I’ll use my time today to continue to speak about the dream of housing stability and home ownership for all Ontarians in this great province. I rise out of a sense of duty, purpose and urgency as I address this assembly in response to the opposition motion, not merely as a representative of this government, but as a voice echoing the hopes, dreams and frustrations of countless Ontarians who feel the weight of the housing crisis.

Let me be clear: While the opposition may be content with crafting and bringing motions, this government is committed to forging solutions. Mr. Speaker, we bring action. We are the architects of action, the bearers of change—not change for the sake of change but as champions of the people’s will.

Let me take a moment to reflect on the past. For the last decade, the previous Liberal government, supported by the opposition today, had a front row seat and watched the housing crisis unfold, and what did they do? Respectfully, not much. What’s left? To use an agricultural term, the fields were fallow; the crop wasn’t planted, and we did not have a housing harvest that could benefit the people of this province.

But under this Premier and this government, we’ve chosen a different path. We don’t just identify problems, we roll up our sleeves and tackle them head on. While they watched, we worked; while they deliberated, we delivered; and while they hesitated, we’ve hustled and we’re getting it done because that’s the Ontario spirit, and that’s how we’re going to get houses built in this province.

I’d like to take this opportunity to reflect on what my ministry and our government have done to address the housing supply crisis since 2018. It’s been a journey of commitment, of relentless pursuits of solutions and an unwavering dedication to the people of this province.

Since 2018, we’ve been on the ground listening to the real stories of Ontarians. We’ve seen the struggles of families priced out of their dreams, young couples delaying life’s milestones and seniors grappling with skyrocketing rents. But there’s been a difference. We didn’t just listen, Speaker; we’ve acted. We’ve taken these stories, we’ve taken these pleas for help and turned them into policies and actionable steps that will really make a difference. And we will continue to act.

In 2021, we didn’t just set records, we shattered them. Record housing starts in 2021 and in 2022: That’s 100,000 families in each year with a new beginning, a new chapter. It’s 100,000 testimonies to our commitment to the people of Ontario. And in 2022, we kept that momentum going. Why? Because for us, every housing start isn’t just a statistic, it’s a story, Speaker. It’s a story of a child’s first steps, of a family’s gatherings, of dreams realized. It’s a testament to our government’s dedication to ensuring that every Ontarian has a place they can call home.

Mr. Speaker, make no mistake: There is still much work to do and, as associate minister, I’ll work around the clock with Premier Ford, Minister Calandra, our municipal partners and our community homebuilders to get shovels in the ground through every means necessary, through every means possible. We’re here to deliver results, and while the opposition may question our methods, they cannot question our commitment to get the job done.

As the Associate Minister of Housing, part of my new mandate is modular and attainable housing. This isn’t just a new direction; it’s a revolutionary approach to addressing the housing crisis. I’m excited to tackle this challenge, not only because it’s a new avenue, but it’s a tool in the tool box to help get shovels in the ground and people living in homes.

Innovation: Our goal is to construct modular and innovative housing at attainable prices, addressing the pressing need for affordable homes right across Ontario. This is not just thinking outside the box, Speaker; we’re redesigning the box altogether. Modular housing isn’t just a buzzword for us, it’s a game-changer, and again, it’s a tool in the tool box to get the job done. By harnessing the power of off-site construction, we can speed up the building process, making homes more affordable and showcasing Ontario’s manufacturing sector.

Let me tell you, this isn’t just about building homes; it’s about building communities, fostering economic growth and ensuring that Ontario leads the way in housing innovation. I think about the modular and attainable housing market along with job creation and economic growth, improving our labour opportunities, creating good-paying jobs, not only in the big cities but where all these modular manufacturers live throughout this province, where we can get good local jobs and get them fast. To achieve this vision, we will work closely with Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Infrastructure. With the manufacturing might of Ontario—as it always has been and has continued to grow under this government—and the knowledge of industry experts, we will embark on a journey that encompasses both short-term and long-term objectives, supporting the development of modular attainable housing. We will do everything in our power create new provincial housing supply by leveraging the assets we have on hand. This collaborative effort will help us address the housing crisis as well as foster economic growth.

