I appreciate that question, especially as I’m going through estimates for the year ahead, so I’m happy to share with that member what we’ve got planned.

Speaker, when it comes to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, Ontario leads Canada. We’re doing it with the largest public transit investment in Canadian history, taking 28,000 cars off the road alone with the Ontario Line. We’re doing it partnering with industry—not driving those jobs out of Canada, but partnering with them to electrify the arc furnace at Dofasco. That’s the equivalent of taking two million cars off the road and empowering the next generation with clean, green jobs.

Finally, as you will see in the estimates, we’ve committed a record investment for green lands protection. Last year alone, we protected almost 400,000 acres so Ontarians can get out and enjoy the great outdoors. We committed $14 million in this budget. And we’re expanding wetlands through the Wetlands Conservation Partner Program.

Speaker, I could go on, and I’ll share more in the supplementary if I’m given the opportunity.

Today’s Auditor General report on the environment reminds us that this government scrapped wetland targets in 2018 but didn’t tell anyone for three years. The Auditor General herself only found out in 2021.

So we want to know: What other attacks on the environment is this government keeping a secret?

This government also passed laws that force conservation authorities, often under duress, to permit development on wetlands and flood plains, exposing people and property to flood risk.

Last week, the Premier claimed he won’t let developers build on ponds, wetlands and marshes. But why should anyone believe this government when the Premier has repeatedly let developers build on ponds, wetlands and marshes?

I thank the member opposite for the question.

I’ve always been clear: Our government is committed to getting this transit system built, but we want to make sure that it is safe for transit riders when that happens.

I am extremely frustrated and disappointed by the latest delay tactics that CTS announced just this morning. It’s another delay tactic that’s just meant to distract and delay from the work that needs to get done, and it is unacceptable.

But to be clear, construction is still ongoing, and CTS still needs to provide Ontarians with a credible schedule. The project has gone on long enough. Communities across the Eglinton road and across Ontario have been waiting for too long for this transit system to open. I’ve been very clear with Metrolinx that they need to do everything they can to force CTS to provide us with a credible schedule that will allow us to give Ontarians, once and for all, a credible opening date.

Our government has been learning from the Liberal mistakes. That’s why, when we put forward our subway plan for the GTA, we decided to do things differently. We brought in the Building Transit Faster Act, a piece of legislation that allows us to get rid of unnecessary delays. We break up procurements on our new projects—learning from Liberal mistakes of the past.

And what are Ontarians seeing for these changes? They’re seeing real, significant progress on the Ontario Line, on the Scarborough subway extension, on the Eglinton Crosstown West extension, and on the Yonge North subway extension, which are all projects that member and her party opposite voted against.

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to delivering transit.

We will make sure that CTS provides us with a credible schedule. We will make sure that it opens, and when it does open, that it is safe for transit riders.

Mr. Speaker, we are learning from the Liberal mistakes. We are doing things differently. And we do have shovels in the ground on our priority transit projects. We will get those done.

With respect to CTS, we expect them to fulfill the commitments they made to the people of Ontario in 2011 and to open a transit system that works and that is safe.

I remind the members to make their comments through the Chair.

The supplementary question? The member for Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas.

Minister of Transportation.

Violence in our schools is reaching deeply concerning levels. Yesterday, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario reported that 77% of their members have personally experienced violence or witnessed violence against another staff person. Crowded classrooms, lack of supports, and underfunding on mental health are all contributing to this crisis. But instead of addressing this problem, the Premier is busy musing about parents hitting kids at home.

The tools to address this crisis are in the Premier’s hands. When will he invest in schools to protect our kids and create a safe working environment for teachers and education workers?

My question is to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

The Premier stated that cash-strapped municipalities had a spending problem—nothing to do with Bill 23. The minister also stated that they are sitting on million of dollars of reserves. That’s not the case in rural northern Ontario.

