The member from Don Valley West and I both listened at finance committee—and I just heard the member from Essex talk about defunding the police. What does she make of the fact that this Conservative government actually is defunding the police? They’ve lost the OPP detachments in Gogama, Foleyet, and the OPP is now fighting for the French River area.

So the great irony is that you are defunding police services in northern Ontario, and you should be ashamed of yourselves for that.

There are lots of problems in Ontario that can still be blamed on Mike Harris. That’s how bad his reign here in Ontario was, Madam Speaker. But for the debater and my colleague, the government is planning a half-billion-dollar expenditure on a parking lot to service their plans for Ontario Place. I’m wondering if she could tell us and the people of Ontario how $500 million could better be spent.

Further questions?

Thank you to the member from Don Valley West for her comments. This government has been in power for five years, and things are getting worse and worse for the average Ontarian on housing, on health care, on affordability. When do you think would be a good time for the government to realize that they’re actually the past government and stop blaming everyone else for the issues that they create?

I listened to the member opposite, the independent member, talking about this, and she talked about our laissez-faire attitude. But for 15 years, we had a Liberal government who did nothing but run this province into the ground.

For example, she mentioned health care and said there was some problem. We’re trying to fix the mess created by 15 years of Liberal government. We have added more beds for hospital capacity in this province in four years than the previous Liberal government did in 14. We’re upgrading 28,000 long-term-care beds, and an additional 30,000 long-term-care beds are now being built. In seven or eight years your government built 611 beds. There was a 36,000-person wait-list to get into long-term care as a result of your government, the previous Liberal government, doing absolutely nothing on those factors.

Yes, we gave a 5% increase for mental health funding for the Canadian Mental Health Association, for which they were grateful, because we recognized the needs in mental health. Your government has a shameful record, frankly, for addressing Ontarians’ concerns—

Thank you to the member for the question. Certainly we hear the phrase “previous Liberal government” so many times that we play bingo on it over here. I think it’s time to end that game of bingo. I think it’s time for this government to acknowledge that five years is actually a long time. They’ve been in power long enough to realize that there are problems in our health care, problems on the streets with our opioid crisis, and those are problems that they could be spending money on now to fix.

Another example would be on supportive housing in industries like the not-for-profit agencies, who are asking for money to help build more homes. They will run those homes. They will build them; they will run them. But they need some money to do it. That’s another example.

So again, a spa instead of homes, to me, is not the right priority.

People were not suffering from an ER closure in Minden during the Liberal government. That is the kind of crisis we’re feeling now. And so when I talk about a laissez-faire attitude, I’m talking about saying, “Oh, that’s Haliburton Highlands services’ problem,” instead of saying that this Ministry of Health needs to take accountability and make sure that those hospitals stay open to serve the people of Ontario.

I’m very proud of the record of the Ontario Liberal government, as I said, in helping fix our graduation rates, building the greenbelt, building highways and making sure that our education system was supported.

You’re right; we did hear, when we were in northern Ontario, about the increased needs for police services because of the drug crisis. Again, this is small-town Ontario, who are seeing criminals from across the province, from across the borders, come to their communities because it’s near the Trans-Canada Highway and it’s a shipping line to deliver drugs across the country.

So, absolutely, we need to make sure that police have the resources they need to fight crime—and that isn’t just in our big cities, but in our small towns too.

I’m excited to speak to the third reading of our very important legislation, Building a Strong Ontario Act, 2023. The government of Ontario is committed to building a strong and resilient Ontario that is aimed at achieving sustainable economic growth and improving the quality of life for all of our citizens.

The Building a Strong Ontario Act and the 2023 budget were recently introduced by our great Minister of Finance. Before I begin, I want to thank him for the tremendous work he has done, and both his PAs, who have put a lot of time and effort into this—the member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound and the member from Oakville—in collaboration with all of our colleagues here in the chamber.

Madam Speaker, there are five key themes in what our government is doing in the 2023 budget, Building a Strong Ontario. These five themes are “Building Ontario’s Economy for Today and Tomorrow”; “Building Highways, Transit and Infrastructure Projects”; “Working for Workers”; “Keeping Your Costs Down”; and “Better Services for You.”

This plan will help build a strong economy for today and tomorrow. It is a plan to make life more affordable for everyone who calls Ontario home, with better public programs and services and a plan that makes safer streets.

Speaker, we’re driving forward our plan to tap into the resources of Ontario’s north, to supply the critical minerals that are crucial in modern EV batteries. These natural resources and this connected infrastructure and the revitalizing manufacturing base in the province’s south are all connected and will help bring investments and better jobs with bigger paycheques to Ontario. This can be seen with the Magna International investment of $265 million, bringing a new EV battery enclosure that will bring approximately 560 new jobs to Brampton.

