He does.

Good morning. Let us pray.

Prayers.

Mr. Bethlenfalvy moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 36, An Act to implement Budget measures and to enact and amend various statutes / Projet de loi 36, Loi visant à mettre en oeuvre les mesures budgétaires et à édicter et à modifier diverses lois.

The member for Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound to continue.

Good morning, colleagues. Today, I rise to speak in support of the second reading of the Progress on the Plan to Build Act (Budget Measures), 2022, in follow-up to the Minister of Finance introducing the 2022 Ontario economic outlook and fiscal review yesterday, and Minister Bethlenfalvy initiating second reading of the bill this morning.

These documents—our progress report and the bill—include new targeted measures that advance our plan on many fronts. They move forward our work to build the economy, address the province’s labour shortages and help families and businesses keep costs down. The progress report and bill highlight how our responsible, targeted approach is positioning the province to be ready to manage uncertainty and risk as the world faces emerging economic challenges. It’s my honour to discuss the specific measures in the bill that are aimed at furthering the themes of progress articulated in our fall economic statement. I’ll begin by listing the key pieces of legislative business contained in the bill. I will then discuss them in more detail.

In relation to the Securities Act, we are proposing to introduce rule-making authority to allow public companies to digitize access to certain financial documents.

We’re also proposing amendments to the Pension Benefits Act, to consult on pension funding and governance policies to strengthen target benefit pension plans.

For the Ontario guaranteed annual income support, or GAINS, we’re proposing to temporarily double the payment to low-income seniors.

Interjections.

Another item is the Legislative Assembly Act—you won’t clap for this. Here, we’re proposing to extend the current freeze on the salaries of members of provincial Parliament.

We also have proposals related to the Supplementary Interim Appropriation for 2022-2023 Act, 2022, and Interim Appropriation for 2023-2024 Act, 2022. These proposals are customary legislative business, aimed at providing the government with the spending authority it requires to carry on operations for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 fiscal years.

Madam Speaker, we’re also proposing an extension of the tax rate reduction under the Gasoline Tax Act and the Fuel Tax Act.

As well, we are proposing amendments to allow companies to claim location fees for the purposes of the Ontario Production Services Tax Credit under the Taxation Act, 2007.

Finally, we’re proposing amendments to authorize the establishment or designation of a provincial clean energy credit registry.

Now I will focus on each item in a little more depth.

First, the Securities Act: rule-making authority in respect of the access-equals-delivery initiative. The amendments proposed here would provide the Ontario Securities Commission with authority to make rules enabling public companies to make certain documents such as prospectuses or financial statements accessible to investors online on a central website. These rules would replace the current approach, which requires public companies to provide investors with either physical or emailed copies of prospectuses or financial statements.

Under the proposed model, investors would still retain the option of requesting physical or electronic delivery of documents if they so choose. It will also encourage companies to adopt a digital and environmentally conscious approach to engaging and communicating with investors. The proposed amendment directly responds to recommendations made by the Capital Markets Modernization Taskforce in 2020 and furthers the government’s commitment to modernize capital markets in Ontario. The amendments would come into effect on royal assent.

Now for the Pension Benefits Act, specifically pension funding and government policies for target benefit pension plans: Target benefit pension plans have been operating under temporary regulation since 2007 that will expire in 2024 unless replaced by a permanent framework. These amendments will allow the government to work with stakeholders to develop a clear and fair framework for these pension plans, specifically around funding, governance and communication. This supports the government’s 2022 budget commitment and will provide employers, plan administrators and members with certainty, stability and confidence in the pension plans. Implementation of a permanent framework will also pave the way for more employers to offer workplace pension plans, increasing the opportunities for workers to save for their retirement.

As I mentioned earlier, we’re also temporarily doubling the Ontario Guaranteed Annual Income System, or GAINS, payment. These proposed amendments would temporarily double the payment for all recipients for 12 months starting in January 2023. This act provides a monthly payment to eligible low-income seniors. Currently, the maximum payment for an eligible senior is $83 per month. Under the proposed amendments, the maximum payment would be doubled to $166 per month, meaning many seniors will now be receiving almost $1,000 extra in supports in 2023. This measure, if approved, would help about 200,000 of Ontario’s lowest-income seniors manage their costs. And we’ve also committed to introducing measures to expand the eligibility of GAINS in the future to ensure more seniors who need financial help get it. As with most of the measures contained in this bill, these amendments would come into force on royal assent.

