I think the Premier has answered that question on a number of occasions, Mr. Speaker. But I’ll tell you what the Premier does believe in and what, in fact, all Progressive Conservatives on both sides of the House believe in, and that is making sure that this current generation of Ontarians, who are working hard to build a bigger, better, stronger Ontario, have all of the same advantages that the previous generations of Ontarians had, including most members who sit in this House, Mr. Speaker. That is, if they contribute, if they help us build a bigger, better, stronger Ontario, they will also have the dream of home ownership. It is the same dream that generations of individuals from across the world came to this country hoping for, Mr. Speaker, and that is what we’re building every single day in this House.

The Leader of the Opposition can stand in the way of that. We saw them do it over 15 years with their Liberal partners, and we will continue to remove every single one of the obstacles that they put in place that made Ontario one of the most difficult places to own a home, Mr. Speaker. We won’t stand for that, and we’ll make sure—

For 15 years, the Liberals and the NDP put obstacle after obstacle after obstacle in the way of building new homes for the people of the province of Ontario. And what are we doing? This Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, this government is removing every one of those obstacles, because we know how important it is, not only for the young generation of this province, to be able to have the same dreams that all of us had, that our parents and our grandparents had, and that is the dream of home ownership, Mr. Speaker.

The Leader of the Opposition can say anything she wants. She can continue to try and frustrate those dreams. She can continue to try and put obstacles in the way. We will continue to remove every single one of those obstacles.

In over 150 years, the NDP and parties like them have governed this province once—once, Mr. Speaker. In the last election, more than 833,000 people turned their back on the NDP, removed 10 of their members and put them on this side of the House and on that side of the House as Progressive Conservatives. When will the NDP learn, Mr. Speaker, that it doesn’t matter how often you change the messenger, it’s the message that the people of Ontario aren’t interested in? They’re interested in a strong Progressive Conservative Ontario and all of the benefits that come with it.

This allows us to talk about how we have a plan and how our plan is working for Ontarians. The latest data shows that Ontario has seen an 11% increase in 2023 on new housing starts, up nearly 1,200 from last year. Rental starts so far are double what they were at the same time last year. Ontario is the number one jurisdiction for business, jobs and newcomers. There are more active cranes right now in the city of Toronto than there are in New York; Chicago; LA; Washington, DC; Seattle; and San Francisco combined.

We’re going to continue to move forward with our aggressive plan to build 1.5 million homes by 2031. Let’s face it, Speaker, it already sounds like the opposition is looking for a reason to, for the fifth time, vote against more housing in our province.

But again, now we’re hearing from the opposition; here it is, after our announcement for Bill 97. Now, we’re starting to hear some of the real NDP coming forward. They’re standing up against farmers having the opportunity to sever a lot for their son or daughter. That’s where the NDP is moving. They’re going to stand against hard-working farmers and giving those sons and daughters the opportunity to create lots, or the opportunity to create housing for workers, something that our government believes is something that we need to move forward on. This is where the NDP are standing. They’re standing against farmers. They’re standing in favour of NIMBYism. That’s—

My question is for the Minister of Energy. Since our government was first elected in 2018, we have been laser-focused on making life more affordable for all Ontarians. Under the previous Liberal government, energy costs skyrocketed, forcing individuals and families to make difficult financial decisions. That is why it is essential that our government address energy costs by placing a strong emphasis on choice for consumers and providing all Ontarians with options to reduce their energy expenses. Our government must continue to respect the people of Ontario by implementing affordable energy policies.

I understand that last week, our government announced a new program that will give families and small businesses more ways to save on their energy bills. Speaker, can the minister please explain how this new electricity price plan will help Ontarians going forward?

I know that my constituents, along with people all across Ontario, are looking for financial relief on their electricity bills and will want to know if this new price program will work best for them. As with any new initiative, it is necessary that our government provides information to the people of Ontario about how to opt in to this program, and how this will help them to save money on their electricity bills.

Speaker, can the minister please explain the benefits that this program will bring to the consumers and to Ontario’s energy system?

Thanks to the member from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke. I appreciate it.

