As per the Toronto Region Board of Trade report, gridlock is a fact of life in the GTA, and if we do not address it, it is going to cost us over $15 billion by 2031 in lost productivity.

Efficient and convenient transit is essential to support economic and community growth in Ontario. For too long, people in my riding of Mississauga–Malton have not had the public transit they need and deserve. Well, Mr. Speaker, we would not have been in this position if the previous Liberal government had not ignored the transit needs of individuals and families across our province. With 300,000 new Canadians coming to Ontario, the situation is going to be even worse.

Thankfully, we have a government with an ambitious plan for transportation improvement, and we must continue to make strategic investments. Mr. Speaker, my question to the government is: Can you provide an update on the progress of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, which will better connect Mississauga to Toronto?

It is exciting to learn about the exceptional progress we have achieved. This speaks volumes to the strong leadership of the Premier and the Minister of Transportation and the Associate Minister of Transportation in delivering on major transit infrastructure in our province.

The area around Renforth Drive and Pearson international airport is the second-largest employment hub in the country.

Rapid, reliable and seamless transit is essential in supporting workers, as well as reducing gridlock and emissions.

Mr. Speaker, the Eglinton Crosstown West extension will effectively provide connections to other transit options. Residents of Mississauga–Malton expect that this project must remain a priority for this government and must be delivered successfully.

Can the government please explain how this transit extension will benefit not only Mississauga–Malton but all Ontarians?

Thank you to the member. This is a boring story that is exciting for me, because the Eglinton Crosstown West extension is more than halfway dug, and it’s ahead of schedule by four weeks. Speaker, this is going to create 31,000 jobs—

Interjections.

This government believes—and we will remain undeterred from the goal of building transit, connecting the grid and getting it done for commuters in Ontario.

The member opposite is missing two very important pieces when he talks about the expansion of surgical and diagnostic in community, and that is, of course, that for-profit and hospital partnerships are a critical part of the application process. As we find the innovation—that is happening in Ottawa right now, as an example—we can see where hospitals working in community, with community partners, are actually providing a higher and faster level of service.

I’m proud of the work of Bill 60 that is going to ensure that oversight piece, and I look forward to the member’s insights and input during committee.

Interjections.

We want to see those expansions happening in community, because we have seen that they are successful. They mean that patients can get back to their families. They mean that patients can get back to their communities and the workforce quickly.

We want to eliminate the wait-lists. On that, the member opposite and I can agree—I hope.

This Conservative government claims its privatization of health care bill, Bill 60, will give Ontarians more access to health care they need when they need it. The reality is, only those who can afford to pay to play will get the care they need in private clinics and private hospitals. Bill 60 leaves vulnerable patients without deep pockets in dangerous situations where diseases will go undiagnosed and surgeries will be delayed, all while they live in chronic pain and depression as their illnesses get worse.

Speaker, my question is to the Premier. Why does this Premier believe that access to health care should depend on one’s ability to pay?

Karen Bender is a 73-year-old senior in my community, and she needs eye surgery. She has been told that she’ll be waiting eight months to a year and that her vision will get worse, if not completely untreatable, the longer she waits. Karen knows of other seniors who were upsold in private clinics, and she’s also aware that the Premier and the Minister of Health admitted that their profitization of health care bill has nothing in it to protect patients like her from extra charges.

So my question is back to the Premier: What advice would this Conservative Premier give Karen and others without deep pockets waiting and desperate for surgery, while they’ve left our publicly funded surgical operating rooms empty and unstaffed in our province?

I appreciate the question from the honourable member. Under the leadership of former Mayor McCallion, Mississauga really saw such explosive growth, both in terms of people who wanted to live there, economic prosperity. Unfortunately, the transit and transportation system in the region did not keep pace with the growth that happened there and continues to happen because of the hard work of the members of the Progressive Conservative caucus from Mississauga.

He is quite right: The previous government certainly let down the people of Mississauga. But I am very happy to report that the Eglinton Crosstown is doing very, very well, and actually reached a landmark just last week, with about half of the tunnelling done on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension at Renforth.

Now, look: The people of Mississauga have every reason to be very excited by this. I know how hard the members of provincial Parliament in the Progressive Conservative caucus have worked to expand transit and transportation, because it is an important part of continuing the economic growth and prosperity for the people of Mississauga.

The supplementary question.

Interjections.

The Minister of Health.

The Minister of Health has the floor.