Next, I turn to the Electricity Act and the clean energy credit registry. Here, the proposed amendments would authorize the establishment or designation of a provincial clean energy credit registry by early 2023. To support investment in the province and alignment with Ontario’s low-carbon hydrogen strategy, the government is seeking approval for legislative amendments that will allow the designation or establishment of a clean energy credit registry. The registry would attract the transfer and retirement of clean energy credits from clean electricity generated and consumed in Ontario. Launching a voluntary clean energy registry would boost Ontario’s competitiveness, attract jobs and investment in the province and provide businesses with the information they need to pursue their environmental and sustainability goals.

Now I come to the Legislative Assembly Act, where we are extending the current freeze on MPP salaries. The Legislative Assembly Act limits Ontario MPP salaries at $116,550—that is, the salary that has been in effect since 2009. The act currently states that the MPP salary freeze ceases to have effect as of April 1 of the second fiscal year immediately after the provincial budget returns to surplus. As a result of the provincial surplus reported by my honourable colleague Prabmeet Sarkaria, President of the Treasury Board, in the 2021-22 public accounts of Ontario, the salary freeze would end automatically on April 1, 2023, triggering an MPP salary increase. However, we are proposing in the bill to extend the freeze indefinitely until a further amendment is made to the Legislative Assembly Act. So MPP salaries will not be increasing at this time.

I now turn to pieces of legislation that relate to government spending. First, the Supplementary Interim Appropriation for 2022-2023 Act, 2022, is required to provide the government with spending authority to carry on operations. A new supplementary interim appropriation act is normally introduced in years in which the amounts in the interim appropriation act for the year were insufficient to recover expected expenditures. A new supplementary interim appropriation act would provide supplementary interim spending authority for anticipated government expenses, pending the vote of supply. All expenditures under the proposed act would be in addition to amounts already authorized under the Interim Appropriation for 2022-2023 Act, 2021. The supply act for 2022-23 would replace and repeal the proposed act.

Second, the Interim Appropriation for 2023-2024 Act, 2022—a lot of numbers. As you all know, a new interim appropriation act is normally introduced each fall to provide the government with the spending authority it requires to carry on operations. A new interim appropriation act would provide interim spending authority for anticipated government expenses, government investments and the expenses of legislative offices for the fiscal year April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, pending the vote of supply. All expenditures under the proposed act would have to be charged to the proper appropriation following the vote of supply for that fiscal year. The supply act for 2023-24 would replace and repeal the proposed act.

Madam Speaker, our government understands that families and businesses are feeling financial pressure. That’s why we are also proposing to extend the cuts to the gasoline tax rate and diesel fuel tax rate. In April, our government passed legislation to temporarily cut the gasoline tax rate and fuel tax rate to nine cents per litre, which took effect July 1, 2022. On January 1, 2023, both taxes were scheduled to revert back to their rates before the temporary rate reduction. Our proposed extension of the cuts to the gas tax and the diesel fuel tax rates mean that the rate of tax on gasoline and diesel would remain at nine cents per litre until December 31, 2023. This is a temporary extension of a further 12 months. It is part of our plan to help keep costs down for Ontario families and businesses.

And now I come to the Taxation Act, 2007: Ontario Production Services Tax Credit and location fees. We are proposing an amendment to include location fees as eligible expenses for the purposes of determining the Ontario Production Services Tax Credit. The proposed amendments would allow productions to include rental fees for on-location filming as eligible expenditures for the purposes of this tax credit up to a maximum of 5% of qualifying production expenditures. The amendment would apply to expenditures incurred after November 14, 2022.

To increase the economic and cultural benefits of the province, the government is also proposing to make regulatory amendments to require that recipients of the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit provide a screen credit acknowledging government support. This requirement would be effective for productions that began principal photography after December 31, 2022.

