I want to be as clear as I can possibly be, because it is deeply disturbing that the NDP continue to put a false narrative out there. We—

We are returning to a funding model that existed pre-pandemic, that ensured that individuals who do not have an up-to-date OHIP card have access—that ensured 75 community health clinics that have funding models that ensure individuals without OHIP coverage get access.

Individuals who appear at emergency departments in our Ontario hospitals get health coverage.

It is deeply disturbing that we continue this narrative with the NDP opposition to suggest that there is a change that is not happening.

We are returning to what we had in March 2020. It was there under the Liberals. It was there because it assists people.

Health811 is another program that is available all across Ontario to ensure that individuals can speak to a registered nurse to find out about their health condition and see what the next steps are.

To suggest, as they have, that Ukrainian refugees are suddenly going to be without health care coverage is completely and utterly false, and if the member opposite really wants to have credibility in this field, she needs to stand up and say that in the province of Ontario, Ukrainian refugees, individuals without a health card, will have it as they had it in March 2020.

My question is for the Minister of Infrastructure.

All Ontarians need reliable and affordable high-speed Internet, no matter where they live. I hear from the business community, including the agricultural industry across northern Ontario, that access to high-speed Internet services is essential to successfully managing and operating their businesses. Individuals and families living in rural, remote and Indigenous communities all need Internet access for their day-to-day lives, to improve access to health care, and to keep connected with family and friends.

Can the minister please explain how our government is connecting Ontarians in rural, remote and northern regions of our province to fast, reliable, high-speed Internet?

Ensuring that individuals and families across our province have access to reliable, high-speed Internet is a necessity, not a luxury.

The previous Liberal government failed to invest in priorities that are important to Ontarians living in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.

Under the leadership of the Premier and this minister, we know that the plan for accessing high-speed Internet is currently being implemented, but the people in the north are seeking assurances that they can be confident in our government’s ability to deliver on the promise to bring access to unserved and underserved communities.

Can the minister elaborate on how our government is building high-speed Internet infrastructure and connecting the communities in the north?

Thank you to the member for the question.

We are making incredible progress in terms of connecting every single premise in the province of Ontario by the end of 2025. To date, we have committed $2.2 billion to nearly 200 high-speed Internet and cellular projects across the province.

This month, the member from Brampton West, in partnership with the federal government, was able to announce $13 million for high-speed Internet projects in eastern Ontario and $48 million in York region. This will connect 10,000 premises in 40 different communities. And I just want to thank my parliamentary assistant for his help in making sure that no one is left behind.

This month, we again joined the federal government in terms of announcing $61 million to bring high-speed Internet to 16,000 homes in 47 different communities, including three First Nation communities. Communities such as Pickle Lake, Iroquois Falls and O’Connor will now be connected.

I want to thank my northern members, but in particular the Minister of Northern Development for his help, working with my ministry to address challenges in the north and to make sure that we got it right.

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

My question is for the Minister of Northern Development and Indigenous Affairs.

Under the previous Liberal government, so many opportunities for fostering economic growth across northern Ontario were missed. They were ignored—quite frankly, they were squandered.

Unlike the previous Liberal government, our government must recognize the value and the potential that is present in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. The people of my riding and all the other communities across the north are counting on our government to deliver on the commitments that we made to invest in meaningful priorities that strengthen our local economies.

Can the minister please explain how our government is building a stronger and a more inclusive Ontario?

It is evident that under our leadership—the leadership of our Premier and this minister—investments made by our government through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. are resulting in positive, tangible outcomes for the people of the north.

Our government’s respect for the people of the north and our well-thought-out plans are a sharp contrast to the pattern of neglect that was evident under the previous Liberal government.

Speaker, I’ve knocked on thousands of doors throughout Sault Ste. Marie and other northern communities, and when you just speak to the average person in northern Ontario, the message is always the same: They felt ignored by the former Liberal government. They felt like they didn’t matter. And now, they’re seeing a government that’s putting them first and putting a lot of attention on the north.

In order to remain current and competitive, our government must continue to focus on addressing the needs and the opportunities that will advance prosperity.

Can the minister please elaborate on how this funding will contribute to economic prosperity for communities in the north?

Mr. Speaker, let’s be clear. I’ve said this in the House before and I’ll say it again: Ontario municipalities are still able to collect development charges on most market housing, provided that these are increased at a reasonable and predictable rate.

At the end of the day, more homes and growing communities make sense for taxpayers. They increase the tax base. They allow municipalities to be able to provide services to their local communities at a lower cost. That’s something that our government subscribes to, but municipalities need to do the same.

I want to thank the member for his question.

I rise in this place often to talk about the modernization of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund and the help it has given to businesses and leveraging. It’s time we started to chat about the incredible opportunities it provides for job creation and job protection, and how internship programs support that.

