My question is to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Hamiltonians are tired of this government not listening to them. Our city council voted to hold the urban boundary, but this government has disregarded and disrespected this. Hamiltonians have been protesting the passage of Bill 23 since the beginning, but the local minister and the local member have chosen not to listen to their communities and voted for it anyway. It is clear Hamiltonians are not happy. They know this move will lead to sprawl, unaffordable housing and car-dependent cities.

Can the minister tell this House if the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport and the member for Flamborough–Glanbrook have shared with them our city’s opposition to Bill 23?

This is just more mendacious propaganda that the opposition continues to speak about in the House. The—

You know, municipalities already do much of what Bill 23 will legislate. Numerous municipalities have existing DC or property tax incentive programs to encourage infill development or to help contribute to affordable housing. They include Kitchener, Barrie, Cambridge, Peterborough, Halton Hills, Brampton, Niagara Falls and many, many others. In fact, Toronto has provided $195 million in DC exemptions between 2018 and 2021 through the Toronto Open Door program, and the other municipality that the member knows is Hamilton, her former leader’s community, who has provided $242 million in DC exemptions between—

I didn’t have enough time to get this on the record, but again, when it comes to Bill 23, municipalities like the city of Hamilton do exactly what the bill is proposing. Hamilton has provided $242 million in DC exemptions between 2013 and 2021 for both residential and non-residential development. All Bill 23 does is codify exactly what Hamilton council already does.

I thank the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade and commend her work to recently pass a private member’s motion to further the important work to end intimate partner violence by offering continuous education courses to those involved in Family Court systems.

Interjections.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the 707 hub, which hosts Rose of Durham, Catholic Family Services of Durham, Luke’s Place and DRIVEN. They are a hub that focuses on addressing post-separation violence, trauma-informed supportive counselling and specialized safety planning, while leveraging its legal expertise in the delivery of legal support, legal aid assistance and court preparation and accompaniment.

When women are supported like they are at the 707 hub, they can break free and end the generational cycle of trauma for themselves and their children.

Mr. Speaker, the five pillars of the national action plan are (1) support for victims, survivors and their families; (2) prevention; (3) responsive justice systems; (4) implementing Indigenous-led approaches; and (5) social infrastructure and enabling environment. Ontario led the approach in forwarding the national action plan to the FPT forum of justice ministers, with a written request that they commit to taking further action to improve justice system responses, including by holding perpetrators and offenders accountable.

Safety is a right, not a privilege, and during the negotiations with the federal government, we will work hard to reinforce this as we work towards a fair and equitable approach that will address violence against women across—

My question is for the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity. The COVID-19 pandemic left many families across Ontario dealing with significant challenges. Sadly, domestic violence incidents increased during this period for many women in our province. In my own community, in 2021, Halton police responded to 3,500 intimate-partner-violence-related calls.

Yesterday, December 6, was the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. On this day, we honour and remember the 14 young women killed and the 13 other individuals injured at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal 33 years ago. It is also a day that we remember countless other women and girls who are victims and survivors of gender-based violence.

Speaker, can the minister provide an update to this House on the government’s work to address gender-based violence?

I’m encouraged that Ontario endorsed the 10-year National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. This national plan is a solid framework that will ensure reliable and timely access to protect and assist anyone facing gender-based violence.

Speaker, can the minister address how Ontario will implement the national action plan?

My question is to the Premier. Last week, after the government doubled down claiming that Waterloo region municipalities were sitting on over $200 million of reserve funds from development charges, in fact it was reported that the legislation, Bill 23, will cost the region $530 million over 10 years, according to regional staff.

Waterloo Mayor McCabe said the bill’s reduction in development charges could leave the city short $23 million to $31 million. That’s money used to pay for roads, sewers, transit, libraries and other city services, and now the taxpayers will have to foot that bill.

Does the minister know whether the member from Kitchener–Conestoga now regrets his support for Bill 23, now that they know it was based on faulty information and will harm our community’s ability to build housing and infrastructure? It’s a—

Interjections.

Speaker, our proposed legislation has received strong support, and I’m going to give one example on the record for the member. Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley said, “I applaud the province for considering all options at their disposal to address this crisis, including exploration of expansion of so-called strong-mayor powers. As regional chair, I look forward to working with the ... provincial facilitators to find ways to better support our growing population while addressing the housing crisis.”

Speaker, it’s partners like Jim Bradley, who have a long experience in both municipal and provincial politics in Ontario, who will help our government shape our next steps.