The town of Cobalt, population of 1,500, has been forced to raise its taxes by 12.5%. Black River-Matheson, population 3,500, has been forced to raise their taxes by 34.5%. Does the minister suggest that they should totally deplete their reserves so they aren’t ready for any emergency, or is he actually going to make his promise true and keep these municipalities whole?

I was a councillor as well, for 12 years. Councils have to deal with the laws they are given.

In Black River-Matheson’s case, they are trying to make sure they are ready for the developments coming from the gold mining that’s around them, but they can’t charge development charges. That’s what the government is putting on them. They have to deal with that. They are a mature level of government, dealing with a government that’s putting things on them they have no control over.

Again, the government promised to keep these municipalities whole because of Bill 23. Is he going to follow through on his promise?

When teachers have to go to school in Kevlar, it’s clear that the government’s approach is not working.

More than two in five ETFO members have suffered a physical or psychological injury because of the increased workplace violence, and this problem will only worsen if we continue down this path.

Our kids need supports. They need EAs. They need access to mental health professionals. And they need a government that actually cares.

Why is this government continuing to dodge responsibility for the structural issues causing violence in our schools?

I want to thank the member for that very important question, but most importantly, for being a volunteer firefighter in his riding.

Mr. Speaker, firefighters truly are often the first responders to emergencies. They are true heroes, and I want everyone to know that our government appreciates their service.

That’s why I was proud to be in Mississauga yesterday with our Premier, the Solicitor General, members of our caucus, and Greg Horton, the president of the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association, to announce $700,000 in funding to support training for professional and volunteer firefighters. It includes funding for new courses in auto extraction, boating and water safety, and elevator rescue. This funding will also support training that provides firefighters with safety and survival training for dangerous situations that can occur on the job, such as becoming lost, trapped or injured.

Speaker, we will always make sure that our firefighters have the tools and resources they need.

Our firefighters are heroes who put their lives on the line every single day for all of us. When others run out of burning buildings, they are running into them.

That is why our government made sure to expand WSIB eligibility for firefighters battling thyroid and pancreatic cancer, and we made it retroactive to January 1, 1960. By expanding the list of presumptive cancers to now include thyroid and pancreatic conditions, our firefighters will get faster access to compensation and other benefits, ultimately supporting their recovery. These changes will apply to any firefighter, whether they’re full-time, volunteer or part-time, as well as firefighters employed by First Nations band councils and fire investigators.

We will always stand shoulder to shoulder with our firefighters and fire departments and our heroes who are on the front lines every day serving all of us.

I want to thank the member opposite for the question.

We all share an obligation to make sure our schools are safe amid rising violence taking place in communities across the country. That is exactly why this Premier and government increased funding in mental health by 550%, when compared to the former Liberals, to ensure every child in a publicly funded school—English and French, Catholic and public—has access to the mental health support they need.

I just stood proudly with the member from Burlington, who announced a new strategy to lead the nation on mental health literacy in the curriculum—mandatory learning in grades 7 and 8 and grade 10.

In addition, to ensure we have more staff within our schools—while the increase in mental health funding has helped to deliver that—we just announced a plan to hire 2,000 additional front-line educators focused on literacy and math.

Across the board, we are working to ensure kids are safe, they are learning, and they get back on track in this province.

When you look at the hiring of staff, there are nearly 8,000 additional education workers and teachers in publicly funded schools, yet there are not more students. And specifically, the education assistants—we appreciate the critical work they do. We’ve hired over 3,000 of them.

The interesting point to mention, though, is that when we put investments—even incremental investments—on the table, systematically the NDP and the Liberals have opposed those investments.

We should work together. We should come together to ensure children are safe, they have access to the mental health supports they need, and they can succeed in Ontario schools.

My question is to the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

Everywhere across Ontario, firefighters never hesitate to serve and protect their communities. Whether working in a volunteer or professional role, these dedicated women and men in our local fire services are on the front lines keeping our communities safe.

