Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a serious question.

As I’ve said many times in this House, everyone has a right to feel safe in their own homes and their own communities. The violence is completely unacceptable. Gender-based violence is a crime.

But we are moving forward. I want to speak for just a second about the Ontario Police College, where we are introducing new training for recruits. This is something our government takes seriously. Everyone has a right to be safe in their own homes and their own communities.

I’d like to thank the member for Scarborough–Rouge Park, and yes I can.

Our government is investing more than $6.3 million through the Quest for Gold program to support high-performance athletes. This program benefits performance in a high level and provides financial support for training, equipment, facilities and access to top-level coaches—those facilities, again, that they can work and train in. Every young person in this province should have the opportunity to compete at a high level, just like they should have an opportunity to someday buy a home.

We want all our kids to have the opportunity to play, whether it’s through our Jumpstart program or on a bigger stage with Quest for Gold. It’s a privilege to be able to represent Ontario and this country on the national and international stage, and we want those opportunities to be available.

We are providing nearly $900,000 to support 14 national and international sport events in 16 host cities across Ontario this year and next, building legacies in communities and building young people and the communities along with it. These events will contribute more than $17 million to communities across Ontario and feature more than 4,600 athletes. Applications are now open, so I would encourage Indigenous communities, not-for-profit organizations and municipalities to go ahead and submit proposals by January 9. Together, we are making Ontario a destination to train, to live and to host. No one does it better than Ontario.

I find it so rich and so ironic, hearing from the Liberals that changed the greenbelt 17 times. You should do your homework. You froze housing.

We have 300,000 people coming to Ontario every single year. I see the young people there. I see people up here that are renting. Do you know what their goal is in life? Their goal is to own a home. It’s supply and demand, Mr. Speaker.

But I can tell you, the last people we should be listening to is the previous government that destroyed housing, that just voted against every housing bill that we’ve had. You destroyed housing—

Interjections.

The member opposite is highlighting exactly why our government is making the commitments and making the investments in the health care system. We are hiring and training additional health human resources, whether those are lab technicians, personal support workers, nurses, doctors. We’re making those investments because we saw that we did not have sufficient capacity.

The health care system was ignored for far too long. We’re making those investments now. We are seeing some very good work out in the field, in the community. We’re seeing the increased numbers of nurses and PSWs who are working in the system—over 12,000 more than pre-pandemic. We’ll continue to get the job done, and we’ll make those investments so that we don’t have long wait times for things like diagnostic testing.

You are talking about how we need to increase capacity. We are doing that. As a government, we are ensuring that all partners have the ability to expand and continue to offer services in our community, and we will do that with all of our partners. We are not going to freeze out individuals and organizations that can be part of the solution.

What a thrill it was for me to be in the member’s riding—the clean-energy capital of Canada—in the Durham region along with the Premier on Friday morning to announce that construction is beginning on Canada’s first grid-scale small modular reactor.

You know, the member’s hair was blowing in the wind, and we were all jealous about that—or at least I was. But this was an historic moment for our province—construction under way on a 300-megawatt small modular reactor. Well, what does that mean, Mr. Speaker? A 300-megawatt small modular reactor is enough to power a city the size of London.

Our plan is not to build just one on the site at Darlington, but potentially four. That’s 1,200-plus megawatts that will add to our clean—and I emphasize clean—reliable, affordable electricity grid in the province of Ontario.

We have an incredible team at OPG that’s going to be building that BWRX-300, and, Mr. Speaker, the world is watching what’s happening in Canada’s clean-energy capital.

Already, 76,000 people work in our nuclear supply chain across the country. Almost all of them—about 65,000—right here in Ontario. This is a tremendous export opportunity for Ontario and for Canada.

The small modular reactor, as I say: The world is watching, and the world really is watching this project. Countries over in Europe and around the world are looking for energy autonomy, energy security, and this is the flexible form of electricity generation that’s clean that the world is looking for.

It confounds me, Mr. Speaker, that members opposite aren’t standing and applauding the work that is happening in Canada’s clean-energy capital with OPG in the Durham region. Stand with us and push for this project to be the success that it’s going to be.

Ma question est pour la ministre de la Santé.

Linda Luyt from Sudbury is an endometrial cancer survivor. She requires annual PAP tests by her oncology team. She had her test on October 18. Usually, it takes between three and six weeks for the results to come in. But when she called her doctor last week, she was told that it now takes six months for the results to come in.

