The member opposite should also talk about the wait times that are happening across Canada, because, in fact, Ontario leads Canada in the shortest wait times. Is that enough? Clearly not. We want to do more, which is why we are expanding immediately through the surgical backlog recovery.

Almost a billion dollars has been used by our public hospitals in the last three years to expand their operating room capacity. And it has worked, because, in fact, we are now down to wait times that are equivalent to pre-pandemic levels. That is a success that we have to point to and thank our hospital partners for. Is it enough? No.

We don’t want the status quo, which is why, through Bill 60, we are expanding the community surgical and diagnostic centres. That will ensure that people have access to regularly scheduled surgeries in a timely manner closer to home. It is exactly what the people of Ottawa and Ontario need and deserve.

My question is for the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility.

It’s important that Ontarians of all ages and abilities can participate in local programs across the province.

Because of our government’s commitment to helping seniors and people with disabilities to stay safe, active and socially connected, we are hearing encouraging reports about successful projects through the Inclusive Community Grants Program. To name just a few examples, the city of Burlington received funding to install portable beach mats to make access easier to the waterfront for everyone, and the public library in Dryden received funds to make accessibility improvements.

Can the minister please share more about the Inclusive Community Grants Program and how this contributes to advancing accessibility for all of Ontario?

Ensuring continuous improvement of accessibility and inclusion for everyone is an ongoing responsibility, and we all play a role in supporting the needs of our communities.

It’s vital that our government continues to provide funding that supports local needs and empowers community organizations so that improvements can take place everywhere in Ontario.

Can the minister please elaborate on how our government is investing in accessibility projects in both rural and small urban communities?

Supplementary question.

Thank you to the hard-working MPP from Chatham-Kent–Leamington for the wonderful question.

We thank you and all the advocates of accessibility who are working hard to make Ontario more accessible.

Our government launched the inclusive community grants as a community-based approach to help the province become more inclusive for everyone. Since 2018, our government has funded over 60 projects to local organizations to make inclusive spaces and meet accessibility needs in their community. These grants are making libraries, parks and other public spaces all across Ontario accessible.

Thanks to the leadership of this Premier, we are building an accessible Ontario.

I want to share with you that we have invested nearly $50,000 in inclusive community grants to the Active Lifestyle Centre in Chatham-Kent–Leamington. This funding went to a refresher driving course for older adults. This has supported up to 1,500 older adults from 11 rural and smaller urban communities in Chatham-Kent access driving to stay active and connected.

It does not matter how big or small a community is; we can all work together to build a better Ontario that is inclusive for all.

Together, we are building a better Ontario.

Let me just say that we do appreciate how important these workers are to the province of Ontario. In fact, all workers are important to the province of Ontario.

That’s why, in the last election, the majority of the unionized workforce across this province supported Progressive Conservatives in the election, including in the member’s own riding.

The Ministry of Labour has put forward a number of initiatives that improve the working conditions not only of workers—but more importantly, or equally as important is that the conditions that we’re bringing in are as a result of some of the incredible work that we’re seeing by this Premier and by this minister to bring jobs and economic activity back to the province of Ontario.

This province is thriving. We have thousands of jobs that are being created, thousands of jobs where we will turn to our unionized workforce, to workers across the province of Ontario to help us continue to build a bigger, better, stronger province of Ontario. And that includes those workers the member has referenced in her question.

We encourage both the workers and their employer to reach an agreement at the table, and I’m sure the member would agree that’s exactly where it should be done.

Stop the clock.

Order.

Interjections.

I’ll remind the members to make their comments through the Chair, not across the floor of the House.

Start the clock.

The next question.

Once again, I’ll remind members to make their comments through the Chair.

Start the clock.

Supplementary question?

The Minister of Finance frequently talks about transparency, about how his crystal ball is a bit foggy and how “certainty is not part of the future. It is always uncertain.” But now his government is saying they can predict the next 95 years with their new lease for Ontario Place.

In 95 years, we’ll be gone, and a new generation of Ontarians will have to deal with the generational decisions of this government.

The province and the city of Toronto had a similar lease for the Ontario Science Centre, and now, halfway through, the province is insisting that it be destroyed because it’s too old.

The minister knows a 95-year business case is not a sound one; maybe that’s why they won’t release it.

Can the Premier please tell us how his government now has the “crystal ball” confidence to approve his government signing a 95-year lease with a company that only set up shop in Canada two years ago?

The science centre is an important cultural and educational hub in North York, serving thousands of local students with programming and employing many people in my riding of Don Valley West and neighbouring Don Valley East. Moving it to Ontario Place means moving jobs and programming out of our community. Our community will be lessened culturally and economically with the loss of the Ontario Science Centre. This decision, made in secret, shows the lack of regard this government has for the people of Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park.