Madam Speaker, we are in uncertain economic times, and this bill and our 2022 fall economic statement clearly show that our government has a responsible plan with targeted new measures to help navigate these economic challenges. Whatever the economic uncertainty may bring, the people of Ontario should know that our government is prepared.

The parliamentary assistant to continue debate.

Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to my colleague for leading the way here, and to the minister, to talk about the fall economic statement we’ve put forward.

Speaker, I rise to speak to the measures contained in the Progress on the Plan to Build Act (Budget Measures), 2022, measures that will help build the economy, address the province’s labour shortage and keep costs down for businesses and families. These are the core principles and guiding ideas that inform our progress report, the 2022 Ontario economic outlook and fiscal review, and the measures contained in this bill.

Our plan is flexible and responsible. We have new, targeted measures that benefit families, seniors, students, workers and business owners throughout this great province. These are the key take-aways I’m here to drive home today.

To start on the core of my discussion, let me say that Ontario’s economy has proven resilient amid economic uncertainty due to global geopolitical conflict, elevated inflation, rising interest rates and ongoing supply challenges. Through our plan and the measures in this bill, we are working to ensure the province is in a strong position to manage risks in a challenging global economy, while investing for the long term to build a stronger Ontario. By preserving flexibility, the government is prepared to provide targeted support to people and businesses, while maintaining a responsible plan to eliminate Ontario’s debt.

Speaker, our government recognizes we are facing a difficult road ahead. Private sector economists continue to revise their growth projections. An economic slowdown in the near term is a very, very real risk. When faced with this degree of uncertainty, governments need to be ready for anything. They need to be flexible and forward-thinking, with a plan that can support people and businesses when and if the time comes, while at the same time laying a strong fiscal foundation for future generations. But for too long, structural deficits were allowed to grow, debt was allowed to pile up, spendthrift fiscal planning was in style. And now, with interest rates on the rise, this kind of debt accumulation and deficit spending is no longer an option.

This Ontario government is taking a targeted approach, making record investments in the priorities that matter to the people of this province. Supported by our fiscal plan, Ontario’s projected deficit in 2022-23 is $12.9 billion. This is an improvement of $6.9 billion from the 2022 budget. Eliminating Ontario’s deficit while delivering on Ontario’s Plan to Build is a critical part of our government’s long-term vision for this province.

After unprecedented and essential spending in response to the pandemic, now is the time for governments to show restraint. More spending by government today will only make inflation more painful and contribute to dragging out an economic downturn. We know the economic road ahead may not be easy, but, Speaker, there is nothing that we cannot do together.

Our government is building a stronger province: a province with a strong economy and good-paying manufacturing jobs; a province where it is easy to start and grow a business; a province where you can learn new skills and seize new opportunities; a province where you can start a career and raise a family; a province connected with new highways, new roads and reliable public transit.

With the 2022 Ontario economic outlook and fiscal review, Ontario’s Plan to Build: A Progress Update, our government is delivering the first-ever progress report on our plan to build Ontario. The progress update also profiles new, targeted measures that advance our plan to build the economy, address the province’s labour shortage, and help families and businesses keep costs down. We plan to continue to help grow the economy by getting shovels in the ground to build key infrastructure projects and by investing in skills training for Ontario workers and newcomers.

The progress update provides a refreshed economic and fiscal outlook for Ontario. It highlights how prudent and responsible our plan is and how it positions the province to be ready to manage uncertainty and risk as the world faces emerging economic challenges. The measures contained in the bill represent the legislative changes we propose to help make changes necessary to position the province for these short-term uncertainties and long-term opportunities.

While Ontario experienced strong economic growth through 2021 and the first half of 2022, economic uncertainty remains. As of the second quarter of 2022, Ontario’s real gross domestic product, or GDP, has surpassed the pre-COVID-19 level by 2.2%. Employment was 141,700 higher in September 2022 than the pre-pandemic level in February 2020. That is 1.9% higher.