When we modernized the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, we committed to trying to understand better how our youth and young people could access jobs in their own communities—in Timiskaming–Cochrane, to the tune of almost a million dollars, a medical recruiter to plan and implement a physician recruitment strategy, saving them money, allowing them to go out with somebody and recruit physicians; an economic development assistant; the Northwood Recovery clinic’s registered practical nurse intern; and the Northern Policy Institute, to hire a data and analytics intern.

Mr. Speaker, more than 80% of these people retain their jobs when they’re in internship. I’m sure the member opposite supports this kind of—

Let’s move a little farther northwest, Mr. Speaker, where we’re into Kiiwetinoong and Mushkegowuk–James Bay. More than $500,000 helped us create 14 jobs and/or intern positions.

And listen to the diversity of these opportunities for young people: The municipality of Red Lake hired an infrastructure intern and recreation and activities programmer—we have a similar one in Vermilion Bay, and it works great—the Institut de recherche InnovaNor to hire a psychometrics and administrative assistant; Smooth Rock Falls Hospital in Cochrane district hired a detox centre program worker.

Mr. Speaker, those are just a few examples. What’s really exciting is the Indigenous Internship Program. The Obishikokaang Resources Corp. hired an Indigenous business service coordinator intern.

These folks are keeping their jobs when they’re finished their internship, staying in their communities, and providing a better opportunity for their community.

Violence in our schools is at deeply concerning levels. Students at York Memorial Collegiate have staged a walkout in protest, while parents in Ottawa have picketed Vimy Ridge Public School calling for action.

Parents, principals, teachers and education workers are calling for increased mental health supports and staffing to keep students and staff safe.

But even though half of our schools have no mental health resources, this government voted against our motion to provide school boards with adequate resources. Instead, they’re forcing school boards to make cuts.

Why is the government refusing to make investments to keep our children safe?

Speaker, the minister doesn’t even mention school violence, and school violence does not show up once in this budget.

My question is back to the Premier.

Violence impacts every student when there’s an incident in the classroom. It impairs learning. It changes the culture of trust, respect and engagement.

In their 2023 budget submission, ETFO Thames Valley Teacher Local reported that in London-area schools, the six-month average is 636 violent incidents per month—636 per month. The highest month? Almost 1,000 violent incidents in a school. But most violent incidents go unreported.

What is this government doing to directly address the rising tide of violence in schools and make sure that students are safe?

With all due respect, I wasn’t talking about development charges—although that’s a problem as well; I’m talking about the cost of sprawl.

There’s overwhelming evidence that the cost of sprawling out will hit people, municipalities and taxpayers’ pocketbooks hard. There’s overwhelming evidence from the government’s own housing task force that we do not need to open the greenbelt to address the housing crisis.

Speaker, there’s a whole generation of young people wondering if they will ever be able to afford a home.

The government’s sprawl agenda will result in more expensive homes, higher property taxes, and elevated climate-fuelled flood risk.

So will the government stand up for property tax payers and people struggling to find an affordable home by cancelling their expensive sprawl agenda and keeping their promise not to develop the greenbelt?

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health, who, in three days, plans to cut health care funding to the most vulnerable people in Ontario. In doing so, the minister is sending the message that those without OHIP do not deserve the same care as the rest of us. But this is Ontario. This is Canada. Everyone deserves care.

The reality is, most uninsured people actually are entitled to health insurance, but they face social and physical barriers that prevent them from getting an OHIP card. This government is singling out the people who need their help the most and telling them they would rather save a buck than fund their health care. Uninsured people will still get care once they are sick enough, and it is downright sad and not the least bit surprising that the minister is perfectly fine pushing the financial burden onto our already strained health care budgets.

Why does the minister think it’s a good idea to financially drain our public hospitals further, and why must she do it by draining the dignity of our patients?

In the week of March 12 to 18, there were almost 4,000 COVID cases in Ontario and 213 hospitalizations. What happens when that number begins to rise again next fall and all of this funding is cut and none of these programs are in place—no paid sick days, no hospital funding, no coverage for uninsured people? Who will pay for the minister’s cruelty and recklessness then?

My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Many rural and remote communities across Ontario have experienced difficulties and challenges as a result of extreme weather events. These include fast and powerful storms known as derechos, such as what we witnessed in May of last year, as well as tornado activity in July. These events pose a significant threat to life and safety in several communities, including my own. Individuals and families experienced first-hand the mess that was left behind from downed trees as well as other debris. We also know that downed trees can create other hazards, including the risk for fires and flooding.

Can the minister please explain how our government is supporting communities across Ontario in responding to incidents of severe weather and the potential risks they create?

I want to thank the minister for his response.

Ontario communities that have been hit hard by flooding in the past are paying attention to major waterways in anticipation of ice breakup, which is expected to begin in early May.

Flooding in Ontario is typically caused by a combination of factors that has included rapidly melting snow, ice jams, high lake levels or storm surges from heavy rain.

