Tuesday, November 3, 2026

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This is the Ontario Parliament Television Network.

Speaker 02

Good morning, everyone.

Speaker 03

Good morning.

Speaker 02

Let us pray. Oh, God, our Heavenly Father, we come before you this day asking your blessing upon His Gracious Majesty King Charles III and upon his representative in this province. Give to each member of this legislature-

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a strong and abiding sense of the great responsibilities laid upon us. Guide us here in our deliberations. Give us a deep and thorough understanding of the needs of the people we serve. Help us to use power wisely and well. Inspire us to decisions which establish and maintain a land of prosperity and righteousness, where freedom prevails and where justice rules. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The House met at 0900.

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The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly)

Good morning, everyone. Let us pray.

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Prayers.

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The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly)

You may be seated.

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Resuming the debate adjourned on November 2, 2026, on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

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Bill 143, An Act to implement Budget measures and to enact and amend various statutes / Projet de loi 143, Loi visant à mettre en oeuvre les mesures budgétaires et à édicter et à modifier diverses lois.

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The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly)

Further debate? I recognize the member for Don Valley West.

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Ms. Stephanie Bowman

Good morning, Speaker. It’s an honour to rise today to continue the debate on Bill 143. Speaker, I’ll carry on from where I started last night and just say that, again, the fall economic statement shows very little for families who are struggling during this affordability crisis—very little progress on jobs, and in fact a decrease in the number of jobs that the government expects in the coming year. So the statement just does not meet the moment. It’s another example of this Conservative government’s “more talk than action.” The statement purports to protect Ontario, but when you get past the words and get into the numbers, there are so many inconsistencies. The failing Ford Conservative government is trying to use tariffs that have been in place for a year and a half to justify the six earlier years of missed housing targets, rising debt, infrastructure cost overruns, and a structural deficit that still has not been eliminated despite their many years of promising to do just that. We’ve all seen the videos of the Premier saying that he was glad his preferred presidential candidate won, and we know that he called an expensive early election on that basis, trying to say that it was time to protect Ontario. It does make me wonder what he thought he was doing in the years before that, because certainly the challenges that this government has faced in our economy and in the finances started long before US tariffs. They said that they needed to spend billions of dollars in new money to protect us. But guess what? They’ve not spent anything close to that. And we can see from the public accounts, the fall economic statement, what’s really going on there. They talk about workers, and yet they’re projecting fewer new jobs. Job creation in 2026 has been revised down a total of 13,000 over the course of the outlook. Compared to the budget, projected job creation has been reduced by 8,000 jobs in 2026 and another 8,000 in 2027. So that’s not a promising outlook for workers here in Ontario who are worried about their futures, worried about the crumbling public services that they’re dealing with in education and health care and beyond. Speaker, the protecting Ontario economy—is again more talk than action. We see weaker growth in GDP and less investment. GDP forecasts are weaker. The GDP forecast for 2026 has been cut from 1% in the budget just six months ago to 0.5% in the fall economic statement. The government continues to present the Ontario Together Trade Fund as a response to the economic uncertainty and supply chain challenges, but according to the public accounts referenced in the fall economic statement, actual spending to date in that program is only $4.84 million. That will not do much to protect Ontario and the workers who are struggling. Just last week, I visited the United Steelworkers in Kingston and talked to them about the layoffs that they’ve experienced recently at one of the plants that has been affected by the aluminum tariffs. There’s no plan for help there—no plan for the plant, no plan for the workers. It really does beg the question: What are they talking about when they say they are protecting Ontario? Speaker, let’s talk about housing starts, housing affordability. Housing affordability is getting worse because housing starts are going down; they’re down 15,000 from the projection just six months ago. Fewer homes are being built than projected in the 2026 budget. Housing start projections have been revised downward in every year of the forecast, from 70,000 to 65,000 in 2027 and from 76,000 to 72,000 in 2028. That amounts, in total, to about 15,000 fewer housing starts over the medium term, at a time when Ontario is already facing a severe housing shortage. Fewer homes coming online means the gap between supply and demand will remain wider for longer, and that puts continued pressure on affordability for buyers and renters alike. Just this weekend, I heard from a constituent who talked about the importance of having homes that are actually affordable. She said, “And who defines affordable? A two-bedroom apartment in my building was advertised at just under $3,000 a month. That’s $36,000 annually. At the conventional 30% affordability threshold, it requires an income of $120,000. And what about single people living in Toronto? The financial burden of maintaining a household on one income is real. Our housing policies must recognize it.” Speaker, you cannot claim to be solving a housing crisis while projecting fewer homes and less supporting infrastructure. Let’s move to that: infrastructure—again, a lot of talk about helping municipalities build homes, yet infrastructure funding is collapsing. The infrastructure program investments fall from $1.2 billion to $600 million next year. And municipalities continue to hear they’re partners, but municipal infrastructure funding projections tell a different story. Spending in this category is down 50%. So the government talks about historic