Listen, it’s clear to me that the Liberals still have not caught on, right? This is coming from a party whose leader had the amazing responsibility of building homes but saw the population of her community, under her leadership, actually decline. She really knocked it out of the park with those two housing starts that she had in the month when she left office, right—two housing starts. Not only did she not even come close to meeting her target, she actually saw people fleeing her jurisdiction.

The only reason Mississauga is doing as well as they are is because of the members of provincial Parliament from this caucus, who have been focused on jobs and economic growth, bringing investments to that community. We have been bringing forward measures to help build housing supply across the province of Ontario. It is becoming increasingly clear to us, working with our municipal partners, that the thing they want is for us to get out of the way and help them get infrastructure in the ground.

Today’s announcement will do just that. We’ll put infrastructure in the ground and homes will be built.

My question is to the Minister of Infrastructure. Since 1995, A Child’s World has provided affordable child care for the Niagara region. They have a rental space from this Ontario government, and your ministry has just informed them that the rent is going up by $160,000. That’s a 1,300% increase. This is going to shut down this centre, and these parents can’t lose their child care spaces that they depend on.

Why is this Conservative government raising the rent?

Minister, will you direct your staff to overturn this decision, reverse this 1,300% rent hike today—now—for the 44 child care spaces that are going to be lost?

The former leader of the Liberal Party came in front of a committee that this House had brought forward and said that the housing crisis started under the previous Liberal government. You know why? Because of red tape, because of high costs that stifle the ability to build more homes. And now we’re seeing the exact same thing: They’re supporting high interest rates because of their federal cousins—high interest rates which are making it impossible to build more homes and puts many people, thousands of people, out of the market for those new homes.

Working with our municipal partners, we have heard one thing over and over and over again: The infrastructure deficit that was left behind by the previous Liberal government is stopping them from building the hundreds, the millions of homes that are needed. So while we will continue to work with our municipal partners, we’ll actually give them the tools they need to build not hundreds of homes but millions of homes, and that’s what today’s announcement—

Mr. Speaker, the minister might want to look at a city that elected a Liberal member, the city of Kingston, that’s leading the tables in building housing. Ontario Liberals want to treat housing affordability like the crisis it really is for so many people in Ontario. That’s why we want to allow four units as of right, province-wide.

We believe this is a crisis. People across the province feel the pain. The Conservatives are just pretending to be worried. We must, and the people expect us to, build housing differently, with mixed neighbourhoods and gentle density while preserving green spaces. Many of the answers are right under the Premier’s nose in his own task force report, like four units as of right, province-wide.

Through you, Speaker: Premier, why are you giving up? Why can’t the people of Ontario count on you to believe we’re facing a housing affordability crisis?

Supplementary question.

The next question.

The Minister of Mines can reply.

Thank you to the member from Brantford–Brant for the question. During the PDAC mining conference this year, I signed a community development agreement with the chiefs of Marten Falls First Nation and Webequie First Nation. This agreement is part of our $1-billion investment to build a corridor to prosperity that will connect First Nations partners to the road network and bring growth and prosperity to the region. It will support shovel-ready infrastructure projects that will improve the well-being and readiness of First Nations partners, getting us one step closer to building the roads to the Ring of Fire.

I want to commend Chief Bruce and Chief Cornelius for their vision and commitment to building stronger communities and thank them for their dedication to moving these projects forward. I look forward to strengthening our partnership as we take the next steps together. I am honoured to be associated with these two leaders.

Working together, we will create an unprecedented era of prosperity that will secure a better future for the next generations. That is what these projects are all about. I know the community development agreement we reached will help us to work together to prepare for a future that is connected by roads and a future that unlocks the area for mining that the previous governments neglected. We are getting it done.

My question is for the Minister of Mines. There is no better place to invest and do business than right here in Ontario. That is why we are continuing our efforts to secure the supply chain for critical minerals—with no help from the opposition NDP and the independent Liberals.

For 15 years the previous Liberal government, supported every day by the NDP, did nothing to unlock the generational critical minerals in the Ring of Fire region. In fact, the opposition continues to say yes to the carbon tax that only harms this critical sector while voting against any measure that makes life more affordable for people in northern Ontario. That’s unacceptable.

