I’m very proud today to see this bill, Bill 99, An Act to provide for safety measures respecting movable soccer goals, come before us today for third reading.

I do need to say thank you to my colleagues the MPP from Newmarket–Aurora and the MPP from Burlington, who will also be speaking today.

I want to express my appreciation to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, to all of my colleagues on both sides of this House and, of course, to my awesome staff team and the team here in the Legislature for their co-operative approach in getting this bill drafted, processed through first, second and committee hearings. And now, here we are at third reading.

Most importantly, I need to express my deepest gratitude and my greatest sympathies for the families of the victims that we’re speaking of today, that they have participated in this process. I also have lost a child, but I can’t imagine the strength that they endured—the horror, if you will—of having to come before this House, come before the committee and continue to talk about the tragedy that impacted their lives. I am deeply grateful for their participation in this process.

I hope and I believe that we all hope that if this bill passes into law, it will help to prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again.

Speaker, unfortunately, I need to remind the House of the tragic event that led us to where we are today, to this final debate.

On a sunny spring day in May 2017, a 15-year-old by the name of Garrett Mills, in the town of Greater Napanee, was playing in a local park with his girlfriend, Joanna, and his best friend, Josh. This was a young man who enjoyed making others laugh, apparently especially with silly puns. He made everyone around him feel better just by being around him. His parents, Dave and Gwen Mills, who are in the audience today, were very proud of this thoughtful, intelligent, responsible and quite charming young man. His girlfriend told them that day that it was actually one of the best days of his life.

Unfortunately, on that beautiful spring afternoon, as this young man was hanging around the park with his friends like any teenage boy would, the unthinkable occurred. This day, he was hanging off the crossbar of a movable soccer net, doing chin-ups, when tragedy struck in this small community. That 200-pound soccer goal tipped forward, falling on top of him and fracturing his skull. Later that afternoon, Garrett, that healthy, joyful, energetic young man, passed away from his injuries. He was the victim of an entirely preventable accident.

Speaker, I didn’t personally have the pleasure of knowing Garrett, but because of the marvels of technology, I’ve been able to see pictures of that spring and even that day. ,When I was learning about this young man, I heard stories from his mother and father—stories about how they admired their son’s outlook on life. His motto was to get out there and make a change in the world, make the world better. It’s a motto that we should all aspire to.

As we look at the final consideration for Bill 99, we are carrying on the legacy of Garrett, making a change in the world and working together to make sure that a tragedy like this does not happen in any other community in Ontario or to any other Ontario family.

Bill 99 addresses a growing number of incidents of soccer-net-tipping fatalities and injuries. Across North America, there have been over 40 fatalities, mostly young children, where tipping soccer nets were to blame.

Speaker, I think we all can remember growing up and being out at a local park. As kids, we may have felt invincible. But as parents, we all need to trust that every safety measure possible is in place to ensure that our children are safe.

In this bill, we’re not mandating a particular type of soccer net to be used in a park. Many field operators, often municipalities or school boards, use these temporary nets to allow for many sports to be played on their fields. It essentially doubles or even triples the value of that field as an asset to their facilities. What we are doing with this bill is enhancing an organization’s ability to provide outdoor recreation in a safe environment that our children can have access to.

If passed, this bill will allow the minister to create regulations on how the installations of mobile soccer nets are managed and how they are secured. These regulations will include properly securing the net to the ground, proper storage, and provide for signage, stickers and other educational resources to inform everyone of the risks involved.

The regulations that are suggested in this bill are not unique. Many jurisdictions across North America have already passed laws requiring that nets be secured, and almost all soccer associations in Canada have guidelines on how to do this. After a similar incident in 2003, when six-year-old Zachary Tran died in Chicago, the state of Illinois implemented Zach’s Law in 2011.

Speaker, I know that the minister is a strong advocate for sports and recreation. I know that he wants to ensure that the people of Ontario can enjoy a game of soccer and not need to worry that the soccer net could injure a player. Again, we don’t want to restrict the use—but instead ensure the devices are used safely. So I am encouraged to see members of all parties co-operatively working together to bring this bill into law.

In committee, Jacqueline Palm, the mother of Jaime Palm, who died in 2014 when a soccer net fell on her, told our committee, “Losing Jaime as a result of a preventable, avoidable tragic accident is heartbreaking.” Her father is in the House today. “Our lives will never be the same.”

I also want to quote from Dave Mills’s testimony in committee. He shared a segment from an op-ed piece written by Russell Wangersky:

“It’s hard enough for parents to deal with the unpreventables, the bad luck and the being in the wrong place at the wrong time situations....

