My question is to the Premier.

Premier, I want to tell you about Jennifer LeFeuvre. In 2019, Jennifer signed a contract and put down a deposit for a new home to be built in Stayner, Ontario, by Briarwood Development Group—whose CEO happens to be a big donor of the Premier and the PC Party.

Three years later, Jennifer is still waiting for her home to be built, and now the developer has told Jennifer that she needs to pay an additional $175,000 for the home or the contract is broken and she won’t be getting her home at all.

Jennifer is devastated. As she describes it, “These people are getting away with murder and there’s nothing that I can do.”

Premier, can you step in and ensure this developer honours the deal they made to build Jennifer a home at the original price?

This is my question to the Premier: Can you properly strengthen Ontario’s laws so homebuyers are protected from developers who price-gouge?

Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

Our government is promoting trust and confidence for Ontarians when they are investing in one of the biggest purchases of their lifetime: a new home. That is why we continue to enhance public protections while holding builders and vendors to high professional standards. The Premier spoke about it as well.

Through the New Home Construction Licensing Act, HCRA has strengthened regulatory tools for addressing licensees’ conduct, created a formal complaints process, and enhanced the Ontario builder directory to reflect disciplinary actions taken by the registrar.

Additionally, a new mandatory code of ethics for licensed builders and vendors, which came into effect on July 1, protects buyers and owners even further against bad actors.

All together, these stronger penalties and approaches would cost unlawful developers very dearly on a single home, from hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines to the loss of their builder’s licence.

We are making bad builders think twice before trying to take advantage of our homebuyers.

My question is to the Premier.

In my riding alone, there are 25 residents who are no longer eligible for the senior dental care program for 2022-23 as a result of a 2.8% increase to seniors’ CPP and OAS due to inflation. It is a welcome bump for seniors living on fixed incomes. However, due to an outdated income requirement program, now Ontario has seniors who do not have access to stable dental care.

Speaker, through you, is this government going to commit to increasing the income ceiling for the dental care program to accommodate for inflation?

I figured the minister would say what she said; however, when looking into this issue for my residents, I received the same response from this ministry. In fact, we were told that no changes to the program eligibility will be made, and citing that, there is not a need for it after all; the rollout of the federal dental care plan will be in place by 2025.

Through you, Speaker, does this government intend to leave low-income seniors living in pain without basic dental care until 2025 because their CPP was increased by a mere $50 to $100 a year?

Under the previous Liberal government, we saw how the north was treated and how our region felt shut out of discussions at Queen’s Park. After years of Liberal scandal, waste and mismanagement within the energy sector and the harmful impact of the carbon tax—the impacts were tremendous for the northern Ontario’s economy. Worst of all, a previous Liberal government member actually referred to the north as a “no man’s land.”

Last month, the Northern Policy Institute and Lakehead University released a report on the impact that COVID had on the state of northern Ontario’s economy, which confirms what many of my constituents have been feeling first-hand, and that is, economic recovery is slower and taking longer than what is experienced in southern Ontario.

No longer should the north be treated differently and only be considered as an afterthought when it comes to economic growth.

Can the Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Northern Development please tell this House what this government is doing to make northern Ontario an economic superpower once again?

We have heard loud and clear as well now from our Indigenous leadership across the north that they want to see the same opportunities provided to their youth as the youth are receiving in southern Ontario.

Indigenous youth will be a major part of our Ontario economic success now and into the future, and we know that Indigenous people are one of our fastest population growth sectors across the entire country of Canada. We know that economic prosperity for our Indigenous people is a key component of reconciliation.

Speaker, can the minister please let us know what our government is doing to create opportunities for Indigenous people across the north? And what are the exact policies that will support and foster innovation for our Indigenous youth who will be the future leaders of our province?

The Conservative government often talks about the need to be fiscally responsible. As a chartered accountant, I completely agree. The residents of Don Valley West completely agree.

Could the Minister of Health please tell us why she believes it is fiscally responsible to limit nurses’ pay to a 1% increase per year, contributing to them leaving the profession in record numbers, to only then have to desperately try to fill those vacant positions and possibly hire back those same nurses through private agencies at an estimated cost that is three times higher than what the hospital would pay if that same nurse were on staff?

The Conservative government often speaks about how it is fighting for Ontario workers.

Could the Minister of Health please tell us why more taxpayer dollars are being shifted to private agencies, giving those agencies a healthy profit, instead of repealing Bill 124 and paying that money directly to Ontario’s health care workers in our public health care system?

As the member opposite would be well aware, the federal government is looking at expanding dental. They have not made any determinations of how that pathway is done.

In the province of Ontario, we’ve acted. We have a seniors’ dental program which—again, as with every other income-based program, whether it’s drugs, whether it’s rental—has an income-threshold base to it.

Is the member opposite suggesting that individuals most in need, most at risk, should not have access to the dental care that we are currently providing in the province of Ontario?

The federal government is talking about it. We in Ontario have acted and implemented it.

Congratulations, and welcome to the House, the member from Don Valley West.

Mr. Speaker, she referenced fiscal responsibility, and we completely agree. This province is focused on delivering value for taxpayer money.

