Recently, alongside the Associate Minister of Housing, I had the opportunity to meet with Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga-Dufferin and staff from the Halton Catholic District School Board to learn about their tiny home youth build program. This program provides hands-on building experience for Halton region high school students who are learning construction and skilled trades, all while making an impact for families and communities in need. These student-built tiny homes can be a solution for emergency shelter, seniors, laneway homes and can be part of the solution to the housing crunch. This project is a fantastic way to introduce students to the trades, giving them hands-on work experience and exposure in real-time under the instruction of trained professionals.

Led by Allan Nason, Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School has seen incredible interest in the program, with students transferring from neighbouring schools just to participate. This year alone, there were more than 90 students on the wait-list for Allan’s construction class, with more than 50% female.

Participating students are also eligible to complete college credits in the skilled trades as part of the Dual Credit Program. A partnership with Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation are the housing partners on the pilot project, and five tiny homes are now fully site-serviced and operated by the Chippewas community.

The build program trains students in an interesting and practical way which, in turn, will lead to in-demand, meaningful jobs, building a better and brighter Ontario.

I’d like to welcome the grade 10 students from Père-Philippe-Lamarche secondary school from my riding of Scarborough Centre this morning to Queen’s Park.

It is my great pleasure to welcome the Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario in the members’ gallery, one of whom is a University of Windsor student.

I would also like to welcome faculty from the University of Windsor—the university is proudly in my riding: Dr. Gordon, Dr. Houser, Dr. Georgie, who I’ll be meeting with later, Dr. Van Heyst, Dr. Sheppard-LeMoine, Dr. Porter, Dr. Marquardt, Dr. Kar, Dr. Carriveau and Dr. Pratt.

Go, Lancers, go!

On behalf of my colleague, the member for Thunder Bay–Superior North and the NDP caucus, I’d like to welcome members from the Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario, in particular Camille Duhaime, the treasurer, and Brandon Rhéal Amyot, a student at Lakehead University. Welcome.