I want to thank the member from Whitby for that great question this morning. We have cleaned up the Liberal hydro mess, but we’re still doing more under the leadership of Premier Ford.

I’m pleased to inform the House this morning that as of today, we’re raising the income eligibility threshold for Ontario’s Energy Affordability Program by almost $12,000 for a family of four, $8,000 per couple. That’s going to mean thousands of additional families in Ontario can receive free home efficiency upgrades like insulation, like smart thermostats, energy-efficient refrigerators and air conditioners. These free upgrades can help eligible families save up to $750 a year on their energy bills, while also conserving energy and maintaining overall reliability of Ontario’s electricity grid.

The Energy Affordability Program has already provided free upgrades to about 47,000 families across Ontario, and with today’s announcement we’re going to help a whole lot more.

At the same time, we’re saving the average residential family $168 per year in the Ontario Electricity Rebate—lots of programs, Mr. Speaker. While families had to choose between heating and eating when the Liberal government was in charge in Ontario, we have stabilized rates. We stabilized our electricity system, and we’re providing targeted supports to families that really need the help.

The folks at OPG are world leaders when it comes to providing clean, reliable, affordable nuclear power to our province, from the large-scale Candu reactors that we have in Ontario to, now, the development of the new small modular reactor that’s going to be developed at Darlington. Our government has continued to watch what’s happening down at Point Lepreau with OPG and we will inform the House all the way along. But again, I just want to confirm to the member opposite, we’re not going to sign bad deals like these guys that you supported did. We’re going to—

Yesterday, we signed a massive, massive deal in Port Hope—the member’s home riding—at Cameco, a $2.8-billion deal to extend the Candu fuel contract with Bruce Power, one of the largest nuclear facilities in the entire world right here in Ontario, a facility that has been providing clean, reliable, affordable nuclear power. I have to ask the member opposite, why would he oppose a technology that is providing clean, reliable electricity—60% of Ontario’s power every day? Why do the NDP not support our nuclear fleet?

As a matter of fact, I can. Thanks again to the member.

All types of businesses, including those in the automotive sector, are placing a greater emphasis on corporate environmental goals to use 100% clean or renewable energy. This registry announced this morning means those businesses are going to have one more tool to meet those commitments and demonstrate that their electricity has been sourced from clean resources.

We had the folks from Bruce Power here earlier this morning, as well. They’ve got a great medical isotope announcement that James Scongack is making later today.

As well, proceeds from this credit registry, these sales, are going to go into the newly established future clean energy electricity fund. That means we’re going to be reinvesting that money in Ontario for new clean energy projects that are only going to make our grid greener, make our grid more reliable, and drive down electricity costs for the people of Ontario.

Thanks to the member from Ontario’s clean energy capital, the Durham region, for the question this morning.

I was pleased to join another member from that Durham caucus at Toronto Metropolitan University this morning to announce that Ontario is leveraging our world-class electricity grid by launching a voluntary clean energy credit registry. This registry is going to help boost competitiveness and attract jobs to Ontario, helping businesses meet their environmental and sustainability goals.

We know that global businesses are looking to expand in jurisdictions like Ontario with clean and reliable electricity.

Along with our well-trained workforce, which we have thanks to Toronto Metropolitan University, and competitive tax credits, which we have thanks to the Minister of Finance, and an exemplary R&D ecosystem, and clean energy in the province, the credit registry announced this morning is just one more reason for those big companies that the member mentioned to continue investing in Ontario.

I know the member just mentioned the TTN is going to be here for their reception tonight, but he left out the best part, Mr. Speaker. While everybody is going to the ORBA reception—TTN has brought in some star power tonight for their reception: Doug Gilmour, Shayne Corson and Ric Nattress. A bunch of Toronto Maple Leafs all-stars are going to be there. So come on down and get your picture taken.

What else you got?

