Mr. Speaker, I thank the member from Niagara West, who is acutely aware of how vital tourism is for businesses and families. Tourism supports almost 400,000 jobs across our province. Tourism activity has recently reached its highest level since the onset of the pandemic, and our government support is helping Ontario’s tourism and the industry re-emerge as an economic powerhouse. We provided $200 million in targeted funding to address the challenges that affected every segment of tourism.

This year, we’re encouraging everyone to explore Ontario and support local tourism with the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit. All signs point to great growth. Domestic and foreign visitors are travelling to Ontario again, thankfully. Attractions, sporting events, festivals and concerts have welcomed back in-person fans and audiences. Hotels and restaurants are filling up again.

I know the industry continues to face challenges, but I’m very confident they will continue to get better—

Interjection.

We’re investing in Niagara: for example, more than $1.5 million this year to our Reconnect Ontario fund for festivals and events ranging from the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival to Niagara Falls Music Live.

One of the ministry’s strategic priorities in 2022-23 is supporting tourism in the Niagara Falls region by working with the impacted sectors and the region to recover to pre-pandemic tourism levels and beyond. It’s important to get past where we were. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with a number of stakeholders: the Niagara Parks Commission, tourist attraction operators and hoteliers. They are ready to grow and ready to go.

Recent reports have shown that housing starts in Canada have decreased by 11% compared to the previous month.

The ongoing housing supply shortage concerns many hard-working Ontarians in my riding. Individuals and families are worried about their economic futures and the ability to achieve their dream of home ownership.

Mr. Speaker, the other day, my niece, who is a civil engineer, posed a question to me. She said, “Uncle, you and Mom are lucky because you and your generation can buy a house. Our generation cannot buy a house. We are unfortunate.” Imagine, two professionals, my niece and her husband, with good-paying jobs—they cannot afford to buy a house in Ontario.

Our government must take bold and decisive action now to help those who have felt left behind in the housing market. Can the Associate Minister of Housing please share with us what our government is doing to deliver on our mandate of building 1.5 million homes in Ontario?

Having a roof over your head is exactly why the government, in 2018, dealt with this exemption, so that we could have the type of climate that we experienced in 2021.

The fact of the matter is, Speaker, we had the most rental construction in over 30 years, and that’s something that helps all tenants in the province. We’re going to continue to work with our partners to increase the supply of housing. That’s why, in Bill 23, the deepest development charge discounts for purpose-built rental are family and affordable rentals. We want to encourage—we want to keep building upon the success of the rent control exemption by providing further incentive to build that type of rental housing that I think we can all agree we need again right across this province.

Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

Our government has consistently been committed to adapting to the realities that vulnerable people are facing with issues such as high inflation. We are looking at making sure they have the supports they need. That’s why we’ve given the ODSP rates the increase of decades—never been done before by previous governments. The 5% is a historic increase. We’ve aligned it with inflation, understanding that inflation increases create a real hardship for people. And we’ve made the earnings exemption—we’ve quintupled; a 400% increase to that earnings exemption, lifting people up, making sure they’re getting connected to the workforce as needed. And we’re supporting those who can’t work. But we know to have meaningful work, to create an environment in their communities, in their families, working with the Ministry of Labour and also working with the Minister of Health, working with the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, to understand all the other supports we’ve put in there—

The announcement in the fall economic statement is a game-changer. That’s what our colleagues in the community said—that was Mark Wafer.

The advocacy of many over the past few years has resulted in an exciting new future for Ontarians with disabilities, who will now have more money in their pockets while contributing for themselves, their families and the economy at large.

We will continue to do this important work because we know how important it is for people who can work and those who cannot.

Thank you. The supplementary question.

Rent banks are not the answer; rent control is.

My constituent Ben lives at 55 Quebec Avenue and is facing an increase of 11.6%. He’s a single dad who already spends 60% of his take-home pay on rent. Now he will be paying an extra $300 per month on top of that.

Ben lives in a new building that doesn’t need any major repairs or upgrades. He doesn’t understand why this kind of predatory increase is legal. Can the minister explain to Ben why he’s allowing these kinds of predatory rent increases instead of helping Ontarians keep a roof over their head?

Many families in the Niagara region rely on tourism directly and indirectly for their jobs and their livelihoods. From tourist attractions on Lundy’s Lane to the numerous wineries stretching from Grimsby to Niagara-on-the-Lake to the northern shore of Lake Erie, there are world-class destinations that showcase Niagara’s beauty and diversity.

However, while we see that the tourism sector is recovering from the pandemic, some businesses are still struggling, and we know that that’s because they were hit first and hardest. So I’m wondering if the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport could tell the House a little bit more about what the government is doing to ensure the tourism sector is recovering from COVID, now and going forward?

Restaurants, hotels and small businesses all benefit from tourism dollars, and when those tourism dollars drop, we all feel the impact. Not only is it essential to sustain Niagara’s tourism sector, but it’s equally important to build upon its historic strength and its reputation moving forward. Could the minister commit to an aggressive strategy to support Niagara’s tourism sector today and going forward?

Ma question est pour la ministre des Transports.

