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—

Good morning. My question is to the Premier. The official opposition leader and London MPPs recently toured the Nazem Kadri Surgical Centre, a brilliant, first-of-its-kind outpatient clinic which deals with low-intensity, low-risk procedures in a high-quality interdisciplinary environment. It’s an ingenious, cost-effective way to help patients quickly while alleviating the burden on our precious health care system. Public funding and public delivery: the best bang for your buck.

To our surprise, we learned that the Premier and Minister of Health also visited the centre and said this was a model to replicate. We agree. So why aren’t they?

The surgical centre operates at half the cost of hospital ORs. They literally double the output, meaning twice as many happy, healthy patients, yet this government is prioritizing spending on for-profit surgery clinics and agency nursing companies which bleed the government dry. Why?

My question is for the Minister of Long-Term Care. The federal carbon tax is making life more challenging for Ontario families. When I was door-knocking last week in my great riding of Newmarket–Aurora, the top issue I heard from residents was how the carbon tax was adding further strain on their household budgets. They know that this coming hike will drive these costs even higher, and they are concerned about the impact it will have on them and their loved ones.

We know that the cost of building long-term-care homes remains high, but the carbon tax is making it even higher. Our government must continue to uphold our commitment to support seniors in Ontario. Speaker, can the minister explain what our government is doing to ensure that our seniors get the care they deserve, while fighting this carbon tax every step of the way?

You know, this may be the first time I’m sitting closer to the floor than the superfan up there. But whether you’re here, in his seat or in one of the long-term-care homes across the province, there is one fact that remains: The Liberal tax is making everything more expensive, and it’s going to get higher—that’s no joke—on April 1.

It’s a tax on the very operation of our long-term-care homes. Just like how it costs more to heat our homes, it costs more to heat their homes. That’s one reason our government is continuing to make historic investments into long-term care.

Unlike the Liberals, we understand that rising costs hurt everyone, especially our most vulnerable. And unlike the previous Liberal government, which drove up the price of hydro, and unlike the federal Liberals that keep driving up the cost of heating, we’re fighting to keep costs low. That includes our great seniors in long-term care.

It’s an absolute pleasure to introduce my good friend Raj Thanna, Rinku Ghai and a person who needs no introduction—we are all fans of him—superfan Nav Bhatia.

The ayes are 30; the nays are 66.

I wanted to welcome the family of page Sarah Penner, who are here in the gallery: Garth Penner, Bridget Haugh, Meagan Haugh, Teagan Haugh and Harrison Haugh. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I just wanted to wish a happy 56th birthday to my big brother, Jeff Smith.

“Whereas in 2015 the Liberal Party of Ontario with their leader Kathleen Wynne who was the Premier of Ontario at the time announced that Ontario would implement a cap-and-trade carbon tax scheme; and

“Whereas the Liberal government of Ontario began their cap-and-trade carbon tax scheme on January 1, 2017; and

“Whereas this cap-and-trade carbon tax scheme immediately raised the price of every consumable product in Ontario; and

“Whereas during the provincial election in 2018 the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario campaigned against this unfair tax on the people of Ontario; and

“Whereas the newly elected Doug Ford Progressive Conservative government of Ontario repealed this unfair tax on the people of Ontario; and

“Whereas in 2018, the federal Liberal government passed the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act; and

“Whereas on January 1, 2019, the federal government’s output-based pricing system for large emitters came into force; and

“Whereas the federal carbon tax forced on the people of Ontario on fuels came into effect on April 1, 2019; and

“Whereas the federal carbon tax forced on the people of Ontario will rise by an additional 23% on April 1, 2024; and

“Whereas the federal carbon tax forced on the people of Ontario is a tax on the factors of production (i.e., labour, capital, and intermediate inputs). Intermediate inputs are goods and services (such as energy) used in producing goods and services; and

“Whereas the federal carbon tax forced on the people of Ontario will raise the intermediate input cost and thereby increase production or business costs. Intermediate input costs play an essential role in most businesses, affecting the final price at which goods and services will be sold to customers, which in turn influences the business’ profitability; and

“Whereas when the federal carbon tax forced” upon “the people of Ontario is applied to refineries, utility companies, and other intermediaries that supply electricity, fuel, and other energy that industries use. The tax then translates into higher fuel prices, which in turn increases input costs for other industries; and

“Whereas the production of goods and services necessitates business input costs which include capital, goods, services, energy, wages, and salaries, production costs will increase by more than 10% in the utilities industry” alone; and

“Whereas in 2023 Ontario’s agriculture sector” saw a “6.7%” increase in production costs for the use of “energy; and

“Whereas in 2023 Ontario’s forestry sector” saw a “7.7%” increase in production costs in the cost of “energy; and

“Whereas Ontario’s electric power generation, transmission, and distribution sector will see a cost increase of almost 11.8% due to the federal carbon tax forced onto the people of Ontario. (Electric power generation uses natural gas in the generation mix, which accounts for 5.8% of the industry’s inputs.) At 62%, iron and steel manufacturing will see the highest cost increase of all industries from the carbon tax; and

“Whereas the federal carbon tax is costing Ontarians, on average almost $500 per year, increasing annually until 2030, when the average cost for an Ontario household will be faced with an annual federal carbon tax bill” greater than their rebate by more than “$1,416 annually; and

“Whereas there is a federal fuel charge that applies to all purchases of different fuels such as gasoline, propane, and diesel,” and “this hurts the daily aspect of life” of people in Ontario, “especially those residents of northern Ontario and Indigenous communities where prices are significantly higher than elsewhere across the province; and