Our government’s plan to develop an attainable housing program, as publicly committed in the fall of 2022 as part of More Homes Built Faster, serves as the foundation of this initiative. We are also committed to further exploring modular housing and other innovative construction options, as announced in the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act. Building these successes will scale up to develop an attainable housing program, encompassing both public and private land across all regions of Ontario. By working together, we can reshape the housing landscape in Ontario, making home ownership attainable for all and positioning our province as a leader in this important sector.

Speaker, we recognize that we must build housing that meets the needs and budgets of all Ontarians. We recognize that housing isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution; that’s why we’re investing in supportive housing, ensuring that every Ontarian, regardless of their circumstances, has a roof over their head. We’re streamlining processes, cutting through the bureaucratic maze and ensuring that those who need support get it and get it fast. I would again point out my visit last week to St. Thomas and the Indwell announcement—45 spaces, with $1.2 million in funding given. Previous to that, $3 million in capital support—a great initiative and I think one that is going to be replicated throughout the province for the days, months and years to come.

We heard the calls for help from those battling mental health issues; from our seniors, who have given so much to our province; and from those that need a helping hand just to get back on their feet. Navigating this complex network can be challenging, especially for individuals with diverse needs and their families. That is why my ministry is diligently collaborating with the Ministries of Health and Children, Community and Social Services to enhance and streamline the supportive housing system—again, a big part of our plan and important as part of the Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act we presented this morning.

Together, we have embarked on several initiatives aimed at improving Ontario’s supportive housing system. These include developing a common pre-screening approach to ensure individuals are directed towards appropriate housing and supports. We’re also working towards establishing local integrated supportive housing planning requirements, promoting coordination between the housing, health and community service sectors to provide client services with complex needs.

Additionally, we have conducted a cost avoidance review in supportive housing, which will provide valuable insights into how supportive housing can help us reduce the reliance on high-cost provincial systems such as hospitals. In line with our commitment to action, we have made significant investments in supportive housing through the Ontario Social Services Relief Fund. Service managers and Indigenous program administrators have utilized this funding to create approximately 1,200 units of supportive housing, a remarkable achievement that is already making a tangible difference.

Speaker, all of this is to say that while the opposition raises doubts, we’re raising roofs, and we’re raising them for seniors, newcomers, students, first-time homebuyers and those who need supportive housing.

We have actively sought input from key stakeholders and partners across the province by hosting supportive housing round tables. Since being appointed to my new role, I have already met with supportive housing partners like Indwell, the Learning Enrichment Foundation and the House of Friendship to build strong partnerships across these sectors.

Again, I give a shout-out to our friends at Indwell doing a wonderful job. I believe they’ve now got 24 buildings, facilities, throughout the province, and growing, with 1,200 tenants in these spaces. I know if everyone has had a chance to meet Mr. Jeff Neven, the CEO, he’s worth talking to. I have talked to all communities, and any community in this province, if you have a need for supportive housing and to work with someone like Indwell, it certainly is worth the time to speak with that group—it’s very, very impressive—along with many others, but in particular, I was with him last week and two weeks before. He’s a very impressive individual indeed.

We’ve also stepped up to ensure that Ontarians at risk of experiencing homelessness have access to safe and stable housing. When we talk about homelessness, we’re talking about our neighbours, our friends and our fellow Ontarians. And we’re not just talking; we are investing. As I said this morning, Speaker, over $700 million will be invested this year to ensure that no Ontarian has to spend a night without shelter. That’s up $200 million, a little over—a great percentage increase and a great commitment to our community folks who need to fight this crisis day in and day out. This substantial increase in funding will enable us to provide caring assistance and resources to many more individuals and families who are at risk of experiencing homelessness.

But we’re not stopping there, Speaker; we’re also investing in programs and initiatives that address the root causes of homelessness, from mental health supports to job training programs. Projects are already under way across the province to expand supportive housing options for those experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, addiction, violence or poverty. This program is a result of true innovation. It is an amalgamation of the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative, Homes for Good and the Strong Communities Rent Supplement Program, all great programs and working well.