Our government has committed close to $1 billion to support critical legacy infrastructure such as all-season roads, broadband connectivity and community support in the Ring of Fire region in order to ensure that we keep moving forward on one of the most promising mineral deposits in Canada—one that will play a critical role in batteries, electronics, electric vehicles and clean technology.

Our government is committed to continuing to grow and strengthen the wonderful province of Ontario. We’ll be doing so by continuing to build highways, transit and critical infrastructure projects. These key projects, such as the planning and construction of Highway 413, will continue to connect Ontario and get you closer to your loved ones. This is supported by a total investment of $27.9 billion over the next 10 years to connect communities, fight gridlock and keep goods and people moving across the province. The Ontario highways program includes more than 600 expansion and rehabilitation projects that are either under way or planned over the next four years. In 2023-24 alone, Ontario is investing $3.2 billion towards projects that will expand and repair provincial highways and bridges.

The government is also investing $70.5 billion for transit over the next 10 years, including continuing to transform the GO Transit rail network into a modern, reliable and fully integrated rapid transit network, further ensuring our promise of two-way, all-day GO. For our transit users, our government is dedicated to making the process of taking public transit as efficient and cost-friendly as possible. This is why we’re working to expand the credit and debit card payment system for riders, as we’re providing more user-friendly options to pay fares on a Presto device.

As costs continue to rise due to economic factors such as inflation, we are committed to keeping costs down for families in Ontario. We’re doing so by putting more money back into the pockets of Ontarians by continuing to provide gas tax cuts and fuel tax rate cuts until December 31, 2023.

The safety of all residents is a top priority for the government of Ontario, which is why we are continuing our commitment to ensuring that we’ll be protecting you and your family. We’ll be fighting gun-and-gang-related crime and building safer communities by investing $13.4 million in 2023-24 as part of the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy.

Madam Speaker, workers are the backbone of the economy of Ontario. Our government is committed to working for workers. We’re expanding the Ontario Bridge Training Program with an additional $3 million in 2023-24 to help internationally trained immigrants find employment in their fields and get faster access to training and support toward a licence or certificate. We’re also enhancing the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program with an additional $25 million over three years to attract more skilled workers, including in-demand professionals in the skilled trades, to the province.

The 2023 budget represents a significant investment in the future of our province. The government of Ontario is committed to building a stronger and more prosperous Ontario that will benefit all of our citizens.

Speaker, it takes ambition and willingness to be an entrepreneur, which is why we are providing an additional $2 million in 2023-24 to Futurpreneur Canada, which helps entrepreneurs aged 18 to 39 achieve their business goals.

Ontario also needs a more stable and steady supply of another type of skilled worker, those in the health-related fields. Ontario needs more doctors, and there are many Ontario students who want to be doctors right here in the province, but there are not enough medical training seats available. Those who go on to study abroad have a hard time getting residencies back at home. That is why the government of Ontario is investing an additional $33 million over three years to add 100 undergraduate seats, beginning in 2023, as well as 154 postgraduate medical training seats to prioritize Ontario students trained at home and abroad, beginning in 2024 and going forward. Ontario residents will also continue to be prioritized for undergraduate spots at medical schools in the province.

In Brampton, our government is opening the new TMU School of Medicine, which will see 175 total seats for medical professionals to be trained within the city of Brampton.

Speaker, seniors are the backbone of our community, and it is essential that we support them however we can. Our government has temporarily doubled the Guaranteed Annual Income System, GAINS, payment for 2023 to help approximately 200,000 eligible low-income seniors. To ensure that more seniors who need financial help get it, the government is proposing to make changes to expand the eligibility for GAINS, starting in July 2024, which would see about 100,000 more low-income seniors receive payments for a 50% increase in recipients.

We also realize the importance of having accessible long-term care close to home. The government is investing more than $174 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to continue the Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care Program. The program leverages the skills of paramedics to provide additional care for seniors in the comfort of their own homes through:

—24/7 access to health services through in-home, online and virtual supports;

—non-emergency home visits and in-home testing procedures;

—ongoing monitoring of changing conditions to prevent or reduce emergency incidents;

—additional education about healthy living and managing chronic diseases; and

—connections for participants and their families to home care and community supports.

Speaker, I urge all members to vote for this plan, to build Ontario’s economy, to build highways and other infrastructure, to work for workers, to keep costs down and to serve the people of Ontario. Building a Strong Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2023, is an important piece of legislation that will enable us to put this plan into action. I urge all members of this House to vote in favour of this important legislation.

Questions?

Further debate?

