Speaker, good morning. You’ll know that under the Liberals’ watch, we lost 300,000 manufacturing jobs that left the province altogether. Now, the people in my riding expect that our government will implement measures that will pave the way for better services and make it easier for businesses to invest in Ontario and succeed. I’d like the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Red Tape Reduction to expand further on what steps we have in place within this legislation, if passed, to help businesses in Ontario succeed and create new jobs.

Schedule 5 of this bill is focused on regulations around cannabis. It’s interesting that this government is attempting to make business for retail cannabis easier while possession charges continue to affect a disproportionate number of racialized and other marginalized people across Ontario. I think this is a really great example of how this bill is so far removed in its entirety from the everyday experiences of our combined constituencies.

While focused on businesses who continue to make profit off of this industry, will this government also focus on the full decriminalization related to cannabis possession?

Thank you very much to the member for Cambridge for that question. During the 15 years of the former Liberal government, propped up by the NDP, we saw job-killing regulation after job-killing regulation brought into this chamber. It led to 300,000 manufacturing jobs leaving this province.

But under the leadership of this Premier and this government, we’re taking a different approach. Today, we started third reading of the Less Red Tape, Stronger Economy Act, which will build Ontario’s businesses by cutting red tape. The Liberals and NDP left businesses in places like Niagara and across small communities in this riding without help when it came to accessing the broadband infrastructure they deserved, but by removing red tape, our government is getting the job done. We’re making that process faster and ensuring that communities like those in Cambridge, like mine in Niagara West, are receiving the services they deserve, when and where they need them.

My question is for the Minister of Red Tape Reduction. Small businesses are crucial to Ontario’s economy and their success, and their accomplishments are felt in all communities across the province. Unfortunately, many of them bear the burden of excessive regulation that prevents them from further growth. Ontario business owners want regulations that are easier to understand, faster to implement and less costly to comply with. That is why our government must continue to help people and businesses to save time and resources by reducing red tape, which will encourage new investments.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government is paving the way for better services and helping small businesses grow?