“Like I said, it’s hard enough dealing with the unpreventables.

“But the preventables?

“If we can’t stop those from happening, what the heck is wrong with us?

“There should not be a single set of soccer goalposts anywhere in this nation that are not properly and permanently fastened down by now. Not indoor nets, not practice nets, not movable nets.

“There is a point where things just aren’t accidents anymore. If you’ve been warned and warned, it eventually crosses the line into sheer negligence.

“And we’ve been past that point for years.”

Tragedies like both Garrett and Jaime’s are preventable. This bill provides legislation to prevent tragedies from temporary and movable soccer nets from happening to any more Ontarians.

In an August 2014 CBC news article, Dr. Charles Tator, founder of Think First Canada and a neurosurgeon, said, “It’s been recognized for a long period of time that goalposts that are improperly anchored can cause injury, and in fact there are several recorded fatalities....”

Incidents like this date back to 2001, when, in Montreal, nine-year-old Patrick Rivest was severely injured. At the time of the incident, the Montreal Gazette stated that that was the sixth incident that year of injuries from toppling goalposts in Montreal.

Speaker, I need to take a moment to recognize the Minister of Energy and the Minister of Long-Term Care, who both, in previous governments, worked extensively to bring this bill forward. I’m honoured to be the one to carry the baton to carry this past the finish line.

In fact, back in 2018, our Premier came to the Quinte region and met with Dave Mills. After hearing about the tragedy of Garrett’s death, he made a promise: “Don’t worry, buddy. We’re going to get this done for you, and we’re going to get this done for Garrett.”

Today, I’m honoured to be the one to carry the torch across the finish line and get this done for Garrett.

Today, I ask that all members put partisan politics aside. Let’s unite together and prevent the preventable from happening.

I want to conclude my remarks by repeating Garrett’s motto one more time: Let’s get out there, make a change in the world and make the world better. This will be Garrett’s legacy.

Good morning. Let us pray.

Prières / Prayers.

Mr. Bresee moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 99, An Act to provide for safety measures respecting movable soccer goals / Projet de loi 99, Loi prévoyant des mesures de sécurité pour les buts de soccer mobiles.

Thank you. This will be the second time that I rise and speak to support Bill 99, Garrett’s Legacy Act. This legislation is aimed at ensuring the safety of our children as they play on or play around soccer fields across this fine province of Ontario. More than any of that, however, it is legislation that is built on the foundations and principles of learning from a tragedy.

Enduring the pain and loss of the kind that was endured by the Mills family is heartbreaking, and while this bill will never make whole their loss, it does make sure that we endeavour to do what is right—ensuring that we do everything in our power to make sure it will not happen again.

My condolences again go out to the Mills family, out to their community—and a reminder that making amateur sport safe, and the fields and arenas that they play on, must be a primary concern for this province.

This bill is named in honour of Garrett Mills, a young man whose life was tragically cut short due to the lack of safety measures for movable soccer goals. His story is a poignant remainder of the responsibilities we bear as legislators to protect the youth of our communities. During the second reading of this bill, I highlighted the profound impact of Garrett’s story on the community and the necessities for robust safety measures. Many members of this House shared their heartfelt support for the bill and recognized the importance of preventing future tragedies. We also heard from representatives of all parties who stood together in support, sharing a commitment to enhancing safety in sports.

I’ve always been a firm believer that only together are we able to accomplish the public good. As myself and others have walked across the aisle to accomplish positives for our communities, I am glad to see we are doing something here for sports safety. Today, I recognize it is a small step. For some, it will feel large—the largest mountains.

While I risk sounding too proverbial or using a platitude that will not sound genuine, if passing this bill makes certain that we save even one life, then it’s well worth all of our efforts in this House.

When I saw the news break originally about Garrett Mills, a young teenager from Napanee, what stood out to me was his energy. In 2017, that life of promise was heartbreakingly cut short when an unsecured soccer goalpost fell on him. He was doing chin-ups on the soccer goalpost—the type of activity that my own children have done countless times at our own soccer fields throughout the city of St. Catharines.

My thoughts and prayers go out to any family who experiences this tragedy—and in this case, especially his father, Dave Mills, known to many as Buzz Collins—are beyond words.

This bill, Garrett’s Legacy Act, is born out of a father’s loss of a son, but also the commitment to prevent any other family from facing such a loss. Garrett’s Legacy Act is more than just a bill; it is a father fulfilling his son’s request to leave a legacy, and it is about a family ensuring that the loss of their loved one was not in vain.