However, last year’s significant weather-related events left debris that can also increase the risk of flooding.

Can the minister please elaborate on how the funding investments made by our government will reduce the risks that come with severe weather events?

Supplementary?

I’ll return to the Minister of Health to reply.

Oh, Speaker, that is really rich considering we’re actually returning to a program that existed under the Liberal government, that ensured individuals who do not have an active and up-to-date OHIP card have access to service, whether that is through Health811, where they can speak directly to a registered nurse; whether it is through midwifery care, community health centres—75 that operate within the province of Ontario; and, of course, through our publicly funded hospitals.

It is very, very challenging for me not to look at that member and say, “Look at your party’s history and say what was wrong with it in 2020 that suddenly doesn’t make it sufficient today.”

Thank you very much for the question.

Our government has been completely transparent with the public in terms of our intentions for Ontario Place. In 2019, we told the public that we wanted to redevelop Ontario Place. We have two choices before us. We could just leave the site as is, let it continue to be in a bad state of repair, let it continue to be flooded, let it continue to not be enjoyed by the public; or we could work with the city of Toronto and bring Ontario Place back to life. I think the answer is very clear.

Thank you to the member from Peterborough–Kawartha, a riding that is part of the God’s country network of ridings.

Speaker, we have seen terrible damage to property on crown and private forests, forest access roads and other public roads across Ontario. For the town of Peterborough, and in eastern Ontario, the rebuilding and repair are ongoing.

Sometimes that damage left behind from these natural disasters can actually pose new risks to public safety. Those downed trees and the debris on land and water can lead to an increased risk of flood and fire incidents today. So, even as you work and return things to normal, last year’s severe weather continues to create concerns.

I know from direct experience how small communities work hard to support one another in tough times like these. And our government is committed to doing our part and building a strong Ontario for now and in the future.

Yesterday I was pleased to announce in the GTA, the greater Tweed area, that the ministry will be providing $5.5 million to municipalities impacted by last year’s derecho.

During my time as mayor, in Bracebridge, in 2013 and 2019, we saw the results of natural disasters when flooding led to a state of emergency. So I’m speaking to you today with a keen awareness of the importance of community, both here and across Ontario.

Currently, the province’s Surface Water Monitoring Centre continues to monitor water levels in other areas at risk throughout the province.

The funding announced yesterday, $5.5 million, will ensure that the destruction caused by last year’s severe weather events do not pose a threat to public safety. That means rivers that were once blocked by collapsed trees will now flow unobstructed, and drying brush piles will be chipped and stored safely. It will also help carry out forest regeneration and support the continued health and well-being of those forests. I’m confident that this funding will help towns affected by the weather events of last year to make meaningful progress towards recovery.

I live near Ontario Place, and I can tell that you it is well used. In fact, on Saturday, I participated in a nature walk at Ontario Place put on by Ontario Place for All and the Toronto Field Naturalists. As well as the incredible array of birds and other wildlife there, it was a good reminder of how Ontario Place was designed to showcase Ontario. The original architect, Eb Zeidler, and the landscape architect, Michael Hough, were both Ontario-based. The Cinesphere was the world’s first movie theatre to feature IMAX movies, an Ontario invention. And Eric McMillan, who designed the Children’s Village, invented the ball pit, which has provided generations of children with a lot of fun.

Your government is leasing out the land to an American event corporation and an Austrian spa company with a hefty taxpayer-funded donation that you refuse to disclose.

Why doesn’t your government believe in Ontario-based businesses, and why don’t you work with Ontario companies to redevelop Ontario Place?

My question is to the Premier.

This Conservative government is expected to spend an estimated $650 million in taxpayer dollars to build an underground parking lot at Ontario Place, only to then hand it over to Thermëa, a private Austrian spa company, in a secret agreement. In the hearings at city hall last week, we learned that this enormous price tag for taxpayers is being justified with a highly inflated estimate of 14,000 visitors per day. That’s 4,000 more than the CN Tower and the ROM combined; 3,000 more per day than Canada’s Wonderland.

My question is, will the Premier make Ontario’s agreement with Thermëa public and explain to the people of Ontario what we are getting out of this deal?

Thank you for asking that good question.

Mr. Speaker, the member from Windsor–Tecumseh is doing a marvellous job advocating for seniors in his riding.

Our government is working for all seniors in the province so they can live comfortably with dignity.

Thanks to the leadership of the Premier, we are proposing to expand the Guaranteed Annual Income System program. Thanks to the leadership of the Minister of Finance, we are providing financial support to more low-income seniors. This program will make sure that when their costs go up because of inflation, our support for them will go up as well.

Our government takes the well-being of seniors very seriously. Increasing our investment will help our vulnerable seniors. They deserve to have steady and reliable programs, services and income supports. That is why we are proposing, through the budget, to invest an additional $1.5 million into seniors community grants.

Our government will always be here to provide services that build a strong Ontario that supports seniors.