I rise today to speak about a constituent of mine from Stittsville, Cara McNulty. Through her advocacy group, Life Jackets for Life, she is a tireless and hard-working advocate for children’s safety. Her group’s goal is to change the law to require children to wear life jackets on small vessel boats. Just over four years ago, her 11-year-old son, Joshua Steinburg, passed away in a drowning accident. The 26-foot speedboat he was riding hit a wave, and Joshua had removed his life jacket just minutes before the accident.

Joshua’s story is not the only one—hundreds of boat drowning accidents happen each year. According to the OPP in 2020, over the last decade, 80% of the people who died in investigated boat drowning incidents were not wearing a life jacket.

These deaths are preventable.

Norm Miller, the former MPP for Parry Sound–Muskoka, introduced legislation in this House, in the form of a private member’s bill, in order to make the wearing of life jackets mandatory. That bill never made it through the House. I’m hoping that I can work with members from all sides of the House and all parties to reintroduce Norm Miller’s legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Cara and every person who has lost a loved one to drowning: Whether you are fishing or riding your speedboat, always wear a life jacket. It saves lives.

I’d like to welcome, from Diabetes Canada, Russell Williams, Ashley Bergwerff, Terezinha Hignett, Walter Robinson, and John Whitehead. My caucus colleagues and I, and some other members as well, look forward to meeting with them during lunch today. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

My question is for the Associate Minister of Housing. Ottawa is home to over a million Ontarians and is among Canada’s largest cities. Significant population growth is projected over the next decade for the Ottawa area, including in my riding of Carleton.

Ottawa and the surrounding areas are favourable destinations for newcomers to settle. With new immigration targets set by the federal government, there is a real concern regarding housing availability needs to meet both current and future demands. As many newcomers will arrive in Ottawa and the surrounding areas, housing availability will remain a pressing concern.

Speaker, through you: Can the Associate Minister of Housing please explain what our government is doing to provide housing relief for new and existing Ontarians living in the Ottawa area?

Interjection: A great minister.

It’s really reassuring that our government is implementing strategies addressing housing availability in Ontario, including in communities in my riding of Carleton, like Findlay Creek, Riverside South, Stittsville, Greely and more. By working with all levels of government, housing supply will expand to address the needs of the current population and newcomers settling in the Ottawa area.

Through you, Mr. Speaker: Can the Associate Minister of Housing please expand on our government’s plan to address housing projects that will benefit local communities in Ottawa?

I’d like to welcome from the great riding of Carleton one of my constituents, Glenn van Gulik, who is here with the Salvation Army today. Welcome to Queen’s Park.