I’d like to welcome Dale and Theresa Hoard. They’re from Sterling. Dale is the owner of MicroAge Technologies in Belleville, and he’s also the president of the Belleville and district chamber of commerce. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Thank you, Speaker. I recognize you too. It’s good to see you this morning.

I would like to welcome a couple of dear friends of mine from Riverview, New Brunswick, my hometown. Believe it or not, I was the best man at their wedding a long, long time ago, when I was a younger, slimmer, more handsome man than I am today, if you can imagine that. I’d really like to welcome Peter and Heidi Foster.

I would also like to welcome the folks from Feed Ontario for all the good work that they’re doing and thank them, particularly Matt Brown, who is the chair of the Gleaners Food Bank, doing great work in the Bay of Quinte region.

My goal, as the Minister of Energy, is to ensure that we have a reliable and affordable and clean energy system in the province of Ontario. We’re doing that under the mess that was left for us by the previous Liberal government. We have brought electricity prices under control and we’re doing the same thing with natural gas prices, Mr. Speaker. There are programs in place through Enbridge that the member should be passing along to her constituents to be aware of.

But it is interesting to get this kind of a question from the NDP, a party that believes in the highest carbon tax not just in Canada, but in the world. This party is supportive of the federal carbon tax, which on this Enbridge bill that I have here right now is $50, Mr. Speaker, on a—

It’s pretty rich, though, for the NDP to talk about affordability when it comes to energy prices. This is a party that wants us to get rid of natural gas. It thinks that natural gas is a bad thing, when more than 76% of homeowners out there are heating their homes with natural gas. This is a party that also supported the previous Liberal government every step of the way in their Green Energy Act, something that was driving up electricity prices by 10%, 11% year over year. We brought that to an end.

It’s also a party that doesn’t believe in nuclear, Mr. Speaker. It’s a party that believes that the source of energy in our province providing 60% of our electricity every day should be phased out.

We’re not going to take any lessons—

He likes to eat.

Thanks to the member from Whitby for the question.

From small modular reactors to battery storage, our government really has embraced innovative and bold energy solutions. That also includes last week’s announcement of a new Hydrogen Innovation Fund. This fund is $50 million that’s going to be invested over the next three years to kick-start and develop new opportunities for hydrogen to be integrated into Ontario’s clean energy system, including hydrogen electricity storage. This launch marks another milestone in the implementation of our low-carbon hydrogen strategy, positioning Ontario as a clean manufacturing hub for hydrogen. This fund is going to help us lay the groundwork for hydrogen to contribute to our diverse energy supply that we have in the province, Mr. Speaker, and it’s going to help us build on the clean-energy advantage that we now enjoy in Ontario.

By making these investments early, we’re paving the way for the growth of our own hydrogen economy in Ontario. We’re cleaning up the mess that was left by the previous Liberal government and bringing a stable Ontario energy supply to Ontario. It’s just one more part of our plan to build Ontario’s clean energy advantage and to make Ontario a leader in the latest frontier in energy, and that would be the hydrogen economy.

Thanks to the two members opposite for their tributes today—especially, you, Little Johnny; we appreciate your colourful tribute this evening.

Gary Fox served here from 1995 to 1999 as the member for Prince Edward–Lennox-South–Hastings.

Foxy, as he was known by most people, loved his farm. He loved his farm on Jericho Road in Prince Edward county and the four generations of family that he and Lynn raised there.

At his funeral, which was just over two months ago, on December 14, at the Wellington Community Centre in Prince Edward county, Gary’s son Kyle, who is up above us in the Speaker’s gallery, spoke. Kyle continues to farm there. He considered his dad a social farmer. He was a central figure in the local agricultural community, enjoying a connection with people who came out to the homestead to visit, who gathered at a cattle sale, or who may have needed assistance with their own crops or their own equipment. He was always there to help.

As the saying goes, you could take the country boy off the farm, but you could never separate the farm from the country boy. That was apparent even in the five years that he valiantly battled cancer, when he wouldn’t let himself sit idle, even as illness took hold, betraying a well-developed work ethic.