Our government must continue to support responsible development that will create jobs across the entire province, including northern and Indigenous communities. Can the minister please explain what actions our government is taking to build a corridor to prosperity in partnership—

Speaker, people in northern Ontario are struggling to afford basic needs as a result of the federal carbon tax. That’s why I am so proud to be part of a government that, unlike the NDP and the Liberals, is finding ways to create jobs and bring prosperity for everyone across this entire province. Speaker, that is exactly what the community development agreement will accomplish. It commits Ontario to supporting shovel-ready infrastructure projects to help each First Nation prepare for future economic development opportunities, such as road construction and mining development.

Speaker, can the minister please provide the House with further details on the agreement with Marten Falls First Nation and with Webequie First Nation?

My question is for the Associate Minister of Transportation. Constituents in my riding of Richmond Hill are becoming increasingly concerned about the carbon tax and the impact it has on their household budgets. As the prices of food, gas and transportation continue to rise, the federal government is choosing to ignore the hardship Ontarians go through.

The NDP and the Liberals are like their friends in Ottawa. They are supporting this costly tax rather than standing with us. Unlike the members opposite, our government is fighting this tax to ensure that we’re delivering more affordability and more financial relief for the people of Ontario.

Can the associate minister please tell the House what action our government is taking to combat this dreadful carbon tax?

Supplementary?

The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

And the next question.

Thank you to the associate minister for his response. The carbon tax is leading to soaring fuel prices that make it difficult for everyone in our province. The federal Liberals and their provincial counterparts continue to turn a blind eye to Ontarians’ struggles.

Our government cannot let this costly carbon tax continue to affect our businesses, economy and Ontario workers. We must continue to make life more affordable and put more money back in people’s pockets, where it belongs.

Can the Associate Minister of Transportation please explain how our government is ensuring that Ontarians are receiving the support they need as we fight the carbon tax?

Ontario’s arts and culture sector represents over $28 billion, approximately 3.5% of the province’s GDP, and creates some 300,000 jobs and counting. There is no question that this sector is an economic engine that will only grow and remain competitive with real, sustainable government investment.

We are hearing from theatre companies; culture, heritage, arts organizations; individual artists; cultural workers; and festivals. For many, the costs are skyrocketing—costs for insurance, security, venue rentals, staffing and labour, even production cost. Softwood lumber, I’ve learned, has gone up hundreds of per cents over the years due to the closures of mills.

My question is to the Premier: For the love of arts, will this government stop gutting the Ontario Arts Council and Experience Ontario so the curtains don’t close on our culture sector?

Interjections.

My question is back to the Premier. This government referred to the culture sector as the “first hit,” “hardest hit” and “last to recover” during the pandemic; remember that.

In my community, Rastafest organizers are worried, especially Little Jamaica, where festivals like Sinting also saw zero investment from this province. The Toronto Caribbean Carnival—the largest festival in North America, annually contributing nearly half a billion dollars to Ontario’s GDP and creating 4,000 direct jobs—is asking for $2.5 million annually for the next three years so they can keep their heads above water.

Just for Laughs, Hot Docs, Taste of the Danforth, Home County Music and Art Festival in London, Supercrawl and more need real, sustainable help.

Speaker, my question is back to the Premier: Does this government have a provincial culture strategy with teeth, with dollars, to help creative industries keep their lights on, and if not, why not?

Thank you to the member from Richmond Hill for that question. On April 1, the federal Liberal government, supported by the Ontario Liberals, is increasing the carbon tax, which will hurt Ontario families and make life more unaffordable. We recognize the people of Ontario need a break now more than ever.

Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we have been proactive in cost-cutting in every measure we can. We have introduced One Fare that’s saving $1,600 every year. We got rid of fees to renew licence plates, saving drivers over $2.2 billion. And we reduced the gas tax by 10 cents per litre.

At every turn, the opposition continues to vote against making life more affordable for the people of Ontario, while our government is doing everything we can to respect the hard-earned money of the people of Ontario.

The federal Liberals are ruining lives and destroying small businesses across the province. The Ontario Liberals and NDP let us all down by not showing up for the fight that really matters for the people of Ontario.

Mr. Speaker, our government and millions of Ontarians across this province are calling on the federal government to stop playing games and axe the tax. Our message is clear: We will fight.

Hear, hear.

Thank you for the question. I know the member understands completely what culture and the arts mean to all of us in all of our communities.

You know, we can look at culture, we can look at tourism, and there are a lot of elements that it touches and touches us all in a very positive way—from an investment to an impact to our communities and our province.

