Thank you to the member from Etobicoke–Lakeshore for that important and timely question. I say “timely” because, just last week, I was excited to announce that our government is providing over $10 million to help Mitacs, an organization that builds research partnerships between post-secondary institutions and industry, to create 2,700 paid internships for post-secondary students. We are so pleased to be supporting post-secondary students and partners through experiential learning programs like Mitacs that prepare students with skills and training needed for jobs in an innovative economy. They will not only help prepare students for the workforce through on-the-job learning but will also help to remove the stress of worrying about financial compensation.

Even further, Speaker, these internships allow employers to connect with emerging leaders in their fields, nurture talent and develop their industry.

Investing in skills training opportunities for students and recent graduates is part of our government’s plan to work for workers—supporting Ontario’s economic growth for positioning students and businesses for success.

We have made tremendous strides towards connecting students to work online or in person, part-time and full-time, across disciplines, across Ontario. In the last five years, Ontario has spent over $57 million to support Mitacs to create over 14,000 research internships, and over the next 10 years, we will be investing $500 million to support research opportunities across Ontario.

We will continue to invest in training our post-secondary students to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, because when students succeed, Ontario succeeds.

Speaker, what the minister is talking about is what the community needs to do to support the hospital. I’m asking what the government is going to do to support the hospital. Empty words and gestures are not good enough. The Premier has offered no aid to McMaster, even though wait times have spiked to 12-plus hours just over this past weekend. His government is sitting on $2.1 billion of budget surplus dollars and they’re not spending it.

Will the Premier commit today to spending surplus dollars to support McMaster’s hospital and our pediatric care crisis?

Speaker, this Premier and government know that health care is in crisis. Can you imagine going into the emergency room and hearing the pleas of a patient in another emergency room, asking, “When am I going to see a doctor? The pain is so horrific. Please, can I see a doctor? When will someone be able to help me?” That’s what we’re hearing in emergency rooms.

In London, London Health Sciences Centre has reported a 20-hour wait time in emergency rooms. And now, reports are coming from across the province that there’s a dire shortage of ambulances available.

Just last week, I heard from a constituent who had two incidents last month where they called for ambulance services and had to wait for hours for it to arrive to help his wife who had fallen and couldn’t get up. They had to cancel one of the calls because repairmen arrived and were able to help.

My question is, what is this government doing to ensure that people have emergency care services when they need them?

When will the Premier and the Minister of Health respond to the proposal and help fix the problem in London, and across the province, so people have access to ambulance services when they need them the most?

Speaker, my question is for our great Minister for Seniors and Accessibility.

Ontario’s older residents and people with disabilities deserve more inclusive opportunities to stay fit, active, healthy and socially connected in their communities. I have heard from residents across all of northern Ontario about the accessibility issues they face when they are out and about. They face challenges that many of us have not ever considered.

Our government must continue demonstrating leadership by ensuring that Ontario is open and inclusive. Speaker, can the minister please tell us what our government is doing to ensure that people with disabilities in northern Ontario can fully participate in our great province?

Northern and rural communities were neglected for far too long under the previous Liberal government when it came to addressing their infrastructure needs. Seniors and people with disabilities experienced this neglect first-hand.

Speaker, can the minister please explain to the House why the funding for Blind River and across all of northern Ontario is so critical to our government’s overall mission of being open and accessible to everyone?

Supplementary?

Call in the members. This is a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1145 to 1150.

Ms. Khanjin has moved private member’s notice of motion number 8. All those in favour will please rise and remain standing until recognized by the Clerk.

Motion agreed to.

The House recessed from 1153 to 1300.

Report adopted.

Mr. Calandra moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 35, An Act to repeal the Keeping Students in Class Act, 2022 / Projet de loi 35, Loi abrogeant la Loi de 2022 visant à garder les élèves en classe.

First reading agreed to.

First reading agreed to.

Thank you to the member for asking such an important question. The member from Sault Ste. Marie is doing a marvellous job representing northern Ontario.