Speaker, as we engage in this debate, let us not lose sight of the family and their motivation behind this legislation. It is a tribute. It is a tribute to a young boy who should have been playing, laughing and continuing to grow up. Let Garrett’s memory inspire us to pass this bill, ensuring that his legacy is one of protection, care and enduring love for all of our children.

The journey to pass this bill has not been without setbacks. I know this is not the first time it has been tabled, and its timeline is longer than I think has been intended, but, together, collectively, we can move it through the process to having it be fully passed today within this House.

Garrett’s Legacy Act has specific requirements for organizations and entities that provide movable soccer goals for public use. These include ensuring that goals are located on level surfaces, securing goals in accordance with prescribed regulations, and meeting any additional prescribed safety requirements. The bill also empowers the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport to appoint inspectors to ensure compliance and to establish a mechanism for the public to report non-compliance.

The bill’s main provision, which is to establish safety standards for movable soccer goals, is a reasonable step towards the goal of child safety. This is not an overly restrictive measure, nor does it impose burdensome regulations on sporting organizations. Rather, it asks us to take responsible and reasonable precautions to prevent avoidable accidents in the province of Ontario.

There are those who may argue that the measures proposed in this bill could present challenges to small sporting organizations. It is a fair concern, but cost does not always have to lead to a stalled process—that is well needed. While responsibility and accountability are the cornerstones of good governance, this bill encourages responsibility, not just at the governmental level, but also within our community organizations. It asks everyone to play their part in safeguarding our children.

Speaker, the cost of action of keeping sport safe is an important one. What we are proposing here cannot be simply symbolic, nor can it be a responsibility shifted onto local recreation groups without any resources to follow through. The former measure does not do this bill justice, and the latter one is just passing the buck. That is why this is vital. It is vital—I cannot overstate this piece—to make sure that the government will be required to do their proper due diligence with amateur and sport non-profits across the province that maintain these facilities, to ensure there’s no undue cost.

While I recognize that the member opposite who’s proposing this legislation cannot include funding to this type of legislation, I will publicly muse that it might be reasonable for the ministry to commit to community consultation and consider a type of reserve or additional measures or funding to offset any costs so that organizations can meet any new protocols.

While there is no space for amendments at this point, I will continue to work with and advocate to the ministry in my role as critic for sports in Ontario, to ensure that there are solutions for safe sport. In this case, it could mean an additional pot of money granted to all municipalities across Ontario, ensuring that soccer fields and goalposts across Ontario will be modernized in the way we are talking about right here. Without steps like these, then we are providing obligations without the seriousness of ensuring the goals of this legislation can be completed.

This cannot be political. It must be practical. In this case, not only does the province hold the decision-making on regulations, but we also hold the purse strings to ensure it’s done right the first time. So it is my hope that it is done right.

Rules are only as strong as they are used and enforced. If this chamber and, ultimately, the House moves forward to codify this bill into law, then we should be mindful of ensuring that, down the road, the ministry evaluates resources to ensure compliance. The ministry must check in with our sports stakeholders across the province, the actors who are doing the work—and they’re often volunteers—of youth sports.

The experience of children and youth sport in Ontario is a core part of being Canadian. The benefits of sport are well-documented, from providing a baseline for a habit for a lifelong healthy lifestyle, to promoting physical development, to teaching life skills such as teamwork, discipline and resilience. Sports serve as a platform for our children and youth to learn about co-operation, leadership and the importance of setting and achieving goals.

I myself have been a youth coach. I have coached softball, soccer and hockey in the Merritton Athletic Association. I know that beyond the personal growth opportunities, youth sports play a critical role in our community-building. They create bonds among children, families and community members, fostering a sense of unity and belonging. Youth sport is where my family grew our friendships—some of our best friends, actually; ones that last to this day. They provide a safe, constructive environment for children to engage with their peers, thereby promoting social inclusion and diversity.

Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, I was a former coach of youth sports. This brings me to St. Catharines, a community that is passionate about its youth sports, and home to countless soccer fields, where thousands of children play, grow and foster a love for the beautiful game, the beautiful sport of soccer. Sports are to be enjoyed.

We have great sporting leagues in my riding: the St. Catharines Jets soccer club; the Garden City United soccer club; the St. Catharines Minor Baseball Association; the Kiwanis aquatic club; St. Catharines rowing, where we’re going to be hosting the world championships; St. Catharines Falcons hockey—and I basically need to stop there, or I’ll take up all the remaining time. These are great local organizations in my backyard of St. Catharines.

All of us here in the Legislature represent great communities with similar leagues. We owe it to them to make sure we do all we can do to keep the children safe and make sure that their playing fields are as safe as we need them to be.