infrastructure investments, yet infrastructure spending will be declining over the next few years. Total infrastructure spending is projected to fall from $36 billion this year to $35 billion the following year and $27 billion the year after that. The 10-year capital plan? It would total 16.8% as a share of GDP in 2025. The 10-year plan was larger, actually, under the previous Liberal government. The capital plan is financed with debt, and the finance minister likes to call that “good debt.” But the amount of good debt has grown to 15% as a share of GDP since the Conservatives took office, and good debt has averaged 14.8% as a share. So the reality is that the government is not setting any new precedents compared with previous governments. This is not historic infrastructure spending. But there is historic waste in this government. I’ve added up about $18 billion in waste. Certainly, things like the Beer Store deal; using private, for-profit staffing agencies for nurses; the redevelopment of Ontario Place and the Ontario Science Centre; and of course we’ve got the Skills Development Fund, billions of dollars in money that—the Auditor General called the process not fair, not transparent, not accountable. We’ve got the management of personal protective equipment, masks that expired—$1.4 billion. That’s from the Auditor General. And then, of course, we have the Ottawa Hospital, which, again—it’s kind of shocking: $2.8 billion was the plan, and the minister just kind of dropped the “oh, by the way, it’s now $10 billion.” Speaker, I think we should be stopping the presses. What happened with that project? What is going on that this government almost quadrupled the size of the project? We’re still only getting one hospital, and of course, it’s a needed hospital, and the Ottawa community will be happy when it’s done. But I think the public deserves some answers on how the project went from $2.8 billion to $10 billion overnight. What is happening with the procurement and the contracts? It’s not just COVID costs. The government likes to find any excuse for their mismanagement, but this has to be acknowledged for what it is: It’s mismanagement. The Premier talks about being a businessman. If he was the CEO of a company that had a project that went from $2.8 billion to $10 billion, I don’t think he’d be the CEO the next day. He needs to acknowledge that this government is mismanaging public dollars, and I think it will go down as the government that has wasted the most money in Ontario history. Speaker, we’ve also got the federal government working very hard on infrastructure projects across the country. I think there was a list of about 140 projects. There was a summit, in fact, right here in Toronto this past summer, where leaders from across the country, from industry, came together and talked about infrastructure and how to support the Canadian economy, and of course that includes the Ontario economy. But it’s kind of like Ontario was absent. The Premier’s submission for major projects—a fantasy tunnel under the 401. And guess what? It was declined because there’s no substance to it. It’s just a fantasy. How about putting together a solid plan and vision for what infrastructure in Ontario should look like? Where do we need new highways? How about a 400-series highway in the north? Instead of just widening, let’s actually talk about a 400-series kind of highway that connects southern Ontario to northern Ontario to western Canada. Let’s talk about what infrastructure would actually change the game here in Ontario. I don’t hear that being talked about at all. In fact, the business leaders, the pension funds, the money managers in this country are saying, “Where is Ontario? Bring us some projects.” It’s just not happening. The government needs to shake its head and get its act together when it comes to getting Ontario’s fair share of the infrastructure funding that is available both from the federal government and from those with capital. It’s just not happening, and we need to make sure that gets addressed. Speaker, let’s come back to the Canada Investment Summit. The Premier was hoping that he would attract billions with his deal book but the province, again, as I said, was notably absent from the national list. So we need to remind the Premier, we need to remind the finance minister, we need to remind the economic development and trade minister that a fantasy tunnel under the 401 is just not going to cut it. They need to actually think about some real projects that will help Ontario build a stronger economy. Speaker, let me give an example that I think everyone can relate to, and that’s tourism. We have a beautiful province here in Ontario. I’m sure everyone can highlight things in their ridings that they think other people should come and see. Certainly, I’ve talked about things like the Toronto Botanical Garden and Edwards Gardens in my riding. They’re just stunning. We know that the tourism industry has actually said, “Please, would you give us about $15 million for us to do an ad campaign?” That will help keep us on par with other provinces who are doing so and attracting visitors. The tourism industry here in Ontario is also made up of many small businesses, and we know that more small businesses are closing in Ontario than opening their doors. So investing a little bit of money in tourism advertising would go a lot further than self-promoting ads about how great this government is doing, when it’s just not true, as I’ve said. We’ve got slowing GDP growth. We’ve got fewer jobs, fewer houses being built. We don’t need ads to brag about those failures. We need ads that actually help pump up and build up Ontario. Let’s talk about Ontario to the world, to the rest of Canada and make sure that we are supporting our tourism sector, because it brings great jobs to the province, in particular for young people. Summer is a beautiful time here in the province, and many visitors come during that time of year to experience our natural beauty. Young people often get those jobs. Sometimes it’s their first job to go work in a—I visited a rafting company this past summer, on the Ottawa River. They provide great opportunities for jobs, and they are doing well despite the lack of government support and advertising. But think about what these industries could do with a little bit more support, with an actual plan for how we make sure that we are building up Ontario’s tourism sector and supporting the jobs that come with it. Speaker, let me move to innovation. The government talks about life sciences as one of Ontario’s most important innovation sectors. The fall economic statement highlights the province’s strengths in medical technology, pharmaceuticals, biotech and health research, but what is missing is any significant new funding commitments attached to those announcements—so, again, a lot of words but not a lot of action.