It was my pleasure to announce $32,500 in funding as part of our Inclusive Community Grants initiative at Blind River town council last week. The people of Blind River are top notch; they care and want to make their town as accessible as possible. I want to congratulate Mayor Sally Hagman and the entire council for their leadership in making the town a shining example of how any community across Ontario can become more inclusive.

Our Inclusive Community Grants aren’t only in Blind River but all across Ontario. We are investing to help ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to engage in their communities.

Again, congratulations to Mayor Hagman and all the council members of the town of Blind River.

I want to welcome some of my colleagues from the ministry office. Thank you for being here. You provide great support to me and my staff.

Just like Premier Davis before him, Premier Ford is building this great province with Ontario’s Plan to Build.

Today, Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to stand before my colleagues, old and new, to provide an update on the progress we have made on our plan to build Ontario.

Aujourd’hui, j’ai le privilège, en présence de mes anciens et nouveaux collègues, de faire le point sur les progrès que nous avons faits dans l’exécution de notre plan pour bâtir l’Ontario.

And together we have come so far. Together, we’ve invested in Ontario’s automotive and manufacturing capacity and supply chain to become a North American leader in building electric and hybrid vehicles and battery manufacturing.

Together, we’re unlocking the economic potential of critical minerals and the Ring of Fire of the north and connecting them to our world-class manufacturing capabilities in southern Ontario.

We’re building roads, we’re building highways, we’re building subways, and we’re building bridges.

Together, we’ve trained thousands of workers through significant investments in skills training.

Together, we’re keeping costs down for families, for workers and our seniors.

And, together, we’re expanding our health care workforce with more doctors, more nurses and more personal support workers. And we’re well under way on delivering on the largest expansion of long-term-care beds in this province’s history.

Mr. Speaker, in our 2022 Ontario economic outlook and fiscal review, we are tabling the first-ever Building Ontario Progress Report.

Monsieur le Président, dans le document Perspectives économiques et revue financière de 2022, nous présentons le tout premier rapport d’étape, « Bâtir l’Ontario ».

To build Ontario’s economy, we’re making progress in attracting investments and good jobs.

Over the last two years, we have attracted more than $16 billion, including $12.5 billion in electric vehicles and EV manufacturing of batteries right here in the province—and $2.5 billion in investments that will help make the province a world producer of clean steel.

Mr. Speaker, we released Ontario’s first-ever Critical Minerals Strategy to support better supply chain connections in northern and southern Ontario. And we are progressing on the roads to the Ring of Fire by supporting ongoing environmental assessment led by Marten Falls First Nation and Webequie First Nation, for both the Marten Falls community access road and the Webequie supply road.

Mr. Speaker, we continue to call on the federal government to be a full partner in the Ring of Fire and match our investment.

To build Ontario’s workforce, we’re making progress in training and educating students and workers to succeed today and tomorrow. The first two rounds of the Skills Development Fund delivered 388 training projects, helping more than 393,000 workers take the next step in their careers. And we’ve already added more than 11,700 health care workers to the system, including nurses and personal support workers. And after two years of pandemic disruptions, our government launched its Plan to Catch Up, so students are in classrooms learning, preparing for the jobs of the future.

To build infrastructure for Ontario, we’re making progress by getting shovels in the ground on critical projects all across Ontario. As I stand here, preliminary fieldwork is already under way for Highway 413, and early construction work has started on the Bradford Bypass. We have completed construction at the Union and Rutherford GO stations. And that’s not all: We broke ground and announced the preferred proponent teams for two key contracts on the Ontario Line. We’ve also invested over $950 million in nearly 190 broadband, cellular and satellite projects, bringing access to over 375,000 Ontario homes and businesses.

Mr. Speaker, to keep costs down, our government eliminated licence plate renewal fees as well as licence plate stickers, and refunded the past two years of fees for eligible vehicles. We continue to help make life more affordable for nearly eight million vehicle owners in Ontario. We’ve saved and continue to save money for Ontario households by temporarily cutting the gas tax and fuel tax, starting on July 1, 2022.

