My question is for the Premier.

Speaker, like most people in Ontario, I’m very concerned about the current state of our health care system. This week, we heard from a family in Ajax who waited several hours for an ambulance—hours for an ambulance, Speaker. This is a new low; it is unacceptable that anyone in Ontario in need of urgent emergency care has to wait for hours before the ambulance arrives to bring them to the hospital. The son who called the ambulance and waited with his father for hours said, “Our health care system is in a permanent state of collapse. It didn’t have to be like this. I blame the Ford government 100%.”

To the Premier: Why are families waiting hours for an ambulance?

Speaker, people waiting for ambulances—this is not an isolated event. Many other Ontarians have shared similar experiences.

Interjections.

To the Premier: Will you increase municipal funding for EMS and ambulances to ensure people are not left waiting in their times of need?

Speaker, all this government has done is destabilize the post-secondary sector. Listen to OREA. Listen to what Tim Hudak is saying. The OREA report found that 42% of students carrying debt are considering leaving Ontario after graduation so they can repay their student loans and find a place of their own.

This represents a huge loss to our province, but it can be easily fixed. Make OSAP easier to access. Convert loans to grants. That is how to make the dream of home ownership a reality for young people. Why does this government think that selling off the greenbelt to enrich their friends was a more important housing strategy than giving young people the ability to afford to buy a home?

The supplementary question.

And the supplementary question.

The next question.

This is the same party that opposes building student housing on campuses and in communities across Ontario, so we’ll take no lessons from the party across.

We’ve expanded the OSAP program to be eligible for students who are enrolled in Indigenous institutions and micro-credentials, so that more and more students can have access to OSAP. But because it’s a needs-based program, we’ve actually seen a decrease in the number of students who are accessing the OSAP program.

It’s initiatives like the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant, which is seeing free tuition for students who are enrolling in nursing programs, paramedic programs and lab tech programs across the province. They are receiving free tuition in exchange for working in areas of high needs following graduation.

It’s ensuring that students who are attending colleges have access to three-year degrees at colleges, increasing the number of degrees in colleges, so students can continue to learn closer to home.

We are seeing a decrease in the number of students using those programs.

My question is for the Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity. With more than 100,000 unfilled jobs in the skilled trades, it’s critical that we attract more women and under-represented populations into the workforce to pursue good-paying careers in this sector.

It’s good news that employment numbers for women continue to rise and more mothers are part of Ontario’s labour market. However, the reality is that many women encounter barriers that make it difficult for them to enter the workforce. That’s why our government must continue to work on behalf of all women to implement measures that will reduce obstacles.

Speaker, can the associate minister please describe what actions our government is taking to support women in the workforce?

Ontario’s economy and our province as a whole will benefit by supporting women in the workforce, especially in leading-edge industries such as skilled-trades occupations. Unfortunately, the number of women employed in this sector is well below their male counterparts. At a time of severe labour shortages, our government must invest in programs that will help women to achieve the success they deserve.

Speaker, can the associate minister please explain how our government is expanding opportunities for women to find careers in the skilled trades?

I’m really, really proud today to put forth this petition on behalf of Endometriosis Events. The co-founders, Tami Ellis and Leah Haynes, couldn’t be here today, but they have spearheaded this project across our province.

I also want to welcome the following organizers from Endometriosis Events who are in the members’ gallery with us today: Jenny Rolle, Anne-Marie Seessle, Veronica Brown and Michelle Milheiras.

I also want to welcome Michelle Milheiras’s dad, Jack Milheiras, who is a proud supporter.

This petition is entitled “Endometriosis Awareness and Action.” Again, thank you to Endometriosis Events for leading this charge.

“Whereas the Ministry of Education updated the Ontario physical and health education curriculum in 2019; and

“Whereas the updated curriculum includes sexual health and education expectations; and

“Whereas $7 million has been spent on endometriosis research in Canada in the last 20 years; and

“Whereas there is currently an average wait time of seven to 10 years to see an endometriosis specialist in Ontario” or get a diagnosis;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to:

“—update the current Ontario physical and health education curriculum to include an endometriosis component with specific expectations; and

“—invest significantly more funding in endometriosis research; and

“—improve medical program requirements to reflect endometriosis education in Ontario universities and therefore train more specialists; and

“—ensure people with endometriosis receive timely access to expert surgical and integrative care” through our public health care system.

I couldn’t support this more. We need a provincial strategy for endometriosis care.

The member from Chatham-Kent–Leamington is 100% right: Innocent people have lost their lives due to the dangerous criminals being on our streets instead of being behind bars, and that’s why Ontario is leading the way.