Minister, is six months an acceptable amount of time for a cancer patient to wait for a diagnostic test result?

Ontario lab services are now dominated by LifeLabs, a private, for-profit company. In my riding, LifeLabs offers terrible customer service. They let frail, elderly people wait outside in minus-20 weather. They have minimum staffing. They have minimum hours of operation and huge delays for test results.

Does the minister agree that privatization of our lab services made our lab services worse?

My question is for the Minister of Energy. Nuclear power represents a critical component of our province’s energy production capabilities now and in the future. Ontario is a global leader when it comes to nuclear power and in producing new and innovative energy technology.

We’ve heard our government and the Minister of Energy tout the potential for small modular nuclear reactors to assist us in generating clean and reliable electricity to power Ontario and our growing economy. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Energy please tell us more about what the next steps are in advancing SMR technology here in Ontario?

With global businesses looking to expand in jurisdictions with clean and cost-effective electricity, small modular reactors will help us as we compete and attract more game-changing investments here at home. SMRs, Mr. Speaker, have the potential to drive job creation, economic growth and export opportunities, which will allow Ontario to leverage its highly skilled nuclear industry and workforce.

However, members from across the aisle continue to say no and oppose the advancement of new nuclear technology. Mr. Speaker, therefore, can the Minister of Energy provide further details on how our government supports this critical endeavour?

Supplementary?

The Premier will please take his seat. Stop the clock.

Interjections.

Interjection.

Start the clock. Supplementary question.

Stop the clock. The member will take her seat.

I’d ask the government members not to interrupt another member who has the floor with loud applause such that I can’t hear the member who has the floor.

Please restart the clock. The member can continue.

Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we’ve got a housing plan. Here’s what we’re fighting for—and the Premier is right. We’ve got young people, both in front of me and behind me in the galleries. A recent report released from the charitable organization Generation Squeeze, a 56-page report—and this is something I want everyone to listen to because this is what we’re fighting for. This is the crux of the issue: “In order for millennials to buy a home in the province, the report says average home prices need to drop by $530,000, more than 60% of the market value last year, for them to afford a mortgage that covers 80% of the value....

“‘It takes 22 years of full-time work for the typical young person to save a 20 [per cent] down payment on an average priced home,’ the report reads,” which is 17 years longer than when we were their age.

Speaker, this is the fight. This is what we’re fighting for: to make sure that young people realize the dream of home ownership. Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we’re going to get it done.

Farmers in northern Ontario contribute over $200 million annually to our provincial economy. Unfortunately, the previous Liberal government refused to acknowledge the important potential that northern agriculture could offer. Across the north, a vast tract of fertile land stretches between the Cochrane district and the Quebec border known as the Great Clay Belt. This area represents an untapped agricultural and economic opportunity for our farmers in the north and our entire province.

Our agri-food sector in the north needs assurance that our government is committed to that growth. Speaker, can the fantastic Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs please share with the House what actions our government is taking to support northern agriculture?

Northern Ontario represents a significant region that could supply Ontario and the world with abundant agricultural products. In particular, the north’s clay belt region represents a jurisdiction that could increase farm and food production capabilities for the agri-business sector, benefiting all Ontario.

Speaker, once again my question is to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. What further action is our government taking to help cement agriculture as a pillar of the northern economy?

Thank you very much to the member from Thunder Bay–Atikokan. Just last year, I visited his particular area and was impressed with the agricultural presence that that particular region of northern Ontario has, and just this past week, I spent time in Timmins with the amazing Minister of Mines. His passion and his commitment to the agri-food sector in northern Ontario is not only infectious, but it’s inspired as well.

Through our Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, we have invested $300,000 in a thoughtful strategy that embraces ideas coming from the city of Timmins and the municipality of Black River-Matheson, as well as our farming communities. That thoughtful approach is taking a look at how we can further develop our lands in northern Ontario into primary production, and it’s through leadership like the Commerce Management Group and the Abitibi Institute that we’re exploring more opportunities. We met with Frank, who’s been milking cows since 1958. We met with Karen in regenerative farming, Eric in urban farming and Ed, a 1,600-acre cash cropper in northern Ontario.

There’s so much more to talk about, and I can’t wait for my supplemental.

Our government, since elected, has invested in 250 northern projects totalling $4.1 million. I also want to give a nod and share my appreciation to the Minister of Northern Development, who has supported over 300 projects worth $55 million of investment in agriculture and food production.

