My question is for the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

The commitment by the Premier and this minister to advance protection for workers has been continuously demonstrated with measures that support them and help to build Ontario for the next generation.

Across our province, thousands of brave men and women are military reservists with the Canadian Armed Forces. These individuals go above and beyond their regular jobs and normal workday to selflessly answer the call of duty in service of our country, both at home and abroad. Reservists should not face an uncertain future when they return to their civilian jobs after deployment.

Can the minister please explain what our government is doing to support our military reservists?

Today is World Water Day. Access to clean water is a basic human right.

Children like four-year-old Kayde from North Caribou Lake First Nation face serious medical issues and even have to be medevaced out to a hospital to treat their skin conditions.

Premier, will Ontario commit to studying the long-term health effects of boil-water advisories to help children like Kayde?

And you cannot use jurisdiction as an excuse to not do anything.

Recently, Indigenous health researcher Jeffrey Ansloos found a correlation between drinking water advisories and suicides in First Nations. Ontario has the highest rate of long-term drinking water advisories and one of the highest rates of suicide in First Nations in Canada. We live it in Kiiwetinoong.

What is Ontario doing to protect First Nations youth from the serious effects associated with lack of access to clean drinking water?

This government is doing more around wetlands than any government has done previously.

Speaker, the previous government, backed up by the opposition, presided over the loss of wetlands in Ontario—tens of thousands of hectares gone.

This government has a different approach. This government has an approach where we want to expand wetlands in Ontario, expand natural features in Ontario. We are going to do that. The previous government could not do it, would not do it. The opposition continues to talk a game that they can’t back up. We’re doing it. We’re getting it done. We’re protecting wetlands in Ontario.

My question is for the Minister of Northern Development.

Under the previous Liberal government, workers in northern, rural and remote communities felt abandoned. Manufacturing plants closed, jobs were destroyed, and the local economy in many communities—my own included—was devastated. Year after year, the Liberals and the NDP chose to focus on urban issues instead of listening to the needs and concerns that are important to the people across northern Ontario.

Communities across the north are counting on our government to promote economic and community development. The north is ripe with opportunities for creating employment, as well as promoting economic and community development and modernizing business operations. It’s not just a beautiful place with beautiful and amazing people.

Can the minister please explain how our government is investing in Ontario’s northern communities to promote opportunities for good-paying jobs?

Thank you very much for the question. I appreciate it, and it’s timely.

I will express a couple of thoughts afterwards, but I’ll get to the point and cut to the chase: The Ontario Arts Council funding is being maintained at the current levels for the upcoming year. So worrying about cuts, at this point, isn’t what we are talking about. We’re talking about and working with people to take advantage of what they have, what they will continue to have, and the impact they will have on our communities.

The arts are cherished by this ministry and this government. It extends into tourism, certainly culture, and makes a huge impact on all demographics—from kids in schools, to be able to go out and experience art, to experience the artists who are delivering it. And we understand from a cultural piece, it has played a huge role in Ontario’s growth. Billions and billions of dollars are spent in tourism—and because of the arts, will get even stronger.

Mr. Speaker, I’ll go back a little bit in time: Since 2018, we have invested over $1.1 billion in arts, culture through the ministry program and agencies. This includes nearly $340 million for the OAC.

In the OAC, we address all art; we don’t single things out specifically. Francophone art—that world is very important to us, and we’ve addressed it. We talk in terms, with respect to our government, of supporting all, not just defining one—the impact within tourism, as I said earlier; the cultural piece; what it does to communities and helps build in communities; the people within those communities who not only actually participate in the arts and the delivery of it, but those who enjoy it and support it and drive the revenue and build communities. Building communities is a part of what we do and what we focus on, and the culture in our sector is very important and will continue to be important to this government.

I want to thank the member for Mississauga–Erin Mills for this question and his leadership in standing up for workers in his riding.

Speaker, remote workers who don’t have a desk in the office are just as valuable to our economy, and they shouldn’t be treated as second-class workers. That is why our government is changing our employment standards laws to ensure they receive the same enhanced severance payments during mass layoffs as their in-office colleagues.

We also know that asking your boss questions on day one of a new job can be daunting, especially for young workers, newcomers and those in precarious roles. To protect their workers, we’re requiring that employers provide them with basic information on their role and how much they’ll be paid before they actually start their first shift.

Under the leadership of our Premier and our government, we are rebalancing the scales and putting workers in the driver’s seat of Ontario’s economic recovery.

I have a question for the Premier.

The arts industry plays an important role in our everyday life, whether we realize it or not. All those moments we’re not working, we’re somehow consuming art, and it improves our well-being and the economy.

We know that the arts industry has suffered incredibly during the pandemic, and it’s still struggling to recover. Just because we are in a post-pandemic economy doesn’t mean our artists don’t need our support anymore. The current high inflation makes it particularly difficult for artists to continue their work, let alone expand.

With the new budget coming out, people have been reaching out to express their concerns about proposed cuts. They’ve been writing to the Minister of Finance and also to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, so they know about it.