Through the Ontario Arts Council, our investment of $60 million goes a long way in supporting a lot of the cultural pieces within our province. We have had those that have struggled in the last little while, and I’m proud to say that our ministry has met with them and talked and see if we can help them find their way. A lot are talking about restructuring; a lot are looking outside of other opportunities, understanding that the government is there for them in the right way, not only that the government is there, but that they have to go out and find their way, and they’re willing to do it and they’re passionate about doing the same.

Experience Ontario covers this province with great support—$19.5 million. It supports community events and festivals, Mr. Speaker—all of our communities, and all those events and festivals, and the people in and around those events and festivals are helping build business and community and confidence in what they do. We’re there to support them, we are happy to support them and we will continue to do that.

And we are happy, again, to sit down with Caribana, as we did this past week, and talk to them about their business plan and their model moving forward. Thank you for putting the number on the table, because in our conversations they didn’t mention $2.5 million, but—

My question this morning is for the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

The hard-working people of Simcoe–Grey and across Ontario are being punished by the regressive, federal carbon tax, Speaker. The tax is forcing individuals and families who are already struggling in these challenging times to stretch their hard-earned incomes like never before.

As the Parliamentary Budget Officer found, the federal Liberals’ carbon tax rebate program is not providing residents in rural communities with the relief that they were promised. Speaker, this is not fair and it is not acceptable.

Our government, under Premier Ford, will continue to stand up for the residents of Simcoe–Grey and rural Ontario, and call on the federal government to end this punitive tax.

Speaker, can the minister please tell this House why the federal carbon tax and its failing rebate program are disproportionately affecting the residents of rural Ontario?

I truly appreciate the question from this amazing member from Simcoe–Grey because he totally has nailed it. There are inequities happening across the board because of this failed ideology that has driven Liberal policy to make the cost of everything go sky-high.

For instance, in the spirit of inequities, in rural Ontario and across the entire province, 70% of people require heating through natural gas. In some instances, like in northern Ontario and on our farm, we use propane.

Furthermore, we have to take a look at what’s happening in rural Ontario. With the increase of carbon tax happening as of April 1, we are going to have more stress and pressure on all of our systems. For instance, in rural Ontario, we have transit mobility initiatives, but the cost of those buses travelling from town to town is going to go nowhere but up. School buses, ambulances, even getting our mail delivered in our rural routes across the province: It’s going to go sky-high—

Thank you to the minister for her response. The carbon tax is harming the hard-working individuals, businesses and farmers of Simcoe–Grey and areas across our province.

We know Ontario has one of the cleanest electrical grids in Canada. We also know that Ontario has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 27% as compared to 2005 levels. That is 90% of the way to our target, Mr. Speaker. We are leading Canada.

The fact is that the tax is taking money from families for no good reason. On top of that, the federal government is selectively exempting home heating oil from the carbon tax. They are sending the message that not everyone is treated equally across this country. Again, this is unfair and it’s unacceptable.

As we continue to face an affordability crisis, our government must continue to fight the carbon tax and provide Ontario families with the financial relief they need. Can the minister please explain why the federal carbon tax is costly and unfair to the people of Ontario?

I appreciate the opportunity to point out the fact that it’s our government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, with the support of our finance minister—we have done so much to reduce the cost of living. For instance, one of the single largest tax cuts in Ontario history is what we did with gas. We reduced the cost of gas by 10.7 cents a litre.

But guess what, Speaker? As of April 1, carbon tax is going to make the cost of everything go up 23%. That’s what’s unfair. We have to fight against it every step of the way. The federal Liberals and the provincial Liberals need to stand up, take responsibility and actually do what we’re telling them to do: Scrap the tax. Because guess what? I would project, as of April 1, we’re going to see Bonnie Crombie go on another fundraising spree because she needs to raise money to—

I’m glad you finally had an opportunity to tour the centre. We actually did that many months ago and have had subsequent conversations with the leadership within that centre. It is a model of care that was funded through our innovative program that allowed and ensured that hospitals had access to infrastructure to make sure that they could provide additional surgeries and deal with the backlog that we were dealing with post-COVID.

It is a wonderful model and they’ve been doing exceptional work in London with the hospital and with the community. I am happy to continue to have those conversations, as we have been doing for many months, to see what parts of those programs we can duplicate in other centres across Ontario.

But I hope that the member opposite remembers that question when we vote on expansion of independent integrated surgical and diagnostic centres in Ontario.