As was touched on by Mr. Vanthof, he loved his farm. Kyle recalled that Gary couldn’t get around the fields as he’d have liked in the later years, but it never stopped him. He’d hop in his truck and make the rounds. He’d take it all in. Even when he couldn’t ride the tractor or get up into the tractor, he convinced Kyle to get him a ride or help him with his tasks. Gary was in his glory when he was on his property. He couldn’t sit in the house. Some might even call him stubborn. Those folks up there probably might say he was a bit stubborn, I bet.

Once he would see there was work to be done, Foxy would call Kyle: “Get the tractor hooked up. Get me into that tractor. Let me drive it. I can help. Just get me into the driver’s seat. I’ll do whatever is necessary.” I suspect that attitude is what led Foxy to put his name forward to run in Sophiasburgh township, where he served over 20 years as reeve and councillor, and ultimately what brought him to this place in 1995, representing Prince Edward–Lennox-South–Hastings.

Gary was pretty passionate about allowing rural Ontarians to enjoy their land as he did. He thought there were too many regulations impacting those freedoms, and he fought tirelessly to remove red tape, especially in the agricultural sector. In the four years he was here, he believed in making tough but necessary choices, and noted when talking about then-Premier Mike Harris that he admired a politician who “said what he meant and meant what he said.” Premier Harris actually felt the same about Gary Fox. As a matter of fact, the former Premier said, “Gary was always very proud of being a farmer and never hesitated to speak up in caucus—forcefully, I might add—on behalf of farmers and rural Ontario.”

Foxy was a straight shooter. That’s what he was. You didn’t have to guess how he stood on any issue. He wasn’t afraid to speak up as the Progressive Conservative rural caucus chair, and he would sign petitions or he would ask questions if he felt that the government wasn’t doing enough for rural families, for young people or for those who needed a break.

He was also known for his quick wit and one-liners—many of them you can see on Hansard, and some I won’t repeat here. Somehow, he managed all of his friendly jabs without a warning from the Speaker. Imagine that.

After a narrow upset by 56 votes in a redistributed riding in 1999—56 votes—Gary returned home, where he was actually happiest. He was known as an expert in raising sheep. He was able to enjoy the experience of Kyle and Tanya, his daughter Lori—who also served in municipal politics—and husband Manson, and Ian and Christina, and raise their families, with eight children between them, and two great-grandchildren.

Just a couple of stories about his grandkids: Ethan and Nathan would often help with odd jobs like fixing fences or chasing strays. Ethan recalled one time when Gary was trying to sell one of his donkeys to a couple who was looking to find one that was suitable for riding. To demonstrate, he put his grandson Ethan on the back of the donkey. He walked it in the circle for a bit, then he let loose on the harness, beaming, “Watch her go!” It wasn’t too long before the donkey reared off and bucked Ethan from his back. Foxy outfoxed himself that day; that sale did not happen.

Grandson Jackson also recalls there would be big trips to the sales barn each Tuesday in Grandpa’s cattle truck. Often, they’d return with treasures like candy and trinkets from the yard sale folks, or farmyard pets like rabbits or ducks. You never really knew what you might find at the sales; sometimes there were even pigs there. Jackson asked and asked, but Foxy knew his parents wouldn’t be too pleased to welcome the pigs home; Foxy learned that a guinea pig wasn’t going to do either. Finally, when he asked Jackson why he wanted the animal so badly, he replied, “I love bacon.” That was the first meat his parents were actually able to convince him to eat. Well, that Christmas Foxy was pretty excited when his grandson opened the biggest pack of bacon that anyone could ever imagine under the tree. No doubt Grandpa knew just where to find it, with all his social acquaintances in the farming community. His eyes lit up, and it remains a special memory for the family today.

While Foxy loved spending time around the farm with his family, he also stayed engaged in Ontario politics and inspired those around him to consider their own civic duty.