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Ms. Stephanie Bowman

I want to use another example of a company that, sadly, recently failed here in Ontario. It’s a company called Synaptive, which had done some great, innovative work here in Ontario, operated here in Ontario and was a leading innovator in its field, in medical imaging. They were globally recognized as a leader, but it’s so hard to sell here in Ontario. Hospital procurement—the founder talked about how, to sell 10 machines in Ontario, he has to sell to 10 different hospitals. That, of course, is costly; it takes time and means that his margins are smaller. He said that if he goes to the US, he could sell 10 machines in one call. Certainly, he is not supporting private medicine, private health care, like this government is. He wants to be here in Ontario. He wants to operate here in Ontario, employ people here in Ontario. But given the nature of health care procurement in this province, he found it very hard to survive, so he did end up focusing or certainly doing a good chunk of his sales in the US. But after the start of US tariffs, the company went into creditor protection and it was sold. It’s really a tragedy. If you think about innovators who want to build their companies here in Ontario, they need a little bit of support. These companies will say that a government contract is worth more than a government grant. How can we help those companies? By giving them our business, by making sure that we are making it easy to do business here in Ontario. I think those are some of the things that we need to focus on. If we look at how we’re supporting those most vulnerable, spending numbers show very little growth. The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services spending is rising by only $20 million year over year—basically flat in a budget of tens of billions, hundreds of billions. With inflation, population growth and increased demand for services, that kind of increase just doesn’t cut it. It basically means there will be a reduction in supports, in actual services. Again, the government’s words talk about helping people, but the numbers show that they’re really not going to be able to do that. In education, one of the core services that our province provides, projected spending is down by nearly $300 million compared to the previous outlook. That reduction affects our kids every day. I visit schools in my riding, and they’re so discouraged when they talk about the number of educational assistants they have. They’ll say, “Well, last year, we had two, and this year we’ve been told we’ll have 1.5,” or “Last year, we had 1.5; it’s getting cut to one.” We know that with the mental health challenges and the learning loss that did occur during COVID, our kids need some extra support right now. We should be investing in those kids, and that, of course, takes money. The government gave out cheques, post-pandemic, to parents, notionally for learning loss during COVID—a couple hundred dollars for tutoring—but that might buy, what, two, maybe three sessions? That’s not going to cover the learning loss that occurred. That money added up to $350 million two years in a row, and the government borrowed that money. I want to just highlight to people—I kind of joke with them, “If you get a cheque from this government for $200, be prepared to give them back a cheque for $340,” because that’s what it costs with interest. The average term for borrowing is about 15 years under this government. Do the math. Calculate the interest rate—basically, get a cheque for $200, write me a cheque for $340. This math just doesn’t add up. Of course, we’ve got Ontario colleges and universities continuing to face financial pressure. We’ve got students struggling—those who are waiting for their OSAP funding, their OSAP loans from the private career colleges. I just need to talk again about the historic waste of this government, and the latest private career college scandal is another example. Hundreds of millions of dollars went out the door when this government’s system should have detected that—this is what the minister is not highlighting when he tries to defend what actions the government is taking now. The system should have identified, “Hey, we’ve got a problem here with all these applications coming from one IP address.” The system should have been ringing alarm bells. Either the system was broken and it wasn’t ringing alarm bells, or they ignored the alarm bells and kept the money flowing. Either way, we’re not getting that money back. It has gone to fraudsters, potentially hundreds or thousands. How is this government going to get that money back? Time will tell. We will get the numbers eventually, but it’s hundreds of millions of dollars that we have just lost because of this government’s incompetence. These things need to be called out. We need to make sure we are taking action. Certainly, the minister needs to resign, at a minimum, and somebody who’s competent needs to get in there and fix the problem. And we need to make sure that the students whose lives are being put on hold get the money they need. I talked to a young woman who’s working in the trades. One of the great things that we want to do in this province is get people in the trades and, in particular, get more women in the trades. This young woman is in a plumbing apprentice program, and she’s waiting to get into her college. And guess what? There aren’t enough spots. She applied when she got the call to apply for her semester of training. She got her application in within seven minutes, and she didn’t get a spot. Guess what? Now she has to wait until at least March of next year to have another chance to get her training done. What that does is prevent her from getting to the next level of earning. She can’t reach her full licensing status without those courses, and her courses are delayed because of insignificant funding to the colleges. So the spots are just not available. I also want to talk about agriculture in the time I have left. The government talks about food security, but we know that total spending for the agriculture sector is projected to decline—so, again, lots of words but no action. We’ve got some particular sectors of the agriculture and agri-food industry that are facing some real challenges. Eight greenhouse operators came forward with a problem that threatens the industry, and the response has been years of inaction. I visited some of these greenhouses this past summer, down in the Leamington area, and they’re doing an amazing job of bringing innovative technology, trying to grow food more effectively using technology and greenhouses to grow it for longer seasons. We all get our tomatoes and peppers—we love to buy those grown here in Ontario, and these producers want to do that. They want to supply Ontarians with that fresh produce. They signed Combined Heat and Power Standard Offer Program—CHPSOP—contracts. They made substantial investments; they were encouraged to by the province’s energy planning framework. According to the people who have signed this, they worked for years with the agriculture and energy ministries to seek a solution as the IESO’s Market Renewal Program fundamentally changed the economics of these contracts. Let me just get into that for a minute. They continue to have these conversations, but they’re stuck in limbo. They’ve got no member of the CHPSOP group that has signed the proposed Market Renewal Program amendments that operators have spent more than a year seeking a solution to without any success. The consequences extend well beyond the balance sheets of just a handful of greenhouse businesses. These operations were built to produce food, create jobs and contribute to Ontario’s food security. Instead, growers say they’re being forced to subsidize the energy systems they were encouraged to build. Greenhouse operators are now operating on extremely thin margins, sometimes at a loss—we know that can’t go on forever; these businesses can’t operate at a loss indefinitely—and financing and loan repayment obligations are increasingly at risk. They warn that some operators may ultimately be forced to shut down or sell their greenhouse operations simply to service the CHPSOP-related debt. One grower described investing roughly $20 million in the project and said that had he known this would be the outcome, he would have invested instead in expanding greenhouse production. That really captures the problem perfectly. This incompetent government talks about strengthening Ontario’s food supply, but its actions have left food producers wondering whether the investments they made in good faith will be allowed to succeed. And it’s not just about making a profit. The growers argue that the current framework requires them to operate under unrealistic assumptions, penalizes facilities when maintenance is required, and leaves little room to absorb unexpected equipment failure or a catastrophic event. CHPSOP facilities are deemed to operate under a virtual power plant model that does not reflect actual operating costs, and operators can be required to run extensive hours with limited downtime for maintenance. The government says it cares about food security. It says it supports Ontario agriculture. It says it wants reliable energy and economic growth. But when greenhouse growers tell the government they’re struggling to stay financially viable under a provincially administered program, when years of discussions produce no solution, when businesses that help feed Ontarians are left carrying the burden, the gap between what this government says and what it does becomes impossible to ignore. Food security is not protected through press releases; it’s protected by ensuring the growers who produce our food can remain in business. Speaker, with that, I’m going to close my remarks. I want to thank those who provided input to me for my debate today. There are many issues that we’re facing here in Ontario, and the government needs to do more to make sure that Ontario’s economy remains strong for workers and families across this province.

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

I recognize the member from Beaches–East York.

