My question is to the Premier. We understand the urgency of getting affordable housing built in Ontario. Families are struggling to pay their rent and find an affordable home. However, folks in Niagara and across this province are perplexed by this government’s move to address this crisis by allowing the Premier to hand-pick and install regional chairs, whenever he pleases, to do his bidding.

In Niagara, Regional Councillor Wayne Redekop recently said, “This is the second election in a row that this government interfered with the election of the chair.... In 2018,” they “revoked the right of the residents of Niagara to elect the chair directly. Now in 2022,” they are “revoking the right of the elected representatives of the residents to select the chair.”

Why won’t this government work collaboratively to address the affordable housing crisis and stop this ham-fisted and insulting power grab?

Churchill once said that democracy is the worst form of government except for all others. Why do the Premier and John Tory prefer the other ones?

Experts predict that Ontario’s population is expected to increase by 30% over the next two decades. With this growing population, our infrastructure must grow with it. Modernizing our public infrastructure and building a seamless transportation network will help Ontario meet our current and future demands and will help strengthen the economy. Unfortunately, under the previous Liberal government, supported by the NDP, the people of my riding endured years of delay and neglect when it came to building essential projects.

Can the Minister of Infrastructure please update the House on our government’s progress in addressing our infrastructure needs?

When building for today and the future, we can’t allow the mistakes made by the previous Liberal government to impact us as we move forward. Under the previous Liberal government, they delayed, neglected and closed critical infrastructure, when we needed investments to be made.

Can the minister please share with the House what our government is doing to deliver effective and resilient infrastructure for all Ontarians?

The Speaker is standing.

Supplementary question?

Interjections.

Start the clock. Member for Don Valley East.

The Minister of Health, to reply.

The next question.

My question is for the Premier. During question period, the parliamentary assistant for health said that she was “tired of listening to people trying” to instill fear “by using words and expressions like ‘the worst crisis in generations’....” I’m wondering if she’s including health care workers like Pam. Pam is a CUPE nurse in Oshawa emergency. Pam says that this is the worst crisis in generations. Pam has been a nurse for 36 years and told me that she can’t do this anymore. She said, “This is the worst I’ve ever seen it. I don’t know why we’re still here. I guess it’s because we love the people who need us. It’s not because of how the government treats us.”

My question is, why does the Conservative government think they know better than health care workers like Pam?

I am proud to talk about the innovation and the changes we have made because, bluntly, our health care system was not looked after during the previous administration—15 years of ignoring Auditor General reports talking about a lack of family physicians that will be needed in northern Ontario. What did we do? We have initiated two new medical schools in the province of Ontario, historic investments in health care.

The member opposite has a lot of audacity, when his party was the one that cut residencies in the province of Ontario. What has our government done? We’ve increased those positions. We’ve made sure that there are opportunities for people who want to practise medicine in the province of Ontario to have those opportunities. We will continue to do that and we will proudly communicate that message.

Interjections.

Interjections.

Interjections.

There is no doubt that our health care workers in the province of Ontario have gone above and beyond in the last three years, which is why our government will continue to go above and beyond to make sure they have the appropriate workforce, the appropriate workplaces, safe workplaces, to continue to do this important work.

My question today is for the Minister of Health—

Interjection.

We’ve heard this government crow about restarting the CPSO’s practice-ready assessment program—the same program they cancelled in 2018. We’ve seen them pat each other on the back for asking hospitals to make surge plans—the same surge plans all hospitals make every year, whether a minister asks them to or not. We’ve heard them celebrate being in a position so dire that they have to ask SickKids staff to train nurses in community hospitals outside of their scope of practice. And we’ve heard them claim they’re keeping students in school, even though tens of thousands of them miss class every day because of respiratory illnesses. All the while, ER wait times get worse and worse.

Will the Minister of Health admit that this crisis has slipped out of the government’s hands, and instead present a real plan?

Next, I’d like to remark to the Minister of Health that—

Interjections.

Interjections.

I’m still struggling to understand how this government continues to cherry-pick their stats to defend the state of our health care system. They brag about starting two new medical schools, even though they haven’t moved beyond the planning stages for either. Why should we believe they can deliver on those when they can’t even deliver on licence plates? They also talk about their—

Supplementary question?

My question is for the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.

As we know, the Ontario Disability Support Program was not a priority for the previous Liberal government. Unfortunately, because of their inaction, the most vulnerable in our province were forced to deal with an outdated system. Ontarians that rely on this program deserve better.

