My question is to the Premier. This government is fully aware of the horrific and, in many cases, deadly failures of Orchard Villa during the COVID-19 pandemic because it’s public knowledge. But they’re happy to issue another 30-year licence to this private for-profit long-term-care home. The willingness of this government to grant such a long-term-care-home owner-operator another 30-year licence is unjust, disturbing and, frankly, dismissive and disrespectful to the residents and families who continue to suffer.

Mr. Speaker, 70 people lost their lives at Orchard Villa, some because of dehydration, starvation and neglect. Will this government tell the grieving families of Orchard Villa today that they will not issue a 30-year licence?

I appreciate the question from the member opposite. The member will know, of course, that the licence extension was up for review. Consultations and community input closed—I believe it was on October 18. The ministry is currently undertaking a review of those comments, and we will come back to the House when a decision has been made.

Ultimately, what we’re doing is building a long-term-care system in the province of Ontario that we can be proud of. That is why we have North America-leading levels of care, four hours of care per resident per day, the highest number of inspectors-per-home ratio in the country and over 58,000 new and upgraded beds across the province, so that we can be proud of our long-term-care system. We’re getting it done.

The ultimate goal of our systems, whether it is in long-term care, whether it is in community and congregate care settings, is to provide the utmost level of care to ensure that people who are committed into our care are treated respectfully. When that is not the case, like we do in long-term care, we take action, and we will do that. Again, I thank the honourable member for that very important question.

Thank you to the member opposite for telling us about Zoe and her mother. As the member opposite knows, we’ve made significant investments to try to clear the surgical backlog across the board as part of our $3.3-billion investment in the hospital sector. We’ve also dedicated $300 million to reduce surgical backlogs, part of the broader investment of $880 million to reduce surgical backlogs, and specifically we’ve made investments at pediatric hospitals like CHEO, as I’ve said before, because nothing is more important than the well-being of our children.

So I’m sorry to hear about Zoe’s wait and certainly we should make sure that Zoe gets care as quickly as possible. But that’s why we’re investing significantly to address the backlog that has come out as a result of COVID and why we’ve also had dedicated funding of $6.5 billion for pediatric hospitals specifically to address these types of concerns.

But as I said before, we’ve provided $4.6 million more in funding for those hospitals to add an additional nine acute-care beds at CHEO and 10 acute-care beds and three ICU beds at SickKids Hospital. Our government, as we work on addressing short-term stressors on the system, continues to advance meaningful reforms to build a more resilient, patient-centred and integrated system, and we really want to make sure that patients like Zoe do not have to wait in the future.

When it comes to experiencing the great outdoors, we know that Ontarians from all walks of life enjoy various activities in our province’s forests and wilderness. There’s plenty to enjoy, such as fishing, hiking, birdwatching, biking and camping. In particular, hunting is a much-beloved pastime in Ontario, and continues countless years of tradition. With hunting season occurring now, the safety of all participants must be properly addressed.

Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. What is our government doing to ensure that all Ontarians can experience our great outdoors safely?

Can the minister explain what is being done to ensure that funds collected through fishing and hunting licence fees, fines and royalties are protecting our ecosystems and supporting our communities?

Again, I thank the member for the question. Look, as I’ve said on a number of occasions, and I’m not going to stray from that, private members’ business is the domain of the members of this House, and the members will make the decision and determination on whether they will support a bill or not.

Having said that, Mr. Speaker, I think we have been very clear in everything that we are doing, whether it is the Minister of Labour ensuring safe workplaces, whether it is long-term care having the highest inspector-to-home ratio in North America. Frankly, whether it is the Minister of Health, the Minister of Education, we are putting the people that we serve, the people of Ontario, first in all instances. And when people let us down, let the people of the province of Ontario down, we will take action to ensure that, ultimately, the people of Ontario and the people that we are charged to care for are put first.

In the instances that the member raised, I think we can all agree on all sides of the House that it is particularly unacceptable. It is not what the people of the province of Ontario expect, and we will take action to ensure that the people under our care are taken care of in an appropriate manner.