The members opposite—especially this member, who doesn’t support his chair, Jim Bradley, in Niagara—have to make sure that if they’re going to talk numbers, they’ve got to talk numbers that are correct. We’re going to move forward and we’re going to have some audits to ensure that the numbers that are being bounced around by our municipal partners are verified.

I want to thank the member for Perth–Wellington for that great question. I’m looking forward to joining you in your riding next week.

Speaker, I think everyone here in the chamber can agree: We all love Ontario parks, and we all love getting outdoors. As a lover of nature, I know first-hand the value of having such an extensive park system in the province of Ontario—in fact, a park system we’re expanding. I reflect fondly on the recent announcement to add Alfred Bog to this incredible system, preserving over 3,000 acres and protecting peat moss, one of the most important sources to sequester carbon.

Ontario parks attracted over 800,000 visitors last year, and this government is making investments. In fact, since 2018 alone, this government has invested over $50 million back into Ontario’s park system. These are ensuring that Ontarians are having the best possible visitor experience. We’re not done there, and I look forward to expanding on the great work in the supplementary.

You know, Speaker, when I became Minister of the Environment, I reflected that a previous government had no online store. There was no way to generate revenue from those parks visitors that demanded and wanted things like hoodies or the popular crest—and I see the member from Oshawa looking; I know she’s a crest lover as well. We wanted those crests, and online, you can now buy them. In fact, what’s exciting is that revenue that we now generate online, 100% of it is going right back into provincial parks. The only answer the Liberals had was to tax people.

Speaker, what’s exciting in the winter months: Arrowhead skating. I know members really enjoy that. In Sandbanks, we’ve invested over $5.6 million in new campgrounds alone, and I know our Minister of Energy is excited with that. We’ve also upgraded staffing facilities and built new ones so that the great employees can continue doing the great work. We’re the number one employee for students in the summer.

So I encourage everyone: Get out to the parks—

My question is to the Premier. In my riding, the mayor of Fort Erie, Wayne Redekop, said Bill 23 will “significantly benefit developers,” with no guarantee it would lead to lower housing prices. The town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has said Bill 23 could lead to the “loss of important cultural heritage resources.”

In the riding of Niagara West, the town of Pelham voiced concerns. The town of Lincoln’s mayor said, “Amendments to these acts will change how we fund the services and programs our community members expect from us.” Speaker, that means the PCs are forcing municipalities to raise taxes. The town of Grimsby outright rejected Bill 23.

Why are the Premier and the MPP from Niagara West ignoring the concerns of Niagara regional municipalities’ elected officials?

To the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing: It’s a dark day for democracy in Ontario. In less than an hour, the Conservative MPPs are expected to vote on Bill 39 that will end majority-vote democracy in Ontario municipalities. It will override the voices of elected representatives, including mayor Tom Mrakas of Aurora, who has condemned the government’s plans to pave over the greenbelt. In York region, the minister will be appointing a regional chair who, with one third of council votes, will be able to override majority votes.

Now, I know the minister has been blaming the Liberals, attacking the NDP or pivoting to housing when asked about democratic questions, but we can build housing while respecting democratic rights.

Will the minister be voting to end majority-vote democracy in York region today?

My question is to the Premier. Markham’s mayor and councillors began their new term at council in a special meeting to unanimously reject Bill 23. This is the government House leader’s riding. City staff presented a report showing that the changes in Bill 23 could cost the city $136 million in annual revenue, requiring an increase of 50% to 80% on property taxes to maintain service levels, equalling an estimated $600 to $1,000 a year to the average taxpayer.

Speaker, why does the Premier choose to subsidize developer profits by increasing the taxes of the people of Markham?

Interjection.

Thank you.

The member for Niagara Falls.

The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to reply.

The next question.

I want to correct my record. On the debate on Bill 36, I said that 41 construction workers had died in Ontario. In fact, the total of worker deaths and fatalities in Ontario, according to WSIB, is 144. Nine were COVID-19 fatalities, 75 were occupational disease and 60 were traumatic fatalities.

You know what? It’s no surprise that the members opposite don’t support the people who build homes, because they don’t want people to actually own homes, Mr. Speaker. They talk about affordable housing, but they vote against the fact that we brought in a bill that brought the highest affordable housing, rental housing, in the province in over 30 years. They voted against that.

They talk about affordable housing, but they voted against 60,000 seniors having new and upgraded long-term-care beds. Those are—what are those, colleagues? Those are homes for seniors. They voted against it, Mr. Speaker.

So, they talk out of both sides of their mouth—

Interjection.