As detailed in our progress update, Ontario’s real GDP is projected to rise 2.6% in 2022, 0.5% in 2023, 1.6% in 2024 and 2.1% in 2025. Government forecasts for 2022, 2023 and 2024 have been revised lower since the 2022 budget. This is in line with private sector economists.

The reality is that the world has changed so much since just last spring when the budget was released, so it is clear, for the purposes of prudent fiscal planning, these protections by the government are set slightly below the average of private sector forecasts. It is undeniable that the 2022 Ontario economic outlook and fiscal review is being released, and this bill tabled, when global economic conditions remain very challenging.

This uncertainty is driven by a variety of factors beyond the Ontario government’s control. Obviously these include supply chain issues globally, the war in the Ukraine and inflation throughout the world. As a result, for the progress update, the Ontario Ministry of Finance developed faster-growth and slower-growth scenarios. These scenarios project the various paths the economy could take over the next several years. By providing these projections, the government is providing more transparency about how alternative economic scenarios could impact Ontario’s finances. The government is now projecting a $12.9-billion deficit in 2022-23, nearly $7 billion lower than the outlook published in the 2022 budget.

Regardless of whether Ontario’s economy winds up following the faster-growth or the slower-growth model, the reality is that our government is using targeted measures to steer the province’s course into the future. Helping to keep costs down for everyday life is one of these measures.

This government understands that costs are rising for the people of Ontario. That is why one of the key pillars of our plan is keeping costs down. I’m pleased to report that, throughout 2022, our government has implemented changes for new initiatives that have supported this goal. In January, we implemented a general minimum wage hike from $14.35 to $15 an hour. That has subsequently gone up to $15.50 an hour, which is among the highest minimum wages in Canada and, indeed, North America.

In March, we not only eliminated licence plate renewal fees and stickers for eligible vehicles, we also eliminated double fares for riders connecting to and from GO Transit on most municipal transit systems. This has been a great help to commuters across the province of Ontario. Whether you take the GO train, the bus or drive a car, your costs are coming down.

We nearly doubled Presto discounts for youth and post-secondary students. We know that students feel the brunt of an economic downturn and spiraling costs. Helping them save on commuting will give them more money for their education.

In April, we made it so that there were no more road tolls on the 412 and 418 highways. I know many commuters throughout Ontario, and particularly in Durham region, were absolutely thrilled that they no longer had to pay just to drive a highway and commute to work, drive their family to soccer practice or go to work.

People who filed their taxes in April may have recognized supports provided to them through their 2021 income tax returns. These included the low-income individuals and families tax credit, or LIFT credit, which provides tax relief for low-income workers. This was among the largest tax cuts to any group of people in the history of the province of Ontario, affecting the lowest-paid workers, allowing more dollars for those folks to pay their daily bills.

The Ontario Childcare Access and Relief from Expenses tax credit, or CARE tax credit, provides tax relief for eligible child care expenses. We know under the 15 years of Liberal rule, child care expenses went up in this province by over 400% to be the highest in Canada. Our government is helping provide relief to families on this very high expense.

We also brought in the Seniors’ Home Safety Tax Credit, which provides tax relief to help make eligible seniors’ homes safer. We know seniors in this province did so much to build this province; they want to stay in their home when they can. Helping them with up to a $10,000 investment in reconfiguring their home, in order to stay in it, through a tax credit will help many seniors stay in their homes longer, putting less pressure on long-term care, retirement homes and hospitals, and most importantly, allow families to stay together longer.

The Ontario Jobs Training Tax Credit will help people with eligible training expenses. We also know that the skilled trades have been undeveloped in this province for many, many, many years, and we have an extreme shortage of skilled trades workers in this province. Helping those workers retool their trades so that they can participate in the labour force—in good-paying jobs—will help the labour shortage, help our province grow and help a lot of families to provide good-paying jobs.

These measures will provide support in the 2022 tax year as well. I will flag how Ontario taxpayers will also see new and improved tax measures when they file their 2022 income tax returns, including an enhanced LIFT credit, which I already talked about. We are increasing the income eligibility, moving up from $38,000 to approximately $50,000, allowing that many more workers to be able to work and pay lower taxes so they can spend that money on their families, on their kids’ education, on their kids’ activities, on whatever cost that they need.