We did this so Ontarians are not just seen as numbers but as people in need of assistance, to whom we can provide tangible support through initiatives such as supportive housing and rent supplements or by connecting with services like Ontario Works or health care providers.

We are leveraging every asset, every piece of crown land, every opportunity to ensure that homelessness becomes a thing of the past. We will continue to implore the federal government to fulfill its responsibility in supporting municipalities and asylum claimants.

We recognize our efforts cannot be alone as we address this magnitude. I think everybody knows that Ontario is underfunded by $480 million for housing and homelessness under the federal National Housing Strategy. We need to get that funding coming our way, and that is why we continue to advocate to the federal government for our fair share of homelessness funding. We acknowledge that there is still much more work to be done. We will continue to advocate for increased federal funding and explore innovative solutions to ensure that every person in Ontario has a place to call home.

Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of speaking about Bill 134, the Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act, this morning, but let me reiterate: This isn’t just legislation; it’s a commitment—a commitment to families like the ones across my great riding of Elgin–Middlesex–London, to newcomers across Ontario that we’re on their side. We’re cutting red tape, boosting construction and ensuring that the dream of home ownership is within the reach of every Ontarian.

Let me give you an example, Speaker. The folks I’m working with in my ministry now, young people, all have a dream to own their own home, and not one of them is able to do it. I think back to when I bought my first house in the early 1980s, I thought it was pretty daunting; it was crazy. Interest rates were 19%. I heard the minister here talk about when his parents bought their home. When I bought my first home, I was a young guy, and it was 19%. It was daunting, but I could still make the down payment. I could still make the monthly payment work, pay my taxes, pay my insurance and live decently. It was scary, but fortunately, I took out an open mortgage and, within a year, interest rates had dropped to 12%. I thought I had manna from heaven. I was living the dream.

Unfortunately, today, we think interest rates are high at 6%, 7%. Relatively speaking, what we’ve seen, at least in my life, throughout business and mortgages, they’re not that high, but they are high with respect to the debt people are carrying or the debt they have to carry to at least own a home and make the payments. So it’s not fair. We have to do better, and this government is focusing on making sure we do better and we get everybody in a home that they deserve. Because while it was tough back 40 years ago, it’s even tougher today. I know there’s a few in the Legislature that have experienced those times, but today, it is even tougher.

Through our proposed legislation, we’re paving the pathway to affordable and attainable home ownership for everyone. We’re not just setting targets; we’re hitting them, and while others prefer to dwell on the past, we’re focused on the future. For too long, Speaker, decades of inaction and red tape have made housing unaffordable for far too many people. That’s why, since taking office, our government has taken bold steps to cut red tape and increase the housing supply. From our housing action plans to cutting development fees, we’re building the most homes we have in over 30 years. Again, two years in a row, we’ve had record starts. We had more starts this year in terms of percentage increase in numbers built than any other province in the country.

But again, we know that more needs to be done. Too many families are stuck renting month to month, with no hope of ownership. That’s why, through the Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act, we’re proposing changes to boost affordable construction while supporting job creation. And both of those complement each other.

We’re also proposing changes to attract investments like Volkswagen’s electric vehicle plant coming to St. Thomas, creating thousands of jobs. This will strengthen communities as we build infrastructure and homes for the future.

Again, last week, in and around London and surrounding communities, I had a chance to meet with many individuals. We talked about the jobs coming to southwestern Ontario, not only through London, St. Thomas and Windsor with Stellantis—we certainly have great economic prospects ahead of us. Shovels are in the ground. The dirt is being moved in St. Thomas. It’s fascinating to see, but it’s also daunting because when you think 3,000 people are coming to work directly there, 1,000 at least to build the plant over the next three years, we’ve got to get shovels in the ground and houses built. So we’re looking at every opportunity there is throughout the province, throughout southwestern Ontario, and directly around the St. Thomas plant to find available land, available builders and available opportunities, be it single family homes, small, tiny homes or modular homes to get shovels in the ground to get these homes built so people can afford to have a place to stay and live.