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Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon

It’s always a pleasure to rise in this House and represent the very good people of beautiful Beaches–East York—today, as we discuss Bill 143, the financial and economic statement. Yesterday, the government stated that no country anywhere is immune to global uncertainty. While there is some truth to that, a good government is proactive. They listen to their constituents, and they hear from them what they need for a better quality of life. Ontario will not be forced into complacency; we will demand better. For years and years, this government has been warned of many things: —the dangers of relying on waste exports to manage garbage; —the growing Ontario Autism Program wait-list; —an increasingly severe health care crisis; —more and more mental health struggles in our schools; and —record highs in homelessness. Yet they did nothing, and they have failed to plan for any of this in their budgets—any budget. There is a clear juxtaposition between the things that this government spends tax dollars on and the things they claim they do not have funds for. I thought it would be enlightening to explore what this government is willing to go into a $16.9-billion deficit for: —$48 million—just chump change, really—to remove the bike lanes in Toronto, which does nothing for anyone, quite frankly. But for anyone in northern Ontario, western Ontario, southern Ontario, it’s a colossal waste of money. Removing infrastructure that has been proven to save lives, while engineering, health care and legal experts all have advised against it—$48 million, just toss it out the window; —$240,000, the extra cost to taxpayers for the blue licence plates; —$4.3 million to settle legal costs of Bill 124 cases. This was the bill—there have been so many bills rammed down our throats—that restricted salary increases for public sector workers at 1% for three years. This government chose to cap wages of 650,000 public sector workers; notably, workers in hospitals, universities, colleges, long-term-care homes, children’s aid societies, and more—key areas that matter. This government went after Ontario’s essential workers. That shows how little they value equitable health care and the well-being of nurses and other hospital workers; —$210 million for alternative speeding measures. Have we seen them? Is a little bit of paint on the road going to save lives after they chose to remove a measure that was working well—speed cameras—because they claimed it was a cash grab? Don’t worry about your lives, pedestrians, because that’s a cash grab; it’s more important. We’ve seen how that removal of the speed cameras has played out. You just have to look at Parkside Drive to see how devastating the effect has been, and on many other streets; —$112 million on advertising for themselves: There was millions of dollars for no one’s benefit but their own. Personally, I believe if you have good policies, they should stand on their own. You wouldn’t have to resort to bragging—I would not even say humble bragging, because you just brag outright about yourselves; —$850,000 to pay back to communities due to lost staff time and legal and consulting fees after—remember that?—the greenbelt scandal: I know; there have been a lot of scandals, so it’s kind of hard to keep track of them, but I’ll remind you; —$742 million wasted in Skills Development Fund money doled out to poorly ranked applicants. It’s the only time in your life that if you did poorly, you would succeed—including the ever-infamous strip club that received $10.8 million for skills development and staff training. But when it comes to life-saving care for cancer patients through out-of-country and exceptional access programs, they deem it time to close the purse strings. Planned health care spending is $500 million lower than the spring budget—in a health care crisis. When students need OSAP grants, or in the case of private career college students needing OSAP, period, the government orders them to not take basket-weaving courses—a.k.a., don’t follow your passion. Post-secondary spending is $100 million lower than in the last budget. The ways that this government spends taxpayers’ dollars perfectly illustrates where their priorities lie. Donors will always come first with this government. Right in beautiful Beaches–East York, which I’m always happy to bring you to—there’s a time when you can brag, brag about your residents in your area—there are so many projects we need funding for. Michael Garron Hospital phase 2—I’ve been screaming it to the rooftops in here, to no avail. Michael Garron Hospital has delivered quality and crucial care to more than 400,000 people from over 20 distinct neighbourhoods. It has the fastest-growing emergency department in the GTA and the second-highest growth rate amongst hospitals in the region. Despite being designed to see only 60,000 people per year, its emergency department volume has exceeded 100,000 patients. This is insane. With the influx of more than 135,000 residents to east Toronto over the course of the next five years, this is only slated to worsen. And it requires the sign-off of phase 2 for the campus redevelopment, which I have asked for repeatedly for the last four years. And what did the Minister of Health do? She smirked in her answer—not only that, she had to draw a smirky face. So we obviously know how much health care is important to this government. They take it as a joke. We have the Secord Elementary School rebuild. It’s going to grow by nearly 900 students in fewer than 10 years. It was meant to accommodate 591 students and is currently serving 800 students in temporary spaces. As you know, because I’ve spoken to you about it, it has the largest portable system in the country. And do you know where new immigrants come to Canada? A lot of them come to Toronto, and to the Main and Danforth area. They come to Secord Elementary School, and that is the greeting we give them—a dilapidated school that you won’t fix? But, hey, a strip club gets $10.8 million. So don’t worry, kids, you can just study in that portable system for years. Main Square community centre is—when we’re building housing, it’s great—on a mobility hub at Main and Danforth, which is one of the biggest mobility hubs outside Union Station; you should know that. So I’m all for density, absolutely, especially in a mobility transit area, but you need to build around it. You need to invest in the schools. You need to invest in the community centre that is teeny tiny and has the tiniest pool and space for people. I would love some money to put back in the TTC express bus to downtown in the Beach, to whip people downtown, take cars off the road and deal with the number one thing you care about, supposedly: cars, traffic, congestion—no bike lanes there, but you can definitely get the express bus back. Waterfront improvements: We’re lucky to live on a Great Lake. Ashbridges Bay Park is listed as a high priority for major maintenance, with erosion mitigation. I would take some money there. Coxwell Barns: a massive public property that we could redevelop and reimagine, with housing, an arts centre and the like. I’m realizing that I’m running out of time, so I’m going to leave it there, other than just saying that all in all, this financial economic statement is a fail.

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

I recognize the member from Don Valley East.

