Good morning, Speaker, and thank you to my colleague for your presentation, and to the minister for discussing some of the highlights of the budget and why we think the opposition and the House should support it.

Today I rise to speak to the second reading of Building a Strong Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2023, in support of our government and the Minister of Finance. Speaker, our plan is building Ontario so we can have a strong economy for the future and the infrastructure needed to support growth across this province. It is a plan to build the economy, to build highways, build infrastructure, to work for workers, keep costs down and to serve the public better.

Speaker, we all know Ontario is a great place to live. It always has been and always will be. And it has a strong economy. And we need this strong economy so that we are able to invest in health care, education, training, housing and safer streets while keeping Ontario on course for a balanced budget. These are the priorities and initiatives that Ontarians want to see.

Speaker, it bears repeating that today there are global economic challenges and Ontario is not isolated from this global economic uncertainty. Uncertainty defines the road ahead. In no way is the job of Ontario’s government done. We must continue our job with flexibility and prudence so we can optimally take on the challenges that come our province’s way while still delivering on our plan. Our government knows we can do it. We can build a better tomorrow for Ontario. We have the right plan to do it.

This is our plan to build an Ontario that will continue to have a diverse economy known for resilience; an Ontario known for having the best infrastructure; an Ontario that is known to have the skilled workers trained for the jobs of tomorrow; an Ontario known as being able to connect you to the care you need; an Ontario that is known to be strong. It is beyond dispute—we are getting it done.

Speaker, our plan for a strong Ontario is truly a comprehensive plan, for everything we do is connected. We are driving forward our plan to tap into the resources of Ontario’s north to supply the critical minerals that are crucial in modern EV batteries, connected by roads and rails and wires and WiFi. These natural resources and this connected infrastructure and the revitalized manufacturing base in the province’s south are all connected and will help bring investments and better jobs and bigger paycheques to the people of Ontario.

This is why our government has committed close to $1 billion to support critical legacy infrastructure such as all-season roads, broadband connectivity and community supports in the Ring of Fire region, to keep moving forward on one of the most promising mineral deposits in Canada, one that will play a critical role in batteries, electronics, electric vehicles and clean technology.

This new modern manufacturing sector, in turn, depends on a stable supply of skilled workers supported by private sector unions who will ensure they have the training and other supports they need. These workers will revitalize local communities that, in turn, help us build the modern highways, transit, hospitals, schools, broadband and other infrastructure that Ontario families need.

We also realize that people can be ambitious and sometimes would rather strike out on their own versus working for someone else. Getting young people onto career trajectories sooner is why our government is helping close to 27,000 students earn credits toward their Ontario secondary school diploma and a college degree or certificate of apprenticeship at the same time through dual-credit opportunities. It’s also why we are providing an additional $2 million in 2023-24 for Futurpreneur Canada, which helps entrepreneurs aged 18 to 39 achieve their business goals.

It takes ambition and willingness to be an entrepreneur. As well, it takes ambition and willingness to strike out on one’s own and move from one country to another. Ontario tries to do all it can to help these international economic migrants. That’s why we are enhancing the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program with an additional $25 million over the next three years, to attract more skilled workers, including in-demand professionals in the skilled trades, to the province of Ontario so they can hit the ground running and start contributing to Ontario right away. It’s also why we are expanding the Ontario bridge training program with an additional $3 million in 2023-24 to help internationally trained immigrants find employment here and get faster access for training and supports toward an Ontario licence or certificate.

Ontario also needs a more stable and steady supply of another type of skilled worker—those in the health-related fields. This is the thinking behind how we are expanding access to dual credits in health-related courses. This additional investment of $3.3 million over the next three years will help an additional 1,400 secondary students make their way into the health field.

Pivoting slightly, I would like to also note that with the 2023 Ontario budget, we are also investing $14.7 million over two years for a new, collaborative doctor of veterinary medicine program with the University of Guelph and Lakehead University, starting in 2024-25. This is to address the shortage of veterinarians in rural and northern communities.

Now I’d like to discuss how we are keeping your costs down. Whether you have lived here all your life or are just getting your feet under you here, we know everybody is looking for some relief from the high cost of living. We know the provincial government does not control the global forces driving inflation, but there are things we can do, in our control, like eliminating licence plate renewal fees, which is saving hundreds of dollars for families by refunding two years’ worth of fees for eligible vehicles; cuts to the gas tax and the fuel tax rate in 2022 and extending that until 2023. This will have a dramatic impact on families here in Ontario, as costs not only here but around the world have spiralled out of control with inflation, due to some external factors, such as the war in Ukraine.

We’re also now eliminating double fares for GO Transit and local transit throughout much of the greater Toronto and greater Golden Horseshoe. This will make it easier for commuters to get on the bus, to get on the GO train instead of getting in a car. We’re also working to expand this initiative to include Toronto, so someone commuting to the city only pays one fare per trip, saving them money each way.

