That member is a tireless advocate for building transit in her riding. I want to thank her for her efforts and for the question this morning.

It’s indeed true: The previous Liberal government left Ontario unprepared for both today’s and tomorrow’s transit needs. Fortunately, though, under the leadership of this Premier, we have a bold plan to advance forward, build transit and get people moving across the GTA.

I’m glad to remind members that we broke ground on the Ontario Line at Exhibition station earlier this year on March 27. The Ontario Line is the crown jewel of our historic $28.5-billion expansion plan for the GTA—the largest in Canadian history—fulfilling our promise to deliver transit relief to Toronto’s core. It’s going to stretch 15.5 kilometres from Exhibition to the Ontario Science Centre. The Ontario Line will generate $11 billion back to the local economy, support over 4,700 jobs a year during construction and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 14,000 tonnes annually.

Through the Ontario Line, our government is delivering on the promises we made and moving people from point A to point B.

That’s why we’re advancing the largest subway expansion in Canadian history with an investment of $28.5 billion, to build not just the Ontario Line but the Eglinton Crosstown West extension, the Yonge North subway expansion and, of course, the Scarborough subway east extension as well.

We’re making travel easier for people by connecting them to work, connecting the grid—a spider web of transit to home, school and all the places they need to be, not stuck getting from point A to point B.

What’s more, we’re expanding the GTA’s subway system by 50%, and that’s going to create local jobs and community benefits, cut emissions and gridlock and connect parts of the GTA that have never been connected to the subway network before.

Speaker, unlike the Liberals and the NDP, we’re building transit and getting Ontario ready for the future.

A new Statistics Canada report has indicated that the number of residents in the province could climb to more than 19 million by 2043. This is an increase of about 30% since 2021. And many are choosing Etobicoke and Toronto as their home.

Experts warn that Ontario is ill-prepared to handle the growth as it lacks the infrastructure to support the growing population, especially in major urban centres like Toronto. Because of years of neglect and improper planning on transit expansion by the previous Liberal government, propped up by our friends the NDP, cities like Toronto are already living with the consequences of their inaction.

Speaker, what is the government doing to build up our transit infrastructure to address the incoming population increase?

Transit and infrastructure experts are raising concerns about what the future could look like if we don’t make the investments needed for tomorrow. They have warned us to keep pace with the growth we see; and we need to plan and act now on transit and other infrastructure needs.

Speaker, can the Associate Minister of Transportation please explain how our government is addressing future transit infrastructure needs today?