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Mr. Adil Shamji

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me this opportunity to speak to last week’s economic statement—essentially, a report on the financial vital signs of the province of Ontario. As I reflect on what we heard from our failing and flailing finance minister, I can’t help but admit that my diagnosis on this fall economic statement is that our province and our province’s fiscal state is an entire disaster. Just take a moment to reflect on all of this. This finance minister and his Premier have set us on a path to a greater-than-half-a-trillion-dollar deficit. This finance minister and his failing Premier have set us on a path that has no credible path to balance. Of course, every successive budget and fall economic statement says that there’s a path to balance, and every successive fall economic statement and budget says that point of balance is farther and farther down the road. This finance minister just keeps kicking the can down the road, and that’s not what Ontarians deserve. But to me, what was truly most offensive in what we saw in this budget is that the amount of interest that we are going to pay to service Ontario’s debt—which has increased under this Premier’s watch—is $17.4 billion this year. To put that in perspective, that is $47 million spent on interest alone every single day—more than $500 a second. The Premier says that he will always cut taxes. But the reality is that no Premier in Ontario’s history has collected as much tax as this one. There is a world in which it can be said that a government collects taxes so that it can deliver services to those Ontarians. In light of that, I pay taxes every year. I think I pay too many taxes every year, certainly under this Premier. And if I am a taxpayer, as are over 100,000 of my constituents, you can bet that we want to see some results for those investments that we are making in our provincial government. And what do we have to show for it? I’m going to break it down into a few policy domains and make the argument, which is not very difficult to make at all, that the $47 million a day that’s spent merely on servicing interest, let alone all of the other funds that are getting washed down the toilet, isn’t delivering on the things that Ontarians want. For example, we need housing in this province. Yet, for the last more than eight years under this Premier, we have lived in a housing market failure. Housing starts continue to plummet. This government continues to fail on its promise of delivering 1.5 million homes by 2031. They won’t even utter the statement anymore. The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing now even goes so far as to say that he’s not focused on delivering 1.5 million homes. Certainly, the proof is in the pudding, because every fall economic statement and budget shows that the projections are going to be lower, that the targets are just kicked down the road, and that we’re not going to get the housing that Ontarians need and deserve and are paying for with their taxes. Housing starts are at an astronomical low. This government very reluctantly introduced an HST rebate for new primary residences, at the prolonged and extended encouragement of myself and the rest of us in the Ontario Liberal caucus. Even after the government did that—far too little, too late—it took them about four months to get the program kick-started. It’s set to expire in a few months, and this fall economic statement shows no indication that it’s going to be renewed, yet again condemning us to poor housing starts and a perpetuated housing market failure. One could say that maybe people will rent or there are some other initiatives, but the Financial Accountability Office reminds us that, under this government, homelessness is projected to go up. The final common pathway when a government fails on delivering on housing is, we end up with homelessness. That is projected to go up. One would imagine that, in a fall economic statement, a Premier who claims to be concerned about homelessness, who says he’s got so much to do around protecting encampments, would have something to offer on that. The only thing that he has to offer on that is cutting a quarter of a billion dollars in homelessness prevention programs. That is simply unacceptable, especially when he’s committing us to another $17.4 billion in interest and yet another $17-billion deficit for this year. In health care, again, what do we have to see for this reckless spending? None of the things that people are looking for. The majority of hospitals in Ontario are in deficit. Allow me to give you some examples. We know that SickKids, just down the street from us—declared, I believe, the number one pediatric hospital in the world—is posting a $73-million deficit this year. But imagine this: If we just spent a day and a half’s worth of interest payments, we could eliminate that deficit. Kingston Health Sciences Centre—$38-million deficit. Lakeridge Health—$41-million deficit. Trillium Health Partners—$65-million deficit. If we were more responsible with our borrowing, if we weren’t increasing our debt and our deficit in the reckless way that we are seeing under this Premier, these hospital deficits could be eliminated in literally one day, for each hospital. Our hospitals are trying to deliver exceptional, world-class care with their hands tied behind their back. They’re firing nurses left, right and centre. My office has tracked about 1,800 current or planned terminations. The Financial Accountability Office projects another 2,500 nurses fired by 2029 and something like 2,400 beds cut by 2029—again, despite reckless spending by this government. There’s no health care worker retention plan, wait times are up, and hallway health care is at an astronomical new high, despite the government’s promise that they would eliminate hallway health care. Education is in shambles. This government has failed to deliver on $10-a-day child care; it isn’t even close to that. It can’t even deliver on the seats that it has promised. It can’t even deliver on getting close to $10-a-day—I think we’re at $20-a-day. Small business confidence continues to be at an all-time low. I want to be crystal clear on something: There are those who would argue that with the amount that this government is spending, there isn’t much money left to be able to invest in these things. Well, this is ultimately a question of priorities. This government and, particularly, this Premier have always shown that when forced to choose between his own priorities and the priorities of Ontarians, he always chooses his own. He could have chosen to invest in health care and housing. Instead, he chose to try to invest in a private jet. He’s busy trying to build a tunnel under the 401, and despite the fact that initial plans have said that this is a terrible idea, he’s investing more money to get the feasibility studies to try to prove his case. He’s committed to a tunnel under the 401. He’s committed to relocating the Ontario Science Centre, which is entirely unnecessary. He spent $1.9 billion moving alcohol into convenience stores one year early. There was close to a billion dollars paid out to private career colleges, despite the government being warned about that for over three years—and there were billions to buddies of the Premier, with the Skills Development Fund. There are members of this very House on the government side spending reckless amounts of money on luxury hotel stays despite living mere kilometres away from our Legislature. There’s the Ontario Place scam, where a company literally misrepresented its credentials to secure a contract with the Ontario government and then was outed afterwards for not having any of the experience or potential that it promised that it had. It’s one thing after another. At the same time that we are spending recklessly, there are things that could be done that don’t require spending any money at all, that could get our province back on track. We could implement a health care worker retention plan. Bill 133, the Health Care HEROES Act, which I have introduced and will be debating on November 17, provides a pathway to keeping the health care workers we have without spending a single penny. There are many regulatory reforms that could be implemented. We’re still waiting on the implementation of all the Housing Affordability Task Force recommendations. I could go on and on and on, but I see my good friend here, the member from Ottawa South, is champing at the bit. He wants to get his words in here as well. I will just end by saying that this is ultimately a question of optics versus outcomes. This government will never hesitate to grandstand, to hold a press conference, to try to parade a novelty cheque in front of Ontarians. But when the rubber hits the pavement, this government always fails to deliver on the things that Ontarians care about. This has been the track record for more than the last eight years, and it certainly was the track record when the Minister of Finance delivered his fall economic statement last week. With that, I give the rest of my time to the spectacular member from Ottawa South.

