First of all, I can’t believe what’s coming out of the leader’s mouth across the aisle about housing, when the NDP and the Liberals and the Greens have voted against every single housing initiative that we’ve ever put forward.

We could go back five and a half years, when people were leaving the province, 300,000 jobs were leaving.

But the good news is, we’ve created the climate and the conditions for 715,000 people to be working today who weren’t working under their government. There are over 300,000 jobs available. We had over 800,000 immigrants show up to Ontario last year alone. That’s what’s causing the housing crisis. But do you know why they’re coming here? This is the engine of Canada. This is the engine of North America. Everyone in North America knows we’re the hottest place anywhere in North America to open a business, to start a family, to buy a home. That’s what the real solution is—by creating that environment.

Thank you for the question from the Leader of the Opposition.

I seek unanimous consent that, notwithstanding standing order 40(e), five minutes be allotted to the independent members as a group to respond during statements by the ministry and responses today.

Next, I’ll recognize the leader of His Majesty’s loyal opposition.

The government House leader.

Stop the clock.

Interjections.

Interjections.

Restart the clock.

The Leader of the Opposition still has some time.

The Premier can respond.

Thank you, Speaker. I stand today and seek unanimous consent for the House to call upon the federal government to immediately enact special immigration measures to facilitate the evacuation and reunification of extended family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents from Gaza.

As we head into the holiday season, Ontarians are stretching every single penny to try to provide for their families.

When I talk with people, their frustrations are very clear. They’re frustrated that they have a government that isn’t putting their needs first on housing, on health care, or on the rising cost of living. They see a government captured by insiders and too mired in scandals and an RCMP criminal investigation to help them.

To the Premier: People expect so much more from their government. When will he start to deliver for them?

A new report by the Auditor General that was just released leaves absolutely no doubt about the utter failure of this government to live up to what they were elected to do on health care, on public infrastructure, on support for northern Ontario. The auditor’s report shows that people are being left behind while this government is being run out of the backrooms.

My question is again to the Premier: How many times does he have to get caught? How many policies will he have to reverse before he starts to put real people ahead of his own ambitions?

Interjections.

The only thing that the Premier and his cabinet have done in this last year is manufacture a housing crisis, a health care system on its deathbed, and a cost-of-living crisis that has Ontarians on the brink. What a shameful moment in—

Interjections.

What a shameful moment in Ontario’s history that this Premier has put us in. And what for? His insider friends?

Back to the Premier—I hope he will answer: Was it worth it?

Interjections.

Now we have reports that show the dissolution of Peel region is going to be another extremely costly boondoggle for the people of Brampton and Caledon and Mississauga—and as I pointed out yesterday, tax hikes as high as 256%.

To the Premier: Are you going to reverse this decision too?

I’m going to ask the opposition to come to order so that I can hear the responses. I think the opposition wants to hear them too.

Supplementary question.

The government House leader can reply.

To reply, the Premier.

The supplementary question?

Government House leader.

I think the questions from the Leader of the Opposition really highlight the dramatic difference between the NDP and the Progressive Conservative government. She calls the historic investments that we’ve made in Windsor a waste of time. She calls the historic investments in Loyalist a waste of time. We have the largest investment probably in Canadian history in St. Thomas—thousands of jobs coming to the province of Ontario.

This is a leader who, in the last election, brought her and her party’s disagreement with the 413, an important piece of infrastructure to support the people of that region—voted against it. The result of that was that the entire caucus that was elected from the NDP was wiped out and Progressive Conservatives replaced them.

We’re going to double down over the next year to improve on all of the things that we’ve brought forward to the province: affordability, infrastructure, jobs, opportunity—a bigger, better, bolder Ontario.

I am excited by the fact that we have 15,000—the highest level of purpose-built rental starts in the history of this province.

But more than that, Mr. Speaker, it is why I am continuously calling in this House for the federal government to come on board with us so that we can put more infrastructure in the ground. The federal government has a $15-billion program across the country right now. That program is estimated to bring about 200,000 homes online; $15 billion worth of infrastructure across this country would build millions of homes.

