is to the Premier. When Torontonians went to the voting station 29 days ago, they had no idea that Bill 39 was going to be tabled or that John Torrey personally requested the steroid-injected supersized mayor powers from you, enabling him to create new bylaws with only one third of City Council votes. Many, including the mayor's own supporters, are now having serious buyers remorse. Among others, a local constituent Samantha wrote to my office stating and I quote, although I voted for Mayor Torrey, I would not have if I was aware of his position on Bill 39. Democracy may be difficult at times to work in, but it is possible. Majority plus one. That is democracy and we all love it in Canada. Will this Premier respect Toronto's local democracy and withdraw the undemocratic Bill 39? Thank you. Can you reply? The Minister made four thousand homes. We put in place earlier in this session a bill that would give the Mayor of Toronto and Ottawa the tools they need to get shovels in the ground faster on priority housing projects. We were responsive to Mayor Torrey's request and it's reflected in Bill 39. The member can disagree with her former colleague at Toronto City Council, but we're going to ensure that those mayors in Toronto and Ottawa and the work that we'll do in those six regions that will be able to get shovels in the ground. We've got an ambitious plan speaker, one that will put a plan in place to build 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years. A third of the growth in the next decade will take place in Toronto and Ottawa. We need to ensure that those mayors have the tools. This bill does just that. Thank you. Next question. The member for Windsor to come. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Finance. Many constituents in my riding of Windsor to come see, including families, seniors and newcomers, continue to express concerns about the rising costs of living. Ontario is not an island and we are not exempt from worldwide economic challenges driven by geopolitical instability. Ongoing supply chain disruptions and inflation levels that we have not seen in over four decades continue to negatively impact individuals and families. Speaker, with our government's recent release of the fall economic statement, could the Minister explain what we are doing to provide financial relief for all Ontarians? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the member from Windsor to come for that very important question. The government understands that the people of Ontario are under pressure. Costs are going up and we are facing an uncertain global economic environment. That is why we have a plan to keep costs down and put more money back in the pockets of hardworking Ontarians. In the spring, we cut the gas tax by 5.7 cents per litre and the fuel tax by 5.3 cents per litre for six months. Now on our 2022 fall economic statement, it passed would extend this real relief for millions of Ontarians until December 31, 2023. We have a plan, Mr. Speaker, to keep costs down and this is just one part of how we are getting the job bonds for the people of Ontario. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for his response. Unfortunately, with inflation rising, the most vulnerable winter to come seen across Ontario are affected the most. We're seeing how rising costs are impacting people's food budgets with prices significantly higher compared to just a year ago. For example, basic food items such as margarine, pasta, coffee and tea have all dramatically increased in cost. Food banks continue to report a significant increase in their usage compared to previous years. Speaker, once again, the Minister of Finance, how is our government providing support that addresses the rising costs of living? Thank you again for the member for that question. The member is right. A measure like the gas and fuel tax cut provides relief to millions of Ontario drivers who need to drive to work or to take their kids to school. At this time, with record high inflation and many Ontarians uncertain about their finances, this government is focused on targeted supports for those who need it most. That is why we expanded the low income workers' tax credit in our budget. That is why in our fall economic statement, we're proposing doubling the guaranteed annual income system payment for all 12 months of recipients. And, Mr. Speaker, we're also adjusting ODSP to inflation and increasing the ODSP monthly earnings exemption from $200 to $1,000. Mr. Speaker, whatever economic uncertainty may bring, our government has a plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. This morning, the Ontario Health Coalition, the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly and Goldblood Partner Law Firm, announced they are launching a charter challenge against Bill 7. As you know, Bill 7 takes away the rights of real elderly people to give consent and to keep their personal health information private. All weekends, healthcare workers reach out to me, social workers, nurses, physicians. They do not want to have to tell their patients that they will be charged $400 a day if they refuse to be moved to a long-term care home hundreds of kilometres away. Many of them will quit rather than do something that goes completely against their ethical and moral value. You see, Speaker, contrary to this government, healthcare workers do not discriminate against frail elderly people. They care for them. Will the government do the right thing and repeal Bill 7? