Our government has a proud record of investments in health care, especially supporting our front-line health care heroes.

Since March 2020, we have added over 10,500 health care workers to the system. This also includes investing in the first new medical school in over 100 years in the GTA to ensure that we have—in Brampton, in the Durham region and in Scarborough—doctors and health care professionals into the future.

The members opposite have voted against each and every single one of those measures to support health care workers and increase health human resources in this province.

We will continue to do what we can and ensure that we support our health care heroes across this province.

The supplementary question.

Between 2003 and 2018, the previous Liberal government allowed communities to develop webs of red tape, which led to frustration, disappointment and, ultimately, drastically reduced housing supply. Our municipal partners, both in Toronto and Ottawa, have been calling our government to help them reduce this red tape while working with them to increase the supply of a mixed range of housing.

It is abundantly clear to anyone that leadership at the provincial level is essential if we are to assist our municipal partners in reaching our goal of over a million new homes, as outlined in the speech from the throne.

As a Toronto member, I’m keenly aware of the challenges of lack of supply, but at the same time I am now more than ever looking for solutions that will have both immediate and lasting impacts.

Specifically, how will a strong-mayor system in Toronto help address housing supply?

Empowering strong mayors is a good start to addressing housing needs to help big cities like Toronto and Ottawa, but what is our government doing for the other municipalities across the province? Our government must work with other municipalities to ensure that housing development is a priority for all across this province.

Speaker, is the minister taking any other action to help municipal leaders to identify and resolve problems that stand in the way of building more homes and building them now?

I have to say that when I hear the member opposite talk about limiting opportunities, it concerns me greatly. We have a hospital system that has worked very well with their nurses’ associations, with their medical associations, to make sure that all opportunities are explored to make sure that they have the appropriate coverage in their departments in their areas. We need to continue that work.

We have—as I’ve said many times—already expanded by 10,500 more health care workers working in the province of Ontario, including 6,700 to support hospitals in need. These programs support international health professionals and students, as well as redeploy medical residents and physicians to where they are needed most critically. That work will continue, and we will ensure that we have a partner in our systems.

Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. But first, I’d like to congratulate you and all members in this Legislature for your election. I look forward to serving the people with each and every one of you.

Inflation is negatively impacting all Ontarians, especially the most vulnerable. It’s impossible for people with disabilities to live on $1,169 per month. An extra $58 will force them to continue to live in legislated poverty. It’s wrong. This is a moral issue. The people of Ontario want to care for the most vulnerable, and I would hope that the members opposite would as well.

Will the Premier do the decent thing and double ODSP rates so that people with disabilities can at least live at the low-income cut-off?

Poverty and rising food prices are driving food bank use to all-time highs. Geopolitics, excessive grocery profits and climate-fuelled droughts are disrupting local food supply chains and pushing food prices through the roof.

There are solutions—things like doubling ODSP rates, protecting local supply chains by permanently protecting prime farmland, legislation to stop price-gouging in concentrated grocery retail markets.

Will the minister commit to implementing any of these solutions to make groceries more affordable for people, especially people living with disabilities?

The Minister of Health.

Order.

We’re ready to start the clock again.

Member for Guelph.

The more things change, the more they stay the same with the NDP. It’s all about personality, right, Mr. Speaker? If they can’t win an election based on policies—and we know that they never can because they’ve only done it once and people threw them so far out to the curb and never gave them the opportunity ever again. So what do they do? They start attacking the personality of individuals. That’s what the NDP is all about. That’s why they go from this to this to this to where the NDP leader can’t even bring himself to sit in the chair of the opposition leader. He seeks refuge in the middle of his small, tiny caucus.

We will stand up for the workers of the province of Ontario. We’ll stand up for nurses. We will build a better health care system, a better long-term-care system, a better education system, a better transportation system. We’ll keep the economy moving.

Interjections.

Inflation continues to negatively impact families across Ontario, with Stats Canada reporting a year-over-year increase of 8.1% in June. As mortgage rates increase, so too does the cost of basic groceries, leaving many families in my riding and beyond worried about their future.

Soaring costs that put pressure on families is not the way to build a strong Ontario. Carbon taxes, which increase the cost of fuel and virtually every other product a person buys, red tape, and policies that restrict growth, that reduce opportunity, could devastate communities and the hard-working people who are trying to build a life within them.

Can the minister outline what immediate steps he is taking to support families across Ontario?

Thank you to the member opposite, and congratulations on your re-election and serving the people of Ontario.

There’s no daylight between, I think, the member opposite and many of us to make sure that we, in these very difficult times, when people are feeling the pinch—particularly the most vulnerable and people, for example, on disability.