Thanks to Premier Ford, who coalesced all the Premiers and territorial leaders in our country to pen a letter to the Prime Minister calling on the federal government to enact meaningful bail reform, their bill, the federal Bill C-48, has now passed the House of Commons and is on the way to being passed, we hope soon, in the Senate.

But we’re not just standing by, Mr. Speaker. We’re strengthening the province’s bail enforcement and prosecutorial system with a $112-million investment to keep these high-risk offenders and those who will wreak havoc on our streets in jail, behind bars, where they belong.

And yes, as I said just a second ago, because the firearms are coming from across the border, we’re continuing to urge the federal government.

This is the message I said last week in Bromont, Quebec, when I was there together with the Attorney General at the FPT meeting: that the federal government has to step up border protections. I said to my counterpart, “Meet me at the border so you can see for yourself.”

I’m just rising on standing order number 59, outlining the status of business for next week, and to thank colleagues for a productive week.

As you announced earlier, Mr. Speaker, we will be returning Monday morning at 9 a.m. and we will be seized with government order number 39, which, of course, is the censure motion for the member for Hamilton Centre. In the afternoon, we will have an opposition day debate, opposition day number 3, and Bill 135, which is the Convenient Care at Home Act.

In the morning of Tuesday, October 24, we will move to Bill 135 again, the Convenient Care at Home Act, and in the afternoon, we will be moving to Bill 65, standing in the name of the member for Whitby, which is the Honouring Our Veterans Act. In the evening, we will have private member’s motion number 65.

On Wednesday, October 25, in the morning, we will continue with the Honouring Our Veterans Act in the name of the member for Whitby. In the afternoon, we will be seized with the member for Chatham-Kent–Leamington’s private member’s motion number 69, which is a “carbon tax on groceries” motion. In the evening, we will be debating Bill 38.

On Thursday, October 26, in the morning and in the afternoon, we will be debating a government bill which will be introduced later on today, and in the evening, we will be on private member’s motion number 66.

The ayes are 91; the nays are 0.

Supplementary question?

Call in the members. This is a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1146 to 1151.

On October 17, 2023, Mr. Jones, Chatham-Kent–Leamington, moved government notice of motion number 18 relating to the Hamas attacks. Mr. Kerzner moved an amendment to the motion. Ms. Khanjin moved an amendment to the amendment to the motion.

On October 18, 2023, Mr. Calandra moved that the question be now put.

All those in favour of Mr. Calandra’s motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

I am now required to put the question on the main motion.

Mr. Jones, Chatham-Kent–Leamington, has moved government notice of motion number 18, relating to the Hamas attacks. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.

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

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

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

Call in the members. This is a five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1156 to 1201.

On October 17, 2023, Mr. Jones, Chatham-Kent–Leamington, moved government notice of motion number 18, relating to the Hamas attacks.

All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Motion agreed to.

Call in the members. This is another five-minute bell.

The division bells rang from 1205 to 1210.

Mr. Rae has moved private member’s notice of motion number 63. All those in favour, please rise and remain standing until recognized by the Clerk.

Motion agreed to.

There being no further business, this House stands in recess until 1 p.m.

The House recessed from 1214 to 1300.

Report deemed adopted.

Mr. Gill moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 139, An Act to amend various Acts / Projet de loi 139, Loi modifiant diverses lois.

First reading agreed to.

First reading agreed to.

First reading agreed to.

This bill enacts the Life Leases Act, 2023. A life lease is a written tenancy agreement that involves payment of an entrance fee for a rental unit. The person who is first entitled to occupy the rental unit is granted right to occupancy for life or for a fixed term of not less than 50 years.

The bill authorizes certain payments in respect of life leases and requires the disclosure of information related to life leases. The information that a landlord is required to disclose to a tenant includes the estimated entrance fee; the projected completion date; information regarding governance and management of the residential complex; the estimated amount of other fees, including monthly occupancy fees; and the estimated refund that a tenant will receive upon termination of the lease.

Prescribed landlords are required to maintain a reserve fund to pay for any unforeseen major repairs to or replacement of assets of the complex. The landlord is also required to maintain insurance policies in accordance with regulations.

The bill includes rules relating to tenants and board meetings, including requirements in respect of notice and timing.