We are continuing to provide targeted electricity bill relief for eligible low-income households and on-reserve First Nation consumers, as well as eligible rural and remote customers. This is in addition to the on-bill Ontario Electricity Rebate for all eligible residential customers.

Further, our government launched catch-up payments, a $365-million investment that offers parents $200 per child or $250 per child with special needs in direct financial support that can be used to help their children’s education.

Speaker, I stop here to add a special note: In order to tackle the ongoing housing affordability crisis, I can’t emphasize more that our governments at different levels need to work together to get more shovels in the ground. So I stand here today before you to say the Ontario government is calling on the federal government to defer the harmonized sales tax on all new, large-scale, purpose-built rental housing projects. This is part of our government’s plan to spur the construction of more rental housing units while helping to create jobs, create economic development and support growth. As elected parliamentarians all trying to serve the best interest of the people of Ontario, I hope that all parties of the Legislature will join us in calling for the federal government to make this kind of commitment so we can get more affordable housing for the people who need it.

One of our guiding principles is the need for Ontario to serve the public better; that is, improving the services you and your family need, starting with health care. We are investing every single dollar we receive from the federal government’s recent health care funding down payment and a whole lot more this year into better health care services. While Ontario will receive $4.4 billion in additional funding over the next three years from the federal government under the recent agreement in principle, as part of the recent one-time top-up provided by the federal government, Ontario will also allocate additional funding and work with front-line pediatric health partners to meet the needs of children and youth.

To make this happen, we are also investing more than $200 million to connect children and youth to care at hospitals close to home in their communities. We are challenging the status quo by making common sense changes to get people care faster. We are investing in independent health facilities to speed up care while ensuring patients will always pay with their OHIP card, not their credit card.

As we make health care more convenient, we are also investing in growing and retaining the health care workforce. Since 2018, over 60,000 new nurses and nearly 8,000 new physicians have begun to work in Ontario. But no doubt we still need more, so we will continue on the path. That’s why our government is investing $80 million over the next three years to further expand enrolment for nursing programs throughout Ontario.

We are also investing $200 million this year so we can address immediate health care shortages and also grow the workforce for years to come. This includes expanding the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant in the spring of 2023 for eligible post-secondary students who enrol in priority programs in northern Ontario, including nursing, paramedic and medical laboratory technologists and medical laboratory sciences, and who work in underserved communities in the region where they studied after graduation. This is definitely a move in the right direction to help those underserved communities where they are in such bad need of doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians etc.

We are building on the success of the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant by expanding the program to include nursing in eastern and southwestern Ontario, and for medical and laboratory technologists in southwestern Ontario.

Among our priorities is, of course, helping to protect the people of Ontario against the challenges of life that can come up unexpectedly, and unfortunately with potential injuries to life and property. I’m talking about community safety and protecting you and your family. This is an area of top priority for the government of Ontario. Additional resources are being provided to local police and communities to protect law-abiding citizens from illegal gun and gang violence. We are fighting gun- and gang-related crime and building safer communities by investing $13.4 million in 2023-24 as part of the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy.

This additional funding will continue effective gang prevention and intervention strategies that are known to work. For example, from 2021 to 2022, over 1,000 completed and ongoing investigations received funding through the Gun and Gang Specialized Investigations Fund. These investigations, which target guns, gangs and human trafficking, have seized over 437 firearms, seen 1,259 persons charged and 58 organized crime groups targeted.

When it comes to reducing crime, some changes, such as bail reform, must be taken up by the federal government. I pause here to make this statement again, and again I hope all parliamentarians in this Legislature standing up for the people of Ontario will call on the federal government to reform Canada’s bail system. All provinces, regardless of political stripe, have joined us in the province of Ontario in calling on the federal government for bail reform. Again, I hope that everyone here in the Legislature will.

Our government is unified that there are too many criminals who should be behind bars who have been allowed to be backed on to the streets due to lack of appropriately tough federal laws.

Province-wide emergency preparedness is also top of mind for our government. With this budget our government is also making the province better prepared and quicker to respond to future emergencies by investing $110 million over three years to fund, train, coordinate and improve Ontario corps and the province’s emergency preparedness system.

The new Emergency Management Preparedness Grant being created will support community organizations with purchasing equipment required to help and protect people and communities. And a new Emergency Response Fund will provide the urgent relief impacted municipalities, First Nations and communities often need in the first 24 to 72 hours after an emergency arises. The government is also enhancing the Ontario volunteer corps portal and IT systems to support data and information sharing with emergency management partners.

Speaker, we recognize the heroic efforts of Ontario’s first responders, those brave persons who are often seen running toward dangerous situations, not away from them. We recognize that heroism can come at a cost, and that’s why our government is supporting a full continuum of care for the first responders experiencing post-traumatic stress injury and other concurrent mental health disorders.

And speaking of mental health, I wanted to mention how the CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association in Halton had comments to speak about with respect to our budget as it pertains to mental health. No doubt mental health has been a growing concern, not only in Ontario but through the country and indeed throughout the world over the last few years as we’ve had economic turbulence, as we lived through COVID, as we’ve had inflation and war affecting us. And it should be noted that a lot of health care professionals are often not happy with the provincial budget because the need is always so great for funding in health care. The past few years have changed many things about the world, including the demand for mental health services. Our government has made a commitment to mental health supports in this budget.

