First and foremost, let me just say this: The problem in acute care in the province of Ontario has been a problem for many, many, many years; a problem that was not addressed by the previous Liberal government, and that was, of course, before Bill 124, Mr. Speaker.

But having said that, we have made significant investments into long-term care—significant investments into long-term care. I will let this medical professional explain to the people who have been discharged from a hospital, who are on the waiting list for a long-term-care home, why, all of a sudden now that he has a seat in this Legislature, their needs are better met in an acute care setting as opposed to a long-term-care setting. Because he will be alone on that, because medical professionals we have talked to and who have been advising us—even patients themselves have said that they want to be in a long-term-care home after they have been discharged from hospital. We are going to make that happen, and we can make that happen because of the investments we’ve made in long-term care and in nursing and in health care across the province.

Yes, the Liberals and the NDP did in fact lose 300,000 manufacturing jobs in Ontario because of their outdated policies, their red tape and their high taxes. In 2018, we promised families that our government would do things differently, and we did. We listened to the businesses, like those in Ajax, and developed plans to support their unique challenges. We introduced a $40-million advanced manufacturing and innovation competitiveness program. This AMIC program supports manufacturing businesses to invest, grow and remain competitive on a global scale and will continue to support Ajax’s manufacturing supply chain through the attraction of billions of dollars in investments, just like we’ve done in the last four years.

Speaker, 500,000 jobs have returned to Ontario, and we will continue to bring back even more jobs—those jobs that the Liberals sent running from this province.

Ajax entrepreneurs now have all the tools they need to grow their businesses. We’re providing $732,000 to the Durham-Oshawa Small Business Enterprise Centre and another $187,000 to support Durham’s Summer Company and Starter Company Plus programs. Those help students and young entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground. All of that is proof positive that Ontario is open for business.

Thank you for the question. As you know, and as I’ve said on numerous occasions, our government respects mental health, and we have done and made incredible investments. The meeting with respect to the mayors of the large cities in the province—we have met with many of the mayors one on one. We’ve had many discussions, and our investments in the province have been unprecedented when it comes to investments. We understand the need to build a system and the fact that, for building a system, you also need to make investments, and those investments are being made to the tune of $525 million annually.

In addition to that, we also understand that, as a result of COVID, money needed to be invested—additional funds—into addictions recovery, and so we built a fund of $90 million that’s invested across the province of Ontario to ensure that people that need help are able to get it when and where they need it. That’s what we need to do, is ensure—

Again, thank you for mentioning the social services relief fund, $1 billion that was helping groups and organizations throughout COVID-19, but it’s much more than that.

The food stability, the food security issue is related to a whole poverty-reduction strategy. That involves the micro-credentials strategy, the mental health strategy, the Roadmap to Wellness, the new child care spaces, the Ontario Child Benefit, the dental care for eligible seniors, the LIFT tax credit, the CARE tax credit, the Feed Ontario programs, the student nutrition programs, the Ontario Trillium fund, Resilient Communities Fund, the Ontario Jobs Training Tax Credit, the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit, the minimum wage enhancement.

This is a vision that we have working with municipalities, because we understand how important it is to help give people the support that they need when they need it, and to help those who can work get back into the labour market, and working with the—

This question is to the Minister of Education. Mr. Speaker, families in Thornhill and across this province are anxious yet excited for the return to class. We know, as parents, that nothing else matters more. Many kids are gearing up, families buying school supplies and new routines are being created. This is happening in my own household right now.

When our kids go back, many will be behind. We see it as parents, teachers see it and I know this minister gets it. In short, what is the minister doing to help these kids, to ensure they get back on track as they return this September, right until June?

In addition to catching up in class, many families have safety and health in school top of mind. Speaker, the benefits of in-person learning are so clear to all of us, and yet with the backdrop of union escalation, it raises a concern with so many parents. The Premier and the Minister of Education have strongly advocated for a disruption-free return to school with the full school experience, one that includes extracurricular activities.

Will the minister outline his vision for September right till June? Tell us more about these protocols and supports in place for Ontario students and their families.

Speaker, I believe the associate minister understands the seriousness of this crisis, but I do not believe the government understands the urgency needed, the scale and scope of the crisis, the funding that is necessary. Ontario’s Big City Mayors called for a meeting—an emergency meeting—this summer because they’re saying that cities and communities across this province are being overwhelmed with a crisis of homelessness, mental health, safety and addictions. Every $10 invested in permanent supportive housing saves government $21.72 in other costs.