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

I recognize the member from Ottawa South.

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Mr. John Fraser

I want to begin by quoting my colleague from Don Valley West. “Never has a government spent so much”—never has a government borrowed so much, never has a government incurred so much debt—“to deliver so little.” It is absolutely incredible. This is the worst fiscal management by any government in Ontario ever. All you have to do is look to things like how you’re 50% more likely to be in a hallway in a hospital than you were in 2018. Your kids’ classes are going to be bigger, and they’re going to get less help. At the same time this is happening, the Premier’s office went from about $2.3 million or $2.4 million a year to $8 million a year—almost quadrupling in eight years. The guy who was going to stop the gravy train loaded it up. Then, if you look at ministers’ offices—they went from $34 million to $82 million in that same period of time. That’s incredible. But the things that Ontario families count on, like having a bed in a room in a hospital, aren’t there. A classroom that’s the right size so their child gets the kind of education that they deserve—it’s not there. And every member here knows the story of someone who was cut off from their OSAP loan—seven weeks into school, this government got caught trying to cover it up, and they cut off all these people. And yet, the finance minister is making like everything is fine. I don’t know if people heard this in question period yesterday, and I’m not quite sure exactly what the minister said—I have to check Hansard, but I’m confident I heard him say that the deficit was an “itsy-bitsy deficit.” That’s what he said in response to a question: that $16.9 billion is an itsy-bitsy deficit. Folks, that pays for a lot of stuff. It’s not itsy-bitsy. The fall economic statement is about priorities, and it’s very clear what this government’s priorities are. Look back to last winter. The Premier was busy picking out the leather for his luxury private jet until we all found out, and then they stopped it. But do you know what? What was really interesting is, the Premier said, “I deserve it.” Even after he gave it back, he said, “I deserve it. I deserve to have that.” This is a government that’s living high on the hog. It’s unbelievable, the spending in ministers’ offices, the spending in the Premier’s office. And then you come here and you say, “We’re ready to fight the Trump tariffs. We’re ready to fight the Trump tariffs with Protect Ontario ads.” You basically spent about as much money, a bit more than $117 million that you spent on Protect Ontario ads, as out of the Protect Ontario fund to give to businesses last year—as much money on ads as you gave in support. And what do these ads do? These ads tell us how good things are; how you’re redeveloping, building infrastructure; what a good job the government is doing. The only good ad I saw was on last night, encouraging people to go to Remembrance Day ceremonies. That’s a good ad. Telling people to get flu shots: That’s a good ad—not touting the accomplishments of the government; not telling people that life is easier, that somehow you’ve made it easier for them, because that’s not the way it feels. Life shouldn’t be harder for people. They shouldn’t have to wait longer for surgery. They shouldn’t have to wonder whether their kid’s class size is going to be too big for them. It’s a question of priorities. And when you go out and spend $117 million on stuff that promotes you, people have got to ask themselves, “Are they really looking out for me?”—and it’s clear that the government isn’t. I know that we always get a picture of cranes or some piece of infrastructure—but here’s the thing: What’s the point in building a new hospital if what’s working inside hospitals isn’t working; if people are 50% more likely to be in a hallway than they were in 2018? When they are waiting longer in emergency rooms, when they are waiting longer for surgeries, when they are waiting longer for diagnostics, what is the point? The point of building the hospital is to make sure that people get the care that they need. The point of building a school is to make sure that kids get what they need to be successful. And do you know the amazing thing about those two things? They’re not just nice things to do—they’re not just because we want to be good to each other, which is important. It’s good for our economy. There seems to be a failure to understand over there that the most important thing in a competitive global economy is people—highly skilled, highly trained, healthy people. That’s where the rubber hits the road. We look at our schools; we look at our hospitals; we look at what’s happening with post-secondary education, whether that’s at a college, a university, a career college, a trucking school—it’s unbelievable. It’s like this government doesn’t get it. And the fall economic statement—at some point, the Premier is going to have to stop blaming Trump for everything. I don’t like him. He’s an awful person. He’s awful for North America. But do you know what? He’s not responsible for most of these things I talked about; this government is responsible. You’re eight years in. You lost your way. I don’t even know if you ever had it.

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

Questions?

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Mr. Dave Smith

I appreciated listening to the hour lead from the Liberals on this. They did bring up some key interesting points, though. I’d like to take us back to August 2015, when the then health minister, Eric Hoskins, cut the number of medical residency positions by 50. My question for the opposition is, how many more doctors would we have today had the Liberals not made the foolish decision of cutting the number of physicians that Ontario trains?

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

I recognize the member from Don Valley East.

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Mr. Adil Shamji

We would have vastly more physicians today were it not for the fact that this government has created a health workforce crisis in our province. On any given day, we have doctors, nurses and PSWs leaving their professions, retiring early, restricting their practices because this government has implemented ruthless strategies that have contributed to moral injury and burnout, that have been deeply offensive to the health care workforce, and that fall squarely on the shoulders of this Premier and that Minister of Health. I really struggle to understand how that member can, with a straight face, stand up and profess to doing anything to support our health care system and our valiant nurses, doctors, PSWs, and other health care workers.

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

I recognize the member from Parkdale–High Park.