Mr. Speaker, clearly this government hasn’t figured out to whom or to what entity it will delegate the management and oversight of the for-profit surgery industry. That’s a red flag for me.

How do we know that this government isn’t going to set things up so that people too close to industry are the ones in charge of licenses and inspections? This is a danger in so many industries. There’s a term for it: regulatory capture. It’s a lot easier to separate the regulator and the industry in the current situation, where the regulators are ministry employees—not anymore with Bill 60.

How can the minister ensure that there won’t be people going back and forth between the industry and the directorate in charge of licensing and inspecting for-profit surgical clinics?

My question is for the Associate Minister of Housing. For too many Ontarians, finding the right home is all too challenging. Housing affordability is out of reach for many individuals and families. They’re struggling to find attainable homes that meet their needs. In January, the Ontario Real Estate Association reported that the average price of a home was just under $800,000. This price point is out of reach for many Ontarians. Speaker, can the associate minister please share what our government is doing to give back the dream of home ownership to my constituents?

Ma question s’adresse à la ministre des Affaires francophones.

De nombreux organismes francophones de l’Ontario ont souffert financièrement pendant la pandémie. Nous savons qu’il est essentiel de maintenir de solides réseaux commerciaux internes alors que nous continuons à soutenir les efforts de reprise économique.

Hier, notre gouvernement a lancé l’édition 2023-2024 du programme de financement sous l’Accord de coopération et d’échanges entre le gouvernement du Québec et le gouvernement de l’Ontario en matière de francophonie. Monsieur le Président, la ministre peut-elle nous dire comment cette entente interprovinciale entre l’Ontario et le Québec contribuera au développement économique de la francophonie ontarienne?

Notre gouvernement continue d’investir dans de nombreuses initiatives qui visent à renforcer le dynamisme de la communauté francophone de l’Ontario et promouvoir son rayonnement et sa vitalité. C’est dans le cadre du Mois de la Francophonie que nous lançons l’édition 2023-2024 du programme de financement sous l’Accord de coopération et d’échanges entre le gouvernement du Québec et le gouvernement de l’Ontario en matière de francophonie.

En vertu de cette entente interprovinciale, les deux provinces collaborent pour soutenir des projets conjoints qui encouragent le développement de la culture francophone; tirent parti des possibilités de partenariats économiques; et renforcent la compréhension réciproque entre les deux populations. À travers cette entente interprovinciale, les deux gouvernements investissent ensemble jusqu’à 500 000 $ par an pour soutenir des projets communs.

Opposition, come to order.

The next question.

My question is to the Premier. The government has said that in order for a property to be removed from the greenbelt, it had to meet certain criteria, including that it “must be on or near readily serviceable land.”

The chief administrative officer for Durham region wrote this to the minister about the changes to the greenbelt plan and about the lands in Durham slated for removal: “Servicing solutions for these lands have not been developed. No plans have been developed, and downstream infrastructure has not been sized to accommodate extensive development within these areas;

“c. The availability of electricity, and community services to support this growth has not been contemplated in any other plans to date.”

Why did the government remove the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve and greenbelt lands in Durham region despite the fact the lands did not meet the government’s own removal criteria?

The province, at its own greenbelt consultation, assured municipalities that “No removal or land exchanges proposed,” and, “the government will not consider the removal of any lands from the greenbelt.” That was just a year ago. The Durham CAO wrote, “Since the expectation was that the greenbelt was to be protected in perpetuity, servicing solutions for these lands have simply not been developed.” The land in Durham doesn’t meet the government’s own criteria, and the government has promised, “If these conditions are not met, the government will ... return the properties ... to the Greenbelt.”

Since our lands aren’t serviced or near readily serviceable land, when will the minister return the DRAP lands and Durham greenbelt lands safely to the greenbelt?

I would say to Karen and the individuals who are waiting for surgery that you can thank Premier Ford and our government for expanding cataract surgeries in Ottawa, in Kitchener-Waterloo and Windsor. That will immediately ensure that existing capacity that is in community today right now is able to offer more cataract surgeries in the province of Ontario.

Specifically regarding patients who are concerned that they will be encouraged or forced to use something that they don’t want, the publicly funded system has a process in place today. Bill 60 actually expands that so that those individuals who have concerns who are not able to deal with them in the community are able to go to the Patient Ombudsman, something that does not exist prior to—

Interjections.

I want to thank my honourable colleague from Burlington for the question and all the great work that she does in her riding.