On the new Ontario Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit and the new Ontario Staycation Tax Credit—we all know that the Ontario hospitality industry suffered tremendously throughout the pandemic. Restaurants, hotels and many businesses were affected dramatically with a dramatic downturn in business; many struggled to survive. Our government made the conscious decision to help these businesses weather the tough time by business supports, but we’re also now extending that out. We want the folks in Ontario to travel and see our great province, and at the same time, help the businesses that have struggled so much in our province in the hospitality sector. So we would certainly encourage all Ontarians to take advantage—travel this great province—stay in the great areas, whether it’s Niagara, the Ottawa region, the northern region.

You’re certainly welcome to come to my community of Oakville. Come and stay in the community. Have a meal, spend some time with your family and help our great local businesses that have worked so hard to recover from this pandemic.

What are some other things we implemented in 2022 to help keep costs down?

Beginning in July, we cut gas and diesel fuel tax rates for six months, and we know when that was first introduced the public was overwhelmingly supportive. They recognize that the cost of driving an automobile has skyrocketed. Having an automobile and driving is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Again, whether people need to go to work, drive their families to see loved ones, drive the kids to soccer practice or hockey practice, whatever it may be—businesses—our goal as a government is to help people weather this inflationary pressure. Unfortunately, gas prices have gone up dramatically. The war in Ukraine and supply and demand issues globally have shot up gas prices throughout the world. Unlike the federal government, which is actually pushing the price higher to make things less affordable for families and hard-working people in this province and throughout the country, we’re trying to do our part to weather the storm, to get through this economically uncertain time of high gas prices, high fuel costs, and get through in a manageable way. So we’ve extended this gas tax cut—or we anticipate we will, if passed—through this legislation for another 12 months. We know the people of Ontario, businesses in Ontario will be very happy once this passes.

In October, we increased the general minimum wage from $15 an hour to $15.50 per hour. We know that workers deserve a living wage. We know that people need to be able to get by through this difficult inflationary period. So our government has increased the minimum wage not once but twice in the last 12 months.

In that month, we also rolled out the direct catch-up payments to parents for child education expenses like tutoring or learning supplies and equipment. Again, people have lived through a difficult period. We know students have faced a very difficult period over the last couple of years. I’m sure many members in this Legislature have children in school and they know what they’ve gone through. I know, as a parent of four school-age children, my kids have required extra tutoring supports—no doubt about it—to get through. They have missed some of the quality education that we take for granted in this province. We do have a great education system in Ontario, one of the best in the world. Through no fault of their own, and through the circumstances which happened globally, kids did not get the education that we would expect in this province. So our government made the conscious decision to invest with parents so that would help them weather the storm in education, help them with tutoring supports to help their kids catch up in education. This is critically important. We know that the EQAO and the various measures of students have shown that students have fallen behind, and they do require a catch-up. Whether it’s building new schools, investing in education or helping parents—there’s not one way to help students get through this; it’s a multi-faceted approach. So our government has taken that approach to help parents, kids and the education system as a whole.

Here we stand, in November, with more measures to help keep costs down and promote economic growth.

We’re launching, as my colleague mentioned, a voluntary clean energy credit registry via the bill that would, if approved, boost competitiveness, attract jobs and provide businesses with more choice in how they pursue their environmental and sustainability goals, as enabled by proposed legislation.

Our goal here in Ontario is to be the economic engine of Canada. It’s also to be a leader in environmental stewardship, and we believe we can have both here in this province. Ontario is among the cleanest grids in the entire world; 90% of our energy is emission-free. We have a great nuclear industry, particularly, I know, in the Durham region. We have great companies that are innovating. Ontario has the critical minerals required for electrical vehicle manufacturing. We have a stable government that provides law, order and good government, and is a good place for companies to invest, take the minerals in an ethical and responsible way and contribute to the auto supply chain and the electric vehicle manufacturing chain that we will be building in Ontario.