Let me go back to the 15 years of the Liberal government, supported for three years by the NDP: $200 billion of extra debt—$200 billion. Did we get more subways? Did we get more highways? Did we get more hospitals? Did we get a long-term-care bill? Did we hire nurses?

Mr. Speaker, the case: We went to the people of Ontario. They endorsed our plan to build Ontario.

You have an opportunity to vote in favour of the budget. Please join us.

Interjections.

[Inaudible] Mr. Speaker, in making sure that Sault Ste. Marie, like every town, city and Indigenous community across northern Ontario, is fully integrated to a new and modern supply chain. From mines to motors, earth to electric vehicles, we want to ensure that northern communities are in, and one of the important ways we do that is through the Northern Energy Advantage Program. Algoma Steel and Tenaris, Borden mine, Resolute, Evolution Mining, Vale Canada, Impala Canada, GreenFirst Forest Products—they all have something in common; in fact, a few things. They’re rallying behind this program which, under this budget, is going to expand from $120 million to $176 million and increase the scope by which they can access this program so northern communities and northern businesses are in play for this extraordinary opportunity to build Ontario.

Wouldn’t it be neat, Mr. Speaker, if the NDP could support that?

One of the first things we did with the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund was ensure we had a stand-alone program to incentivize businesses to hire Indigenous interns—young people who get a chance to work in businesses, for an opportunity to get a job, to keep a job out of the internship program, over 80% retention rate—and support a new opportunity that’s emerging from the revamped Northern Ontario Heritage Fund. That is clear support for Indigenous businesses. In the last quarterly meeting alone, we saw a significant improvement and amount of resources to help Indigenous businesses across northern Ontario that will enable them, in turn, to hire Indigenous people.

We want to make sure in this new modern supply chain that Indigenous people have an opportunity for a prosperous job and a prosperous community moving forward, and that’s what this government is committed to.

The President of the Treasury Board.

Members will please take their seats.

Interjections.

Start the clock.

Through you, Mr. Speaker, thank you to Mississauga Centre—thank you for the question.

And thank you to the Brampton Centre constituents for trusting in me to be their voice.

I wake up every day motivated to see women in Ontario live in a social and economic landscape that they can grow in, because when women succeed, Ontario succeeds. Us women belong in all spaces, at every table and in all sectors.

That’s why, under the leadership of our Premier and our government, we have invested in empowering and supporting women entering and re-entering the workforce. As part of our proposed 2022 budget bill, we have announced we are investing an addition $6.9 million over three years into enhancing the Investing in Women’s Futures Program. This constitutes the largest—

Interjections.

We are making sure that women and girls of Ontario have well-paying, stable jobs that align with their passions—and I’ll say that again—with their passions and their skills.

I do want to acknowledge the leadership taken by the Minister of Finance and my predecessor, the Minister of Colleges and Universities, in establishing Ontario’s Task Force on Women and the Economy. That program and that task force resulted in leading initiatives that we are taking action on to see women’s full economic participation. For example, implementing the largest agreement in Canada, $13.5 billion, to lower the cost of child care—that is going to unlock many opportunities for women. Also, the skilled trades strategy: We are investing in several initiatives that support women and girls entering the world of trades, which aims to get more women and girls good-paying jobs. We are also modernizing our school science and technology curricula to better prepare students for the jobs of the future in STEM—science, technology, engineering and mechanics.

We are supporting the economic empowerment of women because, again, when women succeed, Ontario succeeds.

Mr. Speaker, thank you to the member opposite, through you, for that question.

Many in Ontario are feeling the pinch, whether it’s at the grocery store or at the gas pumps, and we’re committed to putting more money back in their pockets. That’s why, under the leadership of Premier Ford and our team, we cut the gas taxes. And the inflation rate going down to 7.6%—that was driven by Ontario leading the country in the biggest drop in gas prices right across this country.

Mr. Speaker, what I would ask respectfully of the member opposite and all the members opposite is, that while they voted against reducing gas taxes for the people of Ontario, join us this time and vote for the budget bill so that we can build Ontario together.

We are acting. Look at the record. Look at the 241 pages of the budget. Let me highlight a few things, Mr. Speaker.

Minimum wage—it’s going up again. In 60 days, it’s going to go up again to $15.50. That’s amongst the highest in the country. But we’re doing more.

The low-income individuals and families tax credit means that 1.1 million people in Ontario are going to pay some of the lowest personal income taxes in the country.

We’re helping seniors so that low-income seniors can live at home longer, by providing a tax credit so they can retrofit their home and have home care come to their home.

We’re providing job training tax credits so that people can get retrained for the jobs of tomorrow.

The child care tax credit—we doubled it.

Please join us and vote for this budget bill.

It is an honour to rise today to ask my very first question in this 43rd Parliament. I am humbled by the trust the voters of Mississauga Centre have put in me for a second time.

Speaker, I have spoken with many women in my riding and across Ontario who have expressed challenges with not being able to successfully enter the workforce and stay employed.

We must lift women up and empower them to excel in business, leadership roles, as entrepreneurs, and in sectors where they are under-represented, like in the skilled trades, for example. Ensuring that women are economically, physically and emotionally safe requires a broad network of support.