The long-term-care sector is facing increased capacity pressures. As of April 2022, there were approximately 39,000 people on the wait-list for a long-term-care bed. While seniors wait to be placed in a long-term-care home, their health care needs often fall to their spouses, children and other loved ones.

Speaker, families and friends are excellent at providing love and support, but most are not health care practitioners, and they cannot provide the same level of care as one.

Speaker, what is the Minister of Long-Term care doing to ensure our seniors receive the care they need right now?

The supplementary question.

Thank you to the member from Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound for that important question. The safety of Ontarians is something our government takes very seriously. Ontario’s forests provide a world-class backdrop for many outdoor activities. At the same time, we know hunting plays an important role in the cultural and economic fabric of our province, and that’s why hunters need to make sure safety is their top priority every hunting season. All hunters must wear solid orange clothing and a hunter orange head cover during seasons for deer, moose and elk. Hunters must handle firearms responsibly and never shoot unless they’re absolutely sure of their target and what lies beyond it. It’s illegal to shoot from a vehicle or carry a loaded firearm in or on a vehicle.

Mr. Speaker, we’re fortunate to have highly trained and dedicated conservation officers all across the province, and we made good on our promise to hire 25 additional officers across Ontario.

Speaker, my ministry is ensuring the responsible management of fish and wildlife in Ontario. Through the province’s fish and wildlife special purpose account, the province spends 100% of hunting and fishing revenue on fish and wildlife management programs. The funds collected are used for programs like fish culture stocking, wildlife population studies, research and enforcement.

Our government has also made life more affordable by putting a stop to hunting licence fee increases for all Ontario residents and removing the $2 service fee. Government also waived fees for resource-based tourism operators during the tough times that we’ve seen in the last couple of years—bait fish operator fees, commercial outpost camp land use fees for 2020 and 2021 waived. And we know the people of Ontario have seen relief by making it easier and faster to buy and print licences online.

Mr. Speaker, there’s more work ahead, but the people of Ontario can rest assured knowing we’re getting it done.

On behalf of the good member of Nickel Belt, who is stuck—I mean, happily in committee right now, I’d like to introduce Madame Monique Farrell, who is the mother of our page captain today, Molly Farrell.

Speaker, as Ontarians age, their health care needs grow, and the impact of these needs has ripple effects that can be felt throughout the community. When families reach a point where they can no longer provide the full care needed for a loved one, they turn to hospitals, long-term care and emergency services.

Globally, health care systems are facing unprecedented challenges, due in large part to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ours is no exception. The minister mentioned that community paramedicine is a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Health to address cross-sectoral challenges. Speaker, could the Minister of Long-Term Care please explain how community paramedicine addresses the strain on these sectors?

I want to thank the member for Markham–Unionville for this question. It’s actually a very important one. He raises a good point: There are still a number of people who are on the long-term-care wait-list.

While it is a very positive step that we are building 58,000 new and upgraded beds across every part of the province—urban, rural and remote communities—it is also very true that a lot of people want to stay in their home as long as possible, and they need assistance in order to do that. And so do the family members who care for them. That is why I was very happy that we returned the respite care program to our long-term-care homes. But also the community paramedicine program, which was launched by my predecessor, which is available throughout the province of Ontario, is a very significant way—it leverages the resources of paramedics, who we all thank for the incredible service that they do. It leverages their services when not on an emergency call to assist our seniors in their homes, and it has proven to be a very popular and very effective way of keeping our seniors in their homes as long as we possibly can.

I’m very pleased with our municipal partners across the province of Ontario, and of course, it’s just another great reason why we all support our front-line workers, like paramedics, across the province of Ontario, who are helping seniors stay in their home longer.

Mr. Speaker, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our government has been making unprecedented investments into the largest health human resource recruitment initiative and training initiative in Ontario’s history. We’ve already added 11,700 new health care workers since March 2020, and we’ve invested $4.9 billion to hire 27,000 long-term-care staff.

We’ve also got the largest enrolment of new medical students in 10 years, and two new medical schools in Brampton and Scarborough.