Speaker, he is quite correct: We’ve been hard at work putting families back in charge of their energy bills since we formed the government back in 2018. We started by introducing customer choice on electricity plans, allowing Ontarians to choose a price plan that makes sense for them—either a time-of-use or tiered rate. We also introduced the Green Button program, which is being rolled out right across Ontario as we speak, and will be in full implementation in November.

Now we’ve taken the next step. Last week, down at Toronto Hydro, I had the opportunity to inform the public about our ultra-low overnight electricity rate, which, starting on May 1, customers in the member’s own riding in Renfrew and in Toronto and London and Centre Wellington and Wasaga—I’m sure it was a great weekend at the beach up there, Mr. Speaker. They can opt in on this new plan, the ultra-low overnight rate, that’s going to be available province-wide in the coming months.

Unlike the former Liberal government, which sold clean, night-time power to neighbouring jurisdictions, many times at a loss, our government is coming up with innovative ways to use that power and shift demand in the province in the overnight period, which will make our grid more efficient, saving our electricity grid up to $5.7 million which, at the end of the day, isn’t just going to save those folks who adopt the ultra-low overnight rate, it’s going to save every electricity customer in the province money on their bill.

I appreciate the question from the member from Ajax. It’s no secret that our government has been making historical progress when it comes to solving the housing crisis right here in Ontario. Our efforts, though, are more than just building homes. That’s why I was really proud to stand with my colleague Minister Clark, in London earlier this month, to announce that we’re doubling the number of adjudicators. That’s going to help, Mr. Speaker.

We know that delays around the Landlord and Tenant Board have been frustrating for people across this province, both for landlords and for tenants, but it has been our government that has been the one getting it done when it comes to improving services here in Ontario. That includes the Landlord and Tenant Board. By doubling the number of adjudicators, more Ontarians will have their cases heard in an efficient manner.

With this announcement, the board will have 80 full-time adjudicators. To help Ontarians appear before them, we’re also making the processes easier. That’s why, in this budget, an investment of over $24 million over three years was made. Of course, the NDP voted against it. As well, we made an investment of $6 million for additional recruitment at the Landlord and Tenant Board, and the NDP voted against that.

These investments follow a $28.5-million funding arrangement, under the justice accelerated strategy, to improve processes in the digital case management process. Mr. Speaker, the NDP voted against that. Unfortunately, they keep saying no. But fortunately, we keep passing it and we keep moving forward, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to continuously improving the process, making the wait times shorter and making the process more efficient.

My question, Mr. Speaker, is for the Associate Minister of Transportation. The people in my great riding of Durham and across the GTHA have public transit as their primary form of transportation. But many riders within Durham and across the GTHA, using a host of different agencies, can get confused by the various fare systems and payment methods under different municipal transit services. My constituents have been asking for simpler ways to pay the fare, especially first-time transit users who may not always carry cash.

Mr. Speaker, therefore, can the minister please share with this House how our government is making it easier and more convenient to take transit in my riding and across the greater Toronto and Hamilton area?

Mr. Speaker, Ontarians have seen a rise in their cost of living, and this is due to global inflation and economic instability, of course. For many of them, transit fares add to the financial burden they are already bearing.

Our government must continue to remove barriers to ridership and make life more affordable for the hard-working individuals and families in my riding of Durham and across Ontario.

Therefore, can the associate minister explain how our government is offering Ontarians cost-effective ways to travel, particularly on public transit?

I have a petition here from some community members who actually got together to get a lot of signatures. I have pages of signatures here, as well, on an issue that they’re very concerned about.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Bank of Canada has rapidly increased the interest rate from 0.25% in March 2022 to 4.5% in January 2023;

“Whereas Ontarians are facing skyrocketing cost of living, yet another household expense has doubled for families across Ontario with the increase in mortgage payments while their household income remains the same;

“Whereas families across Ontario have exhausted their savings and took on intolerable debts to keep up with monthly mortgage payments;

“Whereas the rising interest rates have diminished people’s buying power and threatened the livelihood of many families and homeowners who are on the verge of losing everything they worked for their entire lives;

“Whereas high interest rates and rising mortgage payments has forced many tenants to pay a higher rent or face the risk of losing their homes;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to take the concerns of Ontarians impacted by rapidly increasing mortgage rates and cost of living into consideration and ensure that Ontarians are not forced to lose their homes.”

