My question is for the Minister of Education.

As we know, rising inflation costs continue to impact the financial well-being of families and businesses across the province and, certainly, in the riding of Barrie–Innisfil. The upcoming increase in the carbon tax of 14% will also hinder those families. I’ve heard resoundingly throughout the riding of Barrie–Innisfil that they can’t afford the rising cost of inflation or the increased carbon tax on April 1. They’re happy to see that our government is doing what we can to keep costs low and, of course, to fight the federal government on the tax increase—and what I’m also hearing is hope from parents that finally they’re seeing direct supports for them through this government.

I was speaking to Melissa, a mom of three, who’s benefiting from catch-up payments.

I want to ask the Minister of Education: What else is he hearing from parents in terms of the direct financial supports this government is giving to families and students?

We know, following many years of disruption, that our students returned to the classroom in person, where we know they can best recover their academic, mental and physical health. But our students also need the right investments and supports in order to realize their recovery and prepare them for success in the modern economy. This means ensuring our students are learning critical skills and job skills that are rooted in the fundamentals and topics like math, reading and writing—something we hear a lot from parents. Ontario students need these skills to find lifelong careers and help us continue to grow our provincial economy.

I want to ask the minister, with all the work he’s also doing, how is he investing in our students so that they can be successful in the classroom and for years beyond the classroom?

I want to thank the member from Barrie–Innisfil for her leadership in this House and for standing up for families against the aggressive federal Liberal carbon tax that is raising the costs on all families and all small businesses in this economy.

In addition to opposing that carbon tax by the federal government, we are also providing direct financial relief to parents. In fact, we have done it three times—$1.9 billion over the past three years in direct financial relief to parents, to help support them and their kids getting back on track.

We just unveiled Ontario’s catch-up payments. I’m proud to confirm that 80% of parents have signed up for this $200 payment for every child under 18 and $250 for every child with special education needs—now, there is still 20% of parents who haven’t, and I’m encouraging all members to promote this investment: ontario.ca/catchuppayments. Apply today; get the relief families deserve.

In budget 2023, we’ve reaffirmed our commitment to publicly funded schools. We increased investments for Ontario children by $2.3 billion overall, even on a baseline evaluation. It’s up $1.3 billion from the year prior.

Mr. Speaker, we know there’s more to do. It’s why we launched a tutoring program—$175 million focused on getting back to the fundamentals and the basics of education, lifting up reading, writing and math skills, and refocusing the system back on strengthening skills and development in our school system. We have a modern curriculum mandating financial literacy and coding and transferrable hands-on learning that we know is critical for these young people to succeed in the economy.

Finally, we’re expanding the skilled trades and technology opportunities—requiring students to now take a tech course, starting next September, opening up their horizons and their opportunities to get good-paying jobs in this economy.

I’m glad the member is talking about having people in communities and cities for building hospitals, building services.

As of January 12, 2003, the Kerr report has said that London was Ontario’s third-fastest growing community after Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo and Barrie. So, I looked through the budget. Transit is a huge topic in our city and as you know, Via is no longer operating from London to Toronto. Your government started running a pilot project in October 2021 to expand GO train services to London, and I’d like to ask the member why there’s nothing in the budget with respect to expanding the GO train services in London. Why did his government abandon this pilot project?