We’ve had record investments in automobile manufacturing and electric vehicle manufacturing right here in Ontario, whether it was GM in Oshawa, Stellantis in Windsor or with the Ford Motor Co. of Canada, which has been in my riding of Oakville since the 1950s—they’re going to be reconfiguring that plant to make electric vehicles. We are going to make Ontario the global leader in electrical vehicle manufacturing. Ontario will also be a global leader in environmental stewardship, with great sectors and a great opportunity for our province to excel in this in the future.

As noted in the 2022 Ontario economic outlook and fiscal review, Ontario’s Plan to Build: A Progress Update, the government is also providing Ontario’s small businesses with $185 million in tax relief over the next three years. We know businesses in this province have suffered throughout COVID. They are going through supply chain challenges; they are going through labour shortages. There’s turmoil, there’s turbulence in the marketplace, but we have absolute full faith in the businesses and the people of Ontario that we will get through this and come out stronger than ever. But if we can give a helping hand to those entrepreneurs and businesses here in the province to get through it, we will.

The proposed extension of the phase-out of the small business tax rate would benefit approximately 5,500 small businesses right here in our province. We know that small businesses are the backbone of our province. This, of course, is in addition to automatically matching property tax reductions for small businesses within all municipalities that adopt the small business property subclass.

We’re also investing an additional $40 million in the 2022-23 year, for a total of $145 million for the latest round of funding in the Skills Development Fund, which will benefit job seekers. This fund has already helped over 393,000 people take the next step in their careers in in-demand industries. A special shout-out to our Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, Monte McNaughton, for the work he has done in developing the skilled trades here in this province.

We’re also investing an additional $4.8 million over two years, beginning in 2023-24, to expand the Dual Credit Program. This will encourage more secondary school students to enter a career in the skilled trades or in early childhood education. Again, the skilled trades have been an area that we have not promoted in schools, and consequently, we have a huge shortage in these great, high-paying jobs. Our government has taken the initiative to encourage this both in and outside the school and the classroom to get more young people into the skilled trades—more people who traditionally may have not been in the skilled trades, be it women or folks with disabilities. We’re also investing $4.8 million over two years, beginning in 2023-24, in the Dual Credit Program, which I had mentioned.

Now, these last few points in the bill are focused on fostering jobs here in Ontario. Speaker, our province is faced with an historic labour shortage. There are over 387,000 jobs currently unfilled across the province. That’s over 387,000 paycheques going uncollected, 387,000 opportunities not seized. Thousands of businesses are not able to meet customer demand, and I’m sure every one of us in this chamber has experienced that. Whether it’s driving by the ONroute and seeing that some restaurants are closed, seeing restaurant hours diminished—it’s across sectors, across all different types of businesses and industries here, this labour shortage.

Awareness of the challenges that are holding back our economic activity informs our proposal to extend the cuts to the gas tax and diesel fuel tax rates through the bill. The tax rate on gasoline and diesel fuel tax would remain at nine cents per litre until December 31, 2023, putting more dollars back in the pockets of families and businesses here in this province. Extending those cuts would mean that households in this province would save an average of $195 a year between July 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023.

Helping to manage the costs for Ontario’s 200,000 lowest-income seniors is why, in this bill, we are proposing changes to double the Guaranteed Annual Income System payments for all recipients. This measure, if approved, would span 12 months, starting in January 2023, and be a maximum increase of almost $1,000 per person in 2023. This will have a tremendous impact on the lowest-income seniors in this province.

Another bill proposal relates to how Ontario is home to a robust film and TV production industry. Proposing to expand eligible expenditures to the Ontario Production Services Tax Credit to include location fees would help attract yet more domestic and foreign film and television production to the province. It would incentivize more on-location filming in communities across Ontario to the benefit of those places, whether urban or rural.

Ontario is a great location. We have some of the best talent in the world making movies, TV shows. Let’s incent them and bring more of those folks back to see the beauty of our great province.