Speaker, I fully support this petition. I will affix my signature to it and give it to page Sophie to take it to the Clerks.

Mr. Clark moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 97, An Act to amend various statutes with respect to housing and development / Projet de loi 97, Loi modifiant diverses lois en ce qui concerne le logement et l’aménagement.

It’s my honour, obviously, to share my time, as we’ve already heard from the great Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the associate minister in this place. It’s an honour to speak on our government’s proposed legislation that would support a much-needed fourth housing supply action plan. Our proposals are crucial to our government’s work to get housing built that Ontarians desperately need.

Speaker, my riding of Perth–Wellington is home to over 4,000 farm operations and many predominantly rural municipalities. These communities, like others across Ontario, are feeling pressure and demand for housing that is greater than the supply currently is. Whether it’s for farm workers, rental housing for young people and new immigrants, or the missing middle, there is a need for housing in every single community in my riding. That’s why I’m pleased to be part of a government that is acting so strongly to support more homes across all areas of Ontario and delivering on our commitment to see 1.5 million new homes built by 2031.

I’m also pleased to speak on behalf of a generation of Ontarians—my generation—which has faced historic difficulties when it comes to finding a home they can actually afford. I’m proud to be part of a government that understands the difficulties that my generation and future generations will face if we do not address this housing crisis.

We’re taking historic action to tackle the housing supply crisis and build the homes Ontarians need. Our housing supply action plans have made great progress, as the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing alluded to earlier, but more work needs to be done. This proposed legislation and corresponding changes to the provincial policy statement would see that more is done, not only in our urban centres, but also in our rural areas.

Ce projet de loi ferait avancer les choses tant dans nos centres urbains que dans nos régions rurales.

Speaker, our province is layered with planning rules and land use plans. All of Ontario is subject to a set of planning rules called the provincial policy statement, also often referred to as PPS. Where the PPS is the sole set of land use planning rules, it’s fairly clear what rules a developer or a builder must follow to get a proposed residential project approved. However, in the greater Golden Horseshoe, there is an additional set of planning rules called A Place to Grow. If we want to get the homes built that we desperately need now, let alone in the future for the sizable population growth we’re going to see, it is critical that builders and developers have a clear and streamlined set of rules to follow in this and all areas of our province.

Ontario is projected to grow by 5.6 million people by 2046, and the greater Toronto area alone is expected to be home to 2.9 million of those people. Not only that, but the greater Golden Horseshoe generates more than 25% of Canada’s gross domestic product. So I think all members of this House will agree that, as I said, it’s critical we get land use planning right in this region and across all regions of Ontario.

There are several challenges brought on by the magnitude of growth that is forecasted.

There will be increased demand for major infrastructure investments—this includes renewing aging infrastructure and addressing infrastructure deficits associated with growth.

There will be increased traffic congestion, with resulting delays in the movement of people and goods. Already we are seeing those delays in the greater Golden Horseshoe, and they are costing billions of dollars in lost GDP every year.

The impacts of globalization are transforming the regional economy at a rapid pace. This makes long-term planning or employment more uncertain.

Speaker, people over the age of 60 are expected to represent more than a quarter of the population by 2041, especially in communities such as mine in Perth–Wellington. That means we will need more age-friendly development that can address unique needs and circumstances. This includes a more appropriate range and mix of housing options, easier access to health care and other amenities, walkable built environments, and an age-friendly approach to community design to meet the needs of all people.

But all these planning rules on top of planning rules result in massive delays in getting land use approvals and enormous costs to the builders or developers and municipalities to get these approvals through. We need to streamline Ontario’s planning rules and encourage more housing.