Thank you to the member from Brampton West for making it very clear how this budget has helped us in developing Ontario and building Ontario. While we are in a time of economic uncertainty, could the member speak to how this proposed budget is a plan to navigate global economic uncertainty?

I appreciate the question from the member opposite. Our government is making unprecedented investments in health care. Not only are we making unprecedented investments in health care, as part of this plan our government is building three new long-term-care homes in Brampton. The first new long-term care will have cultural—the community has been demanding long-term-care homes since 1990, culture-based long-term-care homes, and this is the government who’s delivering this, and two more long-term-care homes.

And not only that, our government is also investing in growing and retaining the health care workforce. Since 2018, over 60,000 new nurses and nearly 8,000 new physicians have begun to work right here in the province of Ontario, but we know we need to build on this momentum. That is why our government is investing $80 million over the next three years to further expand enrolment for nursing programs, and we’ll continue to do that.

Speaker, the member is right: We are in global economic uncertainty. As the Minister of Finance highlighted in his speech, in the 2022-23 fiscal year, the deficit is projected to shrink to just $2.2 billion, and in 2023-24, we plan to further reduce the deficit to $1.3 billion, and then, Madam Speaker, we’ll return Ontario to a modest surplus of $200 million the following year.

Not only are we showing that it is possible to balance the budget while making unprecedented investments in health care, education, infrastructure, transit, highways and housing—we’re making unprecedented investments in infrastructure: $184 billion over the next 10 years. Not only are we building new schools, new hospitals and new highways, we’re making unprecedented investments in broadband infrastructure. That is the basic infrastructure that every Ontarian deserves.

The previous Liberal government has a record of not investing in these sectors: health care, education and infrastructure. I heard the member in her speech speaking about Ontario Place. It was the Liberal government that left that historic place in a state of neglect and disrepair when they had the opportunity to revitalize Ontario Place and bring it back to life. This is the government that believes in getting things done and getting things—

I listened to the member, and I know he talked specifically about long-term care, the health care system, some of the front-line workers. I have spoken with many paramedics recently who told me about the mental health crisis they’ve been going through over the past couple of years especially and how it has increased. Some of them can’t even go back to work because of the struggle they’re facing. Then obviously what we’re seeing with our health care crisis and the need for staffing, which really is the biggest problem with our health care—it’s not the need for privatization, let’s be honest.

My question to the member is, why is the government fighting health care workers in court, wasting tax dollars, taxpayers’ money on court cases, battling health care workers once again when we are facing a health care crisis?

I’m glad to be able to weigh in on this budget debate for budget 2023, which is indeed disappointing for a lot of folks across communities. I’m pleased to share some of their voices in this space, because many of them were not heard.

I will say that it has been a disturbing trend for quite some time that many community groups and agencies and voices are directed to a different door when it comes to presenting to this government. The finance committee, as we know, is a multi-party committee that travels across Ontario—arguably not enough. However, they travel to communities and hear from folks.

But then there’s this side process where the Minister of Finance and government MPPs invite folks to this community chat, community consultation, where agencies might get three minutes each to share with the minister, and then people think, after they’ve done that, they’ve spoken to the Minister of Finance and to various local MPPs, that they’ve made a presentation on the budget. What they don’t realize is there’s no record of that that is public, whereas if they present to the finance committee, there’s a record that the opposition parties have a chance to hear, have a chance to ask questions. There’s Hansard—thank you to the folks who travel with committee and keep track of the voices—but these folks are directed to that side door that says, “Hey, come and present on the budget.”

Disappointingly, there are a number of our community agencies in Durham who have been rerouted and their voices did not make it into the committee hearings, so I wanted to share a few of those folks. But I just wanted to say, Speaker, I think that is really problematic. Now, I will say, it’s always important, if you get a chance to talk to the minister face to face, you take it. But in addition to that, there is an accountable process that folks have been routed away from, and that is—well, I think it’s a bit dirty, but anyway, it isn’t how this place should work.

Some of the things that are missing from this budget are important to the folks in Durham region. There are seven members of this Legislature who represent at least part of Durham region—seven of us. I am the only non-government member, so my office is busy hearing from people who have concerns when it comes to government priorities.

I would like to share that something that was missing from this budget was funding to get the wheels turning for a new Lakeridge hospital. I want to read here from the Durham Business Alliance, which, as they say, represents the eight chambers of commerce and boards of trade of Durham region and a combined membership of approximately 2,500 local businesses and organizations.

They have said, “We are following up on our previous letter today to express our deep disappointment in the recent budget announcement which made no provision for funding a planning grant for a new regional hospital and trauma centre for Lakeridge Health in Durham region. We believe that the lack of funding for a new hospital is a major oversight in the budget. Durham region, with its growing population, is in dire need of additional hospitals,” and they list the various reasons.