Mr. Speaker, our legislation was clear: The More Homes Built Faster Act was intended to build on previous housing bills to further cut red tape and remove unnecessary barriers that were preventing the construction of new units in Ontario.

One key approach that we’re taking is by encouraging density around major transit areas, which will make it easier for Ontarians to take a bus, train or streetcar to and from work, and visit family and friends.

We want Ontarians to have the flexibility when it comes to housing: one that they can afford and one that meets their needs and their budgets. The only way that we can do this is by increasing supply in the areas that make sense, like major transit corridors, which is exactly what our government is doing.

I want to thank the member from Burlington for her strong advocacy when it comes to housing on behalf of her constituents.

Study after study is telling us that we are in a housing deficit, but we’re ensuring that more supply is created—of all types—to make sure that home ownership is within reach for more Ontarians; for example, the attainable housing program through the government surplus lands, exploring rent-to-own options and land lease communities.

To make housing more affordable and easier to enter the housing market for Ontarians, our government is increasing the term period for homes located in land lease communities from 21 years to 49 years, which, by extending it over time, will make homes more affordable. In fact, I saw first-hand the life-lease community of Sandycove in the great member’s riding of Barrie-Innisfil.

We know more work is needed, and we’ll continue to explore more options to make it easier for first-time homebuyers, seniors, young families and future generations to find a place to call home in our province.

I’m pleased to have the question. We have spoken off-line, and I’m glad to answer the question publicly.

The Smart Serve program really is world-class, it keeps people safe, and we’ve been upgrading it over time. It’s a product that’s been provided to government but not run by government. We have engaged with them in terms of servicing, as you know—some of your colleagues have raised it as well—elderly people, who are less able to do the online, so we’re working with that. We’re having discussions about the translation, as you’ve raised before, and we’ll continue those discussions.

We are aware of the deadline, and thank you for bringing it forward.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to take the moment, the opportunity, to highlight one of the upgrades that we’ve done through Smart Serve, which is with regard to human trafficking, something very important to this government, to make sure that those on the front lines are educated in those areas as well. So it’s continuous improvement. Thank you for the question.

Supplementary question.

The supplementary question?

The House recessed from 1142 to 1300.

Report deemed adopted.

Mr. Pirie moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 71, An Act to amend the Mining Act / Projet de loi 71, Loi modifiant la Loi sur les mines.

First reading agreed to.

First reading agreed to.

I just want to wish a happy 50th birthday to my constituent assistant Andrea back in Peterborough.

I would like to welcome my good friend Mansoor Mirza, a community advocate who has been giving free online mathematics classes to students throughout the pandemic, and also his friends Zafar Ahmed, Alyson Latour and Jamal Ahmed, who are relatives to legislative page Wyatt Sharpe. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I rise, of course, on standing order 59. I again thank all colleagues for their very effective work for the people of the province of Ontario over the last week, and while I have the floor, I wish, again, the Minister of Finance a very happy birthday.

On Monday, March 6, in the afternoon, we will have opposition day motion number 2 and Bill 46, the Less Red Tape, Stronger Ontario Act.

On Tuesday, March 7, in the morning, we will be debating a bill which will be introduced later today, and we will continue that debate on Tuesday afternoon. In the evening, we will have private member’s motion number 27, standing in the name of the member for University–Rosedale.

On Wednesday, March 8, in the morning, we will continue debate on a bill which will be introduced later today. During the afternoon routine, Minister Fullerton will give a ministerial statement on International Women’s Day. In the afternoon, we will continue debate on a bill which, again, will be introduced later today. In the evening, we will have private member’s Bill 62, standing in the name of the member for Haldimand–Norfolk.

On Thursday, March 9, in the morning and afternoon, we will continue debate on the bill introduced later today, and, in the evening, we will debate Bill 65, standing in the name of the member for Whitby.

My question is for the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Because of previous fragmented environmental and energy policies, jobs were lost in our manufacturing and automotive sectors, and the promised environmental benefits were not realized. Our government believes that Ontario can be both a leader in environmental stewardship and a major manufacturing producer.

In order to cement Ontario’s role as a leader in the green technology revolution, our government must work with our northern partners and First Nations communities to secure critical minerals required for future projects. This will ensure that our province is a leader in creating a cleaner, greener future for everyone.

Speaker, could the minister please explain how our government is securing Ontario’s place as an environmental and manufacturing leader?

Speaker, can the minister please provide more information about how these projects will ensure ongoing environmental stewardship while also benefiting Ontarians?