Being a firefighter is both rewarding and demanding, as there are extensive training and recertification requirements to remain current with industry best practices. At any emergency scene, firefighters can encounter many unforeseen risks and hazards. It is essential that all firefighters have access to training programs that will help them to better prepare for the challenges they face every day.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government is supporting firefighters to ensure they have the necessary skills to do their job safely and effectively?

Firefighting is among the most stressful careers in Ontario, with the nature of the work being dangerous and unpredictable. The challenges they encounter can cause lasting impacts on their health and well-being.

Tragically, cancer is the leading cause of death among firefighters, accounting for more than 74% of line-of-duty deaths in 2022. On average, 50 to 60 firefighters die of cancer yearly in Canada, half of whom are in Ontario.

Speaker, can the minister please explain what our government is doing to better support our firefighters?

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should read the financial information reports that municipalities provide our ministry, because clearly it does show that there are billions of dollars in reserves at the municipal level. But again, this is the second time in as many weeks that a New Democrat has questioned municipal spending.

I was a mayor for nine years. I was the CAO for just under a year. We never blamed the provincial government. We had control over our budgets. We decided the tax rate; we decided on the services we were going to provide our constituents. That decision was made around our council chamber table.

So it’s pretty rich coming from New Democrats trying to spin an increase by a local council on the province of Ontario. It’s wrong. I said last week to the member in Niagara that it was wrong, and I’ll say it to the member from Timiskaming–Cochrane.

Councils are a mature level of government. They’re elected by the people to make those decisions. I expect them to make them.

We’ve made decisions to work with our municipal partners. We’re listening to our municipal partners moving forward.

But let’s call it what it is. We have a fundamental difference of opinion with New Democrats. We believe, as a government, that non-profit and affordable housing should have the best possible opportunities to succeed—and that’s to lower the baseline costs, ensuring that there are no fees or charges.

We’re always going to stand up for our not-for-profits and our attainable housing, unlike New Democrats, who continue to want to add fees and add taxes. As the Premier said many times, New Democrats have never seen a tax they didn’t like.

It is quite obvious from that answer that if there’s anybody this government loves more than the greenbelt developers, it’s the auto insurance companies.

Last term, your Conservative government rejected an NDP bill aimed at lowering insurance rates, pledging to take independent action. However, recent reports reveal a 12% surge in Ontario car insurance rates, with some areas in Niagara witnessing 18% hikes. Regular families already grappling with the cost-of-living increases have not seen the promised action from this Conservative government. Billion-dollar car insurance companies, under this government’s watch, are permitted to exploit Ontarians.

Through you, Speaker: Premier, why will you not utilize your power to mandate lower rates across Ontario?

This is a member who sat in the government that opened up the greenbelt 17 different times. He talks about farmers, but in this place, his party was the only party that evicted farmers from their land. His federal cousins right now have a program to reforest farmland.

He talks about sprawl. Well, the problem that we have is that people have no homes to buy. We have one of the largest land masses in the world, and we have a housing crisis. Why? Because they put obstacles in the way. Year after year after year, they put obstacles in the way, and now families can’t afford to buy homes. Young Ontarians who want to buy their first home can’t afford to do it. People who are looking for rentals can’t find a rental. But finally, we’ve taken the obstacles out of the way, and we’re getting the job done.

Thank you. The supplementary question.

My question is for the Premier.

It’s abundantly clear that the Premier is intent on destroying the people’s greenbelt. Last week, the Premier said, “The greenbelt is just a big scam.” What is it the Premier has a problem with? Is it protecting farmland and ensuring food security? Is it that the greenbelt is widely supported by people across party lines? Is it the fact that we are protecting our natural spaces and heritage, that we’re protecting our aquifers and drinking water? Is it the fact that, in 2015, we added 20,000 acres at 21 river basins? Or is it that we’re fighting sprawl and climate change?