That’s why, through the campaign, we said we were going to increase by an historic amount—5%—the Ontario Disability Support Program. That’s why we are adjusting it for inflation. That’s why we kept that promise after roundly being supported by the voters of Ontario, and we tabled it in the budget bill, Bill 2, the other day. Many Ontarians are feeling the pinch. That’s why that’s just one part of a suite of measures that we’ve taken to support the most vulnerable of Ontario.

I’ll have more to say in the supplementary.

It’s just one of many things that this government is doing, not least of which is the Ontario Community Support Program, which you know also supports for vision care, for dental care, for health care. It helps with meals, helps with prescriptions.

It’s also why we have put in the budget the fifth round of social services relief, under the leadership of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, for supportive housing, to help the most vulnerable, to help people with disabilities in this province.

We’re doing many things, and we will continue to do many things to help our most vulnerable in society as we work together to make a fair society.

Our government has been working tirelessly to rebuild our economy. We have lowered taxes for lower-income Ontarians, and we have reduced gas and fuel taxes. We negotiated a child care agreement to reduce costs for young families across Ontario. We eliminated licence plate renewal fees and, for the people of Durham, we eliminated the tolls the previous Liberal government put on Highways 412 and 418.

We have continued to focus on building a strong economy by reducing taxes and fees for job creators. We have stabilized electricity rates. We have continued to invest in our auto, mining, infrastructure and construction sectors.

The road ahead is going to be uncertain. Global events in Europe and abroad are in our environment right now, but that’s why we’re making investments to transform our economy and unleash economic prosperity across the province.

Together, let’s build Ontario.

Mr. Speaker, the member is right, and this government knows the impact of rising prices is being felt all over Ontario, especially amongst the most vulnerable. That’s why we are putting money back into the pockets of those who need it most.

We are increasing—as was just discussed—the monthly amount of the Ontario Disability Support Program and adjusting future increases to rates based on inflation.

We’re increasing the minimum wage, giving over 760,000 Ontario workers an increase.

And in our 2022 budget, Ontario’s Plan to Build, we expanded the low-income family and individual tax rebate credit, which will impact people making up to $50,000. That means, for about 1.1 million people, an extra $300 in their pockets through a tax break every year.

This government is going to keep costs down for workers, families and seniors, for the people of Ontario, and they can rest assured that this Premier and this government will have their backs.

My question is to the Premier.

The TSSA is an agency responsible for administering and enforcing the Technical Standards and Safety Act on behalf of the government. Their safety inspectors provide an invaluable service to our province and to public safety. They inspect every propane dispensing station, every amusement park ride and food truck. They inspect hospitals and construction sites. They even inspect nuclear power plants, Speaker.

These workers are members of OPSEU Local 546. They’ve been trying to bargain their first collective agreement since February of last year. After 17 months of delays and stall tactics, they voted to strike in July.

The TSSA claims that it has a contingency plan in place to ensure public safety. However, they haven’t been transparent about this plan, who’s doing the work or what their qualifications are.

The question is, has the Conservative government seen the contingency plan from TSSA, and if so, what inspections are being done to ensure the public can operate safely, and what are the qualifications of those conducting these inspections?

With the CNE set to open next week and agricultural fairs and exhibitions happening across this province, public safety is on the line.

Speaker, will the Conservative government demand the TSSA get back to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair first contract so our province’s safety inspectors can get back to work keeping our families and our children safe?

Just recently, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. released a very worrying report. In it, they say that in order to reach housing affordability nationally by the year 2030, governments across Canada will need to take action and up to 3.5 million more homes will need to be built. The report further states that, “Increasing supply will be difficult. Critically, increasing supply takes time because the time to construct is significant, but so is the time to progress through government approval processes. This delay means that we must act today to achieve affordability by 2030.”

Many of my younger constituents are concerned about the prospect of home ownership in the future.

Can the Associate Minister of Housing please explain what the government is doing to build more homes, as the CMHC report called for?

Can the associate minister please outline the immediate action that this government will focus on to restore and safeguard housing affordability in our province?

Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

My ministry is aware of ongoing union negotiations between the TSSA, OPSEU and the Society of United Professionals. The union negotiations process is an independent process between the TSSA, OPSEU and the society. Mr. Speaker, as such, my ministry and I cannot intervene in this process.

The TSSA has advised us that it has prepared plans to ensure public safety in Ontario is not affected and impact to businesses is minimized in the event of labour disruptions.

As part of our pandemic response, our government gave over $2.4 million in financial support to the TSSA. This provided direct relief to businesses that faced significant operational and financial impacts. We also reduced permit and licence fees by 75% for 163 businesses operating almost 1,000 amusement parks across Ontario until the end of this year.

Mr. Speaker, our government is building a stronger Ontario from the ground up, recovering from the pandemic and 15 years of NDP-backed Liberal mismanagement of our province.

I want to thank the member for the question and congratulate him on his election to the people’s House.

