The member from Essex referenced our former member, MPP Natyshak, and asked where he’s been. He’s spent some time on the Windsor Salt picket line of late, supporting those workers, and I think that that’s a good place for him to put energy.

But he asked a financing question, and financing and budgets are about priorities. We learned in public accounts just this week that this government has been subsidizing the building of private casinos in Ontario to the tune of $3.3 billion. By the end of this fiscal year, it will be up to $5 billion.

What we would do—instead of financing the capital costs of casinos in a housing crisis, we would be investing directly and partnering with not-for-profits, the co-op housing movement, municipalities who are ready and willing to come to the table. That funding, that $3.3 billion, would be going into housing—affordable, attainable housing, which are words that your government doesn’t seem to be able to say.

Do you think it’s appropriate to be financing private casinos in a housing crisis?

In 2022, housing starts were at 96,000; in 2023, at 80,300; in 2024, by your own budget, your housing starts are down to 82,700. So you are going in the wrong direction. Maybe you should stop focusing on our plan and actually bring forward a plan that actually will work for the people of this province.