It is my hope that the ministry will follow up with consultation with the community and the volunteer and amateur sporting organizations to ensure that any measures enacted today will be met with the equally weighted support of Ontario, to ensure costs are offset and goals can be reached.

I will be supporting this bill, my colleagues will be supporting this bill, with the understanding that it’s not just about movable soccer goalposts, but about the legacy we leave behind for our children, about the safe and vibrant sporting culture we want for them.

I would like to again say my condolences to the Garrett family.

I think that we need to leave behind, for our children, safe playing fields and the vibrant sporting culture we want for them.

Also, let us remember Garrett; let us remember any other child who has been injured and given their life on an unsafe playing field. Let us honour his family’s advocacy today, and let his legacy be one of safety, care and love for the sport that all of Ontario should be able to play.

Further debate?

Happy belated birthday.

I recognize the member from St. Catharines.

Further debate?

I’m pleased to be here today to speak in support of this bill.

As a mom, I can only imagine what it must be like to lose a child. It’s an awful tragedy that no parent or caregiver should ever have to experience.

As a social worker, I’ve walked with many families who have lost their children, and it’s nothing that people easily recover from. The grief journey is unlike anything else.

My sincere condolences go to Garrett’s parents. I appreciate their advocacy. To make meaning of such a tragedy is really hard. I know lots of families find it in themselves to be advocates, to ensure that no other child is lost in this way. I admire very much how Garrett’s parents have worked with our member across the aisle to make sure that no other parents have to experience this kind of loss.

I have to admit that I didn’t know a lot about the type of risk involved in this sporting equipment, so I thank you for that, as well. I’ve learned a lot about how it’s a growing concern across North America, with 40 individuals losing their children. That’s 40 families who go home without their child every day and live the rest of their lives grieving and trying to make meaning of that loss.

Today we have an opportunity to bring real therapy and relief, to find value in an awful tragedy, to try to make sure that no other child is lost in such a way.

I am a hockey mom. There are many kinds of hockey moms, I’ll say. My kids play hockey, so I appreciate all the efforts that have gone into our sporting organizations over the years. Whether it’s baseball, hockey, lacrosse, cricket, dance etc., we have so many wonderful ways in which kids can be active in our province. We have to find ways to make sure that when we send our kids out into our play spaces, out into these sporting environments, they come back whole, without concussions, without injuries, and without losing their life. I’ve participated in webinars, I’ve signed all the forms, but I also acknowledge that we are putting the onus on caregivers and families and young people to stay safe, and that’s not okay. We need to start ensuring that the systems and the organizations and the landscapes where we send our kids to play sports are safe implicitly, that we send them out knowing that that safety is woven into the landscape, woven into the environment. We can do that by preventing harm and not putting the onus on a hodgepodge of individuals and play spaces and organizations to do this work, but putting the onus on the institutions to get this work done and ensure that there’s safety there. We always say “safety first,” and we’ve seen our society evolve over the years to embed safety. Whether it’s through stop signs on the back of jerseys, or helmets, or seat belts, we’ve done so much to try to keep our kids safe and make sure that lives aren’t lost. So I appreciate very much the spirit of this bill and its efforts to prevent life—and make meaning from tragedy that has, unfortunately, happened.

I do want to see us properly fund not-for-profit sports. Sometimes when we create more red tape, which I know we are all against—and this isn’t red tape; it’s meaningful, important legislation, but if we don’t properly fund it, it can equate to a cut. I go home to my riding, as we all do, and we experience the feedback from these not-for-profit organizations that are not only struggling to get donations back but are struggling with volunteerism. We don’t need to impose cuts on these organizations if we can help it, so we need to back up any new legislation with proper funding to make sure that these organizations can continue to thrive.

Just last night, I was at the Athlete of the Year awards. It was a beautiful moment in my region, and I think it’s because we’ve created opportunities for all young people to get involved in athletics and shine and find bright spots in their lives and achieve great heights to make us all proud.

As a city councillor, I have been in lots of conversations about playgrounds and play spaces.

We haven’t just underfunded our not-for-profit sector, but we’ve also underfunded cities and regions to create more opportunities for green space.

Kitchener Centre is densifying. I come from a region where we are putting up high-rises like never before, especially in the downtown core, where I live. We haven’t done a commensurate investment in the green spaces, so we’re looking at overpopulated, intense green spaces in our city.

So not only do I hope the government can fund the not-for-profit sector, who are looking to make sport accessible, but I hope that we can make that same investment in our green spaces and our public spaces like schools.

