Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

I appreciate the question from my colleague. She’s right: Public safety matters to everyone in Ontario and our government takes it very seriously. We’re taking action to protect the people of Ontario, and that’s why the government created the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy. We’re reducing illegal gun and gang violence by providing the resources to local police, prosecutors and community partners across the province, and I’m really proud of this. The strategy funds several initiatives that deliver strong enforcement and prosecution, proactive gang disruption and tailored youth and adult violence prevention. The amount that we have supported in this fund together with our federal partners is over $256 million.

And most importantly, Mr. Speaker, we are a government that has the backs of everyone that keeps Ontario safe.

At the end of the day, we have a right to live safely in our own homes and communities. That’s why our government will always have the backs of everyone that keeps Ontario safe.

My question is to the Premier. From the greenbelt grab to MZOs to private evangelical colleges, this government has shown that if you are a friend of the Premier, you will get their special attention.

A phone transcript has revealed that the previous Minister of Colleges and Universities, who is the current chief government whip, had assured the Premier’s friend Charles McVety that McVety’s private evangelical college would get university status regardless of the independent application review process. At the same time, that minister was telling this House that they “don’t meddle with procedural fairness” and that there was “no way to stand in the way of an independent process.”

Speaker, did the Premier know what his minister was promising to Charles McVety?

Let’s look at the timeline of events here: The former minister received PEQAB’s recommendation and accepted the recommendations years ago. Then, the Court of Appeal dismissed Canada Christian College’s appeal. The ministry is accepting the court’s decision and thanks the courts for their work on this matter.

But maybe instead we should focus—the opposition should focus their time on matters that courts have already ruled on. They focus on, what are we doing now? Every year, this ministry spends millions of dollars on research to support the latest medical advancements, EV and other critical fields. Our government is getting shovels in the ground to build housing, highways, new student housing opportunities in this province. But, again, the opposition says no to every single initiative.

As Minister of Colleges and Universities, I’m ensuring that our government is getting it done through investing in health human resources to ensure that we have more doctors, more nurses and a new medical school in this province.

I think I’ve been extremely clear: The former minister received PEQAB’s recommendation and accepted those recommendations years ago. The Court of Appeal then dismissed Canada Christian College’s appeal. We’re moving forward.

What this ministry is doing is looking at making investments, ensuring that we have more nurses across this province. We’re increasing the number of medical seats. We have new medical schools being built in Brampton as well as Scarborough, the first medical schools we’ve seen in the GTA in over 100 years. This is the focus of what this ministry is doing: ensuring that we have trained professionals in all fields across this province.

I want to acknowledge the question from my friend opposite. Our government finds it unacceptable that every 40 minutes somewhere in Ontario a car is stolen. That’s why we made a record investment of over $51 million to provide the technology and grants for the municipal services and the OPP to combat this.

Mr. Speaker, just two weeks ago, the Attorney General and I were in Bromont, Quebec, for the federal, provincial and territorial meeting, and I asked my federal colleagues to step it up at the border and step it up at the port of Montreal. It’s completely unacceptable that our cars are going out through the port of Montreal.

I want to acknowledge the announcement made yesterday by the Toronto Police Service, with a record bust: Over a thousand cars were identified and recovered. Thank you to Chief Demkiw and thank you to everyone at the Toronto Police Service who is working to keep our communities safe.

It’s important to note that we want to keep these violent and repeat offenders off our streets, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. At the end of the day, our government cares deeply about our public safety. We will do everything we can to keep Ontario safe.

My question is for the Associate Minister of Housing. Ontario’s housing crisis is having a profound impact on people all across our province. Parents are worried that their children may never be able to afford to live near them. Young families are struggling to save enough for a down payment. Seniors on fixed incomes worry about being displaced. Everyone in Ontario deserves to have a place to live that fits their needs and their budget. Individuals and families are looking for real solutions in finding affordable housing, and they need answers now. That is why our government must continue to focus on addressing the housing crisis.

Speaker, can the associate minister please explain what actions our government is taking to increase the supply of housing across the province of Ontario?

Speaker, can the associate minister please explain what actions our government is taking to open opportunities for Ontarians to find homes that fit their needs and their budgets?

Thank you to the member for Brantford–Brant. I know he has children who live in this province who want to stay in this province. We cannot let the dream of home ownership be extinguished.

Speaker, our plan is working: 11% of our 1.5-million-home target has already been achieved, 165,000 homes—up, I might add, 20,000 per year than what the previous government achieved. Our plan is working: 14,000 new rental starts year over year, up an impressive 43.5% over last year. Our plan is working, but we know that much more needs to be done. For example, working with the Minister of Infrastructure, we are looking at surplus government lands where we can build affordable and attainable homes for all our people: seniors, students, newcomers and, yes, first-time homebuyers.

