My question is to the Minister of Transportation.

The playground at Pape school in my riding is about to become an Ontario Line construction site—construction that will go on for two years. Parents are worried that their children, who lost two years of schooling during the pandemic, will face another lost two years unless there is adequate protection to keep noise levels in the classrooms at an acceptable level.

Will the minister direct Metrolinx to use World Health Organization standards for acceptable noise levels in the classrooms?

But, so far, Metrolinx will not make a firm commitment to the target that will be met in the classrooms so that children don’t go through another two years of disruption.

What I’m asking the minister is to tell Metrolinx to set a standard that they will be held to that will trigger action if it has gone over, because the children need to have a restoration of normality. It can be done. It will require investment. But we need to have an agreed standard—World Health Organization’s is the right one—to protect the children and protect the learning environment.

I would like to thank the families of the following public schools in my riding for this petition: Runnymede, Garden, Warren Park, Annette, Lucy McCormick, King George, Swansea, Humbercrest, Howard, Parkdale, Fern Avenue and Indian Road. These petitions were collected by the Elementary Teachers of Toronto. It reads:

“Petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from the Elementary Teachers of Toronto to Stop the Cuts and Invest in the Schools our Students Deserve.

“Whereas the Ford government cut funding to our schools by $800 per student during the pandemic period, and plans to cut an additional $6 billion to our schools over the next six years;

“Whereas these massive cuts have resulted in larger class sizes, reduced special education and mental health supports and resources for our students, and neglected and unsafe buildings;

“Whereas the Financial Accountability Office reported a $2.1-billion surplus in 2021-22, and surpluses growing to $8.5 billion in 2027-28, demonstrating there is more than enough money to fund a robust public education system;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to:

“—immediately reverse the cuts to our schools;

“—fix the inadequate education funding formula;

“—provide schools the funding to ensure the supports necessary to address the impacts of the pandemic on our students;

“—make the needed investments to provide smaller class sizes, increased levels of staffing to support our students’ special education, mental health, English language learner and wraparound supports needs, and safe and healthy buildings and classrooms.”

I fully support this petition. I will affix my signature to it and thank all the parents and family members who have signed this petition.