That’s why, on April 6, our government launched its 60-day consultation on the Environmental Registry of Ontario, seeking input on the proposed combining of the PPS and A Place to Grow into a new province-wide land use planning policy instrument. We propose to integrate these two planning instruments into one streamlined housing-focused policy, which will be called the provincial planning statement. This would increase housing supply and speed up planning approvals by simplifying existing policy and refocusing on achieving housing outcomes. Our proposed provincial planning statement would do this by giving direction for all of Ontario, as well as direction tailored to the unique needs of large, fast-growing municipalities. As the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing already noted, all of Ontario—not just the GTA—should be a place to grow. In our new proposed planning statement, this direction is organized across five key pillars. Those pillars are: generating an appropriate housing supply; making land available for development; providing infrastructure to support development; balancing housing with resources; and, obviously, implementation.

For the first of those pillars, generating an appropriate housing supply, our proposed new land use document would give specific direction to Ontario’s largest and fastest-growing municipalities in planning for major transit station areas and other strategic growth areas and in greenfield lands to ensure an appropriate supply of housing. However, simpler and more flexible policies would be given to all other municipalities to reflect local conditions while encouraging growth. For those large and fast-growing municipalities—we’ve identified 29 in Ontario.

Our proposed new planning policies would also enable more rural housing by allowing greater flexibility in smaller communities such as mine in Perth–Wellington. This could, for example, create more housing for on-farm workers or for farm operators’ children, if they choose to do so. It could also be done through engagement with the private sector in small and rural municipalities to provide infrastructure needed for new housing.

Our proposed policies would also require more housing near transit. This means Ontario’s 29 large and fastest-growing municipalities would need to plan for growth around transit in urban centres and other strategic growth areas such as downtowns, and for undeveloped land, as well. For transit-related growth in what are called the major transit station areas, we provide minimum density targets that municipalities have to meet in their land use planning. Those same municipalities would have the right to see maximums for density and height. As well, municipalities would be encouraged to meet provincial density targets for undeveloped land.

Our next pillar in our proposed provincial policy planning statement is more land for development. This is part of our plan to build all sorts of homes for Ontarians, in urban and suburban areas as well as rural parts our province, while still maintaining our strong environmental protections across Ontario.

Speaker, it’s essential that municipalities plan for future growth with regard to population and employment. Our proposal would therefore require municipalities to ensure that enough land with water and waste water pipe access is ready to meet their communities’ anticipated housing needs over the next three years. We would also require municipalities to adhere to a 25-year planning horizon.

Our government has said this time and time again, but it bears repeating: We will continue to encourage municipalities to build where it makes sense. That means major office and institutional developments should be near transit, and areas of retail and commercial activity that provide jobs should also permit and encourage housing, schools and other community uses to create a complete community. Municipalities would need to consider increasing density on employment lands as well as locations near transit corridors.

Of course, municipalities would need to balance housing needs against other necessities. That means large parcels of land must be preserved for agriculture and heavy industry that will require separation from residential areas and other sensitive uses. This would help mitigate the potential effects of their operation, such as noise and odours.

We also recognize that residential development cannot happen in a vacuum.

Being one of the former parliamentary assistants to the Minister of Education, I was very pleased to see that we’re encouraging school boards and municipalities to work together to encourage them to innovate and integrate schools into housing developments.

Infrastructure corridors must also be considered and protected. Communities need electricity; they need transit; they need transportation. And our government recognizes the growth demands being placed on large and fast-growing municipalities such as those in the greater Golden Horseshoe. So our proposed land use policies in our provincial planning statement would have special direction for them while giving them flexibility. However, all planning authorities would still be required to integrate storm, sewage and water into development planning so that they can minimize risks and accommodate growth.

Our province is blessed with many resources, and we need to protect them. That’s why our proposal would require municipalities to map and designate prime agricultural areas to support our province’s productive and valuable agri-food network.

I want to state that Ontario would maintain all greenbelt protections, including policies on environmental and agricultural lands.

Just as valuable, Ontario’s water resources need protection. Municipalities would be encouraged to adopt a watershed planning approach rather than requiring watershed plans.

Aggregates, too, are a resource that must be protected. To make it easier to build housing, we must allow access to aggregates—and that is sand and gravel used in making cement. If we’re to work to lower housing costs, we must allow access to these deposits in more cost-efficient locations, as well as streamline the approvals process needed to extract these necessary resources.

