Ontario is providing $175 million to hospitals through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund and over $7.6 million to community health service providers through the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund. Within the region of Durham, the Lakeridge Health network will be receiving approximately $1.32 million and the Carea Community Health Centre, $87,000.

This funding allows health care system partners like Lakeridge Health to address urgent infrastructure renewal needs, such as upgrades or replacements of roofs, windows and security systems. These are essential improvements that will, in return, deliver excellent care to patients on the front line in a safe and comfortable environment. Through the 2022 Ontario budget, Ontario’s Plan to Build, and as part of its plan to build a stronger, more convenient and connected health care system, the government is implementing the most ambitious plan for hospital expansion in Ontario’s history. This includes supporting more than 50 major hospital projects that would add 3,000 new beds over 10 years.

The short answer is, no. Obviously, Bill 7 is about the right care in the right place at the right time. We’ve said that right from the beginning. I don’t think anybody would suggest that the right place for somebody who wants to be in a long-term-care home is in a hospital bed. That is obviously not the right place for them. What Bill 7 allows us to do is continue those conversations to ensure that somebody who is waiting for a long-term-care bed can get access to that long-term-care bed.

In fact, Mr. Speaker, last week alone, over 330 ALC patients have chosen to go to long-term-care beds in the province of Ontario. It is a better quality of care; it is where they want to be. Very plainly to the member opposite: No, we will not repeal Bill 7 because it is in the best interest of people who are sitting in acute-care beds, keeping beds away from people who need them, and from people who want to be in long-term care. We’ll continue to work with patients to ensure that they can transition from being a patient to being a resident in a home.

Now, we’ve gone even further than that. It wasn’t just about Bill 7. It’s also about the staffing, Mr. Speaker. That’s why we’ve increased staffing to four hours of care. We’ve made that commitment, and each and every year, we’re adding onto that commitment. In fact, in the member’s own riding—now, get this, Mr. Speaker—he voted against it. He voted against an increase in staffing of $4 million in 2021. He voted against $10 million the year after. He’s voted against $18 million for 2021-22 and he’s also voted against $26 million in extra nursing care in his own riding to support the over 400 new and redeveloped beds in his own community.