Speaker, through you: Just exactly what is the Premier’s problem with the greenbelt?

My question is for the Minister of Mines.

Speaker, the electric vehicle revolution is here. That’s why we must act with urgency to ensure that Ontario capitalizes on this opportunity to transform the auto sector and create good jobs. While the NDP as the official opposition are still stubbornly saying no, our government is busy taking action to build the supply chain and secure game-changing investments. We know that mining companies, much like automotive companies, will seek out the best places to invest. We also know that these companies create jobs and economic prosperity wherever they set up shop.

Can the minister please explain how our government is creating the conditions to attract investments that will maintain Ontario’s competitive economic edge?

While the opposition continues to neglect the needs of northern Ontario, our government must be focused on creating opportunities that will bring jobs and prosperity to northern and Indigenous communities.

There is no supply chain without mining, but it all starts with exploration.

Speaker, can the minister please expand on how our government is saying yes to supporting mining exploration?

Thank you to the member for the question.

Bill 71 was passed last week to increase the efficiency of the mining industry in Ontario. This is imperative if we want to remain a globally competitive jurisdiction. The opposition voted no to this bill even though they know that the minerals in EVs are getting sourced from China, Russia and the Congo—places that do not share our world-class social, environmental and governance standards.

Speaker, instead of supporting a made-in-Ontario supply chain for critical minerals that will create jobs, reduce the reliance on nations like these, and strengthen our economy, the opposition said no. I guess they are satisfied with things the way they are right now; on this side of the House, we are not. That is why we are doing everything in our power to seize the generational opportunity that is the global need for critical minerals.

Our government—

Speaker, in my riding of Timmins, after 33 years of the party of no, the people had enough. They had enough of the lack of action and the neglect to the mining sector, which is essential to northern communities like Timmins.

Thankfully, our government, under Premier Ford’s leadership, is prioritizing sectors that are important to the north by investing through our Critical Minerals Strategy. We invested $35 million in our Ontario Junior Exploration Program to find the mines of the future, but of course, the NDP voted no. The NDP voted against incentives that helped Ontario regain the top spot in Canada for exploration investments in 2022, totalling $989 million.

It is irresponsible that NDP members from northern ridings and mining hubs are voting against exploration investments and against Bill 71, but we have come to expect that from the party of no. They are neglecting the livelihoods of their constituents—

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Merci, monsieur le Président. Through you: Thank you to the member opposite for that question.

We understand and share the concerns that drivers have regarding the cost of auto insurance. No question, costs are up. That’s why we’ve been getting things done. In fact, in the 2023 budget we continue to build on that work. We’ve helped consumers save $1.8 billion on their auto insurance over the last couple of years.

I’m not sure the member opposite and his team over there have ever met a driver they like. When we took the tolls off the 412 and the 418 in Durham, they voted against it. When we cut the gas tax, which way did they vote? Did they vote yes or no? When we reduced the validation stickers and actually rebated two years of fees, which way did they vote? What does the opposition have against drivers?

In fact, the Solicitor General just announced over $50 million to attack auto theft, which is a component of rising insurance costs in Ontario.

Through the Ministry of Finance, we’ve asked FSRA for data so we can attack fraud and abuse.

In fact, we’ve also spoken with the Insurance Bureau of Canada to make sure that auto insurance companies in Ontario treat customers fairly, and we continue having a dialogue with them.

This government is acting. We’ve been able to get some things done. There’s more to do, and we’re going to continue working on behalf of Ontarians.

My question is for the Premier.

Auto insurance rates continue to climb in Ontario.

In Brampton, it has been reported that auto insurance premiums are up by 37% since 2021, meaning Bramptonians pay the highest auto insurance rates in all of North America.

This government keeps giving auto insurance companies the green light to put their hands deep into the pockets of drivers.

Premier, please tell the people of Brampton why they deserve to pay the highest auto insurance rates in North America.