The government boasts about increasing funding for education to the highest level ever, but they don’t take into account inflation. There’s an inflationary cut of $40 million to school boards across the province. Toronto Catholic schools are facing at least a $35-million shortfall. That’s going to cause at least 120 staff cuts, and it may impact Amy Moledzki, who’s one of the parents in the House today. Her daughter has autism. Her daughter is non-verbal, is a flight risk and needs assistance with toileting. She’s in a special education class in a Toronto Catholic school. She’s worried that the cuts, because of the funding shortfall that your government is handing to TCDSB and other boards across this province—she’s afraid that they may lose some of the staff who support her daughter and that she won’t get the supports she needs to stay in school.

Why won’t the government put the safety of children first and provide adequate funding for special education?

This week, children from the legacy autism program are beginning the transition to our schools with no plan from the government, no communication with school boards and no funding to schools to support them.

Michele MacAdam, who is here with us today, is one of thousands of parents across the province who are concerned by this government’s failure to put in place a plan. Michele’s daughters are 10 and 12. They are not toilet-trained. They are non-verbal, so this transition can’t even be explained to them, and their safety will be at risk without support. They are flight risks. They need to be watched at all times to make sure they don’t put things in their mouth and choke. They need supports in school to stay safe and thrive, and this government is giving them nothing. Why is the Premier setting these kids up to fail?

For children with special education needs, we believe so strongly that they need support to succeed in our school system, given the exceptional challenges they face. This school year, and every year, we’ve increased funding for special education overall by $92 million. That is highest level of investment in the history of Ontario. It’s at $3.25 billion today, and we recognize there’s more to do.

Specifically for children with autism, we doubled the behaviour expertise amount from $15 million to $30 million; $25 million more for staffing. Today, when compared to the former Liberals, there are 3,200 additional EAs hired and working with those very children who need support. We have fully subsidized professional development AQs for educators to lift their standards for better communications with those children, and as well, we’ve expanded the After School Skills Development Program to every school board in Toronto. We know there’s more to do, and I look forward to working with members opposite to improve the lives of those kids.

Mr. Speaker, even with a flat enrolment in the province of Ontario, we’ve increased base funding when compared to the former Liberals by 27%. That is a significant step forward for those kids.

To the member opposite: We accept there’s more to do. It’s why in this budget, in every budget, we’ve increased special education funding. We accept that there’s more to do. It’s why we invested an additional $92 million this year alone. It’s why we hired 3,200 additional EAs. It’s why we hired 7,000 more education workers.

But I think the fundamental question parents are also asking is, why are the members opposite opposed to the very measures that improve the lives of these kids? You have a track record of systematically opposing investments that help those children, and I would hope that in the budget you will vote for measures that incrementally improve the lives of every child, most especially kids with special education needs in Ontario.