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The short answer is no. Obviously, Bill 7 is about the right care in the right place at the right time. We've said that right from the beginning. Mr. Speaker, I don't think anybody would suggest that the right place for somebody who wants to be in a long-term care home is in a hospital bed. That is obviously not the right place for them. So what Bill 7 allows us to do is continue those conversations to ensure that somebody who is waiting for a long-term care bed can get access to that long-term care bed. In fact, Mr. Speaker, last week alone, over 330 ALC patients have chosen to go to long-term care beds in the province of Ontario. It is a better quality of care. It is where they want to be, Mr. Speaker. So very plainly to the member opposite, no, we will not repeal Bill 7 because it is in the best interest of people for sitting in acute care beds, keeping beds away from people who need them, and from people who want to be in long-term care, Mr. Speaker. We'll continue to work with patients to ensure that they can transition from being a patient to being a resident in a home. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. 5,000 seniors have died in long-term care under this government's watch. Now with Bill 7, the Conservatives will rip seniors and people with disabilities away from their families, force them into dangerous, understaffed, mostly private-for-profit long-term care homes. If a senior refuses to go to one of those homes, the Premier has threatened to financially ruin them. Our parents, our grandparents, our brothers and sisters will be forced into mostly private-for-profit homes with horrible records of neglect. I'm sure the owners of these homes are excited about even bigger profits, but the people of Ontario deserve better. Bill 7 is cruel, we'll tear families apart and put more seniors' lives at risk. When will the Premier admit that? Do the right thing and please repeal Bill 7. The member knows full well that we have no intention of repealing Bill 7 because it is in the best interest of those individuals who want to be in a long-term care, to get them in a long-term care as soon as possible, Mr Speaker, and that is what Bill 7 does. For far too long, people have been waiting in acute care hospitals wanting to go into long-term care. Bill 7 allows us to do that, Mr Speaker, because a long-term care home is the right place for somebody who wants to transition into a long-term care. These are people who are on the long-term care home waiting list, Mr Speaker. Now we've gone even further than that. It wasn't just about Bill 7, it's also about the staffing, Mr Speaker. That's why we've increased staffing to four hours of care. We've made that commitment and each and every year we're adding on to that commitment. In fact, in the member's own writing, in the member's own writing, now get this, Mr Speaker, he voted against it. He voted against it. He voted against an increase in staffing of $4 million in 2021. He voted against $10 million the year after. He's voted against $18 million for 2021-22, and he's also voted against $26 million in extra nursing care in his own writing to support the over 400 new and redeveloped beds in his own community, Mr Speaker. The member from Thunder Bay, Attic, Olken. Whether it's local, cultural center, or the municipal pool, residents, especially those in rural, remote, and northern communities, rely on these types of facilities to stay connected to one another. We know that people's lives are enhanced through community connection and interaction with others. Unfortunately, under the previous Liberal government, the infrastructure needs of the people in these communities were often overlooked and neglected. That is why our government must take action for providing critical funding support. Speaker, can my neighbour in the north, the Minister of Northern Development, please share with the House what support we are providing to communities in Northern Ontario? I'll try, Mr Speaker. It was great to be in beautiful smooth rock falls last Friday to announce more than three-quarters of a million dollars in investments through the community enhancement program of the modernized New Look Northern Ontario Heritage Fund. Upgrades and repairs to the municipal pools, revamping the community hall, renovating the reg lambi cultural center, and refurbishing the historic Madagami Railroad Company steam locomotive. Now the member opposite was there, he was all smiles, Mr Speaker, his chicklets in full display. I had to remind his constituents that he voted against them, but I was going to give him an opportunity next spring when we table our budget with lots of support for Northern Ontario to stand with us and vote for those investments in Northern Ontario. How about that, Mr Speaker? Thank you, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Minister, for that answer. It's great to see how the Minister and our government continues to support our rural, remote and Northern communities. After many years of neglect, our Northern community partners have gratefully acknowledged our government's leadership. The community infrastructure needs of Northern Ontario are just as vital as anywhere else in this province. Local community infrastructure is a critical point of in connection for recreation and cultural engagement opportunities. Speaker, can the Minister elaborate further on how local infrastructure support is essential for Northern Ontario? Thank you. Minister, it's true that we're very proud of our community improvement fund in cities such as Smooth Rock Falls, where 90% of those projects are covered by the program. It's about quality of life, improving quality of life in the small towns in Northern Ontario. That's why we're investing in the four following programs to modernize the pool in Smooth Rock Falls, renovating the Centre Reg Lamy, and renovating the Matagamy Train Centre. Citizens are appreciative of our improvements and we're very disappointed that the members in the House have voted against those improvements. I was happy to see the member of Mishka Goat Bay James that was all smiling for that announcement and I hope he'll be supporting us in the future. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, Kate recently moved to London and wants to get flu shots for her two kids. She can't get the shots in a doctor's office because she can't find a family doctor. She can't get the shots in the pharmacy because her youngest is under two. Since our local health unit doesn't offer flu clinics, she must either wait hours in a crowded walk-in filled with sick people or drive outside the city. She ended up booking in Guelph and says, sad and ironic, that it is the pediatric hospitals that are overrun and this was the only way to get a scheduled appointment for the age group that is filling up the hospitals. Speaker, why is this government not pulling out all the stops to help kids get their flu shots? Well, in fact, Speaker, we are. You know, we have the OMA here today. We have family physicians who are offering flu shots to their patients. We have public health units who are putting on clinics. We have local pharmacies who have historically offered flu shots in the province of Ontario and continue to do so. There are many different pathways for individuals who wish to get their flu shot and I would strongly encourage they do so to get it depending on what is convenient for them in their community. Thank you. Another parent told me that she has been trying to get flu shots and COVID vaccines for her children since early October. She has a family doctor and was finally able to book an appointment but had to cancel because her daughter was sick. When she went to rebook, she was told vaccines were not available and she should keep calling back to see when another shipment arrives. She says it's no wonder that children's vaccination rates are low and calls this an unacceptable rolling of the dice with the lives of small children and their families. Speaker, where is this government's plan to make it easy for parents who want to get flu shots and COVID vaccines for their kids? Good health. In fact, earlier today I was at a pharmaceutical distribution centre that has been tasked with distributing flu vaccines in the province of Ontario and was assured that almost all of them are out in pharmacies, in family physicians' offices, in public health units. We have invested and ensured that in the province of Ontario we have sufficient supplies of flu vaccines. It is now out in community and I would encourage everyone who has the opportunity to go and get their flu shot as soon as possible. Thank you, Speaker. The next question, a member for Beaches East York. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Sorry. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Today, sorry, MPP Mc... Stop the clock. Member for Brampton North will come to order. Start the clock. Member for Beaches East York. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Today I will speak about the green belt with a question to the Premier. Yes, we're in a housing crisis. We all know we're in a housing crisis and we wish to do something about it. But why step foot into the green belt when there are plenty of other options? We're talking about building up existing communities. There are plenty of ideas, innovative, creative ideas to do that. Building up along the corridors in Toronto. Danforth corridor is in my area and it is on a subway line. So why not add up the two stories and go up further? You're talking to the biggest yimby you will ever meet. And why not look and encourage people to put in laneway suites, garden suites, and secondary suites? Why not look at vacant properties, which you're not doing, looking at vacant properties? Why not look at home share, all the great home share organizations. There are over 2.2 million empty bedrooms in the City of Toronto. There are great programs partnering up students. Thank you. Thank you. And to reply on behalf of the government, the full fairs in housing. Thanks, Speaker. Through each of the members, many of, exactly, many of the things that member spoke about, the government has done. We've created an innovative guide for cohabiting a home inspired by the Golden Girls of Port Perry. We've added a guide to create a second suite in your home, a laneway suite, a basement apartment. We've included in this bill 23 that's in front of us as of right to have those three units at homes across the province. Many of the initiatives the member talked about about intensification is really part of our transit-oriented communities program. So the only different speaker is every time we put an amendment like what the member is proposing on the floor in a bill, her party votes against it. So, you know, we're being very responsive to the Housing Affordability Task Force report. We are taking many of the suggestions and putting them in force again. Thank you. Thank you very much. Can you supplement your question? Like the member for Beaches East York. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, in some of those innovative initiatives that the Minister was quoting, I started actually laneway suites and Toronto happened under my watch as I spearheaded it. So you're welcome. Once again, I'll ask the host not to interrupt the member in that way. Start the clock. The member for Beaches East York has the floor. Thank you. And I would encourage the government to get gutsier and propose four units instead of three and look at home share and look at vacant properties which you have not done and continue to be robust in building up the avenues and transit-oriented development. And my question primarily is why bulldoze the green belt, destroying precious farmlands, wetlands, when there are plenty of other options available to solve this housing crisis? And what exactly does the government think the green belt exists to be why it exists to begin with? Thank you, Speaker. Through you to the member, you know, she talks about vacant property. The government is looking at surplus provincial property with a view of working collaboratively with my ministry and the Minister of Infrastructure to create an attainable housing program. We have many of our own government properties that are underutilized that local mayors have identified would be great opportunities to build a combination of homes and the minister and I are going to investigate that. And at the end of the day, the consultation on the green belt, you know, deals with an addition. We're going to be adding a net gain of about 2000 acres to the green belt. We'll continue to look at other options around the housing affordability task force and we made a commitment under the leadership of Premier Ford said to Ontarians, we would table a housing supply action plan each and every year of a reelected government. That's a commitment speaker that we're going to Speaker, the people of my writing are concerned that crime rates are on the rise everywhere from newspaper to social media. We continue to see stories of crime and wire lines fueled by smuggled drugs and guns. Ontarians rely on our local police officers to protect them and their neighborhoods and our officers are working hard to ensure that drugs are kept off our streets and out of our communities. Speaker, can the Solicitor General please detail the progress of Ontario's police services as they work to keep our communities safe. Well, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for the question. And as I've said in this house many times, everyone has a right to feel safe in their own homes and their own communities. And let me give you a few examples as to how Ontario's police services are stepping up and making a real difference. A joint force investigation by OPP and LaSalle Police seized more than two kilograms of cocaine near Windsor. And just a month ago in Fort Francis, four were charged with drug trafficking following the seizure of $100,000 worth of cocaine and a cache of firearms. Earlier this year, Ottawa police services were able to take 46 firearms destined for criminals and criminal organizations off the street. And I want to thank the brave men and women of the OPP, LaSalle Police Services, and the Ottawa Police Services for taking actions to keep us safe. We will always have your backs. Mr. President, we will continue to do whatever is difficult. We will continue to do what is difficult to make sure that we have the security in Ontario. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you to the General for the response. It is reassuring to hear about the actions taken by police services across our province helping to keep our communities safe. Families and individuals in my riding of Scarborough Rouge Park want our government to make the needed investment to ensure they are protected. And our government has a strong track record on providing millions of dollars in funding to support our police services as they continue to combat gun and gang violences. Speaker, can the Solicitor General elaborate further about the good work that Toronto Police Services is doing to keep communities like mine safe? Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank my friend, the member for the question. Community safety is a top priority, not just for those who work and support our justice system, but to all Ontario families. And we just heard this past Thursday about the great work of Toronto Police Service and we're proud that this investigation was partially funded by the Government of Ontario. Toronto Police Service seized an amazing 671 kilograms of illicit drugs with an estimated street value of over $58 million. This is the largest single-day drug bust in the services history. And I would like to thank and congratulate Chief James Ramer and all the frontline officers who were involved in this historic bust. Monsieur le Président, grâce à tout. Mr. Speaker, thanks to the work of the police that people feel safe in their community and today and every day. Thank you. The next question, the member for Hamilton Mountain. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Speaker, the Premier and his government recently went against the City of Hamilton's decision to expand the urban boundary. He did this despite overwhelming public support to hold the boundary and he made 2,200 acres of farmland available for use to his developer friends and donors. This action will lead to unnecessary sprawl, environmental problems, unaffordable neighbourhoods and further commutes to work. Why does the Premier think it is okay to ignore the decisions of Hamilton City Council and our community? Minister McFaer is in house. Speaker, I made my intention crystal clear to the City of Hamilton actually wrote an op-ed cautioning the city against the frozen boundary because at the same time, their own planning staff made recommendations on properties that should be developed and they ignored them. Over and over again, Hamilton City Council wanted to have it both ways. They didn't want to intensify within the city and they didn't want to extend the boundary. We're facing an incredible rising cost of housing because of these delays. Hamilton has some big challenges with housing affordability. We need to ensure that this official plan set up the community for success so they were able to meet the growth targets that we were projecting to put your head in the sand and not recognize that things needed to change. It's not an option and we adjusted the official plan accordingly. Fun thing and doing another, he says he's committed to housing but he's ignoring our City Council's decisions and the voices of our communities. He promised to leave the green belt alone but now he's backing out on that too by taking away valuable green belt land out of our Hamilton community and claiming it's for housing. This is not a housing solution. We cannot get this farmland back once it is gone. Paving over paradise, Speaker. Will the Premier commit to leaving the green belt alone in Hamilton and actually listening to the Hamilton residents and stop Bill 23? Her own former leader, now the Mayor of Hamilton acknowledges that we needed to build in the city. It's expected, Speaker, that the City of Hamilton's population is going to grow by more than 800,000 people by 2051. Again, according to the City of Hamilton's own planners, the existing urban boundaries could not keep pace with that projected growth. Cannot deal with the status quo. That is the biggest problem in municipal politics right now when it comes to housing. The status quo doesn't work. We need to do more. We need to build more and we need to ensure that we work with the new mayors like Andrea Horvath in Hamilton to ensure that she has the tools to be successful. Number four, Richmond Hill. For children, community and social services. The Ontario Disability Support Program has required modernization for many years. As parliamentary assistant for the ministry, for seniors and accessibility, I heard it from many impacted groups as well as from my constituents in Richmond Hill. After 15 years of inaction and neglect under the previous Liberal government, our most vulnerable were significantly disadvantaged. It was wrong for the previous government to have ignored those in need for all those years, forcing them to work in a system that was outdated and unresponsive. With the release of the fall economic statement, our government has shown leadership in addressing these long-standing concerns. Speaker, can the minister elaborate further on what progress we have implementing the most significant overall overhaul of ODSP? Thank you, Speaker. And I thank the member from Richmond Hill for that important question. Aligning ODSP rates to inflation is a key priority for government so that vulnerable people get more support to pay for life's essentials, especially during periods of high inflation. This is a historic transformation for the delivery of ODSP in this province. And I'm proud of the work that's being done across government, including with my colleagues, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Labor, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. In the fall economic statement Ontario's plan to build, our government outlined that the first ever adjustment of rates to inflation will occur on July 2023. This change will put more money in the pockets of people who need it most to spend on the essentials of life. It is clear that our government is on the right track with the modernisation of ODSP. I would like to take the opportunity to share the daily bread food bank had to say in response to our recent actions. The provincial decision in index ODSP will ensure that future hikes do not deteriorate into a debate over the worthiness of government expenditures. The de-politarisation through the annuled inflationary adjustments of future hikes is laudable. While our government appreciates this recognition, we also know that we have long-standing challenges with ODSP for over a decade. Speaker, what else is our government doing to support those Ontarians who depend on ODSP? Thank you, Speaker. And again, thank you to the member from Richmond Hill for the question. She's right when she says ODSP is facing challenges, and that's why we're proposing another key change to the ODSP program. The fall economic statement also includes a 400% increase to the threshold of the earnings exemption, and that change will empower people with disabilities who can and want to work. It will give them a real opportunity to tap into their skills and talents to contribute to their local economy and support their family without fear of losing their health benefits. That five-fold increase will allow 25,000 people receiving ODSP who are also working to keep more of their earnings and could encourage as many as another 25,000 to enter the workforce. Our government is continuing to do this important work, helping our most vulnerable people, continuing to create solutions that respond to the needs of individuals to ensure they have the support that they need. The member for Parkdale High Park. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Tenants and two buildings in my riding, 55 Quebec Avenue and 50 High Park Avenue are facing rent increases of more than 11%. That's almost five times more than the provincial rent guideline increase for 2023. Speaker, this impacts over 1,000 tenants in High Park alone, including seniors and young families. Many are worried they will be forced to move out. The Premier made these increases legal when he ended rent control on new buildings in 2018. Will he fix his mistake and extend rent control protections to all units? The minister of municipal affairs and housing. Thanks, Speaker. Through you to the member opposite, the government made the decision in the 2018 fall economic statement to spur on more rental construction. The result of that was last year we received the highest amount of rental construction since the early months. In addition, Speaker, the government in the middle of the pandemic placed a number of rental protections forward. The Attorney General did a great job in ensuring that evictions were paused during the pandemic. We interceded this year on those properties that were rent controlled to invoke the cap to provide further protection. And as well, since the pandemic began, we've provided municipalities over $1.2 billion to support our most vulnerable, including encouraging them to create robust rent banks to ensure that our most vulnerable are protected. We'll continue to work towards it. I just wish that when we place these measures forward that the member opposite. Thank you. Thank you. Rent banks are not the answer. Rent control is. Ben lives at 55 Quebec Avenue. My constituent Ben lives at 55 Quebec Avenue and is facing an increase of 11.6%. He's a single dad who already spends 60% of his take home pay on rent. Now he will be paying an extra 300 per month on top of that. Ben lives in a new building that doesn't need any major repairs or upgrades. He doesn't understand why this kind of predatory increase is legal. Can the minister explain to Ben why he's allowing this kind of predatory rent increases instead of helping Ontarians keep a roof over their head? Having a roof over your head is exactly why the government in 2018 dealt with this exemption so that we could have the type of climate that we experienced in 2021. The fact of the matter is, Speaker, we had the most rental construction in over 30 years, and that's something that helps all tents in the province. We're going to continue to work with our partners to increase the supply of housing. That's why in Bill 23, the deepest development charge and discounts for purpose-built rental are family and affordable rentals. We want to encourage, we want to keep building upon the success of the rent control exemption by providing further incentive to build that type of rental housing that I think we can all agree we need again right across this province. Question, the member from Niagara West. Thank you very much, Speaker. Many families in the Niagara region rely on tourism directly and indirectly for their jobs and their livelihoods. From tourist attractions on Lundy's Lane to the numerous wineries stretching from Grimsby to Niagara on the Lake to the northern shore of Lake Erie, there are world-class destinations that showcase Niagara's beauty and diversity. However, while we see that the tourism sector is recovering from the pandemic, some businesses are still struggling, and we know that that's because they were hit first and hardest. So I'm wondering if this Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport could tell the House a little bit more about what the government is doing to ensure that the tourism sector is recovering from COVID now and going forward. Mr. Speaker, I thank the member from Niagara West who is acutely aware of how vital tourism is for businesses and families. Tourism supports almost 400,000 jobs across our province. Tourism activity has recently reached its highest level since the onset of the pandemic, and our government's support is helping Ontario tourism and the industry re-emerge as an economic powerhouse. We provided $200 million in targeted funding to address the challenges that affected every segment of the tourism. This year, we're encouraging everyone to explore Ontario and support local tourism with the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit. All signs point to great growth. Domestic and foreign visitors are travelling to Ontario again, thankfully. Attractions, sporting events, festivals, concerts have been welcomed back in-person fans and audiences. Hotels and restaurants, they're filling up again, Mr. Speaker. I know the industry continues to face challenges, but I'm very confident they will continue to get better. Thanks to the Minister for that response. I know that we all recognize the vital importance of the tourism sector to our local economy and Niagara and of course across the rest of the province. Now, restaurants, hotels and small businesses all benefit from tourism dollars, and when those tourism dollars drop we all feel the impact. Now, not only is it essential to sustain Niagara's tourism sector, but it's equally important to build upon its historic strength, its reputation moving forward. So could the Minister commit to an aggressive strategy to support Niagara's tourism sector today and going forward? Mr. Speaker, our government is on the same page as the member from Niagara West. The Niagara Region $2 billion tourism industry is a gateway to Ontario's broader dynamic tourism industry attracting more than 13 million tourists annually. Yeah, I think it's