We’re working, as I said, on short-term stressors, while also trying to plan for the future and fix the system long-term. We’ve made significant investments in our health care workers. You’ve heard about some of the nursing investments we’ve made already today, but let me give you a couple more: $35 million to increase enrolment in nursing education in publicly assisted colleges and universities—these new spaces will add 1,130 new practical nurses and 870 registered nurses—and up to $100 million to add 2,000 nurses and personal support workers who want to advance their careers in long-term care.

My question is to the Premier. Recently, Sam wrote to me to share that her father, who was admitted to St. Joseph’s Health Centre in my riding, had no room from Monday evening to Friday night. He had to stay in a hallway for four days straight because there was no staffed room available. Sam said that the workers at St. Joe’s were professional and pleasant, but they were short-staffed.

Speaker, front-line staff have been very clear. They have asked the Premier to repeal Bill 124 and urgently recognize the credentials of tens of thousands of internationally trained health care workers. Why does the Premier continue to say no to our health care workers and leave Ontarians in hospital hallways?

Since I hardly ever get visitors, I’d like to introduce Dennis Messenger and Barbara Knauth from Timiskaming. They’re here for a private bill today.

I’d like to welcome the family of the late MPP Gord Miller: son Doug Miller, along with his wife, Flora; grandsons Jamie Miller and Geoff Addis; granddaughter Meghan Haughton and her husband, David, as well as their children, Brynn and Mason. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Mr. Clark moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 23, An Act to amend various statutes, to revoke various regulations and to enact the Supporting Growth and Housing in York and Durham Regions Act, 2022 / Projet de loi 23, Loi modifiant diverses lois, abrogeant divers règlements et édictant la Loi de 2022 visant à soutenir la croissance et la construction de logements dans les régions de York et de Durham.

I seek unanimous consent for a moment of silence in memory of Cynthia Lai, city of Toronto councillor for ward 23, Scarborough North. Cynthia sadly passed away suddenly on Friday, October 21, while seeking re-election. We offer our sincere condolences to her family and her constituents at this time.

I want to take this opportunity to welcome people who will be coming today for a memorial for MPP Richard Patten: Barbara Jordan, Allan Morrison, and a former Speaker of this House, David Warner. Penny Patten will be watching from home.

It is my pleasure to introduce this petition for the first time, with thanks to the Alzheimer Society of Ontario in Waterloo region. It’s entitled “Develop an Ontario Dementia Strategy.”

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas it currently takes on average 18 months for people in Ontario to get an official dementia diagnosis, with some patients often waiting years to complete diagnostic testing;

“Whereas more than half of patients suspected of having dementia in Ontario never get a full diagnosis; research confirms that early diagnosis saves lives and reduces care-partner stress;

“Whereas a PET scan test approved in Ontario in 2017 which can be key to detecting Alzheimer’s early, is still not covered under OHIP in 2022;

“Whereas the Ontario government must work together with the federal government to prepare for the approval and rollout of future disease-modifying therapies and research;

“Whereas the Alzheimer Society projects that one million Canadians will be caregivers for people with dementia, with families providing approximately 1.4 billion hours of care per year by 2050;

“Whereas research findings show that Ontario will spend $27.8 billion between 2023 and 2043 on alternate-level-of-care (ALC) and long-term-care ... costs associated with people living with dementia;

“Whereas the government must follow through with its commitment to ensure Ontario’s health care system has the capacity to meet the current and future needs of people living with dementia and their care partners;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, call on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to develop, commit and fund a comprehensive Ontario dementia strategy.”

It is my pleasure to sign this and affix my signature to this petition on behalf of the good people of Waterloo region. Thank you very much.

I’ll paraphrase the explanatory note because it’s quite large, Speaker.

The proposed More Homes Built Faster Act would amend the Planning Act, the Development Charges Act and other legislation. The proposed changes are intended to be the next phase in our bold and transformative plan to get 1.5 million homes built in the next 10 years.

The bill and proposed regulations would, if passed, help unlock more housing by streamlining development approvals, removing barriers, reducing government fees, accelerating planning and further supporting and protecting homebuyers. The bill would also allow the use of government financial tools to help reduce housing costs for Ontarians.

Mr. Vanthof moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr3, An Act to revive 1204755 Ontario Limited.