They’ve said, “A new hospital for Lakeridge Health would not only address the issue of aging infrastructure, but also provide much-needed capacity to serve the growing population of Durham region. Lakeridge Health is ready to meet these demands ... we urge the government to recognize Lakeridge Health’s recommendation and reconsider its decision and allocate funding for a planning grant for the new hospital in Durham region,” and they said “no later than” the fall economic statement.

Of course, I support that, Speaker. As I said, there are seven of us in this chamber who are hearing the need is great and to not see it reflected in the budget is too bad, but there is a chance for this government to course-correct.

We’ve also been talking about mental health and health care in this House. I wish, though, that we were seeing more funds directed to places that would make a difference.

Here I have a submission from Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, affectionately known as Ontario Shores. They have said, “Despite the urgent need, Ontario Shores does not currently have an emergency department to provide the necessary acute mental health care to Ontarians in need. We are requesting funding and approval from the government of Ontario to build and construct Canada’s first emergency psychiatric assessment, treatment and healing unit,” or EmPATH for short. “EmPATH is a psychiatric emergency care model that is transforming mental health care in the United States.

“We require a $1-million capital planning grant and approval of our stage 2 submission with the Ministry of Health.” They go on to explain how this model sets itself apart from others and would make an unbelievable, immeasurable difference in our community, but beyond our community, in the province.

It says, “The benefits of an EmPATH emergency department at Ontario Shores would have wider implications for Ontario’s health system. A model like this at Ontario Shores would reduce the strain on the province’s emergency rooms, allow for better, more specialized care for people in mental health crises, and free up resources for other emergency services.

“As one of only four provincially specialized mental health hospitals in Ontario, we are uniquely positioned to introduce this concept to Canada and are requesting a capital planning grant for this project as part of the upcoming Ontario budget....” They go on to say they have support from the “Durham MPPs, mayors of Oshawa, Whitby, Pickering, Durham regional chair, health care professionals, staff, and people in the wider community supporting our vision of transforming mental health care in the province. Partners such as Durham Regional Police Service and Region of Durham Paramedic Services have endorsed this project....” They’ve garnered over 8,000 signatures of Ontarians who want to see this first EmPATH emergency department built at Ontario Shores.

But alas, it was not in the budget. I would love to know why. If mental health is actually a priority for this government, here is a really big opportunity, and this would be a significant ribbon to cut for this government, but more importantly, would have remarkable impacts on people in need.

Speaker, I also wanted to raise the topic of hospice. I had actually a quick chat with Joyce Marshall in our community the other day at a community event, and she was very excited to be an ambassador for Hospice Whitby. They have decided on a name and unveiled that: the Hospice Whitby–Roger Anderson House. A lot of community care and interest and involvement in this project, but Whitby and Clarington hospice folks are asking for money. I know that they asked at these community consultations I was telling you about, that were a side process to the budget hearing. They did not actually get to present to the finance committee because they didn’t know they hadn’t—they thought this community consultation was sufficient. Hopefully, it was. And yet, the money isn’t in this budget.

I hope that the two or two and a half million each that they are asking for is something that this government can figure out, because what hospice would mean and those beds and that care for the community of Durham—as we have seen, Port Perry is a good-news story, the hospice there. As someone who has seen hospice up close and personally when my mother passed, and I know how important it can be and I know, frankly, how beautiful that the pieces that they add to a very challenging time for families can be, I do believe that this should be a priority for this government or any government.

Speaker, I want to go on to also share how challenging it is for folks. I got a letter from someone named Jennifer in Owen Sound. She had seen remarks that I made in this Legislature and said, “As you are aware, life on ODSP is hard. But the real nightmare is living with the knowledge that life will only get harder. A few years ago my fridge broke so now I use my 12-year old-freezer and a cooler, my shoes are coming apart so I hot-glue them back together, my electric kettle can take anywhere from five to 15 minutes as it shuts off repeatedly before the water boils. But I wait for the day the freezer breaks down, when my shoes are too bad to be glued and the kettle doesn’t boil at all. And that day is coming.

“I appreciate that you ... see myself and people like me as persons who are doing all they can and wish every day that we could do better. But the fact that we can’t shouldn’t mean we live everyday with the terror of a hard life becoming an unbearable one.

“Thank you for fighting for us to live without this fear,” wrote Jennifer from Owen Sound.