a good thing that we're investing, we're investing in Niagara, for example, more than $1.5 million this year through our ReConnect Ontario fund for festivals and events ranging from Niagara Grape and Wine Festival to the Niagara Music Festival Live. One of the Ministry's strategic priorities in 2022-23 is supporting tourism in the Niagara Falls region by working with the impacted sectors and the regions to recover to pre-pandemic tourism levels and beyond. It's important to get past where we were, Speaker. I've had the opportunity to meet with a number of stakeholders in the Niagara Parks Commission, tourist attractions, operators and hoteliers. They are ready to grow and ready to go, Mr. Speaker. By the government's own admission, the change to the Employment Clawback for ODSP helps only the 6.5% of ODSP recipients who are working and does nothing for the vast majority of people on ODSP who are unable to work, which is why they are on ODSP in the first place. The other 356,700 recipients are left on their own to try to make ends meet on a benefit that is lower than the average cost of rent across the province. Why is the Premier continuing to legislate poverty for hundreds of thousands of Ontarians instead of doubling social assistance rates? Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite for the question. Our government has consistently been committed to adapting to the realities that vulnerable people are facing with issues such as high inflation. We are looking at making sure that they have the supports they need, and that's why we've given this the ODSP rates the increase of decades, never been done before by previous governments. The 5% is an historic increase. We've tied it to inflation. We've aligned it with inflation. Understanding that inflation increases create a real hardship for people, and we've made the earnings exemption. We've quintupled 400% increase to that earnings exemption, lifting people up, making sure that they're getting connected to the workforce as needed. And those who can't work, we're supporting them. But we know to have meaningful work to create an environment in their communities, in their families, working with the Ministry of Labor, and also working with the Minister of Health, working with the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions to understand all the other supports we put in there. Thank you. Thank you very much. 50,000 people with disabilities living in poverty is not really a record to brag about, Speaker. This government has also left people in Ontario works living in deep poverty with no help. In fact, this government has left these Ontarians triply behind. No rate increase, no indexation, no change to the employment threshold, despite the fact that it has remained unchanged for nine years. $733 a month doesn't even go halfway to paying the rent. Let alone food and other essentials. How does the Premier expect people to get off of Ontario works when his policies are driving people into crushing levels of poverty and ill health? And again, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services to respond. Thank you, Speaker. You know, the Liberals had the chance to raise rates, and they waited until before an election. The NDP had a chance to make it a priority when they propped up the Liberals for three years. And while they talked, it was our government that acted. We're the only ones who said yes to supporting individuals on social assistance. We're indexing the rates to inflation. We said yes. The opposition said no. We're increasing the earnings exemption. We said yes to that. The opposition said no. Today's ODSP policy, the announcement of the fall economic statement, is a game changer. That's what our colleagues in the community said. That was Mark Wafer. The advocacy of many over the past few years has resulted in an exciting new future for Ontarians with Disabilities who will now have more money in their pocket while contributing to themselves, their families, and the economy at large. We will continue to do this important work because we know how important it is for people who can work and those who cannot. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Speaker, recent reports have shown that housing starts in Canada have decreased by 11% compared to previous month. The ongoing housing supply shortage concerns many hardworking Ontarians in my riding. Individuals and families are worried about their economic futures and the ability to achieve their dream of home ownership. Mr. Speaker, the other day, my niece, who is a civil engineer, posed a question to me. She said, Uncle, you and mom are lucky because you and your generation can buy a house. Our generation cannot buy a house. We are unfortunate. Imagine, Speaker, two professionals, my niece and her husband, with good paying job, they cannot afford to buy a house in Ontario. Our government must take bold and decisive action now to help those who have felt left behind in the housing market. Speaker, can the Associate Minister of Housing please share with us what our government is doing to deliver on our mandate of building one and a half million homes in Ontario? Thank you very much, Speaker, and I want to thank my honourable colleague for the question and certainly for the advocacy he does in his community, Mr. Speaker, when it comes to housing. My colleague is right. Nationwide housing starts did fall and our province wasn't immune to this. There are global factors at play here that go beyond what our government can control, like high interest