Over the past year, I’ve been very fortunate to have another Foxy working alongside me. Last spring, Gary’s granddaughter Olivia joined my constituency office team, and then she moved here to Toronto as my MPP liaison at the Ministry of Energy. She’s up there too, along with—not all my team, but a good chunk of my Ministry of Energy team is here as well. She has a lot of the same attributes that her grandpa had—a bit stubborn at times, but a real warm heart and a vibrant personality. Often, Olivia would come into the constituency office and say, “Grandpa heard this” or “Grandpa heard that,” and you’d know that his network of sources was still pretty bang on. His large social circle included the Premier, whose father, Doug Senior, served with Foxy here from 1995 to 1999, and their lasting friendship shows the respect he earned from that family and many others. To quote Premier Ford, which I did at the funeral in Wellington back in December: “I have fond memories of Lynn and Gary coming to the house and also visiting my parents in Florida. My dad and Gary were cut from the same cloth. My dad considered Gary was one of his closest friends from Queen’s Park. The stories that Gary would tell would have us all in stitches. He was as real as they come. There was no filter and that is what we loved about him. He will be dearly missed.”

As he did on the farm, Foxy played the role of the good shepherd for many within Prince Edward county, across Ontario and for many, many others through his public service. I’m pleased to have been able to call him and his family friends and to live in the Bay of Quinte community that he helped grow.

Just a moment to thank Gary’s family members who are here with us today: In the gallery, it has already been mentioned, that Lynn, his wife of 57 years, is here with us this evening; his son Kyle is there with his wife, Tanya; we also have his grandsons Nicholas and Jackson; Olivia, the great granddaughter—she’s a granddaughter, but she’s a great granddaughter—his daughter Lori Slik, and her husband, Manson Slik; Ethan and Halla are here; Paige Barr; Brendan Taylor; Mandy Martin, who was the constituency assistant for Gary as well, and our Speaker during the 35th Parliament, David Warner. Thanks to all of you for sharing your grandpa, your dad, your husband and your friend with all of us. Prince Edward county, Prince Edward–Lennox-South–Hastings and Ontario are a better place because of Gary Fox.

Applause.

Thanks to the towering member from Brantford–Brant.

Our population is growing. As we heard from the Minister of Economic Development earlier, our economy is continuing to grow, with huge investments in our province. That means our demand for clean, reliable and affordable electricity is continuing to grow too. When the Oneida battery storage project goes online in 2025, it’s going to more than double the amount of energy storage that is currently on Ontario’s grid, from 225 megawatts to 475 megawatts.

The announcement is another milestone in our plan to build and strengthen our electricity grid. We’re going to continue to support innovative and bold technologies like the small modular nuclear reactor program, where construction has started over the holidays, as well. This also includes Canada’s largest procurement of clean energy storage that is in the field right now and of course Canada’s largest energy storage project, the Oneida project, which we announced a couple of weeks ago with the Premier in this member’s region. We’re making our grid more efficient. I must say, when it comes to energy, Ontario is leading the way.

Thanks to the member opposite from Brantford–Brant for that great question this morning.

Ontario has a world-class electricity system. It’s 90% emissions-free. We get over 60% of our power from our nuclear fleet emissions-free. We get about 25% from our hydro fleet emissions-free. There are about 33,000 other generators across the province: wind and solar and biomass facilities. Many of those facilities are still producing power at night, though, when demand is low, at off-peak times. Under the former Liberal government, what we had happen was this surplus power was sold to neighbouring jurisdictions at a loss.

We’re bringing that to an end, thanks to our government’s work on the Oneida battery storage project, one of the largest battery storage projects in the world. We’re partnering with the Six Nations of the Grand River to build this. We’re making full use of Ontario’s clean grid by drawing and storing the energy at off-peak times and then dispatching it at times when we’re on-peak, when we need that power. Making our—

This will be a long one.