And it is not only the 3,000 jobs. There are 30,000 tertiary jobs coming along with this investment. It’s fantastic. And it is not just going to be in southwestern Ontario; it’s going to be in your communities. It’s every-where, so we need to get shovels in the ground—1.5 million homes by 2031. That’s our commitment. It remains.

Complementing these changes, our government is consulting on streamlining processes at the Ontario Land Tribunal to resolve disputes faster. That’s going to help as well. We are also working with municipalities to increase procurement collaboration for savings. I talked to the mayor of Woodstock today about setting targets on things that we need to do to get shovels in the ground faster in Oxford county and we’re confident that will work.

Through these coordinated proposals, we are eliminating further cost to build while enabling job growth. Combined with our past successes that have seen record housing starts, we’re getting closer to hitting that target—or being on speed, at least, to hit 1.5 million homes by 2031. Most importantly, it means more hard-working Ontario families will have an affordable place to call home—and, again, the key there is “affordable.” I come back to when I brought my home. Yes, it was always difficult, but nothing like the daunting challenge today.

In closing, let me be clear: We acknowledge that much more is required to accomplish our housing targets, absolutely. And while others may raise doubts, we are still going to focus on raising roofs for the people of this province. Every decision we make, every policy we implement, is driven by a singular goal: to improve the lives of Ontarians. That includes letting them have the opportunity to housing stability and owning their own home.

We’re not just setting targets, Speaker; we’re hitting them. We’re not just making policy; we’re delivering results. I come from a world where you got measured monthly, quarterly, yearly, and I am used to that. I am used to that accountability, and I know this government reflects that as well, too, and will remain accountable to hitting 1.5 million homes by 2031. We won’t stop until every Ontarian has a place to call home.

And I say this to those that say no: Join us in collaboration. Join us on this mission and let’s work together to build a brighter, more prosperous Ontario for all, because, at the end of the day, it really isn’t about politics. It’s about building houses. It’s about getting people into their own homes. The people of Ontario deserve nothing but the best, so support the Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act. It’s a great step towards getting this done. Let’s work together to build a brighter and more prosperous future. And, Speaker, we will be bold, we will be innovative, and we’ll get it done for everyone to have a positive journey on their pathway to housing stability and home ownership.

Speaker, I am proud to rise in this chamber, as a member of the government caucus, under the leadership of Premier Ford. Our government has taken historic measures to strengthen the path to home ownership for each and every Ontarian, no matter whether they were born in Ontario or they came to our great province. And frankly, I think we need to recognize that this government has done all of this without any support from the Liberals or NDP. After all, this is the same NDP that propped up, as mentioned earlier, the previous Liberal government—and they outlined their scandals ad nauseam today; I appreciated the history lesson on Ornge. I was in university at the time.

We are taking action on the housing supply crisis, to begin with. For me, this is personal. As a younger MPP, I know all too well the struggles that the younger generations of Ontarians face in trying to get into the home market. I hear about it right across this province, no matter where I go—in my own community, as well as other communities that I travel to. The housing crisis is not just a Toronto issue; it’s impacting thousands of people across Ontario, from the coast of Lake Erie to the coast of the Hudson Bay. That’s why our government ran on a promise to build 1.5 million new homes by 2031, and we were given an overwhelming mandate last June to get that job done. We also received a massive mandate in the region of Peel, where we’re going to build Highway 413. We haven’t stopped, and we won’t stop, getting things done for the people of Ontario.

The last two years, as the Associate Minister of Housing referenced in his remarks, we have seen record housing starts in Ontario, including in the region of Waterloo.

Interjection.

Further debate?

It really is a sad afternoon when we are talking about the many scandals that have happened in this province of Ontario—the gas plant scandal, air Ornge—but what we saw with those scandals was an appropriate legislative response.