Speaker, we will not let the dream of home ownership be extinguished.

We also know that government cannot solve this crisis on its own. That is why we are convening a comprehensive housing summit in late November, a call to action by all stakeholders. Bold, innovative and deliverable results will be achieved. We’re looking at all partners, whether municipal, not-for-profit, modular home builders, community home builders and, yes, the private sector, because we believe the private sector is a key component to getting these houses built in the next 10 years.

Speaker, we have a bias for action. We have a sense of urgency. Under this Premier and this government, we will not let the dream of home ownership be extinguished.

I’m going to caution the member on the use of her language.

The Minister of Colleges and Universities can respond.

My question is to the Premier. In my community, in Niagara-on-the-Lake, people are facing challenges accessing front-line health care services. More than one in every three residents, many of whom are seniors, don’t have a family doctor. Getting a nurse practitioner back in the town would help fill this gap in services. The town has reached out to the Minister of Health, who confirmed they would be getting the nurse practitioner services they need. But the town hasn’t heard back in a year.

Why is the government refusing to help the Lord Mayor, the town council and the people of Niagara-on-the-Lake get the health care they need and deserve?

The ayes are 88; the nays are 4.

An Act to amend the Remembrance Week Act, 2016 / Loi modifiant la Loi de 2016 sur la semaine du Souvenir.

An Act to amend various statutes with respect to employment and labour and other matters / Loi modifiant diverses lois en ce qui concerne l’emploi, le travail et d’autres questions.

An Act to revive 1105954 Ontario Limited.

An Act to revive League Technique Inc.

An Act to revive Ice Hockey Resources Ltd.

An Act to revive Parrington’s Food Market Limited.

Back to the Premier: Minister, you made a promise to the Lord Mayor and the council. Please deliver on that promise.

Niagara-on-the-Lake isn’t the only community suffering due to this government’s mishandling of health care. In Fort Erie, residents are dealing with a reduction in the hours at the Douglas Memorial urgent care. Residents who show up late at night in need of help are being turned away.

We know that this government’s actions like Bill 124 and underfunding hospitals by billions have worsened the staffing crisis in our hospitals. When is this government going to address the staffing crisis, stop fighting nurses in court and ensure Fort Erie gets back 24/7 urgent care services today?

It’s time for a real question. A couple of weeks ago, I had the honour of representing our great Minister of Long-Term Care at the grand opening of the West Perth Village, an upgraded long-term-care home of 128 new beds in my riding of Perth–Wellington. It was a great day, Speaker. I want to give a shout-out to the West Perth community and all the volunteers that came together to make this project a reality.

The board began this project many, many years ago. It’s unfortunate, under the previous Liberal government, supported by the NDP, there was no movement—none, Speaker—on getting these 128 beds built.

Can the Minister of Long-Term Care please inform this House on what our government is doing to get long-term care homes built across my riding of Perth–Wellington and Ontario?

The minister alluded to some of the other great projects in my riding. I’m pleased to say, under this Premier and this Minister of Long-Term Care, we are going to build, and are in the process of building, 943 new long-term-care beds in my riding alone. Speaker, as we know, under the previous Liberal government they built 611 beds in the entire province.

As many people in this place will know, interest rates are higher, there’s a rising cost to construction, but that’s not stopping us, Speaker. We’re going to continue to get long-term-care beds built across Ontario.

Can the minister please share with this House what our government is doing to continue to support our long-term-care sector to get it done?

My question is for the Premier: 212 days ago, my private member’s bill, Bill 74, Missing Persons Amendment Act, 2023, was ordered to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy. That was seven months ago.

Since then, there have been numerous vulnerable missing persons reported across Ontario. Some have died. Some have been found and reunited with their loved ones. Others have yet to come home. These cases have shaken neighbourhoods, and the search continues to this day.

Bill 74 is a solution that, since read into this Legislature on March 6, has come up time and time again as a viable option and resource for our communities. It addresses the safety and well-being of lost vulnerable persons.

So I ask the Premier, when will you join the over 100,000 Ontarians who have signed petitions, bring Bill 74 to committee and pass this important legislation?

Bill 74 fills a gap and adds another tool to the tool box during the most critical time when a loved one goes missing: the time when they may still be close to home, confused, scared and trying to find a familiar face; a time when neighbours can help the search, increase their awareness and check their familiar areas like their backyards, the bus routes and the parks.