The government has pulled out all the stops to push seniors out of our hospitals. Why won’t they pull out all the stops to make the investments in our communities the Ontario big city mayors are calling for? I ask the Premier: Will the Premier at least meet with the mayors to discuss how to respond to this emergency?

The Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

The supplementary.

My question is for the Premier. Good morning, Premier.

Marilyn Matheson, the executive director of the Caldwell Family Centre, runs a community kitchen and food bank in the west end of our community. The centre has benefited from COVID-19 disaster funding relief, and it’s used that to feed people in need.

It’s a success story for our province. It feeds up to 600 meals a day right now for people who are suffering from the prices of high rent and high food. But last week, Marilyn said they may have to shut their doors if that funding doesn’t continue, which will end early September, and that will disadvantage, as she was saying at the time to the media, 340 families and almost 1,000 individuals that she was serving in that particular week.

Speaker, this is a success story to deal with poverty. I’m wondering if the Premier today can commit to us that these sorts of community food agencies will have consistent, stable funding going forward.

J’aimerais remercier M^me Simone Mathieu de Gogama dans mon comté pour ces pétitions.

« Centre de soins infirmiers de Gogama....

« Alors que Gogama est une communauté isolée au nord de l’Ontario avec de nombreux aîné(e)s et résident(e)s qui ont besoin d’accès à des soins primaires;

« Alors que le Centre de soins infirmiers de Gogama a donné accès à des soins primaires de qualité pendant des décennies, mais que le service est inconsistant et irrégulier depuis le début de 2018;

« Alors que les résident(e)s des communautés isolées du nord de l’Ontario méritent un accès équitable aux soins de santé; »

Ils pétitionnent « l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario de s’assurer que le Centre de soins infirmiers de Gogama soit financé, doté en personnel et pleinement opérationnel pour fournir des soins primaires de qualité », et ce, « de façon constante. »

J’appuie cette pétition, monsieur le Président. Je vais la signer et je la donne à Liliana pour l’amener à la table des greffiers.

This is a reintroduction of my bill from the previous session, and it amends the Highway Traffic Act. If a person causes or contributes to causing an accident which causes death or serious bodily harm and, at the time, the person was contravening the Highway Traffic Act or its regulations, then the person is guilty of an offence.

The court may sentence the person to a fine of up to $50,000 or to imprisonment of up to two years or both. The court may also suspend the person’s driver’s licence or permit.

We all know that bad things can happen on the roads when people violate the Highway Traffic Act. However, as it stands now, in the event that someone dies or is significantly injured as a result, there is not a significant penalty that can be given upon sentencing.

This bill would increase penalties if someone on the road breaks a driving law and hurts or kills someone. This bill would give the court options during sentencing so that families might no longer suffer insult after suffering injury.

Ms. Vaugeois moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 16, An Act to amend various Acts with respect to racial equity / Projet de loi 16, Loi modifiant diverses lois en ce qui concerne l’équité raciale.

There are three parts to this bill. The first is to develop and publish a strategic action plan that aims to ensure that Ontario’s public health care system is actually prepared to deal with the climate crisis.

The second part is to set up a climate crisis strategy for the public sector to maximize the impact of the public sector on preparations for the climate crisis and to mitigate the effects of increased emissions.

Lastly, it’s to set up a select committee of this Legislature to put together a plan for Ontario as a whole to take on this issue.

Ms. French moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 15, An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act to create an offence of contravention causing death or serious bodily harm / Projet de loi 15, Loi modifiant le Code de la route pour ériger en infraction le fait d’avoir causé un décès ou des blessures corporelles graves pendant la commission d’une contravention.

Thank you for the question. I don’t even know where to begin, there are so many items there, but let’s start off with consulting. We consulted with numerous CEOs across the province, and there isn’t one CEO of a hospital who doesn’t say there’s a massive problem with 6,000 people taking up hospital beds.

Number two, who in this chamber, including the member across the hallway, would stick their loved ones in a hospital bed, instead of giving them a home where they’re going to be able to leave the room and maybe see some entertainment? Or are they going to be stuck in a hospital bed, listening to bells go off and risking their health by being in there when they’re discharged from a doctor? We’re clogging up the system because there’s 6,000 people who shouldn’t be in there. They should be getting proper care in home care.

