The number one cost of climate change to ordinary people is the cost of flooding—flooded basements, flooded businesses.

The Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program—a federal program which operates through the province—closed applications on September 16. Applications were evaluated based on planned development. But with Bill 23, plans have suddenly changed.

The Conservatives now want to develop the greenbelt. A new section in the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System means wetlands and wetland complexes can be re-evaluated and developed. Le changement climatique redéfinit continuellement ce que sont les phénomènes météo extrêmes. So obviously, if the Conservatives care to look ahead, there are new areas which will be a high priority for flood plain and flood hazard mapping.

What plans has the government made, and what funds have been set aside for new flood plain and flood hazard mapping?

Suppose your wetland evaluation is missing information about hydrological functions? Well, the Conservatives deleted that section of the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System which tells you what to do. Now it’s, “Advance to go; collect $200.”

If wetlands are re-evaluated and developed, and trees are cut, fields are paved over, then flood hazard maps will change. This has a real impact on family budgets.

Is this government prepared for families who have to pay more for flood insurance or lose insurance altogether?

Le nouveau Système d’évaluation des terres humides de l’Ontario de ce gouvernement conservateur élimine le rôle des scientifiques du ministère des Richesses naturelles.

Can they be trusted to ensure that flood hazards are evaluated with the best science and that the people of Ontario will have access to the results?

I am proud to say that this government is keeping Ontarians safe, making sure that people and property are protected, working with conservation authorities to make sure that they are focused on that key mandate, making sure that we are building new homes in Ontario as we do all this—1.5 million new homes over the next 10 years—homes for seniors, homes for students, homes for people who are coming to this province for the very first time.

If building all of these homes and keeping people safe and keeping property safe is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

The most significant proposed changes to development charges are for affordable and non-profit housing and exclusionary zoning, everything that our government wants to incent. But the member doesn’t have to take my word for it—take the word of Simone Swail, the manager of government relations for the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, who is here at Queen’s Park today: “The commitment to waive development charges for all affordable housing developments will have a tangible and positive impact on the ability to develop new affordable co-ops in Ontario. We also look forward to engaging with the province in order to reduce the property tax burden on affordable housing providers, including co-ops.” Don’t take my word for it—take it from the CHF.

Again, I want to put into perspective what the Liberal Party is proposing by defending the status quo. I want to go back to that $116,900 of cost that is going to be added on a home in the greater Golden Horseshoe. At current interest rates of 5.69%, it’s going to add an additional $812 on a homebuyer’s monthly mortgage over 20 years. That’s the cost of a down payment.

So you either stand with us to be able to put a plan in place on a number that none of you have argued about—all of you have acknowledged your inaction over the last 15 years.

They acknowledge their inaction because they acknowledge that we need to build 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years. So they acknowledge that they did nothing on this file. And now they stand in the way of young families and want to add an additional $812 per month—

Our government believes that the mining industry is essential to our province’s economic strength and helps ensure our northern communities’ prosperity. This industry serves a critical role in helping our province deliver on our vision of creating a supply chain for electric vehicles. Because our government has created the right conditions for ongoing investments, mining operations continue to expand while ensuring both sustainability and respect for environmental interests. The communities in the north, local First Nations, and our economy all reap the benefits when mining companies continue to invest and to grow.

Could the Minister of Mines please provide an example of how our government’s leadership and support for the mining industry contributes to positive outcomes for northern communities?

Unfortunately, the previous Liberal government did not value the mining industry and the importance of critical minerals, which delayed economic growth in the north for many years.

Our government continues demonstrating much-needed leadership in our strategies and actions to build relationships with the north and strengthen its economic potential. Our government’s Critical Minerals Strategy creates the right conditions for investment and successes currently being realized in this vital sector.

Could the minister please provide further information about how recent investments by the mining industry benefit all Ontarians, especially those residing in the north?

Thank you for the question from the member from Sault Ste. Marie.

The mining industry in Ontario is the best in the world, but that hasn’t stopped us from improving.

Last week, the Premier was back in Timmins to join me at Newmont’s announcement of a $160-million investment in a new, state-of-the-art effluent treatment plant. This new, industry-leading plant will return treated clean water to the watershed, benefiting the ecosystem for generations. The treatment plant will secure the future of Newmont’s operations in my hometown of Porcupine. A mining operation like this is part of the fabric of our community and creates prosperity for the people of Timmins and for the entire province.

Ontario will continue to lead the world in environmentally responsible mining.

The mining industry in Ontario is thriving, and we are just getting started.

Last month, the Premier and I were at the official opening of Vale’s $945-million complex at Copper Cliff. This will create 270 jobs in the Sudbury region and lead to 14 years of production. The company is also preparing to invest another billion dollars in phase 2 of the project.

We have mines under construction right now, including Argonaut Gold’s Magino project, the Greenstone Gold mine, and Iamgold’s Côté Gold project.

These new mines are creating thousands of construction jobs, but more importantly, they will build stronger communities throughout the north.

We have more work to do, but we are building the foundation for the future of mining, and that will bring unprecedented prosperity to this province.