Can the Premier please explain how our community will benefit from this move and how much benefit will go to the developers who advised him to do this?

I’m excited to answer that question because it’s a great one from a member who does great work in his riding.

I’m glad to inform that member that, in fact, two weeks ago, our government announced $30 million in Connecting Links funding to support municipal road and bridge repairs in 21 municipalities across the province. That means that we’re dedicating just over $317,000 to help revamp Main Street in Bath village, in that great member’s riding, so folks can get around and connect to Highway 33 with ease.

Our Connecting Links Program provides funding for up to 90% of eligible project costs to enhance municipal roads and bridges that run through communities and connect to provincial highways. With this funding, we’ll make sure it makes it easier to connect people to jobs, support movement of goods and services, and to generate economic growth—and to take the House leader down to celebrate the Leafs cup win when that happens later this year.

Speaker, just like Leafs fans after last night’s win, Ontarians are buzzing because, unlike the NDP and the Liberals, this government is getting transportation done.

From the twinning of the QEW Garden City Skyway bridge to expanding the 401 from Pickering eastwards, and of course the widening of Highways 11, 17 and 3, our government is building transportation throughout the province. A lot is getting built over the next decade, with so much happening both now and in the coming years. In fact, in the next fiscal year alone, we are investing $3.2 billion to expand and repair provincial highways and bridges. Then, over the next four years, the Ontario highways program will focus on more than 600 expansion and rehabilitation projects.

Through all of this work, we are not only building this province for the people of today, for those moving here in the future—that includes Habs fans, like the member who asked that question.

This is a great opportunity for me to, after having a number of consultations with the chair and the CEO, remind everyone that if you haven’t been there lately, the science centre is open for business. There are a lot of great things going on there—school visits and opportunities for people to revisit, if they haven’t.

There’s usually a lot of conversation around a thing that people don’t understand because they haven’t really examined it.

But let me tell you this: When we talk about a potential world-class stage down at Ontario Place, it’s unbelievable. And then, all the conversations I’ve had with people across our province in tourism—

Interjections.

I truly find the NDP entertaining. Do you know why, Mr. Speaker? Because this member gets up in her place, supported by the members around her, and suggests, “Oh, we want to bring anti-scab legislation back,” but when they had the balance of power, when they could have said to the Liberals, “We demand that you bring back this legislation”—

Interjection.

You didn’t make workers a priority in 2011, you didn’t make them a priority in 2012, you didn’t make them a priority in 2013, you didn’t make them a priority in 2014—when you supported every single disastrous budget that group brought to the province of Ontario, that brought workers in this province to its knees.

And now, when you’re down to 30 people, it’s—

Interjections.

My question is for the Associate Minister of Transportation. Roads, highways and other critical transportation infrastructure are vital to ensuring that our economy remains strong and productive.

Unfortunately, under the previous Liberal government, Ontario’s transportation networks were neglected. In fact, Highway 33, known as the Loyalist Parkway, which spans across the southeastern portion of my riding and connects at Main Street in the village of Bath, would greatly benefit from improvements. But this is just one example. There are plenty of roads and bridges in municipalities all across the province that are desperately in need of upgrades.

Our government must continue to prioritize investments in transportation infrastructure that will keep our communities moving safely and efficiently every day.

Can the associate minister please explain how our government is supporting local communities, local municipalities to revitalize their transportation infrastructure?

But there’s still more work to do when it comes to expanding our transportation networks. We know that clogged roads and gridlocked highways impact individuals, families and businesses, resulting in delays and inconveniences that waste time and money. Road congestion prevents transportation trucks from moving our goods efficiently, especially on the 401 in eastern Ontario, costing more than $11 billion annually to Ontario’s economy.

Ontarians are counting on this government to continue to implement projects that will connect more people to jobs, housing and economic opportunities all across the province.

Can the associate minister please elaborate on how our government will deliver on the promised plan for these transportation infrastructure improvements?

I’d like to introduce Jennifer Kagan and her husband, Philip Viater, who are here to observe the introduction of a bill.

Vous le savez: l’hiver n’est pas fini. Je veux remercier Gerald Rousseau pour la pétition intitulée « Pour améliorer l’entretien hivernal des routes du Nord.