So I need the member opposite’s support to help us get the federal government to make those investments in infrastructure so that we can build millions of homes, so there are more opportunities for the people of the province of Ontario.

My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Speaker, when the Liberals were in office, they actively implemented policies that were intended to cripple our auto sector. They knew the electric vehicle revolution was under way, but they didn’t believe our auto sector could compete with China and other US states. As a result, they looked on, with the NDP, as automakers and good-paying jobs fled our province.

Thankfully, our government quickly reversed course as soon as we took office. We know Ontario has everything to be the leader in electric vehicle production, and that’s why we have worked to secure more than $27 billion in EV investments over the past three years.

Speaker, can the minister please highlight any recent auto investments that are strengthening Ontario’s position as a leader in electric vehicle production?

Speaker, they’re folding faster than a deck of cards over there.

Just like the greenbelt grab, the decision to dissolve Peel region was also rushed to advance the Premier’s personal and political interests.

Well, the people have caught on to this government’s pattern of preferential treatment and decision-making that puts their own interests over and over again ahead of real Ontarians.

So I’m going to ask the Premier again: Will he admit that the dissolution of Peel region is a $1.3-billion political game?

Interjections.

Both the mayor of Brampton and the mayor of Caledon have spoken out against the dissolution of Peel region. They, too, are calling for this government to reverse their decision.

The reality is, this backroom deal that was concocted by the Premier and the new Liberal leader has left people in Peel so distressed about how this will impact their public services—everything from garbage collection and sewers to children’s programs and, in fact, shelter services.

Back to the Premier of this province: Why should the people of Peel trust him when he has continued to use them as a pawn in his 4-D chess game?

Interjections.

Speaker, my constituent Tracy Christoforou is currently being evicted from her building that is getting demolished, forcing her out in the bitter cold this winter. Tracy pays $1,076 for a two-bedroom apartment, but rental rates in the current market are about three times higher. Her son suffers from severe mental health issues which have only deteriorated severely since the eviction notice.

Despite relentless searching, as a part-time PSW and single mother Tracy is denied housing due to her low income. Some landlords even demanded applicants earn $100,000 just to rent. This is the alarming reality of Ontario’s housing crisis. Ontarians are unimaginably struggling right now due to the rising costs of living, Speaker.

How is this government going to address this so that Tracy and others don’t end up on the street in this bitter cold winter?

I have another tenant in that building who might also be evicted: Karen Azucar shared that the offered rent-gap compensation runs $1,000 low if we look at the current rental market. For a low-income renter like her, it’s pretty much impossible to rent an apartment.

Speaker, 32 units in that building in my riding—and I welcome the Premier to come and see what’s happening, because these buildings are getting demolished. These are the only affordable places people have left right now. They are being demolished and all these families are asked to find new homes while demands of the current housing markets are completely unreachable for these families.

Is this government and the Premier going to prioritize Ontarians’ desperate need for affordable homes or are they too preoccupied with evading accountability in an ongoing RCMP investigation right now?

Interjections.

Thank you to the member from Brantford–Brant for that question. Our government is working hard to make life more affordable for Ontarians, including northerners like my constituents in Thunder Bay–Atikokan. We are taking action to help hard-working families keep more of their paycheques by keeping taxes low to make life more affordable, like removing our portion of the gasoline tax.

We understand that northerners are affected greatly by the carbon tax, and we echo the calls of governments of all stripes across the country and from groups like Chiefs of Ontario to scrap the carbon tax.

Our government recognizes the enormous opportunities in the north in places like my riding of Thunder Bay–Atikokan. We are taking action across the board to ensure that we are well positioned to capitalize on those opportunities. More than $288 million has been provided to improve the health, economic and social well-being of hard-working families in Thunder Bay–Atikokan in 2023 alone. We have made record investments in supportive, transitional and affordable housing, tripling the HPP funding for Thunder Bay DSSAB.

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to invest in the north because we recognize its potential, and we will continue to fight to keep life more affordable.