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Supplementary question. The member for Toronto–St. Paul’s.

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Minister of Health.

Back to the Premier: Toronto elected 25 city councillors, but under Bill 39 only eight plus the mayor will make decisions, effectively silencing 17 councillors and the communities they represent.

Toronto’s council is the most diverse in its history, with 27% of councillors being racialized. This is a step in the right direction but still a far cry from Toronto’s full diversity, where 55% of folks here are visibly racialized. But now, because of the Premier’s secret deal with Mayor Tory, their voices would be silenced through this bill’s minority rule. When progressive women and BIPOC city councillors achieve historic elections in city council, the government changes the rules and strips them and the voters who elected them of their power.

Will this government withdraw their dangerous, undemocratic and inequitable Bill 39 and actually allow racialized Torontonians—all Torontonians—to have power on city council with the councillors they elected?

Interjections.

My question is for the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

First of all, I want to thank the minister for coming to Etobicoke–Lakeshore and touring the William F. White movie production and business centre in the great riding of Etobicoke–Lakeshore. This company equips Ontario and Canada’s film and television industry with the most extensive and technologically advanced retail and rental inventory in the country.

William F. White is a tremendous success story that contributes to our economy and provides great-paying jobs to thousands of people across the province and right in my riding of Etobicoke.

But with other jurisdictions battling Ontario to bring film and TV to their respective areas, Ontario needs to do more to keep such a vital industry and the many jobs created right here.

Can the minister please share with us what the government is doing to encourage and to cultivate the expansion of on-screen-based industries in Ontario?

Seeing local landmarks in a film or sitcom can undoubtedly spark a strong sense of pride from the community being showcased. I know when we watch our movies sometimes we see little snippets from our community. I know the northern communities have of a lot of film business there as well—but we still want them to come to Etobicoke.

Ontario’s film and television industry faces increased competition from outside production companies and national and global markets. Our government must step up and provide leadership in supporting our film and cultural television industries as they compete with other jurisdictions that have taken significant and strong measures to enhance their landmark attractions. We want to keep those jobs right here in Ontario.

Can the minister explain what our government is doing to give Ontario’s domestic industry a leading edge over the competition?

And I must say: Go, Team Canada!

When we talk about investments in the health care system, we are talking about true dollars. In terms of our most recent budget, in August, which this member opposite chose not to support, we invested an additional $5 billion in our health care system. We have already added 3,500 new hospital beds in the province of Ontario.

We will continue to work with all of our partners in hospitals, in primary care, in public health units.

Let me assure the member opposite and the people of Ontario that our government is making the investments that, bluntly, the Liberal government and the NDP government before did not do.

Go Canada!

I’d like to thank the member for Etobicoke–Lakeshore for the question as well as for joining me in that very important meeting, and for all the work that you do in your community in helping the rest of Ontario.

From meetings and conversations I’ve had with stakeholders in areas among diverse regions, it’s evident that the sector has a footprint across our province. Whether it’s in Toronto, London, Hamilton or the north—North Bay—film and television is thriving across Ontario. Last year, we had our highest economic activity to date, with almost 400 productions bringing in close to $3 billion in spending and almost 50,000 jobs. We’re going to expand on that. This province and our Premier want to build on this industry.

Ontario is a great place to do business and a great place to showcase—

We have just expanded the Ontario Production Services Tax Credit to include location fees to help attract domestic and foreign film and television and encourage more on-location filming in communities across our great province. This means you’ll be able to see more of Ontario on TV—never a bad thing. Further, as more and more productions are geared toward platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+, we’re keeping up with the changing times and viewing habits by modernizing our tax credit to include productions that are distributed exclusively online.

We want the world to know what a great place Ontario is to do business in. Our Premier stands behind that statement—as we do behind him.

My question is to the Premier.

I want to read two recent headlines within the last 24 hours. Headline number one: “Doug Ford is Looking to Cut Costs in Healthcare Staffing, Documents Show.” Second headline: “Child with Pneumonia Waits ... 40 Hours in Ontario ER.”

Speaker, our health care system is on the verge of collapse. There are no available beds for children—not even for children.

Why is the government cutting even more funding when every Ontarian is crying out and asking you to do what it takes to solve the health care crisis?

On this side, too.

To the Premier: During the recent Toronto election, the Premier and Mayor Tory made a secret deal so that Mayor Tory would be able to govern the city with only one third of city councillors; that’s eight out of the 25 who were elected. I’ve been wondering, if you’re going to override democratic majority rule, why one third—why not one quarter or one sixth or one tenth?

I did some research, and of the recently elected 25 councillors in Toronto, Mayor Tory endorsed seven and Premier Ford endorsed two. That makes nine—one third plus one.

My question is, did the Premier look at the results of the Toronto election and then decide that a one-third minority would allow Mayor Tory to govern the city with the votes of only their endorsed candidates?