What a thrill it was for me to be in the member’s riding—the clean-energy capital of Canada—in the Durham region along with the Premier on Friday morning to announce that construction is beginning on Canada’s first grid-scale small modular reactor.

You know, the member’s hair was blowing in the wind, and we were all jealous about that—or at least I was. But this was an historic moment for our province—construction under way on a 300-megawatt small modular reactor. Well, what does that mean, Mr. Speaker? A 300-megawatt small modular reactor is enough to power a city the size of London.

Our plan is not to build just one on the site at Darlington, but potentially four. That’s 1,200-plus megawatts that will add to our clean—and I emphasize clean—reliable, affordable electricity grid in the province of Ontario.

We have an incredible team at OPG that’s going to be building that BWRX-300, and, Mr. Speaker, the world is watching what’s happening in Canada’s clean-energy capital.

Already, 76,000 people work in our nuclear supply chain across the country. Almost all of them—about 65,000—right here in Ontario. This is a tremendous export opportunity for Ontario and for Canada.

The small modular reactor, as I say: The world is watching, and the world really is watching this project. Countries over in Europe and around the world are looking for energy autonomy, energy security, and this is the flexible form of electricity generation that’s clean that the world is looking for.

It confounds me, Mr. Speaker, that members opposite aren’t standing and applauding the work that is happening in Canada’s clean-energy capital with OPG in the Durham region. Stand with us and push for this project to be the success that it’s going to be.

The member opposite wants to shut down gas plants now. That would result in brownouts in our province—completely unacceptable. The Independent Electricity System Operator has also told us that it would increase electricity bills by $100 a month. That is unacceptable to our government, and it’s unacceptable to the people of the province of Ontario.

We saw a glimpse of their energy policy a couple of weeks ago, when the member from Ottawa Centre ran extension cords across the bridge from Ottawa to Gatineau. That’s a look at what we could expect—God forbid—if an NDP government was ever in charge of our energy supply. We simply can’t have that unpredictability. We have to have a reliable and affordable system.

Every single day, I’m working to ensure that our system is clean and safe, that it offers choice, and that it is reliable and affordable, so we can see the growth we need in our province.

Thanks to the member opposite for the question.

As Minister of Energy, my top priority is to ensure that we have a reliable and clean electricity grid that meets the needs of everyone across Ontario, especially in remote communities.

The member is right that there are still some remote fly-in communities that are operating on diesel generators. That’s expensive, it’s not good for the environment, and it doesn’t allow for growth in new homes and an expansion to be built in these communities.

That’s why it was really important last week that I joined my friend and colleague the MPP from Kiiwetinoong in Kingfisher Lake, his home community, with many of his family members. It was a tremendous day, as we lit up that community to the provincial grid, thanks to the Wataynikaneyap power project, which is a tremendous project—it’s known as the line that brings light. I would add that it’s the line that brings hope as well.

It’s pretty rich coming from the member opposite—to talk about affordability in the energy sector, when his own party believes that we should get rid of natural gas, a base-load power supply. And that member, in particular, is not supportive of nuclear, which provides 60% of our base load power in the province every day. Each and every day, my job as the Minister of Energy is to ensure that we have an affordable and reliable supply of electricity in the province. The Independent Electricity System Operator has advised us that if we were to remove natural gas from the system, we would have blackouts and brownouts. Is that what this member wants? It’s certainly not what this government wants or what the people of Ontario need.

We’re seeing record investments in our province because we now have a reliable and affordable electricity grid in Ontario—one that is competitive with other jurisdictions—and we’re seeing the results with multi-billion dollar investments here in Ontario.

My colleague the Minister of Agriculture introduced Clint Thomas, who is a wily veteran from the back halls here at Queen’s Park, but I’d like to welcome all of the members of Canada’s Canadian Nuclear Association to Queen’s Park today. They do have a reception in 228 and 230 later this afternoon.

I’d like to welcome a couple of good friends of mine from Belleville—very good friends: Mitch and Lisa Panciuk. Welcome to Queen’s Park.