Speaker, people are hurting, as we have talked about with food banks. I have a really thoughtful letter from Ben Earle, the executive director of Feed the Need in Durham, who laid out recently in the paper for us about: “more clients than ever before who are fully employed, who own their” own “homes, and who would have historically been able to meet the demands of their household budgets. That is no longer the case.” Speaker, there is need in this province not being met.

Questions? The member for Whitby.

I appreciate the question from the member from Whitby. Of course, we share Durham region and are grateful for any measures that keep us safe. But I also wanted to respond back with what I have heard from victim services about the need. Those impacted by violence—their needs are not being met. Victim services’ core funding across the province—they have not had reasonable core funding increases in years, and the funding formula is not tied to the numbers of clients. So they’re still receiving the same amount of funding today to serve 10,000 clients in our region that they were when they were serving only 3,200.

When we talk to the folks who do that unbelievable work for victim services, they are bringing real solutions to the table. And I would ask this government to consider how we retain that staff to do that unbelievable caring work when they are paid $37,000 yearly. The burnout and turnover is astronomical, and this is a government that is choosing to let that happen.

I have here some speaking remarks from Eva Reti, the Durham Region Hospice board chair. She had presented to council in Ajax and talked about the future of the 10-bed hospice residence in Whitby, which is one of three locations approved by the Ministry of Health. She outlined the challenges, that their original tender process in January—well, the project came in approximately $3.5 million more than originally estimated, which is a reflection on the broader world, the current construction situation since the pandemic. And so it’s back to the drawing board, it’s back to the door-knocking, and it’s back to the fundraising. They are plugging away, but to know that they had the government supporting them in a very real way that would bring this care and benefit into the community and to more communities—what a difference that would make in Ontario.

When you talk about the impacts of poverty when it comes to health, I want to read from a letter here, a family physician has written a prescription about a patient. He said this man, his patient, “has requested this letter of support regarding income security programs. He is currently receiving benefits under the Ontario Disability Support Program. With the rising cost of housing, rent, energy, utilities, food etc., he and others on ODSP are struggling to maintain good health. These individuals invariably reside in small, congregated or at times poorly maintained housing units which can have a negative effect on their mental and physical health. Spending most of their monthly benefit on rent leaves limited funds for proper nutrition and recreational activities. A poor, nutritionally depleted diet is a risk factor for many chronic diseases leading to increased morbidity and mortality and subsequent increased cost to the health care system.”

His doctor is writing doctor’s notes about how bad it is for patients in poverty.

I truly appreciated the story that you shared from your constituent who is on ODSP with a kettle that doesn’t work, with shoes that she needs to glue back together in order to be able to have decent shoes, with the different problems directly linked to poverty. We all know that poverty is the number one determinant of health. For every $5,000 more you make a year, we can see the improvement in the health of each and every one of us. Could you share with us how much money there is in the budget to help your constituent on ODSP receive enough money so that she can live a healthy life? How much money is in the budget so that she receives enough money to be out of poverty?

Thanks to the member from Oshawa for really addressing the issue of hospice care and the desperate need for addressing the funding formula and making it more fair and actually meeting the operational costs of hospices across the province.

We heard at finance committee that every dollar invested in compassionate palliative care really also saves the health care system so much money. But I think when she commented on her own mother and sharing that experience with all of us, it’s very personal. We know this to be very true, that dying in Ontario can be a really horrendous experience if you’re not supported and you don’t get the grief counselling that you need. And so I wanted her to address, please, the fact that hospices are only funded 60% of operational costs. How does that impact equity of access to those services across Ontario?

Thank you, Speaker, and through you: This budget, the budget bill that we’re talking about today, included $13.4 million as part of the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy. The member for Oshawa will know well the level of investment historically that this government has taken, including this new money that will be going into the good work that the Durham Regional Police Service will be doing with this funding.

Does the member from Oshawa agree that this level of funding for the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy will continue to have the level of effectiveness in the region of Durham that we’ve known for the last eight years?

I just want to say that Ontario has been successful in attracting manufacturers, and we are promoting the products that are manufactured in Ontario, so we need a lot of skilled workers. I would like to ask the question: Will the opposition support the proposed investment of $25 million in the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program so that Ontario can welcome more newcomers and will have the skilled labourers to help build Ontario?

I come from the Essex region, and in Essex region, we used to have General Motors, but as a result of the lack of automotive policies from the Liberal government, General Motors left the Essex region. The member from Oshawa was speaking—and the member from Oshawa is very fortunate, because not only is General Motors still in Oshawa, but based on the remarkable economic governance of the province by this PC government, General Motors has committed an additional $2 billion to Oshawa and Ingersoll in automotive investments. That’s $2 billion more. Will the member vote in favour of keeping automotive investment in Oshawa based on this government’s policies?