Overwhelmingly, I’m hearing from my constituents at round tables and out in the community that affordability and inflation is a top issue. I’ve heard members of the opposition state several times during QP and debate that they don’t understand. Well, Mr. Speaker, fortunately this government has a deep understanding of what Ontarians need, and we will continue to get it done for—

I can assure the honourable member that this government will not allow any municipality to raise their taxes to a point where it is unaffordable to the people who are living there. Just the opposite, what we are trying to do across the province of Ontario is ensure that people have more money in their pockets.

With respect to Peel, as you know, Speaker, the transition in Peel is not scheduled to take place until 2025, so that we can undertake a thorough review of what the consequences of any change in Peel region would be. When there’s more to say, I’ll let the honourable member know.

Thank you to the minister for his response. It’s always great to hear about investments that are creating good-paying jobs across the province of Ontario.

Under the previous Liberal government’s watch, 300,000 manufacturing jobs left Ontario. Now, the new Liberal leader wants to do it all over again. The Liberals and the NDP want to put up mountains of red tape, raise taxes and crush our manufacturing sector. Under our government’s watch, that will never happen. By reducing costs for businesses and for workers, Ontario is once again a manufacturing powerhouse.

Speaker, can the minister highlight manufacturing investments that have created good-paying jobs in the province of Ontario?

Speaker, can the minister please explain more about the negative impact that increasing taxes, high interest rates and burdensome red tape is having on the quality of life of the people of northern Ontario?

In contrast, our government recognizes the value and potential that are present in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. However, the sad reality is that businesses and community organizations are struggling because of the negative impacts of the carbon tax. That is why our government must focus on addressing opportunities that will advance prosperity in northern communities, create jobs and contribute to the overall quality of life.

Speaker, can the parliamentary assistant please explain how our government is building a stronger province by supporting northern Ontario?

And the supplementary question.

Is there a response?

Interjections.

We are building an end-to-end electric vehicle supply chain here in Ontario. We are certainly a complete difference from what we saw with the NDP-backed Liberals.

We now have Dana in Cambridge investing $60 million, hiring 105 new people with $2.5 million in support. They are making components for EV batteries and electronics. We have the Ontario Automotive Modernization Program: 26 Ontario companies are investing $10 million, with 111 new jobs being created by those companies with $3.5 million in support. With investments like these, we’re making sure that Ontario continues to be the global leader in electric vehicle and parts productions.

We are, as the Premier said earlier, the economic powerhouse. TNR Doors in Oro-Medonte: a $40-million investment, 30 new jobs and $5 million in support from the province. German manufacturer PWO: a $10-million investment in Kitchener, 27 new jobs, a $1.5-million investment from the province of Ontario.

Speaker, we will always support Ontario’s manufacturers, and that’s why we are leading the EV revolution.

Just days ago, Brampton mayor Patrick Brown released new numbers that showed that this government’s plan to dissolve Peel region could cost local taxpayers an extra $1.3 billion over 10 years. This updated report noted that the added cost would require taxes to increase by 17% in Mississauga, 34% in Brampton and 256% in Caledon. This is the equivalent of a 38% one-time tax increase across the region.

Speaker, the mayor himself says that they “never asked for the Region of Peel to be dissolved.” Previous independent financial analysis “clearly shows the net result would be a financial disaster.” It would result in the largest tax increase in Peel region’s history. This is just another one of this government’s billion-dollar boondoggles that will cost taxpayers and citizens.

Can the Premier explain why, despite these numbers and the financial analysis that all point to his plan being a “financial train wreck,” he insists on pushing through with the dissolution of Peel region?

This is a pattern of this government. They lurch from crisis to crisis, from bad decision to bad decision. We saw the greenbelt scandal and the forced reversal. Then all the MZOs came under fire. And now we have the potential for backtracking on the plan to split up Peel. Actions have consequences, and they have costs, and this Premier lurching from crisis to crisis—self-made crisis, I may add—is a costly endeavour for the people of this province.

So my question is to the Premier: Which promise was true, the one that he made to Mayor McCallion as she was dying or the decision to dissolve Peel region?