Our government has taken action in breaking down barriers that exist for women, including women who are Indigenous, Black or racialized, but more work needs to be done.

Can the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity please tell us about what investments our government is making to empower women in my riding and throughout the province?

As a result of COVID-19, women and girls have faced additional challenges, such as increased economic insecurity, greater burden of caregiving responsibilities, and a rise, unfortunately, in the incidence of domestic violence. Women across Ontario were disproportionately impacted by the personal effects of the pandemic, including increased needs around child care, balancing home and work responsibility with children staying home during closures.

Our government established Ontario’s Task Force on Women and the Economy to ensure that women would not be left behind in a post-pandemic economy. Can the associate minister please highlight some of the initiatives that have been launched as a result of the work of the task force?

CUPE’s Ontario School Board Council of Unions represents 55,000 education workers. These are the early childhood educators, the administrative workers, the bus drivers, the custodians, the maintenance workers. Despite being the backbone of the education system, their pay is so low that many of these full-time workers have to work part-time jobs just to make ends meet. This is shameful.

My question is to the Premier. The OSBCU contract expires on August 31. I’m wondering, will the Conservative government ensure these workers can keep up with the rising cost of affordability by providing them with a pay increase that keeps pace with this rising cost of living?

The Minister of Finance.

Interjections.

Restart the clock.

Supplementary.

My question is to the Premier.

A report just surfaced indicating inflation of groceries is sitting at over 9%. The human right to food is moving out of reach, along with everything else. Meanwhile, a separate report has shown that while this is partly caused by labour or supply chain issues, grocery store chains are capitalizing on it by raising prices even further to up their own profits.

When will this government rein in the wealthy few to give working people and families a chance at simply catching up?

A report from the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario showed that 60%, sir—60%—of Ontario renters are cutting back on food to pay for rent. I know this is the case in my riding, where 60% or more of us are renters, and I’ve heard from folks like Ross Ashley, Lisa and Carla. They are not alone.

My question is to the Premier: How is it when our economy is on the up, basic life necessities are moving further out of reach for working people, like the tens of thousands of folks who have signed this petition calling for a poverty reduction target strategy in Ontario? Where are the fruits of people’s labour going if not into their own hands?

When we took government, we inherited a health care system that was badly neglected by the previous Liberal government, which was consistently supported by the NDP. Because of their chronic mismanagement, scandal and a once-in a-lifetime pandemic, our government needed to take immediate action to bolster all aspects of our front-line health care system.

In my riding, people are hearing reports about concerns regarding the health human resources needs and staffing for hospitals and emergency rooms.

Speaker, can the Minister of Colleges and Universities please elaborate more on what the government is doing to continue to educate more health care workers to help combat the shortage of nurses and doctors that we face here in the province?

I’m curious as to what is being done by our government to support medical education in order to support our future doctors and address the doctor shortage.

Can the minister please inform the House of what she is doing to support medical students, to ensure a more resilient health care system here in the province of Ontario?

My question is for the Premier.

The Jeffs family has come to my office looking for help. Their son has autism. He received $20,000 under the Ontario Autism Program, in March 2020. Unfortunately, COVID-19 hit and this government could not get their act together, and they were not able to use that money. Their son was five at the time. Now, services are open once again, but they’re still not able to use the money. The child is now eight and this government is asking for them to pay the money back. This is supposed to be a needs-based program. There is no age cut-off at five, yet this government is asking for the $20,000 to be returned.

Can the government explain why they’re asking for this family to return $20,000 that they need for their child’s services?

Back to the Premier: Speaker, as the Minister of Education knows, the majority of these workers are women.

I met with Charity, one of these workers, and she told me that despite having a full-time job, she goes to food banks on a regular basis to feed her children.

Education workers like Charity keep our communities safe and running. They put their heart and soul, and their health and safety, on the line to protect our children. They should earn enough to be able to feed their families without going to food banks.

Speaker, all workers deserve dignity.

My question is, will the Conservative government commit to a pay increase, so education workers like Charity won’t have to rely on food banks to feed their children?

Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

We do agree that we value these front-line workers in our schools. They play critical roles, from custodians to EAs to ECEs. That’s why we brought forth a fair deal that we have tabled before them, which ensures we achieve the number one priority for this government, which is stability for children. We want them to return to normal schools and have a more enjoyable start this September, and that starts with keeping them in school.

What we’re asking of CUPE, and all unions, is to be reasonable. When you aggregate the asks made by that union, which sets the floor for the negotiations for every other union negotiation, it is a 52% increase, akin to the combined budgets of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and BC. It is larger than the Minister of Colleges and Universities’s entire budget.

So we want to be fair for taxpayers. A good deal for these workers, one that keeps kids in class—that’s exactly what this government will deliver.

We want kids in school. It has been two difficult years for families. I have not met a parent in this province, in every region that we have toured, who has said to me that they don’t want to see their kids in school in September—and that they stay in school right to June. Normal, stable, enjoyable—that is the policy commitment of this government, and we’ll do whatever it takes to achieve that for the children of this province.