The landlord is required to appoint a trustee to receive and administer a tenant’s entrance fee in accordance with specified requirements.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario is taking the next step to better connect and coordinate people’s home care services through Ontario health teams; and

“Whereas the province has already approved 57 teams across the province that will help people experience easier transitions from one provider to another, with one patient record and one care plan being shared; and

“Whereas the government is investing over $128 million to provide OHTs with $2.2 million over” the next “three years to better coordinate people’s care. This would establish a new single organization called Ontario Health atHome that will coordinate all home care services across the province through the Ontario health teams; and

“Whereas instead of navigating a complex system and waiting for a call at home, Ontario health teams will be able to provide people with easy-to-understand home care plans and what care they will receive before going home from the hospital; and

“Whereas care coordinators would be assigned to work within OHTs and other front-line care settings to facilitate seamless transitions for people from hospitals or primary care to home care services; and

“Whereas an initial group of 12 Ontario health teams have been chosen to accelerate their work to deliver home care in their local communities starting in 2025. With support from the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health, these teams will start by focusing on seamlessly transitioning people experiencing chronic disease through their primary care, hospital, and home and community care needs;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To urge all members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to build on the progress this government has made on building a patient-centred home and community care system.”

Mr. Speaker, I fully support this petition and will be happy to sign it and give it to Clara.

The bill enacts the Improving Air Quality for Our Children Act, 2023. The act provides that every publicly funded school and every child care provider licensed under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, shall install carbon dioxide monitors in every classroom and congregate space, including portables, gymnasiums, change rooms, auditoriums, cafeterias, music rooms, libraries, staff rooms and main offices.

The act also sets out a maximum carbon dioxide threshold of 600 parts per million above outdoor carbon dioxide levels. Schools and child care providers to which the act applies are required to report carbon dioxide levels to the Ministry of Education as well as what measures have been taken in response.

The act also requires that the Ministry of Education develop an air quality action plan that includes measures to be taken when carbon dioxide levels approach and exceed the maximum threshold.

Mr. Rae moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 141, An Act respecting life leases / Projet de loi 141, Loi traitant des baux viagers.

Yes. The Less Red Tape, More Common Sense Act, which is part of our fall red tape reduction package, contains proposals from 10 partner ministries and includes 20 schedules. The items in the legislation, if passed, will help improve services for people, reduce costs for businesses and make it easier to work with government. They could help save up to 100,000 hours each year, and will ensure Ontario remains the leader when it comes to reducing red tape and regulatory burden.

Ms. Pasma moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 140, An Act respecting improving air quality for schools and child care providers / Projet de loi 140, Loi concernant l’amélioration de la qualité de l’air dans les écoles et chez les fournisseurs de services de garde.

My question is to the Solicitor General. Sadly, there’s a concerning rise in criminal activity across the country. Here in Ontario, we’re seeing more and more reports of crime in all parts of our province. This has left many feeling troubled over the safety and security for themselves and their loved ones.

Speaker, we all know that these trends cannot continue. Everyone in Ontario has the right to feel safe in their communities. That’s why our government must continue to show leadership by addressing this disturbing surge in criminal activity that is negatively impacting every one of us.

Speaker, can the Solicitor General please explain what actions our government is taking to enhance public security across the province?

Another disturbing trend being seen all across Ontario is just how quickly firearms can be purchased in the US, smuggled into Canada and used to commit criminal offences here. That’s why it’s important for our police officers to have the tools and resources they need to tackle this new level of organized crime. It’s negatively impacting our province.

Speaker, can the Solicitor General please explain how our government is increasing measures that will support police services as they combat complex organized crime?

This petition is titled “Stop Highway 413....” It reads:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the Ontario government is pushing ahead with plans to build Highway 413, a redundant and wasteful 400-series highway through the greenbelt that would cost taxpayers an estimated $10 billion or more; and

“Whereas according to a TorStar/National Observer investigation entitled ‘Friends with Benefits,’ powerful developers and land speculators with political and donor ties to the Premier and the PC Party of Ontario own thousands of acres along the proposed highway corridor and would profit from its construction, suggesting that this $10-billion taxpayer-funded highway is about serving the private interests of the Premier’s friends and donors, not the public interest; and

“Whereas the Ontario government’s expert panel concluded in 2017 that Highway 413 would be a waste of taxpayer money that would only save drivers 30 to 60 seconds on their commutes; and

“Whereas that expert panel identified less costly and less destructive alternatives to new highway construction, such as making better use of the underused Highway 407, just 15 kilometres away; and

“Whereas Highway 413 would pave over 400 acres of greenbelt and 2,000 acres of farmland, destroy the habitats of at-risk and endangered species, and pollute rivers and streams; and

“Whereas building more highways ... increases traffic and congestion; and

“Whereas the highway would cause significant harm to historic Indigenous sites;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to stop the plans for building Highway 413.”