In our recent fall economic statement, our government has implemented a modernized approach to better address and support individuals who receive support through this program. Speaker, can the minister please update the House on how our government is transforming social assistance and what the reaction has been?

It is exactly the health care workers who we are listening to when we put forward programs like the dedicated offload nursing program, to make sure that our community care paramedics, our paramedicine experts can go in, have that dedicated offload nurse help to stabilize the patient and have that paramedic turnaround.

It is exactly why we are listening to paramedics when they say, “We can do things differently if you only change a few policies,” and we’ve done that with the 911 change, where instead of always having to go to an emergency department, they can, with the patient’s approval, take them to a long-term-care home, a mental health facility, other opportunities. We are listening to the experts in the field, the experts on the front line, to make sure that we provide better care.

I want to reinforce that this is an agreement that was reached with the Ontario Medical Association—voted upon by their members—and it will ensure that while virtual care continues, it will be appropriate. We don’t want to replace in-person care with 100% virtual care. We’ve seen that there is value in virtual care in the province of Ontario, but we also need to make sure that there is a balance—to have individuals access their primary care physicians. That’s what the OMA agreement has done.

I very much resent the suggestion that virtual care is appropriate in 100% of cases. We need to make sure that that balance is there. We need to make sure that we have individuals having access to their family care physicians, their primary care physicians, nurse practitioners—all of those organizations that are providing care in our community. That work will continue.

Virtual care in the province of Ontario will continue. What changes is an agreement that was reached with the Ontario Medical Association, voted on by their members and supported by their members—a historic agreement that did not have to go to arbitration. That never happened under the Liberals and the NDP.

I want to thank the member from Windsor–Tecumseh for that question and all the work he’s doing to bring the concerns of the people of Windsor to Queen’s Park.

Auto workers are the backbone of Windsor and Ontario’s economy. These are good-paying union jobs, with pensions and benefits. These are jobs where you can buy a home with a two-car garage, raise your family and take your kids to hockey practice at the end of your shift.

Speaker, when our automotive industry suffers, we all suffer. Last week, I joined the member for Essex in standing shoulder to shoulder with Unifor Local 444 president, Dave Cassidy, in Windsor. Together, we announced more than $550,000 for employment action centres to support more than 800 auto workers and their families. We’re leaving no one behind.

I’ll share more in our supplemental.

To build a stronger Ontario that works for everyone, labour, business and government must work together. That’s why I was honoured to stand with our partners to announce employment action centres for their workers. Working with Unifor Local 444 and Local 195, our action centres are supporting affected workers by hosting job-searching sessions, organizing individually tailored career planning, providing one-to-one peer counselling and mental health supports, and supporting resumé and cover letter writing. All of these services are focused on helping workers to re-enter the workforce quickly.

Mr. Speaker, it’s this government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, that has the backs of our auto workers. We’re helping them find new good jobs today and preparing them for better jobs and bigger paycheques tomorrow.

To build Ontario, we need all hands on deck.

Back to the Premier—I hope I get an answer from the Premier: Nelson is a CUPE building operator at Oakville hospital. He told me that Halton hospital had people waiting in emerg for 12 and a half hours because they had no nurses at all. They called Oakville for assistance, but Oakville couldn’t help. They had 50 people lined up at their emerg, and they only had one triage nurse.

Nelson said, “In the past two years, 30 people have quit. Nobody wants to work here. It’s never been like this. It’s never been this bad.”

Speaker, will the Premier finally listen to health care workers like Pam and Nelson, admit Ontario’s health care is on life support and be part of the solution by investing in public health care and repealing Bill 124?

My question is to Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. The sacrifice, hard work and dedication of the Ontario worker has made our province economically sound, prosperous and strong. Unfortunately, Ontario is not immune to the impacts that geopolitical instability, high inflation and supply chain disruptions continue to cause to the global economy.

In my communities of Windsor and Tecumseh, ongoing economic challenges are adversely affecting our business and manufacturing sectors. It’s imperative that our government continue to stand in support with the Ontario worker during these uncertain times.

Speaker, what is our government doing to support those whose jobs have been affected, and what programs do we have in place to assist them?

With roughly 13,000 jobs unfilled in our region, including Windsor and Sarnia, skilled trades jobs are in high demand and favourably looked upon. Our government must continue to show leadership in advancing the vital importance of skilled trades and manufacturing job opportunities in our province.

Speaker, my question is once again to the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development: What is our government doing to invest in our employment services to help our highly skilled workers?

Ma question est pour la ministre de la Santé.

Last week, the government sent a letter directing primary care organizations to offer clinical services seven days a week, including evenings, due to high-volume pressures across our health care system. But starting this Thursday, people with children will have to pay.

