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.

Ma question s’adresse à la ministre de la Santé. Le 6 et 7 août, l’Hôpital Montfort, l’hôpital francophone de notre ville, a fermé ses urgences, à chaque fois pour une période de 12 heures. Le problème était la pénurie d’infirmières. Cet hôpital existe parce qu’un puissant mouvement communautaire l’a sauvé d’un gouvernement conservateur, en 1997, qui voulait fermer définitivement ses portes.

Monsieur le Président, ce gouvernement a-t-il l’intention de revenir à cet héritage?

Donc, monsieur le Président, je crois que les francophones méritent le droit à ces soins de santé dans leur propre langue. Qu’est-ce qu’il faut faire pour continuer de la sorte?

Il faut se souvenir des paroles de Gisèle Lalonde, qui était la chef du mouvement SOS Montfort qui a sauvé cet hôpital en 2002. Elle a dit : « Pour faire entendre nos voix, on doit continuer la bataille par ici. »

For the Anglophones in the room, she said, “To make ourselves heard, we had to fight them from here. And Toronto would listen because we’d fight so hard they’d hear” us from Toronto.

Les gens sont là pour défendre l’Hôpital Montfort. Quel est le message de la ministre aujourd’hui—en français?

We are thankful to our health care heroes across this province for the contributions they make.

Our record investments into health care, Mr. Speaker—let’s take a look at our record in the city of Windsor. For the first time, a government—this government—is building a new hospital in the city of Windsor. After 15 years of being neglected by the Liberal government—which the members opposite propped up—this government took action to build in cities like Windsor and Brampton that were ignored.

Unfortunately, the member opposite voted against a new hospital in Windsor.

We are going to continue to ensure that we build health care capacity across this province, whether it’s building new hospitals in Windsor, in Brampton, in Mississauga, in Niagara or across this province. We hope that the members opposite can support that plan to build Ontario.

My question is to the Premier.

Windsor has some of the highest wait times for emergency room care across the entire province. I’ve heard from constituents who are waiting 20 hours to be seen. Nurses and other health care workers are burnt out, working multiple shifts back to back. The minister recently blamed the same health care workers for the government-created crisis that we are experiencing. This Conservative government continues to suppress their wages, forcing nurses to leave the profession in record numbers. Many in Windsor–Essex work in the US, where they are respected, protected and paid appropriately.

Will this government immediately repeal Bill 124 and work to fix our health care system rather than tear it down?

Interjections.

I want to send this over to the Minister of Health so she knows that there is a crisis here in Ontario.

We have a shortage of family and emergency department physicians in Windsor and across Ontario.

It is imperative that Ontarians have access to timely medical care, to cancer screenings by family physicians.

Why won’t this government finally do something to address the health care shortage, repeal Bill 124 and ensure that people have access to timely medical care?

I would like to present this petition on behalf of 224 residents of Gogama in my riding. It was sent to me by Wivine Bruneau, and it reads as follows:

“Gogama Nursing Station

“Whereas Gogama is an isolated northern community with many seniors and residents who need access to primary care;

“Whereas the Gogama Nursing Station provided access to quality primary care for decades but service has been inconsistent and infrequent since ... 2018;

“Whereas residents in isolated northern communities in Ontario deserve equitable access to health care,”

They petition the Legislative Assembly as follows:

“To ensure that the Gogama Nursing Station is funded, staffed and fully functioning to deliver quality primary care consistently.”

I fully support this petition, will fix my name to it and send it to the table with page Pania.

“Gas Prices

“Whereas northern Ontario motorists continue to be subject to wild fluctuations in the price of gasoline; and

“Whereas the province could eliminate opportunistic price gouging and deliver fair, stable and predictable fuel prices; and

“Whereas five provinces and many US states already have some sort of gas price regulation; and

“Whereas jurisdictions with gas price regulations have seen an end to the wild price fluctuations, a shrinking of the price discrepancies between urban and rural communities and lower annualized gas prices;”

They “petition the Legislative Assembly as follows:

“Mandate the Ontario Energy Board to monitor the price of gasoline across Ontario in order to reduce price volatility and unfair regional price differences while encouraging competition.”

I fully support this petition, will affix my name to it and give it to my good page Zane to bring it to the Clerk.

I want to thank the member from Mississauga–Malton for this question. I think it is timely, with the challenge of national inflation rising and the cost of living impacting every single one of our constituents.

We have an opportunity in this House to provide additional financially—even if it is incremental—to make life a bit more affordable for the moms and dads of this province, who have borne so much of this pandemic.

It’s interesting; the member from Davenport, as she criticizes me on the other side, said yesterday, “It’s very disappointing.” What is disappointing, Speaker, is that when as legislators we have a duty, an opportunity, to provide relief, that we all stand up and we provide it to the parents of this province—every one of us should be united by that mission. It’s sad that when we did this in August 2020, with $200 to every child; and when we did it in February 2021, with another $200 to every child; and when we doubled it to $400 in May 2021, in each and every example, New Democrats and Liberals opposed it.

This Premier will continue to make life more affordable. And the message to parents is quite simple: Relief is on the way.

