Sometimes I sit back and I look across the aisle and I’m thinking, how do these people get elected? I really ask myself, how do they get elected? If their constituents actually were here and saw how they vote—and they vote to make sure we have the highest carbon tax, vote against every housing policy, vote against $180 billion of infrastructure, vote against all our great health care initiatives—they would never be voted in.

As a matter of fact—I know this is a little fantasy—imagine we stuck them in one part of the province, and the rest of us there. They’d go bankrupt. The businesses would leave. People would be moving out. They’d have tent cities all around their little region there. It would be an absolute disaster. That’s the reason they will never get elected to be running the government.

Interjections.

You voted no against the subway that the people wanted in Scarborough. They voted no for the new hospital that people wanted. They voted no to the long-term-care homes.

So please, I beg you, you’re such a nice person, start getting onside with the people of Scarborough and start supporting them, and start voting for the housing initiatives that we put forward.

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.

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.

My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. The forestry industry is a major driver of our economy and generates billions in revenue every year, and if it wasn’t for the Ontario forestry industry, we wouldn’t be able to build the 1.5 million homes that we need over the next decade.

The forestry industry in Ontario is one of the biggest drivers in our housing industry. With an abundant supply of forest biomass products in our province, it is of critical importance that we support this emerging industry and its innovators. Our government must continue to explore all options to address untapped economic growth in the north and unlock the full benefits from Ontario’s biomass potential.

Can the minister please share how our government is doing everything we can to support job growth, attract investment, and secure the long-term future of our forest industry?

Thank you very much. The next question.

Well, I’m pleased that the Liberal member is finally interested in expanding primary care, because, respectfully, this is the first expansion of primary care teams since multidisciplinary primary care teams were formed in the province of Ontario. So clearly, there is a great deal of interest, and the member is right. We have had expression-of-interest proposals come in from literally across Ontario, hundreds of proposals that we are now assessing, reviewing, making sure that the investments we have committed to through our budget—and the member opposite and the other members of the NDP and the Liberals voted against—are going to happen in this term under our leadership.

I can assure the honourable member that I’ve actually been meeting with the mayor of Ottawa on a weekly basis since I became Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. We are working with him to address some of the challenges that he is indeed facing in the city of Ottawa. So I can assure the honourable member that we are working very closely with the mayor and his team to address some of those challenges that they’re facing.

But let me just say this: I am working very closely with the mayor of Ottawa, and also with the members of provincial Parliament from that area on our side. We are meeting very closely with them. We’re identifying some of the challenges that they’re having. We’ll continue those discussions with them, and we will make sure that we continue to support the city of Ottawa. We know how important it is not only to Ontario’s economy, but it is a very, very important tourist jurisdiction.

I had the opportunity to live in Ottawa for a number of years, Mr. Speaker. It’s an important university town. It is so important to the economic development and growth to build a bigger, better, bolder, stronger Ontario. We need Ottawa, and we’ll make sure that we’re there for them.

Thank you to the member for the question and the great work he does for his constituents every day. I was in the great riding of Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke on Friday with the great member from that area. If anyone saw the pictures, we were standing in front of a giant pile of wood chips. We were at Lavern Heideman and Sons, a great mill operator in the Eganville area, and that was to announce multiple projects being supported by our biomass action plan.

Also in the valley: Ben Hokum and Son receiving dollars, Roseburg Forest Products receiving dollars, but companies all throughout Ontario receiving dollars through this program to make sure that we are growing the forestry industry and the forestry sector. We’re looking towards the future of what forestry can be.

The previous government didn’t know what to with the forestry industry. We know exactly what to do with it: grow it, create jobs and use biomass as the future to make chemicals and other things that we need, energy here in Ontario, fertilizer projects. The potential of biomass is unlimited, and these projects and these investments will support our forestry sector, support our forest sector strategy. We know that forestry is important in Ontario. We’re moving forward—

One of those opportunities is working with an Indigenous-led company called Infinite Carbon Corp. They said they’re committed to sustainability. Infinite Carbon is immensely grateful for the essential support from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. The funding through our biomass action plan has been key in laying the necessary groundwork for meaningful ecological change within our forest sector.

We do not want to find solutions elsewhere for the challenges we have in Ontario. We want to use our forestry sector to continue to grow northern Ontario. Again, previous governments didn’t know what to do with the forestry sector. We know exactly what to do with the forestry sector: grow it every single day.

Thank you. And the supplementary question.

Let’s talk about the minister’s record. There have been 20 emergency room closures in eastern Ontario so far this year, some of them for multiple days. Every time this happens it means chaos and long drives for patients in need of urgent care and it means longer wait-times for Ottawa emergency rooms, contributing to off-load delays for paramedics in Ottawa and over 1,400 level zeroes for Ottawa ambulances this year alone.

Why is the Minister of Health breaking our public health care system, with no regard to the patients who are paying the price?