I know a lot of the soccer nets that we are putting up that are accessible to the public are on school playgrounds and school soccer fields. But what we hear from schools is that they are struggling to pay the bills. They are struggling to fund these things. So if we need this safety measure in place, we need to fund it, and that equates to funding schools, as well.

I appreciate this very much. I appreciate the effort to make our kids safe when they go out of our homes, when they go to play sports.

I also urge the government to invest in athletics to make sure that we can pay the bills and keep this opportunity available.

Finally, I’d like to talk a little bit about the use of these soccer pitches and how Garrett’s life ended. I know it was through doing a chin-up. He was using a soccer net to do chin-ups, and it wasn’t anchored down.

I hope we can enforce this bill. I hope we can find that these public spaces—not only during when sports are happening, whether that’s a soccer practice, that it’s anchored down; but we have the ability to make sure they’re anchored down and secured and safe 24 hours a day, because I know that these soccer pitches, whether they’re at a school, whether they’re at a city park, are used by our public on a regular basis. We have many layers of people who make access of these public spaces. So let’s make sure that the efforts we’re making today include all of these voices, whether it’s city sports, the education sector, minor sport organizations. Include them in the conversation to be sure that we can all be vigilant and we can all ensure that this effort is enforced overall.

I appreciate the bill, as a sport lover myself. I see it as a mental health tool. Sport is not just physical activity and fun. We see young people facing severe mental health challenges at this moment in time. I truly believe that we can ensure every child in Ontario, whether they’re low-income, racialized or from various cultural backgrounds, has access to affordable and safe athletics in the province of Ontario.

Thank you to the member opposite and to our many MPPs in this House. I appreciate this bill. I will support it.

I urge the government to keep working towards safe, accessible and equitable access to athletics in the province of Ontario.

I rise this morning to express my strong support of my colleague’s private member’s Bill 99, Garrett’s Legacy Act, 2024. I thank the member from Hastings–Lennox and Addington for putting forth this bill, as it addresses the safety and well-being of children in Ontario—specifically, to enhance the safety measures of movable soccer goals used by the public. The act sets out specific requirements for the safe usage of these goals. It mandates inspections and establishes a mechanism for reporting non-compliance.

Sadly, young Garrett was not the only child who lost his life too early due to an avoidable, tragic accident.

In my riding of Newmarket–Aurora, young Jaime Palm, a 15-year-old girl, an athlete, a blossoming soccer and field hockey player and volleyball team player, died when a soccer net fell over and she was caught under the crossbar in 2014.

I want to recognize Robert Palm, Jaime’s father, who is here in the chamber today, and Jaime’s mom, Jacqui Palm, who could not be here today. But with all her strength, Jacqui provided a deputation in front of the Standing Committee on Social Policy last July 2023, when this bill was under review.

Speaker, children are supposed to enjoy the outdoors, play and make use of public amenities like parks, fields and soccer pitches. When these amenities which are meant to bring joy instead bring grief, we know that there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Today, we can take a step towards ensuring that such tragedy never happens again.

First and foremost, the act mandates that all movable soccer goals be placed on level surfaces and securely anchored in accordance with prescribed regulations. This provision ensures that the goals remain stable and significantly reduces the risk of them tipping over and causing injury. Moreover, the act empowers the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport to appoint inspectors to enforce these safety standards.

Another essential aspect of Bill 99 is the establishment of a compliance mechanism. This allows members of the public to report any non-compliance that they observe, ensuring that these safety concerns can be promptly addressed. It fosters a culture of accountability and vigilance, reinforcing our collective commitment to public safety.

The penalties outlined in the act for non-compliance serve as a deterrent, underscoring the seriousness of these requirements. By imposing fines for violations, we emphasize that the safety of our children and communities is non-negotiable.

I would like to quote Jaime’s mother, Jacqueline Palm, from her deputation to the Standing Committee on Social Policy:

“The soccer net that was above Jaime’s head fell on top of her and crushed and killed her. Had this net been properly secured after the lawn was cut, my daughter would still be with us today. This was a movable soccer net. Tragically, it had not been securely anchored....

“Losing Jaime as a result of a preventable, avoidable tragic accident is heartbreaking. Our lives will never be the same....

“It is our hope that this Bill 99 will help to prevent any other parents like Rob and myself from having to suffer the loss of a child in a completely senseless, avoidable way.”

Jacqui went on to say, “Please remember, over 40 children in North America since 1979 is the latest statistic; that’s 40 children’s lives too many. This bill needs to be passed.”