I’ll quote the CEO of CMHA Halton, Rashaad Vahed, when he’s speaking about our budget and the funding increases for mental health:

“This funding increase is a historic boost to community-based mental health services to continue to deliver supports by stabilizing what we provide and helping to retain qualified staff as operating costs continue to rise. Most of all, it will help our friends and neighbours in Halton get care when, where and how they need it to improve their health and wellness.

“Community organizations are a vital part of the broader health care system, and this investment by the government reflects the importance of organizations like CMHA Halton. We appreciate that community mental health and addictions has been made a priority.”

So I think it’s important to note that the Ford government has allocated $425 million to be allocated over the next three years, including a 5% increase in base funding for community-based mental health and addictions services providers in the province of Ontario.

That’s just one example of a community organization thrilled with what they see in the budget. I know the opposition speaks a lot to mental health, and I think we all agree on some of the challenges that we have with mental health with many individuals in the province of Ontario, so I hope the opposition will be supportive of the budget, this being just one part of that.

The support specifically as it pertains to first responders is being provided through an additional investment of $9.6 million to accelerate the approval and construction of the Runnymede Healthcare Centre’s first responders wellness and rehabilitation centre. When built, the centre’s dual sites in Toronto and Peel will serve first responders from across Ontario. This is critically important. We know that first responders—fire, police, ambulance—see many unfortunate and traumatic situations on a daily basis that none of us could even imagine. Giving them the supports to be able to deal with this is critical.

Speaker, we touched on some of the great things that are happening in the budget—some of our spending initiatives, where we’re investing to help those in health care and education and the economy. I’d like to, in my last few minutes, just touch on some of the investments in the manufacturing sector, because it’s so critical in our province to put the horse before the cart. We need to have a strong, resilient economy and have wealth creation, in order to fund the supports for the health care, education and mental health services that we need.

The government announced a manufacturing tax credit. This tax credit was announced, actually, in my riding of Oakville just last week and is going to affect thousands upon thousands of small and mid-sized private businesses in the province of Ontario. What this tax credit is going to do is help those businesses invest in the equipment and technology they need to become more efficient and more competitive as our economy changes. Technology is changing at a very rapid pace, and businesses need the money to be able to invest in these products so that they can then hire more employees to work and grow, because we all know that we have a labour shortage in this province of 300,000 to 400,000 people right now. So we are critically short labour throughout the province. Investing in these technologies, giving businesses a chance to compete more globally is going to allow us to compete, and it’s going to raise more tax revenue for the province.

I think what’s critically important about this budget—and I’ve heard some opinion pieces in some cases from some members of the opposition that perhaps we’re not spending enough in certain areas. But what I can say is, this is a record budget in the history of the province of Ontario, and we are moving to a balance over the next one to two years, which would have been unprecedented thinking just a few years ago. Coming through COVID and coming through 15 years of Liberal economic mismanagement, which drove hundreds of thousands of jobs out of the province and piled on our debt so that Ontario became the most indebted sub-sovereign government in the entire world, we are moving back to balance, not by making dramatic cuts, not by dramatic austerity, but by investing in the right places so we’re going to get a return on those investments. And then, guess what? We’re going to have the money to be able to fund the mental health care investments we need, the education investments we need, the health care investments we need. We know as a province we need these investments, but we also need the wealth creation and the economic activity to pay for those in the future.

With that, Speaker, I’m happy to end my time here and answer any questions if we have time for that.

Thank you to the member from Scarborough Centre. I appreciate your comments.

This government recognizes that there are vulnerable populations in the province of Ontario, and this government increased ODSP by the largest increase ever, by 5%, most recently, and we’ve also indexed it to inflation—which, to my understanding, we are one of the first, if not the first province in the country to be able to do that.

But it’s not just about ODSP; it’s also about energy rebates. It’s a multi-faceted program. It’s also about the low-income tax credit, which is the largest tax credit savings for low-income families in the province of Ontario. It’s also about the GAINS program, which is helping low-income seniors.

So as much as we want to create wealth and prosperity for our province, we do recognize that there are those who are more vulnerable, and we want to be able to help them.

I find it ironic these questions pertaining to public transit are coming from the opposition, because the opposition seems to have a problem with commuters in this province. They have a problem with people in my riding that want to take the highway. They have a problem with people in my riding that want to take the GO train. They have a problem with people in Toronto that are taking the subway. They don’t want to expand the subway lines, the Ontario Line.

Look, our population is growing at an exponential pace in this province, and that’s good news. But we need the transit infrastructure to be able to accommodate these people getting from A to B quickly and safely. Whether it’s subways, electrification of the GO line or building highways, roads and bridges, we are making more investments than any government in the history of Ontario. I would encourage you to support us in that objective.