Speaker, our proposed policies would also encourage municipalities to focus on improving air quality and addressing the impacts of a changing climate.

Of course, we’re also proposing some further legislative measures to support our actions to streamline land use planning rules to build more housing.

Our proposed changes would allow the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to require landowners to enter into agreements for projects assigned to the Provincial Land and Development Facilitator. This would help ensure commitments made by property owners are fulfilled; for example, in a case where a ministerial zoning order may be contemplated.

Speaker, as you can see, our proposed policies for land use planning in Ontario are extensive. They are just what our province needs to address our housing supply crisis and meet future demand.

As I mentioned earlier, our 60-day public consultation on these proposed policies and our proposed provincial planning statement began on April 6. I encourage those who wish to comment to go to the Environmental Registry of Ontario.

As you’ve heard from my colleagues who spoke before me, our government is committed to our goal of helping build 1.5 million new homes by 2031.

Our Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants plan and its supporting proposed legislation is the package that Ontarians need now and for the projected demand in the future.

Now I’d like to turn it over to the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery.

Thank you to my colleague the parliamentary assistant for his wonderful remarks.

I just want to say good afternoon to everyone.

Speaker, it is my pleasure to speak today, as the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery, in support of the housing supply action plan 4.0.

As we all know, there is a housing crisis in Ontario.

I want to say thank you to Steve Clark, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, as well as to the associate minister—

I just wanted to say that I want Ontarians to know the great work the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing is doing. I think he deserves a huge round of applause from all of us. I must say thank you—from the future generation.

Also, I want to acknowledge and thank two of my colleagues from the opposition, the member from University–Rosedale as well as the member from Humber River–Black Creek, for their input during some of the meetings with my ministry team.

Speaker, as you know, our government has made it clear that we will do everything possible to build new houses so all Ontarians can fulfill their dreams of finding a place to call home. Under the leadership of Premier Ford, caucus colleagues at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Associate Minister of Housing, we have been leading our government in this bold action to get 1.5 million homes built over the next 10 years. Each year, we continue to bring in new legislation to ensure we get more shovels in the ground faster and make it easier for Ontarians to find the right home that suits their needs and budgets.

Consumer protection is at the core of my ministerial mandate, and I’m pleased to share how we are further strengthening protections for Ontarians looking for a new home. This bill, if passed, brings meaningful change to the lives of many Ontarians who dream of owning a new home—a dream that, unfortunately for many, is seemingly more and more out of reach. This is why more action is needed now.

Just a few weeks ago, I was pleased to announce an upcoming consultation to inform the development of new measures that we are considering to better protect buyers of new homes in this province.

I want to say thank you again to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the associate minister, and the PA for working with us in making sure that we can provide the best consumer protection to Ontarians.

A piece of this plan involves exploring a potential cooling-off period for the purchases of new freehold homes to help strengthen consumer protection and build consumer confidence. A cooling-off period is a consumer protection measure designed to better protect homebuyers who are interested in purchasing a new home from a builder. This gives homebuyers more time to review or even rescind their purchase agreement within a specific time frame. In addition, builders would be required to disclose the cooling-off period to purchasers.

We would also explore how we can continue to improve consumers’ understanding of their contracts and rights through mandatory legal reviews of all agreements of purchase and sale for both new and pre-construction homes alike. This would empower all buyers of new homes to shop with confidence and give them peace of mind that they understand any risks associated with their purchase agreement.

In the future, my ministry will hold a consultation with the public, builders, consumer advocacy groups, and the legal sector on the Ontario Regulatory Registry—and I would appreciate if members opposite could also encourage their constituents to be part of this consultation so we can have a meaningful conversation and see how, together, we can protect Ontarians—that would focus on:

—a potential cooling-off period that applies to purchases of new freehold homes;

—how long such a cooling-off period should be;

—the mandatory disclosure of the cooling-off period by builders and developers to inform purchasers;

—a possible cancellation charge for purchasers who cancel their agreement; and

—the requirement for purchasers of all new homes in Ontario to receive a mandatory legal review on their agreements of purchase and sale.