So I ask again, for all Ontarians, including our most vulnerable populations, when are you going to pass Bill 74 and support the expanded alert for vulnerable missing people?

Mr. Speaker, everyone has a right to live safely in their own homes and communities. I want to give a shout-out today, because it’s important, to thank the 911 call operators, the telecommunicators. They keep Ontario safe each and every day. Just this past Saturday night, I toured late in the evening the comm centre in Peel.

But, Mr. Speaker, whether you are a senior, whether you are a person with an exceptionality, whether you are a young person, everyone has an equal right to be safe in our province. We take our public safety concerns extremely seriously, and I want to reassure everyone in Ontario that we will always have the backs of everyone who keeps this province safe.

Everyone has a right to be safe in our province and that’s why our government has made unprecedented investments to put more boots on the ground: to keep our communities safe, to fight auto theft and to keep the violent and repeat offenders off our streets. To this government, our public safety matters.

Well, I’m not sure where the member opposite has been when we announced a $30-million expansion to primary care in the province of Ontario, and we are assessing those interests right now. I believe the member opposite and his NDP party voted against that investment—$30 million, an increase in primary care multidisciplinary approach, one that I may add is the first time that we have had an expansion in the primary care multidisciplinary area since we formed these projects in the beginning.

We absolutely understand that we need to expand, but that is why we are doing so much, whether it is working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and directing them to review, expedite and ultimately license internationally educated physicians who are waiting to practise in the province of Ontario.

So you understand that we are making investments in Niagara region with a new hospital, with expanded primary care clinics that are going to make a real difference in his community and communities across Ontario. We will continue to make these investments whether or not the member opposite and the NDP vote against them.

But I must say, when we make investments and expansions in residency positions, the NDP vote against it. When we make investments in primary care expansion—$30 million—they vote against it. When we make investments in over 50 capital builds, whether they are new builds like the South Niagara Hospital or expansions and renovations, the NDP vote against it.

We’ll get the job done. The NDP continue to oppose all of these health care investments.

The Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

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

The division bells rang from 1141 to 1146.

On October 25, 2022, Mr. Jones, Chatham-Kent–Leamington, moved private member’s notice of motion number 69.

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

Motion agreed to.

Deferred vote on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 38, An Act to establish a framework for the licensing of supportive living accommodation / Projet de loi 38, Loi établissant un cadre pour la délivrance de permis d’exploitation de logements supervisés.

The division bells rang from 1151 to 1152.

All those in favour, please rise and remain standing until recognized by the Clerk.

Second reading negatived.

Thank you, Speaker. Her Honour awaits.

Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario entered the chamber of the Legislative Assembly and took her seat upon the throne.

Speaker, what a question from the member from Perth–Wellington this morning. He brings up some important facts, doesn’t he? It’s under the leadership of this Premier that this government, in five years, has 18,000 homes built or shovels in the ground today.

Now, let’s not get lost in the numbers. We need to build more, and we know that. The member mentions West Perth, which is fantastic, but those aren’t the only beds that have been announced since this government came to power. Let’s talk about Ritz Lutheran Villa, 128 redeveloped beds; Knollcrest Lodge, three new spaces; Saugeen Valley Nursing Home, 87 redeveloped spaces; and Strathcona Long Term Care, nine new spaces. Speaker, we’re going to keep going, because it’s not just about capacity. It’s about health human resources, investing nearly $5 billion to have the best quality of care and focusing on outcomes as well.

I want to thank the member from Perth–Wellington for a fantastic question this morning.

You know what this last Minister of Long-Term Care did, recognizing that construction was challenged with increased costs and supply chain challenges? He introduced the construction funding subsidy, which led to the building of over 11,000 spaces for our wonderful seniors in the province of Ontario. I want to thank the minister for that work.

But that’s not all he did. He introduced something called the Local Priorities Fund, which actually targets the outcomes within our health care system. That includes, of course, long-term-care homes.

Do you know what this member got in his riding? Let’s talk about it, Speaker: $8,700 to Spruce Lodge for the purchase of diagnostic equipment; $52,000 to Kingsway Lodge for the purchase of specialized geriatric equipment, as well as better outcomes for the dementia seniors who live there; $19,000 to Kingsway Lodge for the purchase of diagnostic equipment, and the list goes on, Speaker. Because why? If we can keep our seniors out of the hospitals for minor ailments, fractures, that’s a better outcome for the hard-working people of this province.

Let’s say it again: Seniors built this country. They took care of us. That member and this government is taking care of them.