We’re bridging that community in northern Ontario to new technologies and new innovations that will see more arable land in northern Ontario that outsizes Manitoba into production.

It’s working, because in talking about potatoes, I learned from OFVGA just yesterday that they’re looking to increase potato production and seed potato production. We’re increasing the number of cars on the Ontario Northland bringing grains down to southern Ontario. Everywhere, every point in Ontario, is going to be proud of the agricultural production.

Back to the Premier: Today, food banks across Niagara are hosting a press conference raising red flags. They need help. Month over month, up to 10% of St. Catharines’s population has used a food bank, while usage has doubled since last year. Why? Low wage jobs, high rent and social assistance rates, all while grocery stores are gouging families.

Speaker, will this government provide cost-of-living help to families so they do not have to keep turning to the food banks, and review policies that are contributing to driving more people to food banks?

My question is to the Premier. Food bank use has hit a record high under the Ford government. The London Food Bank reports that over 20,000 Londoners can’t afford food this year. Will the government listen to Feed Ontario, double social assistance rates, tackle precarious work, build social housing, and finally crack down on price gouging in the grocery aisle?

Thank you to the member opposite for that question. Mr. Speaker, there’s no question that many are hurting in this province and in this country with a higher price of groceries, among many other things. That’s why our colleagues in Ottawa across all party lines have struck a parliamentary committee to look at food prices right across the province, and that work is happening now.

But now that we’re talking about the federal government, you know what they could do to help with the cost of everything across Canada? They could lower the carbon tax. This Premier and this government took action back in March to lower gas prices at the pump by reducing the gas tax for fuel and for gas, and then extended it for another year, starting January 1, to provide relief to the many people in Ontario who are struggling with day-to-day costs.

That’s why we’ve taken action. That’s why we started taking action this spring. That’s why we moved to reduce gas taxes. That’s why we removed the tolls on the 412 and 418. That’s why we rebated the licence plate stickers.

But we didn’t stop there, Speaker. We increased the minimum wage. We lowered the tax rebate, so Ontarians pay some of the lowest income taxes for low-income workers across the country. But we didn’t stop there, Mr. Speaker, with the Guaranteed Annual Income Supplement for 200,000 seniors. But we didn’t stop there; we helped people on Ontario disability by increasing it by 5% and indexing it to inflation. Why did you vote no every single time for every single measure?

Thank you to the Premier for that passionate response. We can all agree that we need more homes for Ontarians. However, it appears—

Interjections.

My question again to the Premier: Why is this government ignoring the advice from experts and trying to convince Ontarians that this bill is for the people when in fact people can see that it’s all about helping the Premier’s friends?

Two weeks ago, I shared with the government that about 1,000 tenants in my riding are facing major rent increases—some as high as 14%—all because the Premier made unlimited rent increases legal for new buildings in 2018. I have introduced a bill to extend rent control protections to all tenants in the province.

Will the Premier give tenants the stability they need and protect them from rent gouging by passing the Rent Control for All Tenants Act?

I know Scarborough very well, from top to bottom, from east to west, north to south. I just want to remind the people of this province: You were one of the ministers, and your whole gang there—you lost 300,000 jobs. I spoke to the auto sector with my friend Vic Fedeli here, and they chased jobs out of the province.

Let me remind everyone: As we stand today, in four years, there are 500,000 more people working today than when we took office. Mr. Speaker, there are 380,000 jobs available as we sit right here. You can go anywhere down any street in the province and find gainful employment.

As the Minister of Finance said, we dropped the gas prices for the supply chain by 10 cents. We need the federal government to drop their 11 cents and put meaningful, meaningful relief to the taxpayers of this province. They refuse to—

As for transit, Mr. Speaker, the member from Scarborough voted down the Scarborough subway over and over again. Through our great Minister of Transportation, we’re building the largest transit plan in North America—$30 billion. We’re bringing transit to the people of Scarborough.

We’re making sure that people who are on Ontario Works have an opportunity to go out there and get a great job, to make themselves feel great and also put money into their pockets. That’s what we’re doing. As they just absolutely destroyed the economy, we’re growing the economy. We saw gains of 22,000 full-time jobs just last month and again the previous month. We’re growing Ontario. We’re getting it done for the people here.

I’ll remind the members to make their comments through the Chair.

Supplementary question.