The passage of Bill 99 is not just about compliance with regulations; it is about honouring the memory of a young boy, Garrett, and a young girl, Jaime. It is about preventing future tragedies of this nature. It is about taking proactive measures to protect our children and ensuring that recreational activities remain safe and enjoyable.

I met Jacqui Palm close to nine years after her tragic loss of Jaime. As a mom, I felt the pain that Jacqui so evidently was carrying in her heart. As her member of provincial Parliament, I am honoured to stand in my place today and speak to this bill in its third reading.

I encourage every one of my colleagues in this chamber today to support this bill. Together, we can protect the innocence of our youth and prevent any unnecessary family grieving, community grieving and provincial grieving.

Let’s honour Garrett and Jaime’s legacy and make our province a safer place for everyone.

Further debate?

Further debate?

MPP Bresee has moved third reading of Bill 99, An Act to provide for safety measures respecting movable soccer goals.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Applause.

Orders of the day? I recognize the House leader.

The House recessed from 0951 to 1015.

One of the most rewarding and fruitful parts of the job of MPP is to connect the issues that you encounter or work on in your constituency office with legislative work at Queen’s Park.

I want to thank the member for Hastings–Lennox and Addington for bringing forward Bill 99, and I’m pleased to speak in support of it. This legislation comes out of the events in Napanee, only a 30-minute drive west of my home in Kingston.

Garrett’s Legacy Act is named after Garrett Mills, a young boy who tragically lost his life in 2021 after being pinned and hit by a movable soccer goal. Garrett was doing a chin-up, something so many kids do on the crossbars of soccer nets. I’ve done that myself. But what happened next is something that doesn’t normally happen: The net fell, hitting Garrett on the head. This could have happened to anyone playing soccer. This tragedy has highlighted a safety concern—the potential dangers associated with unsecured or unstable soccer goals. Bill 99 is a direct response to this tragedy. The core objective of Bill 99 is to prevent similar accidents from ever happening again. It establishes clear safety standards for organizations and entities that make movable soccer goals available for public use.

Imagine a soccer player, brimming with enthusiasm, practising on the field. We want them to focus on the game, on developing their skills and, most importantly, on having fun. Bill 99 creates a safer environment for these experiences. Having features like weighted bases, anchoring systems and double post construction for movable goals will reduce the risk of an accident or injury. It should be a given that our kids are playing recreational sports with equipment that is safe.

The act doesn’t just set standards; it also establishes a framework for accountability. The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport has the authority to conduct inspections and ensure compliance. Additionally, there are mechanisms for reporting instances of non-compliance. This creates a system that prioritizes safety and holds organizations responsible for upholding the standards. Working together, we can ensure everyone understands the importance of safety and implements best practices.

Bill 99 is a tribute to Garrett’s memory and a future where our children can just enjoy soccer. Let’s work together to create a safer environment on the soccer field. Our kids have enough challenges as it is. Choosing to protect and invest in our kids is always a good choice.

No further business.

Speaker, as everyone knows, insurance rates are going up. People are getting sick at work from heatstroke. People are being forced from their homes by out-of-control forest fires. These damages from climate change are already here. It is not a distant issue but one people are being hit with today.

We need to help people make their homes better able to withstand extreme weather. We need to ensure that the measures to protect people from climate-driven floods are not abandoned, as is being done with attacks on conservation authorities; in fact, we need to put in more flood protections. Making homes and communities safer from fire saves lives and avoids huge personal and financial costs. Failure to act and, in fact, action that makes things worse mean that people will lose their homes and that all of us will pay higher insurance premiums.

The government’s refusal to carry out a credible climate plan or to put in place measures to protect us from existing climate damage is hurting people in Ontario.

The government must act now on climate.

It is my privilege to share that on May 10, I joined the Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, to announce an investment of $33.4 million for a new school in Etobicoke–Lakeshore. This new public school investment will create another 823 student spaces and 88 licensed child care spaces for families in south Etobicoke.

I’m happy to note that the new Etobicoke City Centre Elementary School is the fifth major school investment for Etobicoke–Lakeshore during my tenure as MPP. That’s over $135 million invested in schools and linked child care spaces in our community. I’m proud to advocate for and deliver these much-needed investments for our fast-growing community, to support working families and young learners. Two out of these five schools, St. Leo and Holy Angels, are expected to open in September 2024. The new Holy Angels school will accommodate 600 students and have 88 child care spaces. There will be room for 500 students at St. Leo, along with 49 child care spaces. The new and improved Bishop Allen Academy and St. Elizabeth school are anticipated to open in September 2027, with 1,300 and 600 pupil places, respectively.