To secure our long-term prosperity, we must increase supply. That means building hospitals and housing, building highways and roads, and delivering manufacturing capacity in this province. And that is exactly what our government is doing. Each and every day, we’re getting it done. We’re continuing to say yes to building Ontario’s economy, yes to building Ontario’s workforce, yes to building Ontario’s infrastructure, and yes to keeping costs down for Ontario families and businesses.

Mr. Speaker, these are uncertain economic times. In 2022, Ontario’s consumer price inflation reached a near 40-year high.

La conjoncture économique est incertaine. En 2022, l’indice des prix à la consommation de l’Ontario a atteint un sommet inégalé depuis près de 40 ans.

We are suffering from high inflation because of the consequences of a worldwide pandemic and Russia’s illegal war on the Ukraine, which has caused supply disruptions across various industries. While inflation eased somewhat in September, the Bank of Canada increased interest rates another 50 basis points, and the cost of groceries and other everyday goods continues to remain stubbornly high. Taken together, the year ahead is likely to be marked by ongoing economic turbulence and a slowdown in growth. Understandably, this is putting financial pressure on families, workers and seniors. This is why our government has a responsible fiscal plan which will help us navigate these uncertain times. This is why, no matter what lies ahead, I have confidence in the resilience of Ontario’s economy, its workers and its people. And I have confidence in our plan.

Mr. Speaker, our fall economic statement also includes new targeted measures to advance our plan. After over 300,000 manufacturing jobs were lost under the previous government, our government is using the strength of our supply chains to support globally competitive, homegrown manufacturing.

Manufacturers are looking for ways to remove emissions from supply chains. That is why we’re proposing to launch a voluntary clean energy credit registry that will boost competitiveness and attract jobs—and Mr. Speaker, I even got a smile under that mask, from Mike Schreiner, across the way. This will also give businesses another tool to achieve their environmental and sustainability goals.

We’re also refocusing our approach to cutting red tape to clear up supply chain delays as well as to support Ontario’s agri‐food system so we can get goods and services to customers faster and help create more jobs.

Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Main Street Ontario matters. That’s why we’re proposing to increase the number of small businesses that could benefit from the small business tax rate. This change will lower costs for small businesses, providing $185 million in income tax relief over the next three years.

Our government recognizes the incredible potential of each and every person in this province. And people living with a disability shouldn’t be punished for working. That’s why we are proposing to increase the amount a person on the Ontario Disability Support Program, also known as ODSP, can earn, from $200 to $1,000 per month. This will not impact their other plentiful income tax supports that they deserve. This measure would encourage people with a disability who want to increase their work hours to do so and would promote more participation in the workforce—while not penalizing them for doing so. It would allow the approximately 25,000 individuals currently in the workforce to keep more of their earnings, and it could encourage as many as 25,000 more to participate in the workforce.

Our government also recognizes that there are many ODSP recipients who cannot work and that they need our continued support. That is why, in August, we announced a 5% increase to ODSP rates. Going forward, we plan to adjust ODSP rates to inflation, beginning in July 2023, so when the cost of living increases, income support would increase as well.

Nous entendons rajuster les prestations du Programme ontarien de soutien aux personnes handicapées en fonction de l’inflation, et ce, à compter de juillet 2023. Ainsi, quand le coût de la vie augmentera, le soutien du revenu augmentera aussi.

As we increase support for ODSP recipients, we also must look at reforms so we can improve access and make sure that those who need the support can get it faster.

We want everyone who is able and wants to pursue a job to know that their government is in their corner. That is why we are investing in skills training. Through our Skills Development Fund, we have supported groundbreaking programs that connect job seekers. Through our efforts in skills and training, we are ensuring that they have the skills they need to pursue new opportunities. And I’m pleased to announce today that we are investing an additional $40 million for the latest round of this program. This brings our total funding to a record $145 million.