Here’s what Gail Kirk had to say:

“I guess my Christmas presents to my four-year-old granddaughter and my four-month-old grandson will be a $290 annual subscription to KixCare.

“Gramma who lives on CPP and OAS will have to do the government’s job of ensuring access to health care.

“If this is your idea of improving access, then get out of politics.”

What would the minister like to say to Mrs. Gail Kirk?

“My kids are away at school, my parents are elderly and live in a rural area with no WiFi”—Nickel Belt—“I can’t emphasize enough how much we depended on phone GP appointments....

“I’m really concerned my very ill parents will contract COVID at their doctor’s office, and that seems unnecessary and ludicrous.”

Speaker, is decreasing access to telephone consultations during a time of urgent system pressures ludicrous, or is it other proof that the minister is trying to push patients to private services where they pay out of pocket?

Thank you to the member from Lanark–Frontenac–Kingston for the very good question. He is absolutely right: Our government is making a long overdue transformation of the ODSP, a program that has faced challenges for many years. Earlier this fall, we made the largest increase to ODSP rates in decades. But our work was not done there, and we knew it. That’s why, two weeks ago, we announced the first-ever annual alignment of ODSP rates to inflation. Each of these measures will make a real difference in people’s lives.

This year’s increase in rates is putting money in the pockets of people who need it most to cover life’s essentials, and tying rates to inflation means people can be assured that their ODSP rates will keep up.

Speaker, this is important work and our government will continue to do it.

Thank you to the minister for her response. Our government’s track record of supporting those who depend on social assistance is clear. In response to our recent program transformation, the CEO of Community Living Ontario, Chris Beesley, stated that these changes are “a signal from the government, that they are listening” and that “this is a definite step in the right direction.” While these words are encouraging, we all know that there is more to be done to support those on social assistance.

Speaker, once again, can the minister please explain what further actions our government is taking to improve the experience of people on ODSP?

Ontario’s population is projected to grow by as much as six million over the next two decades, with the greater Toronto area experiencing the most significant increase. According to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp., Ontario has seen over 7,200 housing starts for October. While this is a positive development, more needs to be done to help reach our goal of building 1.5 million homes in the coming decade. Can the Associate Minister of Housing please share what our government is doing to increase housing construction in our province?

While the leadership we have shown is encouraging, the people of my riding are concerned about their ability to own a home in their local communities and neighbourhoods. They want to see all levels of government working together to address this issue. Once again to the Associate Minister of Housing: How is our government providing immediate support for Ontarians looking for a new home?

I want to thank my honourable colleague the member for Mississauga–Erin Mills for the question and the great work that he does on behalf of his constituents.

It’s no secret that a lot is currently at stake with the global economic markets. Inflation is high and food prices have skyrocketed out of control around the world. However, when it comes to housing, we are doing everything we can to deliver on the promise that we made to Ontarians. We have taken important steps forward through legislation like strong mayors, the More Homes Built Faster Act and the Better Municipal Governance Act to get shovels in the ground faster than ever before.

To give an example, we have removed development charges for affordable housing units and provided discounts for rental housing options because we are committed to solving the housing crisis. We believe every single Ontarian deserves to have a home.

Thank you to the member opposite for that question. Mr. Speaker, we recognize the impacts that the pandemic has had on the well-being of children across Ontario. As a result of that, we have made investments and have continued to make investments: $20 million, for instance, on an across-the-board 5% increase in funding to increase all core mental health supports and addictions services for children and youth. This includes $2.7 million for new hubs in Guelph, Renfrew, Timmins and Windsor. The youth wellness hubs are actually providing immediate support to children and youth so that they can have a place that’s safe and culturally appropriate to go and get help.

Through our Addictions Recovery Fund, as well, we have invested $8 billion to another eight hubs to continue to increase capacity for children and youth. These sites have helped over 12,000 people—children between the ages of 12 and 25, with low-barrier addictions and mental health supports.

We know how critical the supports are for our children and youth and we are making investments to ensure that they have the help they need, where they need it.

We inherited an incredible situation when we came to government and I have some questions that I ask myself all the time. For instance, why were the Liberals, with investments at $11 million, sending children with eating disorders to the United States, rather than building continuums of care here in the province? In 2010, there was a report from the standing committee where there were recommendations that were made. How many of those recommendations were put into practice? Zero.

Speaking about the NDP, who stood beside them, 13% of Ontario mental health beds—9,645 hospital beds across the province—were closed under their leadership—