I also want to share that for the upcoming 2024-25 school year, the Toronto Catholic District School Board will get nearly $1.2 billion in education funding, which is an increase of over $15.6 million from the current school year; the Toronto District School Board will get $3.3 billion, an increase of $68 million from the current school year.

Speaker, Toronto Pearson airport holds a special place in my heart. It was the place where I first set foot on Canadian soil, marking the beginning of my dream life on January 15, 2000.

Situated in Mississauga–Malton, Pearson airport is the front door to Canada for millions of visitors and newcomers to Ontario every year.

Premier Ford always says, “Ontario is an economic powerhouse,” and Pearson airport stands as a testament to this by contributing over $42 billion annually to Ontario’s GDP and employing over 50,000 workers.

With the increasing demand for air travel, the Pearson LIFT project is preparing to elevate Pearson as one of the most advanced, sustainable and passenger-friendly airports in the world. This initiative will modernize facilities while creating world-class amenities and commercial spaces.

Thanks to the excellent leadership of CEO Deborah Flint, Pearson LIFT will strengthen vital infrastructure and reaffirm Pearson’s commitment to supporting a sustainable and prosperous future for Ontario.

Pearson remains a transportation cornerstone and an integral part of Ontario’s supply chain for the critical goods residents and businesses rely on every day.

My best wishes for Toronto Pearson’s evolution as it reflects our national values and aspirations. I look forward to seeing the shovels in the ground for a stronger and prosperous Ontario.

Today, I have the honour to speak to Bill 99, Garrett’s Legacy Act, An Act to provide for safety measures respecting movable soccer goals.

Legacies are powerful. They are passed on and have a long-lasting impact, imparting wisdom and action.

Today, we call for action. We call for the sort of action that would prevent injury for children and for people of all ages.

It’s common in the warmer months for people to spend time outdoors in local parks. Sometimes it’s just to relax and enjoy the weather; other times it’s to work out, spend time with friends or play a sport like football, baseball or soccer.

One thing we don’t really think about is the safety of the soccer goals found in a lot of our local parks, schools and sports fields. Many people don’t realize that not all soccer goals are anchored to the ground, and they don’t recognize the danger when they hang off the crossbar to do a pull-up, a chin-up, or even just a stretch. Improperly secured soccer goals present a serious threat to athletes, to children and to anyone using them or around them.

Sadly, we’ve all heard of incidents across the country of goalposts collapsing and falling on unsuspecting children, youths, adults, that have resulted in fatal injuries. These accidents are preventable and wouldn’t have happened if the goalposts were secured down. One life lost to a preventable accident is one too many, but the fact is, there have been over 50 lives lost since the 1950s to these kinds of incidents. That number is far too high for us to ignore.

There are solutions we can action. Similar to the Movable Soccer Goal Safety Act implemented in the Yukon, we too can ensure that goalposts are anchored down, and have inspections to make sure the equipment is safely secured.

In the Yukon, owners of movable nets for public use are now required to inspect their goals twice annually: once at the beginning of each soccer season and at another time during the year. They’re also required to keep records of the goals’ condition.

The Yukon and many states in the USA recognized that there needed to be laws surrounding the use of movable goalposts.

For example, in the state of Illinois, Zach’s Law requires all movable soccer goals manufactured and sold in the state of Illinois to be tip-resistant. It also requires organizations that own and control a movable soccer goal to create a safety plan and an education policy that outlines how the organization will specifically address the safety issues associated with movable soccer goals.

These changes in how equipment is installed will prevent injuries and fatalities, and enhance safety.

Garrett’s Legacy Act aims to protect the lives of people around movable soccer goals. The bill states that organizations or entities that make a movable soccer goal available for use by a member of the public shall ensure that the goal is located on a level surface, securely anchored in accordance with the regulations, and meet any educational training or other requirements that may be prescribed. The bill aims to allow for regulations and mandates for safe usage of movable goalposts and allows the minister to establish an avenue to report non-compliance with the act. Non-compliance would also result in fines for first-time and repeat offenders.

This bill is a step in the right direction in safeguarding children and the public while playing soccer, sports, or even spending time in the vicinity of goalposts.

Sport is an excellent way for children and youth to learn to play together and to work as a team to achieve a common goal.

Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world, and the unfortunate incidences that have caused tragedies in communities are preventable and can be avoided.

Garrett’s Legacy Act, if passed, will require organizations to ensure that any movable goalposts are secured safely so that tragic accidents like Garrett’s never happen again. Tragedies like this are preventable, and we hope to implement solutions that will save lives.

Speaker, the safety of children and everyone in Ontario is a priority for our government.