The skilled trades present an opportunity for a successful career for thousands upon thousands of people, especially high school students. I’m pleased to share that our government is expanding the Dual Credit Program, creating direct pathways for high school students seeking a career in the trades or in early childhood education. This gives students the opportunity to complete credits towards both an Ontario secondary school diploma and a college credential or a certificate of apprenticeship so that they can begin work earlier. Mr. Speaker, there is a future in Ontario for young people in the trades.

As well, we know that these are challenging financial times for many in our province. This government understands that the last thing the people of Ontario need right now is a tax increase at the pumps. That is why we are proposing to extend the gas and fuel tax cuts until December 31, 2023. Extending these cuts would mean households of this province would save $195, on average, between July 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023.

Mr. Speaker, seniors built this province, and we owe them all a debt of gratitude—so thank you. But for too many low-income seniors, covering day-to-day costs has become a source of anxiety. Our government is proposing to double payments for all senior recipients of the Ontario Guaranteed Annual Income System program for 2023. This will provide a maximum increase of almost $1,000 per person for low-income seniors for the year.

Our government also recognizes that we are facing a difficult road ahead, and an economic slowdown in the near term is very real.

Monsieur le Président, notre gouvernement le sait bien : le chemin qui nous attend sera semé d’embûches, sans doute, et le spectre d’un ralentissement économique à brève échéance est bien réel.

When faced with this degree of uncertainty, we need to be flexible and forward-thinking, with a fiscal plan that is ready to support people and businesses when and if the time comes, while also laying a strong foundation for future generations. But for too long, previous governments have allowed our structural deficits to grow. Previous governments added almost $200 billion to Ontario’s debt, and what do they have to show for it? Enough highways?

It’s a great pleasure to introduce again Sharon Lee, an OLIP intern working with us and our team for the Ottawa Centre office.

Sharon, it’s nice to see you. Thank you for all your help.

It’s my honour to introduce Lawrence Chan, a 22-year-old newcomer and refugee from Hong Kong. He is now a member of the Toronto Centre riding association family.

We’re joined today by many trade union leaders. l want to recognize Laura Walton, president of OSBCU, and Fred Hahn, president of CUPE Ontario, as well as union leaders. Without naming all of them—because there are so many, I’m just going to name the unions and organizations: OFL, OPSEU, ONA, ETFO, OCUFA, Unifor, the society of professional engineers, OSSTF, the machinists, OECTA, the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, and other CUPE locals, including CUPE Local 7575. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Speaker, I cannot reinforce how pleased I am to hear the member opposite talk about, and encouraging, innovation in our health care system. The number of innovative ideas that have come, particularly through the paramedic system include, of course, the 911 model of care, which allows individuals to get treated outside of an emergency department. That idea came from paramedics. It came from chiefs who understood we have trained health care professionals who can do more, and are willing to do more.

We’ll continue to acknowledge, accept and review those innovative ideas, and approve them when appropriate. But again I cannot underline how pleased I am to hear the members opposite finally talking about embracing innovation in our health care system.

Thank you, Speaker. It’s self-explanatory. The bill allows us to continue working with our friends in education to ensure that our kids remain in school.

Mr. Bethlenfalvy moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 36, An Act to implement Budget measures and to enact and amend various statutes / Projet de loi 36, Loi visant à mettre en oeuvre les mesures budgétaires et à édicter et à modifier diverses lois.

A point of order, Mr. Speaker: I just want to take a moment to recognize Ms. Romana Siddiqui, chair of the parent involvement committee, PDSB, and proud mother of page Yusuf. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

The ayes are 105; the nays are 0.

Bill Pr2, An Act to revive 405456 Ontario Limited.

I beg leave to present a report from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs and move its adoption.

No.

Responses?

Enough transit?

Ontario’s projected deficit in 2022-23 is $12.9 billion. This is an improvement of $6.9 billion from the 2022 budget. Eliminating Ontario’s deficit while delivering on Ontario’s Plan to Build is a critical part of our government’s long-term vision for this province. After unprecedented spending in response to the pandemic, now is the time for governments to show restraint, to act cautiously and responsibly. Irresponsible spending today will only make inflation more painful and drag out the economic downturn.

