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?

My question is for the Minister of Education.

Minister, in the past, the government has provided direct financial support to hard-working, caring parents. It was music to my ears when I heard in the throne speech that the government is again going to provide financial relief to parents. While the opposition has criticized this relief, we know its importance and its impact to the parents.

Minister, why is this investment critical, especially now, more than ever, when parents are facing economic difficulty?

Speaker, to the minister: While financial relief is on the way, what can students, like my own high-school-going daughter, expect and look forward to this September?

“Whereas our government was elected with a plan to stay open by investing in hospitals, long-term-care homes and home care and Ontario’s health care workforce; and

“Whereas to accomplish this our government is:

“—investing $40 billion in capital over 10 years for hospitals and other health infrastructure to meet the challenges that may lie ahead;

“—spending $764 million over two years to provide nurses with up to $5,000 retention bonuses;

“—investing $42.5 million over two years, beginning in 2023-24, to support the expansion of 160 undergraduate and 295 post-graduate positions, including” the new hospital and the “medical schools in Brampton and Scarborough;

“—investing an additional $1 billion in home care over three years;

“—shoring up domestic production of critical supplies and ensuring Ontario is prepared for future emergencies by committing, as of April 2022, more than $77 million of the Ontario Together Fund to leverage almost $230 million in investments to support manufacturing of Ontario-made personal protective equipment;

“—investing $3.5 billion over three years to support the continuation of over 3,000 hospital beds put in place during the pandemic, and $1.1 billion over three years to support the continuation of hundreds of new adult, pediatric and neonatal critical care beds added during COVID-19;

“—a new refundable Ontario Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit to help seniors aged 70 and older with eligible home care medical expenses to help people stay in their homes ... ; and

“—a province-wide expansion to the community paramedicine program, enabling community paramedics to provide key non-emergent health care services within homes for eligible seniors;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To urge all members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to continue to make strategic investments....”

I fully support this petition, and I will send it through page Benjamin.