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MPP Alexa Gilmour

It’s always a pleasure to rise on behalf of the people of Parkdale–High Park. Speaker, did you see the news today? In 2022, one in 15 children in Toronto were relying on food banks to survive. Four years later, one in eight children is going hungry—one in eight children—4.1 million food bank visits just in Toronto. And at the heart of this growing need is unaffordable housing—some 82% live in unaffordable housing. After paying their housing costs, they have $8 left for food, for essentials, for laundry, for TTC, for clothing, for looking after their children. Eight dollars a day—that’s all they’ve got. We need a public builder. We need a plan like the NDP’s Homes Ontario plan—but this government continues to focus on building luxury. So I want to know, why does this government refuse to hear and answer the cries of hungry children?

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

I recognize the member from Beaches–East York.

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Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon

Thank you very much to the fine member from Parkdale–High Park for that fabulous question. I think that’s what Ontarians are asking—where is the priority of this government? I already spoke about the juxtaposition of how this government has no money for things that matter desperately to Ontarians, yet they have money for frivolous things, ridiculous things we don’t need: as I mentioned, $10.8 million to a strip club for skills development—just explain that to your constituents; $27 million to a nightclub for skills development; $48 million to rip out bike lanes that save lives. The fetish and obsession with downtown Toronto is obscene—we know, because this Premier is acting like the mayor of Toronto. But the priorities need to be there for the people of Ontario.

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

I recognize the member for Ottawa–Vanier.

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Mme Lucille Collard

I’m going to direct my question to my colleague from Ottawa South. I know you had so much more that you wanted to say in such limited time. You properly indicated that the FES is about priorities of the government. The government has been plagued with scandal after scandal. It is wasting public money. But, obviously, the priorities that this government is setting are failing people in Ontario. Can you tell us more about who those people are that this government has been failing again and again?

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Mr. John Fraser

Thank you to the member from Ottawa–Vanier. We’ve been talking a lot about OSAP. These are honest, hard-working people who you said you’d back for a loan—they’re going back to school. They have kids. The loan is going to help them go to school. It’s going to pay for food. It’s going to pay for rent. They have maybe left their job. And you pulled the rug out from underneath them. That’s one thing that’s wrong, that shouldn’t be happening. We have classrooms that are too big. And what happens because of the way that the Ministry of Education has organized things is, more often than not, kids with exceptional needs aren’t having those needs met. And we’re not even addressing the challenges with mental health in our schools. We’re spending $600 million less in education. How is that going to make things better—and $500 million in health?

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

Further questions?

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Mr. Lorne Coe

Speaker, an otherwise successful business in Whitby can face serious cash pressures when tariffs disrupt their orders and supply chains. This question is directed to the member for Ottawa South. The Protect Ontario Financing Program provides up to $1 billion in working capital loans to eligible businesses, like Gerdau steel in the south part of my riding. Does the member from Ottawa South support this financing? What would the Liberal Party offer employers who need immediate support to maintain operations and, yes, protect jobs?

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Mr. John Fraser

I support it. I just wish you’d use it. You spent literally as much money as you did on Protect Ontario ads as you did for the business you’re talking about—to the member from Whitby. Why don’t you just use it, man? I know it’s so nice to be able to say, “We have a $5-billion fund.” You spent less than $150 million. Come on. Give me a break. Was that a real question? You didn’t spend any money. Interjections.

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

I will ask the House to come to order. I recognize the member from Windsor West.

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MPP Lisa Gretzky

It’s interesting; what I consistently hear from the government side is, “It’s not our fault.” They’re always blaming somebody else. Heck, they go back as far as 35, 40 years and blame a government before them. But I want to talk about the record of this government. Over one million Ontarians are using food banks. That’s up 165% over 2020—two years into this government. Feed Ontario says that 13,250 people accessed a food bank in my riding alone in 2025—that’s this government. Over 2,000 people per day are waiting in hospital hallways for health care. This government has made hallway health care worse. Speaker, we’ve lost Diageo, Titan Tool and Die. Workers at Windsor assembly plant—over 6,000 workers have been unexpectedly laid off for three weeks, with another week coming. We hear this government say they haven’t raised taxes, yet they’re downloading the costs onto municipalities that are struggling to pick up the—

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

Thank you. I recognize the member for Ottawa South.

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Mr. John Fraser

There’s nothing in here that’s going to address that. And even if they tell you that they’re going to have a $5-billion Protect Ontario fund, they’re not going to spend the money. We lost 20,000 jobs last month—that’s 20,000 families. And then, we read this morning about a young man, Aaron, who lost a job at Algoma Steel. He lives in Sault Ste. Marie and went back to be a paramedic—he was getting a Learn and Stay grant. Guess what? The government pulled the rug out from underneath him. Do you know what? Aaron has kids. That Learn and Stay grant was helping to feed them, helping to keep a roof over their head. And the government, through no fault of Aaron’s, just cut him off.

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

Questions?

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Ms. Laura Smith

Speaker, we’re creating generational infrastructure, not just for this generation, but the next. In the face of what’s happening south, and regardless, we need to keep working as a sovereign nation. In the face of the tariffs, now more than ever, we need to build in the sectors—critical minerals, life sciences, and agri-food. The road to the Ring of Fire just broke a few weeks ago. These are generational sectors that will build on Canada as a sovereign. Will the member not agree that we need to move in this critical fashion—

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

I recognize the member from Ottawa South.

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Mr. John Fraser

I know the government would like to blame Donald Trump for hallway heath care, for class sizes that are too big or kids who aren’t getting what they need in school—but it’s not Donald Trump; it’s this government. You’ve had eight years. You messed it up.

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

Further debate?