How is it reasonable to encourage our youth to get educated and follow their dreams while cutting funding in venues they could earn a living with?

Will this government ensure the survival of creative industries and support the artists who drive them?

L’Association des auteures et auteurs de l’Ontario français et le Conseil des arts de l’Ontario travaillent sans relâche pour promouvoir et enrichir les oeuvres culturelles, y compris la littérature, les spectacles et les expositions d’art visuel de l’Ontario. Leur travail est crucial pour la croissance et la vitalité d’un secteur qui contribue à notre divertissement et notre économie.

Les coupures envisagées—ou le même budget, qui ne sera pas suffisant—aux individus et associations impliqués dans le secteur des arts, seraient particulièrement inquiétantes pour les communautés francophones de l’Ontario, qui dépendent du financement des arts pour promouvoir et préserver notre langue et culture.

Nous avons fait des progrès dans la francophonie. Nous devons continuer de protéger et d’étendre notre culture francophone. Sans le financement nécessaire, nous allons faire face à un recul.

Est-ce que le gouvernement s’engage à assurer la vitalité de la culture francophone et la viabilité du milieu culturel en maintenant le financement dans le domaine des arts de l’Ontario?

My question this morning is for the Premier.

Today is World Water Day.

The UN just released a frightening warning that without urgent climate action, we risk leaving our children with a world that faces extreme weather events and regular flooding. But instead of urgent action, your government is making things much, much worse by unilaterally steamrolling the greenbelt and destroying important wetlands that prevent flooding.

My question, Premier: We already know that your government is working to protect developers, but why won’t you honour treaty obligations and future generations of Ontarians by protecting our water?

This government has no credible climate plan—none whatsoever—and obviously no clear provincial water strategy. This is the government that fired scientists, muzzled the Greenbelt Council, and kneecapped conservation authorities in their important work to protect our watersheds—watersheds that clean our water, protect endangered species and allow bodies of water to remain in the earth and not in our basements.

Back to the Premier: In the spirit of World Water Day, what will you do today to protect the greenbelt and its watershed for our future generations of young people?

I appreciate the question from the member opposite.

It’s important that Ontarians know that we’re very blessed to live in this province that has such robust standards for water—the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act, the Health Protection and Promotion Act.

It’s unfortunate that the member opposite is choosing to politicize water rather than work with this government to make investments that protect water.

That’s why, as a government, as I mentioned in the previous answer, we’ve worked at no charge to train water operators—dealing with systemic challenges in training for water operators—in Indigenous communities. That’s why we’re working with rural municipalities, the Ontario Clean Water Agency, and dealing with staff and retention challenges there. That’s why we’re investing in the modern and critical infrastructure.

That member said “urgent action”—that’s why we’ve required updated monitoring and reporting in her own community, to ensure that we’re protecting water for generations to come and investing in the modern infrastructure to support those growing communities.

Thanks to the minister for that response.

Since day one, our government has been working for workers, and it is continuing to lead the country with groundbreaking protections.

It is a fact that the way people work has changed. The dynamic has shifted from in-office work to other formats. In 2022, 1.4 million people in Ontario were working remotely, and 800,000 were working hybrid jobs.

Workers also need greater certainty, when starting a new job, that they have been given information about the nature of their job before they start their first shift.

It is vital that regulations and employment standards keep up with the new reality.

Can the minister please explain how our government is ensuring that our labour laws reflect the changing world of work?

My question is to the Premier.

While families across the province are waiting for $10-a-day child care, this government’s low-wage policies threaten the program. Already, child care centres across Ontario are having to close rooms and limit enrolment due to staffing challenges. Families are on wait-lists that are growing.

Experts have said that Ontario needs another 65,000 ECEs and child care staff by 2026.

The Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario has urged this government to implement a province-wide salary scale for registered ECEs and child care staff to address staffing issues. Why is the government refusing to do so?

The average ECE in Ontario spends just three years working in the sector. Ontario will not be able to offer $10-a-day child care without child care workers.

The Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care says that none of the strategies the government has put on the table will work until we deal with the low wages.

Will the minister listen to the experts and take action to address the staffing shortage by paying child care workers fair wages?

My question is for the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity.

Over the next six years, Ontario’s construction sector will need to hire 72,000 additional workers due to retirements and expected job growth. However, the reality is that women remain under-represented in this growing sector. Unfortunately, as in so many areas, barriers are preventing women from achieving their full potential in the skilled trades. Some of these obstacles include PPE and other equipment that is not tailored to women. For women to safely and effectively perform their jobs, they must be properly outfitted in uniforms, boots and safety harnesses.

Can the associate minister please explain how our government is making workplaces safer for women?

In Ontario, there are 500,000 construction workers; just a small percentage of those are women. Unfortunately, for women who work in the skilled trades, they’re frequently exposed to a lack of or poorly maintained washroom facilities at their work sites. This is unacceptable, and it is a deterrent for women wanting to take up careers in the skilled trades. It’s very important that women are provided with the supports they need to work safely and comfortably. In this instance, it’s ensuring that washrooms for female workers on job sites are adhering to equitable workplace health and safety standards.

