I will take this opportunity to highlight yet again the five-point plan that, together with the Minister of Long-Term Care, we brought forward a number of weeks back. It included—speaking directly to your constituent Howard—investing over $300 million as part of the province’s Surgical Recovery Strategy, bringing the total investment to $880 million over the last three fiscal years.

Specifically related to doctor shortages, we now have 400 new practising physicians in the province of Ontario in rural and remote communities. We also are working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to ensure that any individuals who have applied to practise in the province of Ontario have that opportunity to go through the assessment and ultimately receive their licence, when appropriate. We will do this work because we know how important it is.

We’ve done all these things, working with our partners, because we know that innovation is here in the province of Ontario and we want to make sure that when we see these best practices, like the Niagara paramedic model, we encourage other communities to do the same.