J’ai une pétition ici au nom de « Soutenez le système d’éducation francophone en Ontario. »

« À l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario :

« Alors que les enfants francophones ont un droit constitutionnel à une éducation de haute qualité, financée par les fonds publics, dans leur propre langue;

« Alors que l’augmentation des inscriptions dans le système d’éducation en langue française signifie que plus de 1 000 nouveaux enseignants et enseignantes de langue française sont nécessaires chaque année pour les cinq prochaines années;

« Alors que les changements apportés au modèle de financement du gouvernement provincial pour la formation des enseignantes et enseignants de langue française signifient que l’Ontario n’en forme que 500 par an;

« Alors que le nombre de personnes qui enseignent sans certification complète dans le système d’éducation en langue française a augmenté de plus de 450 % au cours de la dernière décennie;

« Par conséquent, nous, soussignés, demandons à l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario de fournir immédiatement le financement demandé par le rapport du groupe de travail sur la pénurie des enseignantes et des enseignants dans le système d’éducation en langue française de l’Ontario et de travailler avec des partenaires pour mettre pleinement en oeuvre les recommandations. »

Je suis très heureux de signer ça et d’amener la pétition à la table avec Michael.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas our government is taking action to increase housing supply to make sure that everyone in Ontario can find housing based on their income and to provide certainty to municipalities to help more Ontarians find an affordable home based on their household income; and

“Whereas changing the definition of affordable housing units would qualify for development-related charge discounts and exemptions which will support the lower cost of building, purchasing, and renting affordable homes across Ontario; and

“Whereas Ontario will be consulting on new regulations to streamline hearings and speed up decisions at the Ontario Land Tribunal that will help set service standards and prioritize those cases that would create the most housing; and

“Whereas Ontario is working closely with the federal government to increase the supply of purpose-built housing by removing federal and provincial portions of the HST that will make it easier and cheaper to build these important housings; and

“Whereas the province is seeing meaningful progress in its plan to build homes. Both 2021 and 2022 saw the most housing starts in over 30 years, with close to 100,000 homes built in each year. In 2022, Ontario recorded close to 15,000 purpose-built rental housing starts, the highest number on record.

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To urge all members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to continue” taking “action tackling the housing supply crisis and making life more affordable for all Ontarians.”

I support this petition, and I will give it to page Michael to deliver.

I rise in this House to present a petition:

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario’s social assistance rates are well below Canada’s official Market Basket Measure poverty line and woefully inadequate to cover the basic costs of food and rent;

“Whereas individuals on the Ontario Works program receive just $733 per month and individuals on the Ontario Disability Support Program receive just $1,169 per month, only 41% and 65% of the poverty line;

“Whereas the Ontario government has not increased social assistance rates since 2018, and Canada’s inflation rate in January 2022 was” already “5.1%, the highest rate in 30 years;

“Whereas the government of Canada recognized through the CERB program that a ‘basic income’ of $2,000 per month was the standard support required by individuals who lost their employment during the pandemic;

“We, the undersigned citizens of Ontario, petition the Legislative Assembly to increase social assistance rates to a base of $2,000 per month for those on Ontario Works and to increase other programs accordingly.”

I will be proud to affix my signature to this petition and to return this to the centre table with page Sachkaur.

“Whereas Ontario Place has been a cherished public space for over 50 years, providing joy, recreation, and cultural experiences for Ontarians and tourists alike and holds cultural and historical significance as a landmark that symbolizes Ontario’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and public engagement;

“Whereas redevelopment that includes a private, profit-driven venture by an Austrian spa company, prioritizes commercial interests over the needs and desires of the people of Ontario and it is estimated that the cost to prepare the grounds for redevelopment and build a 2,000-car underground garage will cost approximately $650 million;

“Whereas there are concerns of cronyism by ... Therme Group Canada’s vice president of comms and external relations who was previously” the Premier’s “deputy chief of staff;

“Whereas meaningful public consultations with diverse stakeholders have not been adequately conducted and the Ontario NDP has sent a letter of support for a public request to begin an investigation into a value-for-money and compliance audit with respect to proposed redevelopment of Ontario Place;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to halt any further development plans for Ontario Place, engage in meaningful and transparent public consultations to gather input and ideas for the future of Ontario Place, develop a comprehensive and sustainable plan for the revitalization of Ontario Place that prioritizes environmental sustainability, accessibility, and inclusivity, and ensure that any future development of Ontario Place is carried out in a transparent and accountable manner, with proper oversight, public input, and adherence to democratic processes.”

I proudly affix my signature to this petition and return it to the centre table with page Katherine.