Interjections.

Thank you to the Minister of Infrastructure. I don’t know why you call it a successful fall session when you’ve had to repeal the greenbelt act and you may have to repeal the Peel dissolution as well.

We have advocates in the House today who are strong advocates for Ontario Place, and they are deeply concerned about the project’s environmental destruction, the waste of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. It’s even more alarming now that the government has passed the luxury spa act, which allows the minister to commit misfeasance, breach of trust, breach of fiduciary obligations and to act in bad faith.

On the same day that the Conservative government jammed through the bill with no public hearings, no amendments and no third reading debate, the Minister of Infrastructure appeared at the Empire Club and introduced the CEO of Infrastructure Ontario as her “partner in crime.” To the minister: What laws has she broken or is she planning to break which made it necessary to pass the extreme luxury spa act?

My question is to the Premier. This government has fast-tracked three important bills at once, limiting debate and excluding the public. The luxury spa act has flown through, making sure the minister gets her legacy mega-spa, the power to issue fast-pass MZOs, and all this with impunity while they wreck Ontario Place. No one trusts anything this government is doing, and why should they?

In her recent Empire Club speech, the Minister of Infrastructure referred to the CEO of Infrastructure Ontario as her “partner in crime.” It is a weird thing to say, especially when they are literally passing legislation to put themselves above the law and when this government is under active criminal investigation by the RCMP.

So I want to know, who does this minister think she is, and why does she think she’s above the law?

My question is for the Minister of Health. I cannot stress enough how importantly my riding needs solutions for access to primary care. Multiple groups of health care professionals have responded to the minister’s call for interest and submitted proposals to open more primary care clinics in Ottawa–Vanier. That was six months ago. People feel abandoned as they remain without proper health care services, and yet there is no response from the ministry.

Speaker, I showed the minister a map showing the void that exists in my riding when it comes to health care services. I’ve also written, providing evidence as to the need for help to fill that void in Ottawa–Vanier. We have professionals ready to help relieve the strain on our local hospitals. All they need is for this government to step up.

Can the minister please tell these health care professionals when they can expect a response so they can get to work providing much needed health care services to the people of Ottawa–Vanier?

Le Carrefour de pédiatrie sociale de Vanier, avec son équipe multidisciplinaire, dessert les enfants et les jeunes vulnérables d’Ottawa–Vanier en leur offrant un soutien dont ils ont besoin pour leur bien-être physique, mental, social et émotionnel. Le CAP, dans ma circonscription, offre également des services en français de la petite enfance à l’âge adulte, pour ceux qui font face à des défis de santé mentale ou de dépendances. Ces deux organismes nécessitent un financement qui leur permet d’assurer l’offre continu de leurs services, ce qui n’est pas le cas dans le moment.

Ce gouvernement a récemment annoncé des millions de dollars supplémentaires pour élargir les services pédiatriques à Hamilton et à Toronto. Quand la ville d’Ottawa verra-t-elle un tel engagement de la part du gouvernement pour soutenir les organismes comme le Carrefour de pédiatrie sociale de Vanier et le CAP, qui offrent à nos enfants des services essentiels?

I enjoyed myself at the Empire Club yesterday. We had close to 400 people attending in person and thousands of people viewing our government’s update on our P3 pipeline, which is $185 billion worth of investment. It was an important day for the Ministry of Infrastructure, and it was a really important day for Infrastructure Ontario, who helps us execute all of those contracts for the most complicated projects in the province. We’re talking transit, Yonge North; we’re talking hospital expansions, highway expansions.

But you’re right: We’ve have had a very successful fall session. We have a deal with the city of Toronto in terms of making sure we provide supports for operational funding for the TTC, to keep riders on the TTC safe, for more trains on the TTC, and of course, a brand new science centre at Ontario Place.

But when we’re talking about the work that has been done at Ontario Place from an environmental perspective, we’ve completed two environmental assessments, one class C. We’ve completed over 40 different studies, an arborist report, a heritage impact assessment, a stormwater report—all in compliance with the city of Toronto development application process.