This question is for the Premier.

Mr. Speaker, after a really tough two years, students are heading back to school next week in need of a lot of extra care and a lot of extra support. Thankfully, they’re going to get some of that support from dedicated education workers—from educational assistants to foodservice workers to the custodians who are keeping HVAC systems working.

Speaker, contracts with these CUPE workers are set to expire today. Will the Premier commit to hiring more education workers so that students have the services they need at this very crucial time?

I want to go back to the Premier. The average income of these education workers is just $39,000 a year, and 91% report that they are facing financial hardship, and more than half of them have to take a second job just to make ends meet.

Will this Premier commit to a wage increase so that the workers who support our kids every single day can support their own families?

Let me ask you this: Did they vote to raise minimum wage, which we introduced in our fall economic statement in 2021, Build Ontario?

La Loi de 2022 pour favoriser le développement est une loi importante qui nous permettrait de mettre en oeuvre ce plan.

Madam Speaker, I urge all members to vote for this plan. Together, let’s build Ontario.