The economic road ahead will not be easy, and Ontario is not an island, and we will not be immune to it. But there is nothing we cannot do together, no challenge that we cannot meet, no obstacle we cannot overcome. Whatever the economic uncertainty may bring, our government has a plan. Just like Bill Davis did so many years ago, under the leadership of Premier Ford we are building a stronger province. And no matter the obstacles we may face, we are steadfast—because one thing I am sure of is the strength and resilience of the people of this great province.

Together, let’s get it done. Let’s build Ontario.

It is a pleasure to rise on behalf of His Majesty’s official opposition to respond to the fall economic statement.

Budgeting is about priorities. The fall economic statement is a key opportunity to communicate with Ontarians. What the government is communicating today is that they don’t share our priorities of health, of education or of cost-of-living relief for low-income families.

This government’s economic update comes on the heels of a multi-billion dollar surplus. Instead of taking the opportunity to invest in our hospitals, they sit on billions. Amid a health care crisis, which is real, this government has not allocated a single new penny. We have seen cancelled surgeries across the province, ER closures, code reds in all of our communities, long waits. And now, for the first time in the history of the province, there is a shortage of pediatric ICU beds for children. Every single pediatric unit is full.

Just this morning, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health said the province’s health system is facing extraordinary pressures.

Despite the crisis before us, the government is projected to spend $6.2 billion less on health care than what is needed through to 2025.

I’m not sure if the members of the government in the House have seen the pictures of children and babies on ventilators, but I would urge you to pay attention to what is happening in our health care system.

As staffing shortages plague our hospitals, the Ford government touts that they have added 11,000 new health care workers since 2020, but informed reports say 47,000 new health care workers need to be hired per year for the next three years to maintain current service levels. And yet this government stubbornly holds on to Bill 124, which is wage-suppression legislation, which is driving health care workers out of this province. Health care workers are increasingly reporting exhaustion and burnout, and more and more health care workers are considering whole profession changes.

On the education front, over the last few weeks we saw the government lowballing CUPE education workers and imposing a collective agreement on them with meagre increases, well below inflation. The fall economic statement continues this trend of underspending. Comparing the document before us to the non-partisan Financial Accountability Officer’s report from October, the government will be short $1 billion in education through 2024-25. What does that mean for our kids? And what does that say about a government that doesn’t respect education workers and that doesn’t understand the damage that was done to our students and to our system throughout the pandemic?

The cost of living: Instead of addressing the housing affordability crisis, this government has downgraded its projection for housing starts in the coming years and has refused to fully reverse the $100-million cut to the housing program. The government has failed to accelerate public funding for affordable and non-market housing to ensure an adequate supply of new homes. We should not have people in Ontario living in tents. There has to be an investment in truly affordable housing.

There were some encouraging parts, I do want to say. We were absolutely relieved that there were improvements to ODSP, where future increases will be tied to inflation—and increasing the allowable earnings from $200 a month to $1,000 a month. That is a good move and something that we have tried to get the government to pay attention to. But Ontario’s ODSP rates have not kept pace with inflation. An inflationary increase is welcome, but it’s not enough to combat the skyrocketing costs of rent, of heating and of groceries—and the gas tax will not help these folks.

A troubling trend that we have observed in the last two budget cycles, and this is something that I think everyone should be paying attention to in Ontario, is that this government is underestimating revenue—you just heard it—and it overestimates the deficit. This has been observed by public accounts, by the FAO, by the Auditor General—and the government’s own summer budget. For 2022-23, the government is projecting a deficit of $12.9 billion, $7 billion lower than the outlook published in the summer budget, but in the same period, our Financial Accountability Officer has predicted a $100-million surplus. Where is the transparency? Where is the trust on the dollars?

Mr. Speaker, this fall economic statement is disappointing because it does not recognize the current state of affairs that the people of this province are experiencing. It is a missed opportunity to invest in the people of this province.