rates and the rising costs of building materials. And while we would like to see more from our federal counterparts, we never said that the road ahead will be easy for Ontarians. And we never said that there won't be bumps along the way. But, Mr. Speaker, if we continue to work together and make changes for the things that we can control, like approval delays and unnecessary fees, and by introducing legislation every year for the next four years, I am confident, Mr. Speaker, that under the leadership of Premier Ford, we will get the job done and we will deliver in our promise to build 1.5 million homes for Ontarians. Thank you. Speaker, and thank you to the Associate Minister for that answer. Ontario's population is steadily increasing, but housing construction is not keeping pace. With Ontario families feeling disadvantaged due to the housing supply shortage, it is clear that we must take action now to work with all levels of government to respond to this issue. We must take the initiative to empower our municipalities as they play a crucial role in supporting Ontario's housing needs. Speaker, can the Associate Minister of Housing please share how our government works with our municipality leaders to prioritize housing supply? Thank you. Thank you, Speaker, and again I want to thank my honourable colleague for the follow-up question. Speaker, our municipal partners play a huge role when it comes to the number of housing starts. In fact, Speaker, not only have we sent 29 of the largest and fastest growing municipalities housing targets, we also have allocated more than 45 million under the Streamline Development Approval Fund to help Ontario's 39 largest municipalities modernize their approval processes. And we have also introduced strong mayor's legislation to give local municipalities the tools they need to get more shovels in the ground and do them faster. We are serious about solving the housing crisis in our province and we are willing to work with all levels of government to once again give back the dream of homeownership to all Ontarians. And, Mr. Speaker, my message to the members' nieces is we will not give up on you. You will realize the dream of homeownership under this government. Next question, the member for Ms. Keegan-Waltz, please say it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, but he's not... My question is for the Minister of Transportation. ...for Northern Ontario. However, there's many other factors that come into play for road safety. As storm makes their way in highway shutdowns, many accidents are caused involving transport trucks. I know that the Minister received daily reports from the MTO regarding our roads. Drivers are assigned long hauls on our northern highways with little to no experience driving in winter conditions. We have seen how many lives have been lost over the years. Their inexperience is putting our residents' lives at risk. What will your ministry do to address the lack of training and experience on winter road conditions of these drivers and the training providers? Thank you very much, Speaker. I appreciate the question from the member officer this morning. There is no question that road safety is a priority for this government. That, of course, includes the great people of Northern Ontario who, frankly, face many different driving conditions than we may hear in the South. That's why, Speaker, we have introduced a series of measures to keep our roads safe. Training is one of them, but also a firm commitment to clear snow as quickly as possible. In fact, we just introduced, Speaker, on highways 11 and 17 after a detailed technical review of changing the standard of clearing snows from 16 hours after a heavy winter snowstorm to 12 hours, this is going to make sure that our roads remain safe. We're widening Highway 69, which was a priority of this government since 2018, and we're always listening. There's always more work that could be done, but this government is committed to keeping our roads safe. That includes the great people of the North Speaker. This government is going to get the job done. That concludes our question period for this morning. The member for Algoma Manitoulin has a point of order. Speaker, I forgot to mention earlier that today's page captain, Havana, her father has joined us for the today's legislative question period. Mr. Richard Tibero from a place so nice, we named it twice, la, la. Tourism culture and sport, as informed me. He has a point of order. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd be remiss if I didn't congratulate the winners of the 109th great cup game that was played in Saskatchewan, these Toronto Argonauts. Congratulations, boys. And the member for Niagara Falls has a point. Thank you very much. And I was going to do the same point of order, but I want to say to the tourist minister, I'm glad you did do it because I know you're a Hamilton Tycat fan, and I'm an Argo fan. So congratulations to the Argos. It was one of the best great cups I've watched a long time, 24-23. Let's have a great parade for them. They deserve it. Thank you. Member for Richmond Hill on a point of order. I stand up to wish my seatmate a happy birthday today. Thank you. We now have a deferred vote on the motion for second reading of Bill 14, an act to enact the Climate Crisis Health Action Plan Act 2022, and the Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public Sector Act 2022, and the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Act 2022. To call in the members, this is a five-minute bell.