As you know, winter road maintenance is an issue for northern Ontario. However, there are many other factors that come into play for road safety. As storms make their way and highways shut down, many of the accidents are caused involving transport trucks.

I know that the minister receives daily reports from the MTO regarding our roads. Drivers are assigned long hauls on our northern highways with little to no experience driving in winter conditions. We have seen how many lives have been lost over the years. Their inexperience is putting our residents’ lives at risk. What will your ministry do to address the lack of training and experience on winter road conditions of these drivers and the training providers?

« À l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario :

« Alors que les Ontariennes et les Ontariens devraient obtenir des soins de santé en fonction de leurs besoins—et non de la taille de leur portefeuille;

« Alors que le premier ministre, Doug Ford, et la ministre de la Santé, Sylvia Jones, ont déclaré qu’ils prévoyaient privatiser certaines parties des soins de santé;

« Alors que la privatisation poussera les infirmières, les médecins et les PSSP hors de nos hôpitaux publics, aggravant ainsi la crise des soins de santé;

« Alors que la privatisation se termine toujours avec une facture pour les patients;

« Par conséquent, nous, soussignés, demandons à l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario d’arrêter immédiatement tous les plans visant à privatiser davantage le système de soins de santé de l’Ontario et de résoudre la crise des soins de santé en :

« —abrogeant la loi 124 et recrutant, retenant et respectant les médecins, les infirmières et les PSSP avec de meilleurs salaires et conditions de travail;

« —certifiant les titres de compétences de dizaines de milliers d’infirmières et d’autres professionnels de la santé formés à l’étranger déjà en Ontario, qui attendent des années et paient des milliers de dollars pour être autorisés à travailler;

« —rendant l’éducation et la formation gratuites ou peu coûteuses pour les infirmières, les médecins et les autres professionnels de la santé;

« —incitant les médecins et les infirmières à choisir de vivre et travailler dans le nord de l’Ontario;

« —finançant les hôpitaux pour qu’ils aient suffisamment d’infirmières à chaque quart de travail, dans chaque département. »

Je supporte cette motion. Je vais la signer et demander à Mabel d’aller porter la pétition en avant au « Clerk ».

Thank you to the associate minister for that answer. Ontario’s population is steadily increasing, but housing construction is not keeping pace. With Ontario families feeling disadvantaged due to the housing supply shortage, it is clear that we must take action now to work with all levels of government to respond to this issue. We must take the initiative to empower our municipalities, as they play a crucial role in supporting Ontario’s housing needs.

Speaker, can the Associate Minister of Housing please share how our government works with our municipal leaders to prioritize housing supply?

I was going to do the same point of order. But I want to say to the tourist minister, I’m glad you did do it, because I know you’re a Hamilton Ti-Cat fan. I’m an Argo fan, so congratulations to the Argos. It was one of the best Grey Cups I’ve watched in a long time, 24-23.

Let’s have a great parade for them. They deserve it.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t congratulate the winners of the 109th Grey Cup game that was played in Saskatchewan, these Toronto Argonauts. Congratulations, boys.

Interjections.

I want to acknowledge the Minister of Labour for ongoing conversations about having a date for this apology.

“For an Official Statement of Apology on Behalf of the” Legislative Assembly “of Ontario to the McIntyre Powder Project Miners.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas over 25,000 Ontario mine workers were subjected by their employers to mandatory, non-consensual inhalation of finely ground aluminum dust known as ‘McIntyre Powder’ between 1943 and 1979, as a scientifically unproven industrial medical treatment for the lung disease silicosis; and

“Whereas the government of Ontario” of the day “supported and sanctioned the McIntyre Powder aluminum prophylaxis program despite the availability of safe and proven alternatives to effective silicosis prevention measures such as improved dust control and ventilation, and also despite expert evidence from the international scientific and medical community as early as 1946 that recommended against the use of McIntyre Powder treatments; and

“Whereas the miners who were forced to inhale McIntyre Powder experienced distress, immediate and long-term health effects from their experiences and exposures associated with aluminum inhalation treatments, as documented through their participation in the McIntyre Powder Project;

“We, the undersigned, petition the” Legislative Assembly “of Ontario to provide an official statement of apology to the McIntyre Powder Project miners.”

I agree with this petition; I believe that my colleagues across the aisle do, as well. I will sign it and give it to page Camilla.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s social assistance rates are well below Canada’s official Market Basket Measure poverty line and far from adequate to cover the rising costs of food and rent: $733 for individuals on OW and soon $1,227 for ODSP;

“Whereas an open letter to the Premier and two cabinet ministers, signed by over 230 organizations, recommends that social assistance rates be doubled for both Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP);

“Whereas the recent small budget increase of 5% for ODSP still leaves these citizens well below the poverty line, both they and those receiving the frozen OW rates are struggling to live in this time of alarming inflation;

“Whereas the government of Canada recognized in its CERB program that a basic income of $2,000 per month was the standard support required by individuals who lost their employment during the pandemic;

“We, the undersigned citizens of Ontario, petition the Legislative Assembly to double social assistance rates for OW and ODSP.”