Can the associate minister please elaborate on what measures our government is implementing that will ensure safety and equity for female workers?

We signed a deal with the federal government that is now delivering a 50% reduction in fees for families in this province—$8,000 to $12,000 per child for every child they have in a child care centre. That is a huge achievement and step forward. We also committed to build 86,000 spaces in the province to meet the growing needs of child care. Mr. Speaker, 46,000 spaces have been created to date. We also agree that we need more staff as we grow demand and reduce fees and increase access to an affordable child care system for working parents in this province. It’s why we increased wages each and every year of this agreement by $1 per hour, with a floor now imposed in the sector.

We know there’s more to do. It’s why the government launched a workforce consultation with those stakeholders and many others.

I will note the irony of New Democrats, who advocate for affordability but who would have excluded 70,000 for-profit families who depend on access in this province. We’ll stand up for all of them.

We’re going to continue to step up to support the workers, but most especially the families who now can afford child care—a 50% reduction, an $8,000 to $12,000 reduction per child. That’s going to make a big difference as we save families money in this tough economy.

Thank you again, Minister, for that wonderful response. It is welcome news to hear that our government is focused on supporting the north and investing in communities like mine, in Sault St. Marie.

Mr. Speaker, let me say, through you to this House: Our government has been so incredibly committed to communities like mine across the north. Just in my own community—I can say the minister has been in my riding I can’t even count how many times; the Premier has been to the riding I can’t even count how many times. It’s such a welcome thing for our community to see these investments and the real attention that this government is putting in our community and throughout northern Ontario—unlike the previous Liberal government—because our government is optimistic and it does recognize that funding is very, very critical to contributing to building our local and regional economies.

Can the minister please explain how investments by our government will continue to help businesses in my riding to prosper?

Thank you to the PA of education, especially for their work on seeing high school students take courses in technological classes. It’s such an important advancement, especially for the young girls who are going to be leaders in the trades.

Mr. Speaker, I’m proud to be a part of a government that believes that women become economically empowered when they have the resources they need to be successful.

Part of women’s safety and productivity in the workforce is ensuring that they have proper personal protective equipment. Currently, the standard for PPE excludes women’s body types, which can compromise the effectiveness of the protective equipment and have unsafe consequences.

Last week, the Minister of Labour and I announced systemic changes that will protect women in the trades. The Working for Workers legislation makes clear the requirement that PPE and clothing be properly fitted to workers with diverse body types. Workplaces that are safer and more equitable help increase women’s participation in the workforce, and these changes are going to—

The supplementary question.

I want to thank the member from Sault St. Marie. He does a fantastic job in that city, making sure that industry in Sault St. Marie is on the cutting edge—that’s exactly what these kinds of announcements are focused on.

The computer numerical control lathe is like no other. Its accuracy and timing consumption factor—it sounds kind of technical, but basically it allows them to do more work on larger-scale projects, including building much-needed locomotive trains, putting northern Ontario into a sector more actively than it has ever been. This is the kind of technology that isn’t just protecting jobs; it’s creating new, high-tech jobs in the manufacturing sector in northern Ontario—that walked out the door under the previous government.

We’re back. We’ve got a great member from Sault St. Marie who is protecting and creating jobs in his city, and we couldn’t be more pleased to support him.

We also supported a company called Apex Cranes. Apex Cranes was able to leverage our investment to purchase an Alliance 38M concrete pumper truck. This will provide new vertical and horizontal reach for larger-scale construction projects. That’s twice I’ve said that about Sault St. Marie—larger-scale construction projects.

As it repositions itself to be a world-class steel manufacturer and centre of mining processing, we’re making sure Sault St. Marie is in the best position possible to realize its optimal value.

Thank you, Speaker. Through you to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing: AMO, representing Ontario’s 444 municipalities, recently released an op-ed that stated: “The homelessness crisis in Ontario is not just an unfortunate situation. It is the outcome of decades of policy decisions and poor choices made by successive Ontario governments....

“The homelessness crisis is a made-in-Ontario crisis that calls out for intelligent and coordinated action on the part of the province.”

This Ontario government ranks dead last of all provinces in per capita spending on services.

Will this government change course, acknowledge Ontario’s homelessness crisis, and accept AMO’s offer to work with the province and municipal governments to end homelessness?

I thank my honourable colleague for the very important question.

What we did is, we brought three older legacy programs and combined them into a new program, the Homelessness Prevention Program, to streamline the process so that service managers spend less time on paperwork and more on helping the people of Ontario who need support. We also increased the funding of this program by $25 million annually across the province.

Mr. Speaker, on our side, we’ve been very clear: We’ve said that we are in a housing supply crisis in our province and it hurts our most vulnerable. It hurts everyone across the board. We’re working towards solutions to make sure that we increase the supply across the province.

It’s only the opposition that continuously opposes housing in this province—well, it depends on what time at question period. They’re for housing at some points during question period and—