Thank you for the question from my friend and the member from Sault Ste. Marie. We joined the Premier in Sault Ste. Marie to announce a $5.8-million investment through the Ontario Junior Exploration Program—because it starts with exploration. You know the genesis of Algoma Steel in the discovery of iron ore in Wawa—and Wawa right now is thriving on the basis of exploration and development activity. From Wawa back over to Dubreuilville and over to Marathon, it starts with exploration. That’s why we have funded 32 mining companies and have invested an additional $12.5 million in private capital to find critical minerals.

Here’s the kicker, Mr. Speaker: The opposition voted no to these investments. They voted no to jobs in northern communities and they voted no to finding new critical minerals. This government, under the Premier, is taking decisive action to secure our supply chain and our future, and it all starts with exploration.

Mr. Speaker, I think there’s a reason why there are only a few Liberals in the House, and part of that reason is because they ignored not only Ottawa but so many parts of the province of Ontario for so long.

We have made some very, very significant investments in the nation’s capital—and I hear the members over there groaning because they don’t like to talk about the transit investments we made. I understand why that member doesn’t want to talk about the transit investments we made—because when he was responsible for those transit investments, he couldn’t get it done. The system was broken, so we’ve had to step in and make sure that it works well.

We’ve made investments in health care in Ottawa—the Ottawa Civic Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario—all investments that could have been made under the Liberals, but were not made under the Liberals. We’re making those investments on behalf of the people of the province of Ontario.

We are bringing back the automotive sector in the province of Ontario—in part, do you know who’s going to benefit from that? The high-tech sector in auto will play such an important role—thousands of jobs.

We’re expanding the highway between Toronto and Ottawa.

We’re getting the job—

Mining is the number one employer in the great riding of Timmins. I am proud of what mining means to my community and to the north. Our investments have been hailed by industry. But don’t just take my word for it; listen to how impactful $400,000 can be for a junior mining company.

Dr. Michael Gunning, president and CEO of VR Resources—and VR Resources has a remarkable rare earth discovery just north of Timmins—said, “For a small company like mine, doing the front-end R&D of exploration—funding matters. It takes courage and it takes money to make these discoveries.... OJEP has made a difference to my company and is making a difference to the industry.”

The importance of these investments cannot be overstated, and the industry agrees. With our investments, these companies will find mines in the future while helping us to secure Ontario’s future.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage the opposition to vote for us the next time we make vital investments in this in-demand sector of our economy.

Thank you to the minister for the response. When a mine opens in northern Ontario, Ontario wins. Think of all the items we use every day: From smart phones to electric vehicles, from steel to diamonds and gold, it all comes from a mine.

Our government is building Ontario, and in order to continue getting it done, we need a strong mining sector and a well-integrated supply chain. Look no further than my home of Sault Ste. Marie, where steel made at Algoma Steel, beams from SIS, concrete pumpers from Apex Cranes, belts from Belterra are all critical to building our mines in northern Ontario. Speaker, I could go on and on and on.

Investments in northern Ontario’s mining sector support so many local businesses and the thousands of people they employ. Can the minister please elaborate on how new businesses in the north are responding to investments that are being made through our Ontario Junior Exploration Program?