Our mission is simple: It is a normal, a stable and, yes, a more enjoyable school year for these kids. They deserve it, and I know we all believe that. In order to put that vision into practice, it’s about having a plan to help these kids catch up. The most consequential policy we can achieve as legislators for these kids is to keep them in school and stand up for stability—be it from the pandemic or from the labour negotiations.

These kids deserve to be in school. In every region of the province I’ve heard this same message from parents, “Get my kids in school and keep them there,” and our commitment is to do just that.

Yes, a point of order: I’d like to correct my record. In response to a question regarding our housing supply action plan implementation team, I referred Her Worship Mayor Cheryl Fort to the wrong municipality. She is the mayor of Hornepayne. I apologize.

Speaker, through you: There is no one who thinks that a 19-hour wait in an emergency room, waiting for a physician to see the patient, is acceptable—which is, frankly, why we are doing so much. We have been seized with this. The Premier talked about this.

In the throne speech, we said we are going to build a better health care system in the province of Ontario, because, frankly, the NDP and the Liberals didn’t do it when they had the opportunity.

We will make sure that foreign-credentialed health care professionals get the opportunity to get credentials, to get their licence in the province of Ontario quickly. We will expand—we’ve already expanded—the Learn and Stay program so that nurses who learn in their communities can stay and work in that community. We have expanded the opportunity for residency, for new grads to stay in the province of Ontario. All of this work is ongoing, without a doubt.

I don’t find a 19-hour wait acceptable; I’m sure that you do not. But work with us to build up this system and be positive about what we have been able to—

I just wanted to correct my record from this morning. In debate I suggested to the Minister of Health that it wasn’t her right to respond in one of Canada’s two official languages. That was incorrect and wrong and I apologize to the Minister of Health for making that remark this morning. I’ve got to be better than that.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s social assistance rates are well below Canada’s official Market Basket Measure poverty line and woefully inadequate to cover the basic costs of food and rent;

“Whereas individuals on the Ontario Works program receive just $733 per month and individuals on the Ontario Disability Support Program receive” a maximum of “$1,169 per month, only 41% and 65% of the poverty line,” respectively;

“Whereas the Ontario government has not increased social assistance rates” until recently “since 2018, and Canada’s inflation rate in January 2022 was 5.1%, the highest rate in 30 years;

“Whereas the government of Canada recognized through the CERB program that a ‘basic income’ of $2,000 per month was the standard support required by individuals who lost their employment during the pandemic;

“We, the undersigned citizens of Ontario, petition the Legislative Assembly to increase social assistance rates to a base of $2,000 per month for those on” the Ontario Works program, “and to increase other programs accordingly.”

I’m happy to sign this petition and send it to the Clerks’ table with page Adam.

Mr. Speaker, talk about part-time—let’s look at the record of the NDP. The first time they started asking about air conditioning was when we were 90% of the way of getting air conditioning in every single room in the province of Ontario. Then, all of a sudden it became important to the NDP. That’s when it became important. But here’s the reality, for the new colleagues who might not have been here. They actually voted against air conditioning in every room. They voted against it. They voted against adding 28,000 PSWs and health care professionals in our long-term care. He got up in his seat and voted against it. They voted against 58,000 new and upgraded beds for our seniors. That is the shameful record of the NDP.

Welcome to the party. We’re getting it done for seniors. We’re getting it done for health care. We’re getting it done for the people of the province of Ontario in a way that they never could and they never—

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker, I’ll congratulate all members on what was a very fun and entertaining and very fruitful first week for the people of the province of Ontario and congratulate all members on their hard work.

On Monday, August 15, and on Tuesday, obviously the House will not be sitting so that members from all sides can attend the AMO conference in Ottawa.

We will be returning on Wednesday, August 17. In the morning, obviously, we will be dealing with Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022—again, to remind all colleagues that we will be returning at 1 o’clock on the Wednesday. In the afternoon, we will be dealing again with Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act.

Then, on Thursday, August 18, in the morning, we will be dealing with Bill 2, the budget measures act—and again in the afternoon, on the budget, Bill 2.

My question is to the Premier.

The Premier passed legislation requiring long-term-care homes to have air conditioning for residents in their bedrooms; 15% missed the deadline. Despite this, almost 100 homes across Ontario have no AC at all.

In June, July and August—just days ago—temperatures were in the 30s, with a humidex of nearly 40 degrees. In homes with COVID outbreaks, this meant seniors were roasting in rooms above 40 degrees for several days at a time, some having heatstroke and dying.

Across Ontario, staff were overwhelmed and under-supported. Bill 124 continued to cap their wages and force people out of the profession.

He knew that seniors were deprived of water. He knows they’re being confined to their rooms for days and denied air conditioning in a deadly heat wave. Clearly, seniors’ care is not a priority for this government.

Speaker, will the Premier finally make seniors in long-term care a priority? Announce today that being the Minister of Long-Term Care will no longer be a part-time job in this government. Our seniors—

To reply, the Minister of Health.

The House recessed from 1139 to 1300.

Motion agreed to.

I move that when the House adjourns today it stand adjourned until 9 a.m. on Wednesday August 17, 2022.