« À l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario :

« Considérant que les routes 11 et 17 jouent un rôle essentiel dans le développement et la prospérité du nord de l’Ontario;

« Considérant que l’ancien gouvernement libéral a initié la privatisation de l’entretien des routes, et que le gouvernement conservateur actuel n’a pas su améliorer les conditions routières hivernales au nord de l’Ontario;

« Considérant que sur les routes du Nord, les taux de blessures et de décès par habitant sont le double de ces mêmes taux correspondant aux routes du sud de la province;

« Considérant que la classification utilisée actuellement par le ministère des Transports pour l’entretien hivernal des routes a un impact négatif sur la sécurité des personnes qui empruntent les routes du Nord;

« Nous, soussignés, demandons à l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario de mettre en oeuvre les mesures suivantes :

« —classifier toutes les autoroutes série 400, l’autoroute Queen Elizabeth, ainsi que les routes 11 et 17, comme des routes de catégorie 1;

« —exiger que la chaussée des routes de catégorie 1 soit complètement dégagée dans les huit heures suivant une chute de neige. »

Je supporte cette pétition. Je vais la signer et je vais la donner à Christopher pour qu’il l’amène à la table des greffiers.

Absolutely, Speaker. The bill is called Vaping is not for Kids. It does six things. First, it prohibits the promotion of vapour products—no more promotion. Second, it bumps the age from 19 to 21 for people to buy vapour products. Third, it limits the flavour of the vaping products to tobacco only. Fourth, it makes sure that vaping products can only be sold in specialty vape stores. There are special provisions for small rural communities and northern communities. Fifth, it mandates taxing on vapour products. The tax revenue generated would help with the sixth part, which is to do public education about vaping. And the sixth one is to ask Ontario Health to prepare an annual report to the minister respecting youth vaping that sets out information and recommendations to assist the minister in developing policies to reduce the immensely high amount of youth in Ontario who vape.

“Health Care: Not for Sale....

“Whereas Ontarians get health care based on their needs, not their ability to pay;

“Whereas the Ford government wants to privatize our health care system;

“Whereas privatization will bleed nurses, doctors and PSWs out of our public hospitals and will download costs to patients;”

They petition the Legislative Assembly as follows: “to immediately stop all plans to privatize Ontario’s health care system, and fix the crisis in health care by:

“—repealing Bill 124 to help recruit, retain, return and respect health care workers with better pay and better working conditions;

“—licensing tens of thousands of internationally educated nurses and other health care professionals already in Ontario;

“—incentivizing health care professionals to choose to live and work in northern Ontario.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my name to it and ask my good page Frederick to bring it to the Clerk.

Point of order, Speaker.

I wish to take the opportunity to introduce one of my staff members. Mr. Chris Dopking has joined us in the gallery.

Unfortunately, when we were introducing our guests this morning, my guest wasn’t in, so I want to introduce him now, for the record. The chair of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, Akim Aliu, was here this morning.

Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Again, look at the NDP. They didn’t care about ACTRA workers when they had the balance of power.

Let me just explain for the NDP, let me explain for members opposite what “the balance of power” means. It means you can decide whether a government is in power or is not in power.

You had the ability between 2011—to put the Liberal government out of its misery and bring back hope and prosperity to the province of Ontario.

More importantly, they had the power to bring back this legislation, when they could have guaranteed that it passed. But they didn’t do it.

Now, when the people of the province of Ontario have reduced them to a small rump in the Legislative Assembly, they bring forward legislation that they say is a priority—but it’s just not a priority when they had the opportunity to pass it.

Instead, what we’re doing is, we’re giving the workers of this province the opportunity to succeed. And do you know what that has resulted in? Six hundred thousand jobs—

Interjections.

Interjections.

Thank you to the great member from Scarborough Centre for raising this important issue.

As minister and as a mother of three university-aged daughters, I personally understand how important it is to support post-secondary students’ mental health and create the right conditions to help young people succeed in their post-secondary journey.

I’m proud to say that since day one, our government has taken action to support a healthy Ontario—and that includes in our 2023 budget, where we outlined our continued investment of $26.5 million in mental health supports for post-secondary students across the province. That ensures more social workers, psychologists and support staff on our campuses and virtually to support our students when they need it most. Because we know that the post-secondary education journey can sometimes be tough, our students deserve to have the resources they need to navigate those challenges and ultimately thrive and excel.

Speaker, our government understands that improving mental health supports for our post-secondary students to succeed will create a stronger and healthier Ontario.

We have been investing in programs that support students wherever and whenever they need help, because we want them to know that they are not alone and that no one should ever suffer in silence. This includes supporting initiatives like Good2Talk, a mental health helpline solely for post-secondary students, that is available 24/7/365, through phone, text or even live chat.

We also support a new virtual mental health app called Get A-Head, which is available to students at all publicly assisted institutions across Ontario and that they can access whenever they feel like they need help or someone to talk to.

And these supports are on top of those offered on campuses at our colleges, universities and Indigenous institutes.

Speaker, through these investments, we will continue to bolster mental health supports at institutions to support students throughout their post-secondary journey and set them up for success.

To all the students out there, including my own daughters, with exams coming up and beyond: Always prioritize your physical and emotional well-being.

I send all students best wishes on their upcoming exams.