As for the Reena Foundation, I’ve been a supporter of the Reena Foundation for years. They’re big advocates of this government, because we’ve supported them, building new buildings, so maybe you should do your little bit of homework before you start accusing people.

To the Premier: Bill 7 is a give-consent-or-go-broke government bill. It is poised to strip ALC patients and families of their dignity by allowing seniors and patients with disabilities, among others, to be forced into long-term-care homes some hundreds of kilometres away without consent. Through Bill 7, patients could be forced into for-profit long-term-care homes, which we know are more likely to be understaffed and underfunded. During the pandemic alone, for-profit private homes have accounted for thousands of patient deaths, far outnumbering those of publicly funded and operated homes.

My question is to the Premier. Does this government think their plan to strong-arm seniors, patients, away from family and community-based services is best for their physical and mental health? Is this what the doctor ordered?

My question—Speaker, through you—is back to the Premier: Why does this bill not make any reference to home care, the number one choice of seniors and advocates like TAIC, SPRINT Senior Care, Seniors for Social Action (Ontario), the OVCO seniors’ working group, the Reena Foundation, Community Living Toronto—I could go on and on—folks who want seniors to receive care while aging in place in their homes and communities for as long as possible? Why does a bill saying that it’s going to do better care not include home care? Why is home care absent?

Many of the people in Brantford–Brant have raised concerns to me about the status of the Ring of Fire development. Their doubt is not without merit, as the previous Liberal government failed to develop a strong direction on the project. Our government has made significant advancements on this file, but concerns remain over delays in negotiations due to COVID-19 and that we are still waiting for federal funding.

We know that obtaining money from the federal government is essential for building infrastructure and roads in the region. Can the Minister of Mines address these concerns and update the chamber on this development?

In the past, the provincial government’s approach to this file fuelled disagreements and deadlock that resulted in further delays. Can the Minister of Mines explain to the Legislature what our government is doing differently? How are we avoiding the mistakes made by the previous Liberal government and moving this project forward in partnership with First Nations communities?

It is my honour to be a co-sponsor of this bill, along with my outstanding colleagues from Kitchener Centre and Toronto–St. Paul’s.

This bill, An Act to amend various Acts with respect to racial equity, looks to amend various acts with respect to racial equity in the education system.

A number of amendments are made to acts including the Education Act, the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario Act, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act, the Ontario College of Teachers Act and the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act.

Mr. Mantha moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 17, An Act to proclaim Abuse Prevention Week and to establish an Abuse Prevention Framework Advisory Committee / Projet de loi 17, Loi proclamant la Semaine de la prévention des mauvais traitements et constituant un comité consultatif du cadre de prévention des mauvais traitements.

Speaker, through you to the honourable member: The minister was correct in the first answer. The social services relief fund has helped Ontarians during the pandemic in a very meaningful way. We made a decision when we first announced the program that we wanted to make it flexible. So, many service managers targeted the issues that Minister Fullerton spoke about: food insecurity and ensuring that those who were less fortunate had that opportunity.

Some of the tranches of this funding—I think we’re now up to five times that we’ve distributed these dollars—was not cost-shared by the federal government. We have a situation where, based on our core housing need, based on our need in the province of Ontario—that is far, far greater than any other province or territory in Canada—the federal government has shortchanged us some $490 million. We need that member and his party to support our call to the federal government for our fair share.

While I appreciate that answer from the minister on behalf of the Premier, I want to point out that this social services relief fund has been doing incredible work in our community and I think it’s something we should be celebrating. However, if the funding is about to run out, it’s not going to continue that legacy of success.

I want to talk about Erica Braunovan, who runs the Ottawa Community Food Partnership. It’s a local initiative that brings together 20 food businesses and 30 social service agencies that has been helping people by producing 4,000 meals a week. This is another one of the organizations that will have their funding run out soon. But this is a situation where businesses are getting jobs—newcomers to our country, in many cases—and people in need who are hungry and who will starve without these programs get instant relief.

Again, Speaker, my question to the government once more: This social services relief funding is about to run out: Will you let Ottawa, will you let the rest of Ontario continue the success story by making this funding permanent? Yes or no, please?

I also wanted to specifically thank Mr. Eric Rennie from assembly protocol, who has been a huge help to our friends who are here from Uganda, who are excited to meet you all after.

Mr. Dennis Ong is in the assembly. He is a member of the Aviva Trial Lawyers’ team and a deputy judge of the Small Claims Court.

Mr. Tabuns moved first 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.

The ayes are 74; the nays are 32.