Let me close my comments on the Ontario economic outlook and fiscal review and bill by echoing Minister Bethlenfalvy: Together, we have come so far. This government has attracted investments and good jobs. This government is training thousands of skilled workers and helping keep costs down for families. We have made great progress. Working together has got us here, but there is no doubt there is a tough road ahead. We must navigate these uncertain economic times together.

Our government, with this plan we’re proud to report back to the Legislature and the measures in this bill we ask the Legislature to approve, will see Ontario through the days and years ahead. We have a fantastic and great future ahead of us.

I just want to acknowledge and thank the member from Oakville for doing an incredible job and supporting the residents not only in his riding but across Ontario. Mr. Speaker, we know we are going through a time of uncertainty. I just want to ask the member—at this time, through this bill. Could the member tell us what you are proposing to keep the costs down while investing in the priorities that matter most to the people of Ontario?

Flamborough–Glanbrook.

We’ll now go to questions and answers. I recognize the member for Ottawa Centre.

The member for Mississauga–Malton.

To the member opposite, I would certainly agree that we do want a reliable Ontario energy grid. We do have one; we need to move forward, of course, in the future.

With respect to the Quebec hydro, the issue with that is the unreliability and the intermittentness of it. In other words, a lot of the times that Quebec hydro is available for export are times where we don’t need it, and vice versa.

Our focus is having a clean energy grid that will support both families and industry here in Ontario, and that would certainly include the new SMR technology we’re bringing to the forefront of Ontario.

We see a job shortage in Ontario in almost every sector. Whether it’s manufacturing jobs, skilled trades, hospitality sector workers, we want to encourage people to go into a lot of these high-demand professions. There is a lot more work to be done to fill the gap. We want to get the economic activity really rolling in the province of Ontario and we will continue to encourage students to get into professions where there are opportunities for great-paying jobs.

I listened intently to the comments the member made about the electric vehicle industry and how the government wants to make it a priority, but I’m wondering if the member can explain for me why this government is cancelling its energy agreement with the province of Quebec? I ask because, in April 2023, Quebec offers Ontario five-cents-a-kilowatt-hour hydroelectricity, emissions-free electricity. It is desperate to sell this energy to Ontario, yet the government is ripping up its agreement with Quebec.

This is precisely what electric-vehicle manufacturers want. They want affordable, emissions-free energy to build their automobiles, and it’s what consumers want to power their automobiles. Can the member please explain to this House why you are ripping up an energy agreement with Quebec that would stand to benefit the automotive industry, consumers and a livable future for our kids?

Inflation rates are set at 6.9%, cost of rent has gone up 30%, food costs are so high that people can’t afford the basics. Butter is over $6, milk is over $5, bread is over $3.50 a loaf. Food banks were reporting that, as of March 2022, they’re up 35% in usage, and most of those are now seniors and students. The government is doubling the GAINS for one year, starting in January 2023. My question is, will this government make a commitment today to maintain the GAINS at the double payment and stop using seniors as a financial yo-yo?

Thank you to the member opposite. I’ll tell you, this government has made a commitment to seniors, whether it’s the Seniors’ Home Safety Tax Credit, which is helping keep seniors in their homes much longer, keeping them with their families—seniors want that.

With respect to the GAINS, which the government is doubling over the next year for low-income seniors, this is a government that is here—we know that inflation is a reality, although we believe it will likely come down in the next 12 to 24 months, and it’s certainly projecting it will come down. That’s great, but in the meantime we still have a little bit of time here with inflationary pressures, and our government is—I’ll tell you, we have a government that’s committed to helping seniors and we have a Minister for Seniors that I think we owe a great round of gratitude to for all the work he has done standing up for seniors.

It’s an honour to rise in the Legislature today to share the news of another important investment in Sarnia–Lambton by the government of Ontario.

Mr. Speaker, on October 6, I was honoured to join members of the St. Clair Catholic District School Board family, along with Indigenous partners from the Kettle and Stony Point and Walpole Island First Nations, at the site of the new Gregory A. Hogan Catholic School in Sarnia. This new, state-of-the-art facility, which will include spaces for 659 students and a five-room child care centre, is being made possible by an investment of over $24 million by the Ontario government. This new school will provide more student spaces in a new, quality learning environment for the growing student population in Sarnia–Lambton, as well as affordable child care spaces for those local parents.