I want to add to this the Airbus affair, which refers to allegations of secret commissions paid to Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and other members of his ministry in exchange for then-crown corporation Air Canada’s purchase of a large number of Airbus jets. This resulted in a RCMP investigation. It resulted in much media coverage. There was an ethics committee struck, and there was also the Oliphant commission inquiry.

This is the kind of response that we need when there is such suspect behaviour on the part of governments, Liberal and Conservative alike.

The Premier was asked recently, “What’s the worst scandal in the province of Ontario?” and he was trying to say that the greenbelt scandal wasn’t quite as bad as the gas plant scandal. It was a terrible spectacle to watch the Premier decide which was the worse scandal in Ontario. But I would say, perhaps he forgot his outrage at Kathleen Wynne when she had the Fair Hydro Plan, because, at the time, the Premier said that this was the biggest political cover-up in Ontario’s history.

And this government—in October 2018, one of the first things they did when they came to power was, they struck a Select Committee on Financial Transparency. They did this. Members of that committee now—the Chair was the member for Brampton South, who’s now the Minister of Transportation. The Vice-Chair was Ontario’s Attorney General, the current Attorney General. The members from this government included the chief government whip; the member for Sault Ste. Marie, who is in the House; Roman Baber—remember?—the previous member for York Centre; we had the member for Eglinton–Lawrence. These were the current government members who thought that it was important to strike a select committee, and I agreed. The purpose of this committee was “to investigate and report on the accounting practices, decision-making and policy objectives of the previous government or any other aspect of the report that the select committee deems relevant. The public has a right to know the true state of the province’s finances and demand accountability from the government.” Sound familiar?

“The committee hopes that the current government will adopt the recommendations and commit to ensuring and maintaining transparency....” This is what we’re asking for today.

This committee—we got tens of thousands of emails. We subpoenaed the secretary of the cabinet, the Deputy Minister of the Environment. We subpoenaed Kathleen Wynne herself, who testified for two and a half hours, and the former Minister of Energy Glenn Thibeault. I spent the better part of four months in this committee getting to the bottom of this—all these members did this. And these are the kinds of legislative responses that we expect that your government would undertake. But despite this, despite this government’s outrage, we have a government here that has clearly signalled that they’re going to vote against our suggestion that they strike a select committee on the restoration of the greenbelt; they said that they’re going to vote against it, quite clearly.

At the time, Doug Ford said in a speech, “We will demand answers about where the money went. A lot of the Liberals got rich, really, really rich, under Kathleen Wynne and off the backs of the taxpayers of Ontario.”

“The purpose of our committee was to ask a lot of the questions the people of Ontario wanted answers to, and I’m confident we asked those questions,” said Ross Romano, the senior Progressive Conservative MPP, about the committee.

So this government has a record. You’ve done this, just five years ago, when you were outraged by the scandal of the Ontario Liberals. But suddenly you’ve fallen silent when it comes to your own dodgy dealings.

Despite all of this, despite all the province’s outrage, despite the fact that this is the right thing to do, we’ve heard that the government House leader is going to vote against this. And you can bet, if the House leader says that he’s going to vote against this, all these PC members are going to tuck in beside him and not support what is the right thing.

So I will say, you’ve done it before—you sat on a committee, you tried to get to the bottom of what is important to the people of the province of Ontario. My question to you now is, what changed? Why are you not committed to transparency and accountability now that you are in the hot seat?

Bill 23.

The member for Waterloo is heckling me right now—addressing recognizing gaps in middle-income housing, supportive housing and modular housing. We’re taking every opportunity and implementing every tool to ensure that Ontarians have a place to call home that meets their price point. This is so important. Last year alone, we had over half a million new immigrants come to Ontario—and that doesn’t include the hundreds of thousands more who will move here from other provinces, or international students who come here to study at our world-class colleges and universities.

The Premier said it before—and I’ll remind everyone in the chamber today: We need a wartime effort to build as many homes as possible. As our province grows and as people come here seeking a better life, we as a community need to fight to ensure that the dream of home ownership is protected for the next generation and for all those who come to Ontario.