So, listen, Mr. Speaker: It should be no surprise to anybody that the members opposite don’t support people who build homes, don’t support the people who want to buy homes, don’t support the new Canadians who want to live in the province and have the dream of home ownership. This has been the NDP since their inception and why they always form a small sliver in this—

My question is to the Premier. On Friday, massive demonstrations at Western University will call on the government to stop auctioning off the greenbelt.

My constituent Brendon writes, Bill 23 threatens “raising our taxes, worsening the housing crisis, privately trading our biodiversity and farmland for industry donations and favours.”

Mainstreet Research CEO Quito Maggi said, “There’s a perception that someone is unfairly lining their pockets. The perception is that the Ford government is unfairly giving a benefit to a small sliver of their supporters.”

Will the Premier listen and again admit: “I’ve heard it loud and clear, people don’t want me touching the greenbelt”?

To the minister, I actually paid my way through a lot of my life doing carpentry work, and I can tell you what every carpenter, every construction worker I worked with, wanted above everything else: the democratic rights of Ontarians to be respected.

York regional councillors asked the government not to give a billion-dollar taxpayer gift to developers because it will mean that the taxes will go up in King–Vaughan.

My question is to the Minister of Education. These councillors were elected by the people in York region, but soon their power to represent their constituents will be overridden by Bill 39, which imposes minority rule in York region. Will the Minister of Education be undermining the democratic rights of York region by voting on the undemocratic Bill 39 today?

Supplementary question.

Conclude your answer.

Call in the members. This will be a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1150 to 1155.

Ms. Khanjin has moved government notice of motion number 10 relating to the allocation of time on Bill 51, An Act to amend the Legislative Assembly Act.

All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Motion agreed to.

Deferred vote on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 29, An Act to amend the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 with respect to municipal conditions on residential natural gas connections / Projet de loi 29, Loi modifiant la Loi de 1998 sur la Commission de l’énergie de l’Ontario à l’égard des conditions municipales sur les raccordements résidentiels au réseau d’alimentation en gaz naturel.

The division bells rang from 1159 to 1200.

All those in favour of the motion will please rise and remain standing until recognized by the Clerk.

Second reading negatived.

This House stands in recess until 1 p.m.

The House recessed from 1204 until 1300.

Afternoon meeting reported in volume B.

I want to thank my friend from Markham–Unionville for his question. It’s an important question.

On Monday of this week, the Toronto Police Service made an exceptional announcement dealing with smuggled guns. Toronto Police Service has seized an unprecedented 62 illegal firearms destined for the hands of criminals. This seizure shocked the most seasoned investigators.

I want to thank everyone from the Toronto organized crime enforcement unit, including superintendent Steve Watts. All but one of the guns that were traced and seized were illegally smuggled from the US. And together with our federal partners, Ontario has invested $203 million as part of our Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy. Our program is focused on early intervention in at-risk communities.

Monsieur le Président, retirer les armes à feu illégales de nos rues est notre priorité absolue.

My question is for the Solicitor General a gas station in Mississauga. At the same time, Hamilton endures its fourth shooting in a week, and the 40th for the entire year.

Increasing violent gun crime is a serious matter that impacts the safety and security of all Ontarians.

Speaker, can the Solicitor General explain what our government, working in partnership with police services across Ontario, is doing to keep us safe from smuggled-gun crime?

Toronto police Chief Ramer said it best that, “Gun violence continues to be the most significant public safety concern, as shootings devastate families and erode our sense of security.”

During his press conference, police Chief Ramer further stated that the majority of the guns seized as part of this operation originated from the United States, and that additional measures at our borders are required.

Speaker, through you to the Solicitor General: How is our government addressing this issue as we move forward?

Again, Speaker, another Toronto member speaking against John Tory and the tools that John Tory needs to get shovels in the ground faster. We support Mayor Tory. He’s a great mayor, and he wants to do his share to get shovels in the ground faster. That’s why we listened to His Worship and put in those measures to add those tools to ensure the strong-mayor powers get those shovels in the ground, make those important investments in our communities.

Again, despite even their own advisers, even their own adviser to their new leader, the NDP continue to block the dream of home ownership. We had young people in the galleries earlier today. Those young people, we’re fighting for them. We want to ensure that they have a dream, to ensure that they have a home that meets their needs and their budget. We’re fighting for seniors to ensure that they have the opportunity to downsize, and we’re fighting for new Canadians, who we welcome to our community. We want to make sure that we have a home that fits them as they come to live in the best place to live, work and raise a family: Ontario.