I have a petition that reads, “To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s social assistance rates are well below Canada’s official Market Basket Measure poverty line and far from adequate to cover the rising costs of food and rent: $733 for individuals on OW and soon $1,227 for ODSP;

“Whereas an open letter to the Premier and two cabinet ministers, signed by over 230 organizations, recommends that social assistance rates be doubled for both Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP);

“Whereas the recent small budget increase of 5% for ODSP still leaves these citizens well below the poverty line, both they and those receiving the frozen OW rates are struggling to live in this time of alarming inflation;

“Whereas the government of Canada recognized in its 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 double social assistance rates for OW and ODSP.”

I agree with this petition, Mr. Speaker, will affix my signature and give it to page Camilla to bring to the table.

Thank you to the member for asking such an important question and for all the marvellous work you’re doing for your riding of Oxford.

We are helping seniors by proposing to double the Guaranteed Annual Income System in 2023. This will now provide $166 per month, $1,992 per year, directly into the pockets of our seniors most in need.

Our government stands with our seniors.

On behalf of all seniors, I want to thank the Premier and the Minister of Finance for their leadership in providing the kind of financial support our seniors need.

As I mentioned, our government is proposing to give close to an extra $1,000 per year to support seniors in need. We have also invested almost $22 million in over 1,200 seniors community grants since 2018. We also fund 299 seniors active living centres all across the province. Many of the programs we fund offer both in-person and virtual options.

Our government will continue to work with local partners all across Ontario. When we work together, we can ensure that seniors can access the quality programs and services they need and deserve.

Deferred vote on the motion that the question now be put on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 39, An Act to amend the City of Toronto Act, 2006 and the Municipal Act, 2001 and to enact the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve Repeal Act, 2022 / Projet de loi 39, Loi visant à modifier la Loi de 2006 sur la cité de Toronto et la Loi de 2001 sur les municipalités et à édicter la Loi de 2022 abrogeant la Loi sur la Réserve agricole de Duffins-Rouge.

I respectfully have to disagree. There are some things that we have done and can do quickly. One of those things is through the College of Nurses of Ontario—directing them to, say, when people have applied who are internationally trained, get those assessments done and get them into the system quickly. We’ve seen that historic numbers are already practising in our province.

The member opposite talked about SickKids and a pediatric nurse—absolutely incredible work that SickKids are doing. Do you know what they’re doing right now? Those SickKids nurses are training other community health nurses. SickKids doctors are training and explaining how to deal with RSV so that community hospitals will have that same depth of experience, care and compassion that we see every single day in our hospitals across Ontario.

As I said, I’m not going to presuppose this afternoon’s debate. I look forward to it.

What I hear from the people of Ontario is, “How do we make sure that we have a publicly funded health care system that continues to provide exceptional care to the people of Ontario? How do we make sure that those individuals who, perhaps, do not have to have that operation in a hospital—for example, cataract surgery—can do that seamlessly in their own community?”

We’ll continue to do that work. We’ll continue to find those innovative solutions that will make sure that surgery backlogs, when they occur, are able to ultimately be dealt with in an appropriate manner, using your OHIP card.

Ma question est pour la ministre de la Santé.

Minister, today we will be debating my bill, Health Care is Not for Sale Act, which, if passed, would ensure that none of our province’s private, for-profit health clinics charge patients unfair or illegal fees.

Canadian Doctors for Medicare, the Canadian Medical Association, the Auditor General of Ontario, and the Ontario Health Coalition all have documented proof that shows that Ontario has ineffective oversight of private, for-profit clinics.

Minister, will your government support my bill to ensure that no patient in this province is charged unfair fees?

Will the minister support my bill to protect patients against unfair fees charged by private, for-profit clinics?

My question is again to the Premier.

I recently heard from my constituent Derek, who told me:

“I work as a pediatric emergency nurse at SickKids hospital.

“I love my job and have said even before the pandemic, that if I could be paid a reasonable wage to live in this city, I would work until my body tells me not to.

“The HR and nursing shortage cannot be solved quickly. Short-term action is of the utmost importance. Improving nurses’ compensation is the best thing that we can do to improve retention.”

This government has been in power for almost five years, enough time to solve just about any problem.

Will this government admit that Bill 124 is driving the remaining number of nurses out of the province?

I just want to take a quick moment to recognize a number of members of my team from the ministry. We have Evan here with us. We have Kosta. We have Corey, Harjot, Brittany and Kamel. I just want to welcome them to the Legislature.

The 28 across-government initiatives in this fall 2022 red tape reduction package build on our government’s progress to date. The initiatives in this legislation, if passed, will increase Ontario’s competitiveness, build a stronger supply chain and make it easier to interact with government by cutting red tape. These initiatives will continue to lead the province of Ontario to a path of greater economic certainty, confidence and stability.

Simply put, this bill will help build a stronger Ontario, where people and businesses can thrive, now and into the future.

Ms. Pasma moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 47, An Act to amend the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 and the Condominium Act, 1998 to require emergency power generators / Projet de loi 47, Loi modifiant la Loi de 2006 sur la location à usage d’habitation et la Loi de 1998 sur les condominiums pour exiger la présence de génératrices de secours.