“Whereas the Chiefs of Ontario have been calling on the federal government to consult with them on the impact that this harmful tax is having on all of their communities; and

“Whereas due to the federal government’s failure to address the First Nations’ concerns, the Chiefs of Ontario have filed for judicial review into the application of the carbon tax in Indigenous communities; and

“Whereas the Chiefs of Ontario have called this federal carbon tax anti-reconciliatory and discriminatory; and

“Whereas those in northern Ontario do not have a choice when it comes to how they heat their homes, they are using home heating fuels such as natural gas or propane; and

“Whereas increasing the federal carbon tax by 23%” on April 1 “will see an increase of almost $400 per year for a family in northern Ontario to heat their home; and

“Whereas home heating is not a luxury and Ontarians should not be unfairly forced to pay additional costs to stay warm during the winter months; and

“Whereas the federal Parliamentary Budget Officer just concluded that the federal government finances will increase the deficit by $5.2 billion in 2030-31; and

“Whereas a higher federal carbon tax will have a negative impact by shrinking the economy by” an estimated “1.8%; and

“Whereas a higher federal carbon tax will have a negative impact on approximately 185,000 jobs across” Canada; “and

“Whereas the federal carbon tax has contributed to inflation, high taxes and big spending, which is leading to higher interest rates and is forcing thousands of people out of the housing market; and

“Whereas the federal carbon tax has shown to have a significant impact on inflation, which accounts for a 16% rise in inflation last year alone; and

“Whereas truckers in the province of Ontario are facing an additional cost of about 17.5 cents per litre; and

“Whereas this increase in fuel costs will translate to an annual cost of $15,000 to $20,000” per truck; “and

“Whereas small businesses across the province of Ontario, especially those with fleets of trucks, the federal carbon tax could add up to an additional $100,000 annually; and

“Whereas this increase in cost will lead to layoffs or forcing those small businesses to close their doors permanently; and

“Whereas 60% of households in Ontario pay more in carbon taxes than they receive in rebates. This figure could increase by 80% by 2026; and

“Whereas farmers are the experts on improving climate impact on their farms, and the federal carbon tax penalizes those farmers who are working hard to create greener farming” opportunities; “and

“Whereas since its introduction, the production costs for farmers, greenhouse growers and food processors have increased significantly. The delivery of every single consumer good in our province, particularly fresh and processed food, is being impacted by this punitive tax; and

“Whereas the federal carbon tax is driving up the cost of transporting agricultural inputs such as seed, fertilizer and packaging; and

“Whereas the federal carbon tax is driving up the cost of transporting fruits and vegetables to market; and

“Whereas rural Ontario is home to more than 2.5 million people and as the federal carbon price rises so will the cost of food and energy; and

“Whereas the federal carbon tax is not working to reduce emissions. Instead, it is simply driving up the costs of goods, services, and other essential items for the people of Ontario; and”—

Thank you.

Supplementary?

The next question.

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

Bill 163, An Act to amend the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 / Projet de loi 163, Loi modifiant la Loi de 2006 sur la location à usage d’habitation.

The division bells rang from 1141 to 1146.

Second reading negatived.

The House recessed from 1150 to 1300.

Report deemed adopted.

Thank you to our colleagues for a very productive week for the people of Ontario.

On Monday, March 25, we will have opposition day number 3 in the afternoon, followed by third reading of Bill 31, the Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act, in the name of the member for Peterborough–Kawartha.

In the morning of March 26, depending on how business unfolds on Monday, March 25, we will either continue on that or we will not be sitting, but we’ll have more information on that on Monday afternoon.

As you know, the budget will be presented on Tuesday afternoon by the Minister of Finance, but before that, colleagues, before question period, the House will pay tribute to our departed former member Mr. Daryl Kramp.

On Wednesday, March 27, both the morning and afternoon sessions are yet to be determined, and we will follow up with House leaders. In the evening, private member’s motion number 82, standing in the member for Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.

On Thursday, March 28, in the morning and in the afternoon, government notice of motion number 22 will be debated, and in the evening there will be no private members’ business.

I have a petition here titled “End the Public Funding of Partisan Government Advertising.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas since 2006 the Auditor General of Ontario had been responsible for reviewing all government advertising to ensure it was not partisan; and

“Whereas in 2015 the Liberal government watered down the legislation, removing the ability of the Auditor General to reject partisan ads; and

“Whereas Conservatives have since run ads such as those for the Ministry of Health that were extremely partisan in nature, which cost more than $20 million; and

“Whereas the Conservative government is currently using taxpayers’ money to run partisan ads during the Super Bowl and the Oscars; and

“Whereas history shows that the Conservative government is increasing their spending on partisan ads, totalling nearly $25 million in 2023 compared to $17 million under the Liberal government in 2017;

“Whereas the Conservatives advocate for the reversal of the 2015 amendments when they were in opposition under the Liberals;

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

“To immediately restore the Auditor General’s authority to review all government advertising for partisan messages before the ads run;

“To pass the NDP’s Bill 176, End the Public Funding of Partisan Government Advertising Act, 2024.”

I wholly endorse this petition and give it to page Bhavna.

Point of order, Mr. Speaker.

I recognize the member for Kingston and the Islands on a point of order.

I go back to the member for Peterborough–Kawartha.

Resuming the debate adjourned on March 20, 2024, on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 171, An Act to enact the Veterinarian Professionals Act, 2024 and amend or repeal various acts / Projet de loi 171, Loi visant à édicter la Loi de 2024 sur les professionnels vétérinaires et à modifier ou à abroger diverses lois.