While this side of the House and the middle over there will fight for people’s path to home ownership, the opposition continues to drag their feet on helping to house Ontarians. The members opposite said we held our housing supply action plans back five years—I find it very rich, from the members opposite who voted no on the four housing supply action plans we’ve brought to this House so far; I hope they vote for the next one we bring in. I really do hope they vote for the greenbelt bill we’re going to bring in to codify the boundaries of the greenbelt and add to the greenbelt. Time will tell.

Speaker, we’ve made it easier for homeowners to create additional residential units above garages, basements or in laneways; again, the opposition voted against it. We streamlined modular unit residential building approvals; they voted against it. It seems to be a pattern, everyone.

We took steps to bolster consumer protection around purchasing new homes—it’s a big life decision; they voted against it.

Every time we take steps to build homes, to protect tenants and streamline services, the NDP and Liberals stand against it. In doing so, they stand against a younger person just wanting to move out of their parents’ basement; they stand against the aging couple looking to downsize but who can’t afford to stay in their community where they raised their children and where their children and grandchildren live now; they stand against the next generation of Ontarians just wanting a chance at a normal life. This government will stand with those Ontarians—will stand with those young people, will stand with those seniors who want to downsize. We proudly stand with everyone looking for a path to home ownership, and we’ll continue to do so.

As I alluded to, we have tabled multiple housing supply action bills, and we’ll continue to do so and consult with our municipal partners, homebuilders and other stakeholders across the riding. Our government has already delivered on four of these bills since 2018, and we committed in an election to introduce one in each year of our four-year mandate. We will do that, demonstrating our commitment and resolve to get 1.5 million homes, at least, built by 2031.

As was referred to, I believe, earlier today in debate on Bill 134, there’s no silver bullet to the housing supply crisis. We’re doing the hard work that is necessary and working with our partners to fill our housing mandate. As circumstances and pressures change, we’re also committed to working with our municipal partners, with community builders, with—

In fact, this new Minister of Housing—when he came in, the first thing he did with our municipal partners was, he went back out to them and said, “We have 75 recommendations from our housing task force—we’re on 23 partly or almost completed. Please tell us how we reach those goals moving forward.” I know my municipal partners appreciated that opportunity to submit that feedback. They are submitting that feedback because we are listening to our municipal partners and we’re working with our municipal partners.

Interjection.

And as we do so, our government is always looking for better ways to ease the pressures on some of our most vulnerable communities.

Through our reinforcement of our supportive housing initiatives, an extra $200 million a year in the Homelessness Prevention Program, $700 million total—historic investments, which, again, our municipal partners asked for, and we listened to them.

We are confident we can build homes that meet the broad range of needs at every price point that works for residents.

We recognize that 1.5 million homes is not just a number, but it’s an offer of stability and opportunity for those families who will come to occupy them. A home is a place to start a family, to make memories, to see your children take their first steps, to clean up after your pet, to learn and grow within a community. Every Ontarian deserves that opportunity, and our government is here to make that happen.

This past summer, I had an opportunity, on behalf of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, to make a few announcements across Ontario, where we’re putting real investments into supportive housing through the government of Ontario Social Services Relief Fund. I was in Paris, Ontario—not Paris, France, unfortunately, but Paris, Ontario is great, as well—with MPP Bouma and mayors Kevin Davis and David Bailey to announce $340,000 to help create 15 affordable housing units, to support individuals and families with a variety of accessible needs, those who have experienced domestic violence, and people of Indigenous ancestries. This is very important to ensuring, again, that all Ontarians have a place to call their own.

Just a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to announce a similar investment in my own riding, in Stratford, in one of the communities that I have the great honour of representing in this place. The governments of Ontario and Canada are providing more than $3 million to build 33 affordable housing units in Stratford, and our government is providing an additional $1 million through the social services relief fund to create six additional affordable units. I know the chattering classes on Twitter like to say, “Oh, it’s the federal government,” but in this case, the province is actually contributing more to these projects than our federal partners. Speaker, I don’t have to tell you what it means for these communities. While they are going to be able to welcome more individuals and families to their communities, they are also being given the tools to ensure their most vulnerable residents are looked after in a way that is comfortable and affordable.