This would be part of the consultation that we at the ministry would be looking at, and we would appreciate feedback from everyone. This consultation is part of our government’s broader strategy to build the homes that Ontarians need, and to better protect the individuals and families who are looking to buy them.

Speaker, as you can see, we are working to expand our robust protections and further help hard-working consumers to make smart, safe choices when they buy a new home in Ontario.

Speaker, I can assure you that we care deeply about supporting and safeguarding Ontario’s homebuyers as they make one of the most important decisions in their lifetime—finding a place to call home. I’m sure we all have done that or will do it in future, and we want to make sure that we have the right consumer protections in place to make sure that when Ontarians, families and first-time homebuyers are out there getting ready to make that purchase, they can do it with confidence that this government will have their back.

As someone who has called Ontario home for decades, with my wife and five beautiful children, I understand all too well the importance of building a stable home to live, work, play, do business and raise a family—a home that will foster the growth and development of our future generation.

I know my colleague the parliamentary assistant for municipal affairs and housing talked about homes for the future generation, and I want to commend him for his advocacy in making sure that the future generation—that includes my kids, our children, our grandchildren—have a place in Ontario that they can call home.

Simply put, we must enact legislation and regulations that have teeth to protect new home buyers, who must be able to trust that they are being protected.

All across this great province, hard-working Ontarians are eager to purchase a home.

As I mentioned earlier, through the housing supply action plan 4.0, our government is taking bold actions to make sure that we’re able to tackle the housing supply crisis that we’re facing right now.

I’ve heard from many Ontarians, and, just last week, when we had our constit week, we had the opportunity to be in our ridings, and we heard from our constituents, and I heard from grandparents and parents that we need to do something to make sure that their children, their grandchildren, can afford a home, can actually buy a home in this province. We owe this to our next generation, and we have to do this. We recognize that we have a responsibility to the people of Ontario who elected us. They expect and deserve nothing less than our support.

My ministry and I will leave no stone unturned in delivering on our promise to protect consumers and Ontarians. I feel very strongly about building a bright and promising future for today’s homebuyers and for our future generations. We want to make sure that our future generations are proud of the work that we are doing for them.

Speaker, our government has a very clear vision and a strong plan for the future of Ontario’s homebuilding marketplace. We look forward to the feedback and input we will receive from our upcoming consultations on the proposed protections—protections such as a cooling-off period that would protect homebuyers interested in purchasing a new freehold home from a builder, or the requirement for purchasers of all new homes in Ontario to receive mandatory legal review on all agreements of their purchase or sale so that Ontarians can be confident in the contracts they are signing.

As we deliver on our ambitious mandate to restore consumer confidence in the new home marketplace, I encourage our opposition members—and I did mention this earlier, as well—to please support us in these measures, to support the next generation. It is our responsibility. It is our duty to make sure that our next generation is proud of all the work that we are doing so that they can have a better future.

I’ve shared this story many times in this House, and I feel like this is a perfect opportunity for me to remind everyone. I always talk about my grandfather who came to this country. He was a World War II veteran, and he came to this country in the late 1960s to have a better future not just for himself, but also for his children. As an immigrant, I know one of the things that he was very proud of—and he always encouraged his children, and then he also encouraged us—was giving back to this country. One of his dreams that I always say—his Canadian dream—was that his children could afford a home in this province. That is a story of, I would say, all immigrants when they come to this country for a better future—it’s not only just to have a good future for their children, their grandchildren, but also the stability that they can afford a home here. My parents had the same dream for me and for my siblings, too.

I think, as the parliamentary assistant to municipal affairs and housing talked about, that his generation, the next generation—we want to make sure that we are able to provide that security, that power to buy a home to our next generation.

Honestly, we could have not done it without the leadership of Premier Ford and the great leadership of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, because he is—honestly, he and Premier Ford are making sure that our next generation can call a place home, where they can raise their families, just like how we are raising our families, have that backyard where they can play with their kids.

So thank you to you and your incredible team for making sure to bring that dream a reality.

Together, I know we can and will make our vision, and a bright and prosperous future for all Ontarians, a reality.