I fully support this petition. I will be affixing my signature and passing it to page Aiden to take to the table.

This petition is entitled “Develop an Ontario Dementia Strategy.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas it currently takes on average 18 months for people in Ontario to get an official dementia diagnosis, with some patients often waiting years to complete diagnostic testing;

“Whereas more than half of patients suspected of having dementia in Ontario never get a full diagnosis; research confirms that early diagnosis saves lives and reduces care-partner stress;

“Whereas a PET scan test approved in Ontario in 2017 which can be key to detecting Alzheimer’s early, is still not covered under OHIP in 2022;

“Whereas the Ontario government must work together with the federal government to prepare for the approval and rollout of future disease-modifying therapies and research;

“Whereas the Alzheimer Society projects that one million Canadians will be caregivers for people with dementia, with families providing approximately 1.4 billion hours of care per year by 2050;

“Whereas research findings show that Ontario will spend $27.8 billion between 2023 and 2043 on alternate-level-of-care (ALC) and long-term-care (LTC) costs associated with people living with dementia;

“Whereas the government must follow through with its commitment to ensure Ontario’s health care system has the capacity to meet the current and future needs of people living with dementia and their care partners;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, call on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to develop, commit and fund a comprehensive Ontario dementia strategy.”

It’s my pleasure to affix my signature to the petition and give it to page Oriana.

The supplementary question.

The division bells rang from 1147 to 1152.

On November 17, 2022, Mr. Tabuns moved second reading of Bill 14, An Act to enact the Climate Crisis Health Action Plan Act, 2022, the Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public Sector Act, 2022 and the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Act, 2022.

All those in favour of the motion will please rise and remain standing until recognized by the Clerk.

Second reading negatived.

The House recessed from 1157 to 1300.

The House did not receive a report on Thursday, November 17, 2022, from the following committees:

—the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, for the Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade; Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development; Office of the Premier; Cabinet Office; and Treasury Board Secretariat;

—the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy, for the Ministry of Transportation; Ministry of Infrastructure; Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing; and Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries;

—the Standing Committee on Justice Policy, for the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, Ministry of Francophone Affairs, and Ministry of the Solicitor General.

—the Standing Committee on Social Policy, for the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Long-Term Care.

Pursuant to standing order 66(b), the 2022-23 estimates of these ministries and offices are deemed to be passed by the respective committees and are deemed to be reported to and received by the House.

Pursuant to standing order 66(d), an order for concurrence for each of the ministries and offices will be placed on the Orders and Notices paper.

Report deemed received.

I have a petition in support of the Stay Home If You Are Sick Act. It reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas there is overwhelming evidence to show that paid sick days significantly reduce the spread of infectious disease, promote preventative health care and reduce health care system costs; and

“Whereas 60% of Ontario workers do not have access to paid sick days, and cannot afford to lose their pay if they are sick; and

“Whereas low-wage and precarious workers are the most likely to be denied paid sick days; and

“Whereas enabling workers to stay home when they are sick without losing pay helps limit the spread of illness in the workplace and allows workers to recover faster; and

“Whereas during an infectious disease emergency, it is unreasonable and dangerous to public health to make workers choose between protecting their communities and providing for their families; and

“Whereas legislating paid sick days through the Employment Standards Act, with transitional financial support for struggling small businesses, will ensure that workers have seamless, uninterrupted access to their pay;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to immediately pass Bill 4, the Stay Home If You Are Sick Act, to provide Ontario workers with 10 annual employer-paid days of personal emergency leave and 14 days of paid leave in the case of an infectious disease emergency.”

I couldn’t agree more with this petition, will affix my signature and will send it to the table with page Oriana.

I appreciate the question from the member opposite this morning. There is no question that road safety is a priority for this government. And that, of course, includes the great people of northern Ontario, who, frankly, face many different driving conditions than we may here in the south.

That’s why, Speaker, we have introduced a series of measures to keep our roads safe. Training is one of them, but also a firm commitment to clear snow as quickly as possible. In fact, we just introduced on Highways 11 and 17, after a detailed technical review, a change in the standard of clearing snow from 16 hours after a heavy winter snowstorm to 12 hours, Speaker. This is going to make sure that our roads remain safe. We’re widening Highway 69, which was a priority of this government since 2018.

We’re always listening. There is always more work that could be done, Speaker, but this government is committed to keeping our roads safe. That includes the great people of the north. This government is going to get the job done.

I stand up to wish my seatmate a happy birthday today.

Deferred vote on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 14, An Act to enact the Climate Crisis Health Action Plan Act, 2022, the Ontario Climate Crisis Strategy for the Public Sector Act, 2022 and the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Act, 2022 / Projet de loi 14, Loi édictant la Loi de 2022 sur le Plan d’action sur la crise climatique et la santé, la Loi de 2022 sur la Stratégie du secteur public de l’Ontario relative à la crise climatique et la Loi de 2022 sur le Comité spécial de l’action relative à la crise climatique.

Sorry, I actually had a point of order, Speaker.

In accordance with standing order 7(e), I just wish to inform the House that tonight’s evening meeting is cancelled.