We know we have to build homes, and that’s why we’re also here to stand up for the little guy and girl, the members of our communities who have been priced out of the housing and real estate markets because of the decades of Liberal and NDP mismanagement and carelessness. The Liberals added mountains of red tape to the community building process during their time in government, and the only problem the NDP had with this is that they didn’t add more.

We’ve talked a lot about red tape here in this chamber, and all too often it may lose its meaning to the members of the opposition, but that red tape is exactly what stands in the way of young families purchasing a starter home or a family of a new Canadian getting into their first apartment or home. The red tape has real consequences, and under the current circumstances of a generational housing crisis, we just can’t afford these consequences. It’s not going to be easy. Since 2018, this government has worked day in and day out to jump-start our economy from the grinding halt the Liberals and the NDP brought it to. We’ve brought in record investments and job creation to the province of Ontario. We’ve got job offers, but we need the people for those jobs.

We’re thrilled to welcome hundreds of thousands of new Ontarians each and every year—including more than 500,000 last year, as I alluded to earlier. We need them to come to Ontario to join our workforce because that means our small businesses are growing, our tech and innovation sectors are growing—the great innovation happening in the region of Waterloo is growing—and we’re going to be able to better compete on a global stage, and that will be able to generate more wealth for our communities. But that doesn’t happen without new homes.

This past summer, many Torontonians saw the unfortunate reality many immigrants and asylum seekers face upon arriving to Canada. Many of them had nowhere to go but the streets of downtown Toronto.

Last month, our government announced an additional $42 million through the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit program to support the city of Toronto and other impacted municipalities in ensuring newcomers to Ontario have the supports they need to build a new life here in communities that are safe, welcoming and full of opportunities. Mayor Chow came to the table in good faith, and two levels of government were able to work together to address a pressing issue in Toronto. I wish the NDP would show the same commitment in helping newcomers find a home.

About a month and a half ago, I had the opportunity to meet many municipal partners at the Association of Municipalities Ontario annual conference. I know members of the opposition were also there, but obviously many government colleagues were there as well. I met communities—from St. Catharines to Sioux Lookout, the region of Waterloo and Kirkland Lake. Municipalities across the province are ready to build, and our government is constantly ready to hear feedback and advice from our municipal partners to ensure that we are all on the same page and on the right track towards meeting our commitments.

Municipalities large and small, right across Ontario, are fully on board with our government’s plan to build at least 1.5 million new homes by 2031. There is no way around it—for our communities to grow and prosper, we need to make room for more people, and that’s a good thing.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Infrastructure, we’re unlocking new opportunities to build our communities. Through the Transit-Oriented Communities Program, our government is ensuring residents are served conveniently and comfortably within their communities, reinforcing communities alongside major transit corridors, including subway and LRT lines. By building communities along these corridors, we are working to increase transit ridership, stimulate local economic development, and most importantly, we are increasing housing supply. When we build communities around convenient transit corridors, we’re providing a sense of stability and belonging for residents; we’re building a place where people can work, play and raise a family. These priorities are so important for the people of Ontario. Far too often, when parents are stuck in gridlock trying to get home to their families after work, they are missing out on time spent with their families—and that’s what a community is supposed to be all about. But we also know that not everyone can or wants to live in an urban core.

I was born and raised in Harriston, Ontario. You probably don’t know where that is. It’s a very small town in Wellington county.

I can say—I live in Mitchell now—that growing up and building a life in any of our vibrant rural communities in Ontario is truly an exceptional experience. We are truly blessed to live in Ontario.

The rural way of life is something that we must protect and cherish for our next generation, but it is also something that we must preserve for new Canadians to join and be a part of. The housing crisis is not just something experienced in the greater Toronto area; it extends to every community and every small town in this province.

I speak to young people regularly in my community, and I hear them saying they want to stay and raise a family in the communities where they grew up, but it’s becoming harder and harder to find a home that they can provide at a price point that they can afford.