In total, the government of Ontario is delivering more than $26.6 billion in education funding for the 2022-23 school year, including an increase of over $600 million this past September, which is the highest investment in public education in Ontario’s history.

Mr. Speaker, the funding for the new Gregory A. Hogan Catholic elementary school is great news for our community. This investment will ensure that families and students have access to a quality learning environment in the years ahead and that every young person has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Speaker, yesterday marked the start of Living Wage Week, an important reminder to all of us to recognize the need for a livable wage in Ontario.

The Ontario Living Wage Network released their yearly living wage rates for the province for 2022. The stark reality is that there isn’t a single one of the 51 communities analyzed where the livable wage has been identified under $18 an hour, far above the current minimum wage.

Many people in Ontario are finding themselves fully employed yet unable to afford the cost of living as inflation rates continue to soar. The cost of groceries, housing, utility bills and transportation have all increased, while wages have remained stagnant. We know that those making the lowest wages in this province are the most impacted when the cost of living increases.

In my community of Windsor, a livable wage has been identified as $18.15. That’s the lowest hourly wage someone needs to make to be able to put a roof over their head and food on the table. The minimum wage is currently set at $15.50—a $2.65-an-hour difference, equalling $5,500 per year that people are coming up short, yet the Conservatives were just bragging about their minimum wage. That doesn’t account for the employees who are forced into precarious part-time positions where hours are not guaranteed.

Many Ontarians are working two or three jobs just to make ends meet. Ontarians deserve to be able to afford the basic costs of living.

It’s time for big corporations, which made record profits this year, to step up and pay a fair wage.

We must support Ontarians and raise the minimum wage.

The Conservative government’s empty slogan, “Working for workers,” doesn’t cut it. If they genuinely supported workers, they’d ensure they get paid a living wage. Poverty is this government’s policy choice.

I am deeply honoured and proud of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 258, a vital institution within the Highland Creek community. The Highland Creek branch was founded back in 1934 and has advocated for veterans and their families ever since. They have always led a successful poppy campaign, and this year was no different.

They have actively supported local causes by sponsoring local cadets as well as hockey and baseball teams, and they have contributed to many charities because they believe strongly in Canada and its values. More than that, the Legion has always served as a place for long-time friends and neighbours to gather and have a drink and a good laugh.

Four years ago, when I was a newly elected MPP, they welcomed me with open arms, and for that I will always be grateful. Ever since, we have made it a tradition that I come every Canada Day with a freshly baked cake. In many ways, it is one of my favourite events of the year.

This year the old Legion hall was closed and Branch 258 has moved to its brand new location at 305 Morrish Road. I know this a bittersweet moment for many of us, but I’m confident that we will share many good times in the years ahead.

Speaker, Canada is facing an enormous labour shortage. In fact, recent data from Statistics Canada shows that the “unemployment to job vacancy” ratio in Canada is at a historically low level.

Here in Ontario, our health care sector is a prime example of where we are seeing extreme labour shortages, which has added to the health care crisis, especially as we try to tackle the challenges of overcapacity in our emergency rooms and insufferably long wait times for treatment.

According to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, more than 60% of their businesses and workplaces are facing difficulty with hiring, whether it’s in health care, retail, construction, just to name a few. Our province simply does not have the human resources to fill this gap.

The Minister of Labour himself said that there are over 370,000 jobs across the province but not enough people to meet the demand. This demand is continuing to rise with a continuing increase in retirement and a slowdown of immigration, especially during COVID-19, owing to the massive immigration backlog on the federal level, and we are seeing thousands of jobs go unfilled.

Immigrants contribute greatly to every sector of our province, be it academic, scientific, cultural, manufacturing, food and agriculture, health care, and many more.

I am calling on the Premier and the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development to work collaboratively with the federal government to improve Ontario’s immigration process and address the massive immigration backlogs so that those who want to contribute to this province are able to do so and have the opportunity to build their life in this great province.

Question?

Second reading debate deemed adjourned.