Thank you to my colleague the MPP for Hastings–Lennox and Addington for bringing Garrett’s Legacy Act forward and for the opportunity to speak to the bill. And thank you to Garrett’s parents and family for your continued advocacy. Together, we can prevent these types of tragedies from happening.

Nicely done. And I’m sure the flowers will be delivered later today.

Further members’ statements?

I’m always happy to stand and rep Ajax.

Over the weekend, I had the privilege of joining the Sashbear Foundation at their annual walk in Toronto, which saw the incredible support of over 700 participants.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Lynn and her husband, Mike, the founders of the Sashbear Foundation, who are here today along with Marlene, Melanie and, I think, Paul. Their initiative stems from the tragic loss of their daughter Sasha to suicide, and they have since dedicated themselves to promoting mental health education, awareness and suicide prevention strategies.

In a world where mental health stigma still persists, organizations like Sashbear serve as a place of hope and understanding. Their commitment to breaking down barriers surrounding mental health conversations is not only admirable but also vital for our community’s well-being. They focus on educating parents and caregivers on how to effectively support children facing mental health challenges.

Sashbear’s remarkable efforts include empowering families and communities through life-transforming skills workshops and evidence-based programs. All of these services are provided for free. Their work has touched countless lives.

I want to express my gratitude to Lynn, Mike and their incredible team for the dedication and impact that they have had.

Hamilton is facing the worst homelessness and housing crisis yet. Speaker, 1,900 are homeless, with 258 visibly homeless, sheltering in encampments. Close to 8,000 Hamiltonians are on a wait-list for housing eight to 10 years long. And 16,000 affordable units have been lost in the last 10 years—lost units with rents of $750 or less. For every one unit of affordable housing created, Hamilton loses four to the private rental market. Life expectancy is half when you are homeless. None of this is okay.

On Saturday, I joined the march to end homelessness in Hamilton. I met Dorothy, a 72-year-old sheltering in a nearby encampment since November. She was evicted from her home by a renoviction. Dorothy was there with so many others calling for change. I met Angela, affectionately known as “Jordan’s mom,” a pillar in the community who continues to stand up and speak out. Angela spoke passionately and challenged all of us in attendance to come together to support, to help, to make a difference. It was an emotional gathering that wrapped up with a communal meal, distribution of clothing and blankets, and the collective sense that now is not the time to give up.

Political will got us here, and only political will will get us out. Together, we must end this crisis.

In the words of those marching on Saturday, “We are unstoppable! Another world is possible!”

I was wondering this morning what I was going do my member’s statement on, and then I got a text that made my decision. My wife texted me and wished me happy anniversary. I tried to save myself; I called her back and—you know, “Happy anniversary.” Someone asked me how long we’ve been married, and I had her on the phone, so I had to ask her that too. We’ve been married 38 years.

We met—she came to our farm with my cousin from Holland for a day, and then she came back on a year for an exchange program, and then she went back to Holland and, amazingly enough, she actually came back again.

She keeps me grounded. Just a little story: When I first got the job as whip, I came back and explained to her what a whip does, like that we’re supposed to organize things. All she did—she just laughed. When I came back one time and said I’m the finance critic, she said, “But you don’t even do the books.”

Anyway, I love her dearly. She is my rock.

Happy anniversary.

Applause.

Happy anniversary.

Speaker, in seven days, Canada will mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the largest combined military operation in history.

On June 6, 1944, D-Day, 14,000 brave Canadians stormed Juno Beach in Normandy. They launched a campaign that helped turn the tide of World War II. This day is etched in history as a testament to courage, sacrifice and the unyielding spirit of soldiers. We must remember the bravery demonstrated by our Canadian heroes who landed in Normandy on that day, defending freedom, our rights and democracy.

To honour those who fell 80 years ago, I will be attending the annual D-Day parade in Oakville, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion, Chris Vokes Branch 486. Veterans, Legion members, dignitaries and cadets will assemble at the Legion hall and march to the cenotaph. The cenotaph, located in the centre of Bronte Village in a park by the lake, honours those who served in World War I, World War II and Korea. The park is dedicated to Major-General Christopher Vokes, an Oakville resident and a distinguished veteran. It stands as a reminder of the bravery and sacrifices made by our fellow Canadians.

As the 80th anniversary approaches, we are also mindful of the conflict happening today, including the wars in the Middle East as well as Ukraine. We are reminded that our freedom should never be taken for granted.

Speaker, I encourage all of us here in the House, and all Ontarians, to take some time to remember over the next seven days those who fell on D-Day.