Ontarians are facing the rising cost of living and certainly a shortage of homes. Our government was re-elected with a strong mandate to help more Ontarians find more homes that meet their needs and their budgets.

We all know that Ontario accounts for two thirds of the population growth in Canada. That’s why, under our ambitious plan, our government will build 1.5 million new homes over the next 10 years to keep costs down and make life more affordable for all Ontarians. We’re also speeding up the approval process while implementing recommendations from the Housing Affordability Task Force. The steps that our government is taking are working. Over 100,000 homes have been built in 2021—and more than 13,000 new rental starts here in the province of Ontario; that’s the highest in over 30 years.

Speaker, next week I’m heading over to AMO in Ottawa to be able to continue collaboration with our municipal governments.

Our government’s policies have delivered historic results in getting more housing built faster, and they certainly complement our more than $4.3-billion investments over three years to grow and enhance community and supportive housing for vulnerable Ontarians and Indigenous peoples, address homelessness and respond to COVID-19.

The More Homes for Everyone plan, launched in March 2022, outlines the next steps we’re taking to address Ontario’s housing crisis, such as accelerating approval timelines and protecting homebuyers from unethical business practices. For example, changes were made to provide an incentive for municipalities to make decisions in a timely manner on zoning and site plan applications. Effective January 1, 2023, if a municipality does not make a decision within the legislated timeline, they would be required to gradually refund the application fee to the applicant. Municipalities could avoid lost revenues by improving processes to support timely decisions.

We remain steadfast—

The supplementary question.

The impact of these rising prices always is felt the heaviest by the most vulnerable in our communities.

We’ve already seen reports of increased food bank usage. The Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto says it saw more than 170,000 visits in June alone—a record-high number that it says is only expected to keep growing, and I’ve heard similarly from food banks in my riding.

Many of my constituents are now confronting cost-of-living increases that have them worried about opportunities for their children and the stable financial future of their families.

Speaker, can the Minister of Finance please tell us what concrete steps the government is taking to keep costs down and to provide support for those most in need?

To the member: We are investing more than $48 million to help festivals and event organizers carry out events to encourage people to travel, to participate and rediscover the beauty and diversity that all Ontario communities have to offer.

Mr. Speaker, for this year we have more than doubled the annual funding usually provided to festivals and events. We recognize the hardships and experiences the sector has suffered due to COVID-19, and we are giving a much-needed boost to ensure long-term success.

This investment is a continuation of a historic one-time COVID-19 recovery fund of 2021 and includes $42.9 million for 547 festivals and events through the Reconnect Ontario program—that’s a record number—and $5.2 million committed to marquee events through Reconnect Ontario.

Reconnect Ontario is supporting events in every tourism region of the province—events like the Oxford Renaissance Festival, Track to the Future Mural Festival, Our House and The View From Here.

Mr. Speaker, this is about driving business to communities and helping businesses get stronger. That’s what we’re doing.

Given the unprecedented demand for this year, not all events could be supported, even though we doubled the amount of funding available. We ensured festivals and events of all sizes across all regions of Ontario received investments to offer new and improved experiences that will attract more tourists and drive greater revenue from visitors.

Mr. Speaker, when the 2023 Reconnect Ontario program launches, tourism advisers from my ministry are more than happy to sit down and discuss and support bids for Reconnect Ontario to make them stronger and more viable. But Reconnect Ontario is just a part of what the government is doing to support the economic recovery of the tourism industry.

Through the Ontario Tourism Recovery Program, we provided $100 million in critical funding to key tourism anchors in communities across the province to strengthen local economies and secure critical jobs, including the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit to encourage Ontarians to stay at home, spend money and enjoy the great things Ontario—

For nearly two years, the pandemic has disproportionately impacted significant local events and festivals that brought our communities to life and Ontarians together.

In my riding of Elgin–Middlesex–London, families and friends count on attending exciting events such as the Oxford Renaissance Festival in my hometown of Dorchester.

We missed out on the fun opportunity to share good times with friends, old and new. These local events are always an important part—I repeat: an important part—of social well-being. They also provide valuable support to our local economy and attraction for tourists that our businesses on Main Street always count on.

Residents and local business owners have told me that even though Ontario has opened up, thankfully, they worry that they will never recover from the interruption and our local events won’t be as widely attended as they have in the past.

My question, on behalf of residents, festival organizers, local businesses and tourists: What will this government do to support our unique festivals and events after having been shuttered for so long?

There is no question that these events have suffered dramatically throughout this pandemic, and these investments provide organizations a significant boost.

For many individuals, these local community tourism events are the main source of pride and camaraderie. No matter how small they might seem, they play a part in the tapestry of what makes Ontario great.

Can the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport please explain the rationale behind why some applicants did not receive funding, and what we will do as a government to support their efforts in encouraging tourism throughout this great province?

Supplementary question.