We provide incentives to large municipalities across the province through a variety of programs—but most recently through the Building Faster Fund, which is $1.2 billion devoted to rewarding municipalities for reaching and exceeding their annual housing targets. Along with these incentives, we’ve also allocated 10% of that program, or roughly $120 million, to smaller municipalities that have not been allocated housing targets. I know our rural and smaller municipalities appreciate this because, unfortunately, under the federal Rapid Housing Initiative, they do not qualify and would not be able to compete with the larger urban centres in Canada. So we’re really trying to address the missing middle with the funding gaps through that by providing these funds in a percentage of the Building Faster Fund, and I know we’ll continue to consult with our rural and northern municipalities on how to best utilize this for themselves. This will allow small towns in Perth and Wellington counties as well as other small municipalities right across the province to increase their capacity to service new homes and build new communities.

Every time I get to rise in this House, as a young person from rural Ontario, to speak about our growing needs of the next generation, it’s an incredible honour. The great thing about Ontario, whether your family has been here for generations or if you immigrated here last week, is that the opportunities are endless; if you work hard, you can achieve anything. Under the leadership of Premier Ford and his Minister of Economic Development, we have worked hard to ensure that that dream is still alive and well in Ontario. By attracting the good manufacturing jobs back to Ontario, the 300,000 that left under the former Liberal and NDP-propped-up government—attracting 700,000 new jobs since 2018, good-paying jobs. And people having a job to provide for their families is so important. We will continue to do that, moving forward, in everything we can do—but we had to bring it back, as I alluded to earlier in my remarks, from what was left when former Premier Wynne left office in 2018. We had to bring it back from the brink.

They have talked about the scandals under the former Liberal government as well today, but we can go back in time a little more, when there was a Rae government—not me, but a Bob Rae government. I was only zero at the time when he came into office, so I don’t remember much—but I read it in the history books. I find it ironic that they refer to this—that we’re not building up housing, but they vote against every housing supply action bill we bring to this place. When they held government—not the balance of power—three things happened: We lost jobs in Ontario, we lost businesses in Ontario, and we lost homes in Ontario.

We are not going to return to the Rae days of Bob Rae. We’re going to continue to build 1.5 million homes to ensure that my colleagues can find a place to live, new Canadians can find a place to live—young people like Brampton North over there can find a place to live and own a property. We’re going to continue to get it done for the people of Ontario.

They talk about taking time away from when they could bring forward legislation to make housing more affordable, to get more homes built—and they don’t do that.

They already highlighted—at a committee before this House, we’ll hear and study the Auditor General’s report, at the public accounts committee. This committee will hear that report. That is in their mandate, and they will discuss this report at that committee.

I also find it very rich, from the opposition—when they want to regulate Airbnb, essentially. I will let the opposition know that municipalities can actually bring in a bylaw already that can regulate Airbnb, and some have. So it’s not the province’s mandate to regulate Airbnb. But maybe under an NDP government, they’ll want to regulate Airbnb.

The ayes are 24; the nays are 61.

They never met a regulation they didn’t like.

I know—they like a regulation they didn’t like; they like a tax they didn’t like.

Speaker, I’ll conclude by saying that we’re facing a generational housing crisis. Our government is up for the challenge and won’t back down. The NDP members can stand in this chamber every day and make excuses for why they don’t want to build, but our government will gladly do what is right and continue to get it done for Ontarians—Ontarians in Harriston, Stratford, downtown Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga and Thunder Bay. We will continue to get it done for the people of Ontario. We’ll continue to build homes, to ensure that we build transit, to ensure that we build Ontario for this generation and all future generations.

I’ll now turn the floor back to the Leader of the Opposition.

It is the pleasure of the House that the motion carry?

All those in favour of the motion, please say “aye.”

All those opposed to the motion, please say “nay.”

In my opinion, the nays have it.

Call in the members, there will be a 10-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1751 to 1801.

MPP Stiles moved opposition day number 1. All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Motion negatived.

Report continues in volume B.