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Mr. Deepak Anand

I rise today to support Bill 143, Plan to Protect Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2026, and our government’s fall economic statement. Speaker, as always, I’ll start by thanking God for giving me the physical and mental health so that I can represent the residents of Mississauga–Malton. Thank you to the residents of Mississauga–Malton, my staff, my family, and the job creators, like Dr. Lisa Bentley, who’s here from Mississauga–Malton. Thank you to each one of you for always being there for each other. My remarks will focus on what the plan means in the everyday life of the people we represent: workers who want stability, families who want relief, young people who want opportunity, and seniors—those who took care of us—who want dignity. Speaker, as we all know, the world has changed. Whether it is global tension, whether it’s American tariffs, disrupted supply chains or rising costs—everything has made the future less predictable. I want to start by thanking the Minister of Finance and his wonderful parliamentary assistant for outlining the government’s plan and working hard to make sure we are ready for any challenge. These challenges may begin far beyond Ontario’s borders, but their consequences are felt every day at the kitchen tables and in the workplaces across our province. Behind every headline about a tariff is an employee wondering whether their job is secure. Behind every rise in costs is a parent deciding what their family should do, what they can afford this month. Behind every delayed investment is a young person, a new Canadian or an unemployed Ontarian hoping for a good job, a chance to prove themselves. In Mississauga–Malton, I hear these concerns from hard-working families, entrepreneurs, newcomers, students and seniors. And the message is straightforward: Protect what we have built, make life more affordable, and create real opportunities for the generations to come. That is what this bill is doing. We cannot control every event beyond our borders, but we can choose how Ontario responds. That is the purpose of this legislation, and that is the responsibility before us. I want to start by saying, an economy is not just a collection of statistics; it’s made of people who show up for work, businesses that make payroll, and families who depend on both. Since April 2025, Ontario has announced nearly $30 billion in tariff relief and support, including measures intended to build long-term economic resilience. People often ask, “Where is the money coming from?” I always tell them, “It is your money. Government doesn’t have a tree where it can grow the money. It is the money of our people. When we collect it, we can invest it back.” Ontario has worked with the federal government on nearly $9 billion in support for strategic industries, including automotive, steel, critical minerals, and energy. Where are we doing it? We’re doing it through the Ontario Together Fund, the Trade-Impacted Communities Program and the Protect Ontario Financing Program—all part of the same response. These programs are designed to help employers adapt to changing markets, manage financial pressures and protect employment. Consider a manufacturer facing a sudden change in orders—something like Downsview Kitchens in Mississauga–Malton. A delayed or reduced order can affect shift schedules; suppliers; trucking companies that supply their product, move their product; and families working there whose mortgage depends on that paycheque. That’s why the right support provided when it’s needed can help a company navigate uncertainty, rather than closing a door. We know this is a tough time, and a tough time is a test time; it is the time when we have to look and we have to protect what we have. Before we run or we walk, we need to crawl. That is why what we’re doing through this bill is, we’re making sure that training matters. We’re making sure, through $2 billion in training and reskilling support, that workers will continue to have opportunities to learn new skills and the technology that involves. Protecting Ontario means protecting people through change. I believe that every worker deserves the opportunity to keep contributing, whether they’re beginning a career, changing fields or returning to the workforce after time away. Speaker, immediate help is essential, but at the same time, long-term security also requires businesses to invest and innovate to grow. It’s a simple cycle: When we have companies investing into machinery, they’re building our new technology; they get better orders; they’re able to hire more people; and those people have the ability to contribute. That is why the fall economic statement proposes Ontario’s competitiveness tax cut, an important measure which would provide $8 billion in provincial tax relief for eligible capital investments by allowing immediate writeoffs on a wide range of assets, forcing the job creators to make it a priority to invest into the machinery. Together with the accelerated writeoff measures announced earlier, total provincial tax support for business investments would exceed $12 billion over five years—and it’s not just a number; it is a reason to grow and give back and do more. What matters is how these investments will create opportunities—a company buying modern equipment, a producer improving efficiency, a supplier becoming more competitive, an employer having the confidence to take on another worker. In Mississauga–Malton, that connection is especially very clear. In Mississauga–Malton, we have manufacturing, transportation, logistics, businesses linked to Pearson, and all depend on a reliable supply chain and the confidence to invest. When businesses can compete, families have stronger foundations. But we cannot invest and then bury them under avoidable delays. That is why this government believes in cutting red tape, streamlining permits and making it easier for job creators to operate across provincial borders. These are the practical steps we’re taking towards a stronger economy. A small business owner should be spending time serving customers and growing their business, not waiting endlessly for an answer. A company considering an expansion should have clear rules and a predictable process. And a skilled worker should be able to see new opportunities opening up every single day in our Ontario. That is what this bill is doing. Economic growth must mean something at the kitchen table. A family feels the cost of living when it fills the car, buys the groceries, pays for transit; a young couple feels it when they wonder whether they can afford their first home; a senior on a fixed income feels it when ordinary bills don’t leave too much room for anything unexpected. Ontario is standing up. Their government is providing more than $12.5 billion in support for families and individuals this year. That includes continuing savings from the provincial gasoline and fuel tax reduction and the One Fare program, which will save eligible regular transit users up to $1,600—money that can stay in a family’s budget. I do remember talking to a resident, and the resident said, “We know this is a tough time. The first thing the government can do—

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

I’m sorry to interrupt the member, but now it’s time for members’ statements.

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Second reading debate deemed adjourned.

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MPP Bill Rosenberg

Today I rise to recognize one of my municipalities, the township of Manitouwadge, and the important contributions this community makes to northern Ontario. Manitouwadge is a proud and resilient community shaped by its history and by the strength of the people who call it home. Nestled in the heart of the boreal forest, this waterfront community offers a unique balance of natural beauty, year-round outdoor recreation and a high quality of life that continues to attract residents and visitors alike. As a full-service community at the end of Highway 614, it is halfway between White River and Marathon and five hours from Sault Ste. Marie. Manitouwadge provides essential amenities, recreation facilities and year-round activities that support families, workers and seniors throughout the region. From the golf course, community centre, ski hill and trail networks to vibrant community programs and local businesses, Manitouwadge demonstrates the spirit and the determination that define northern Ontario. In recent years, Manitouwadge has continued to strengthen its identity as a welcoming, family-oriented community. Local programs, recreation facilities and volunteer-driven initiatives reflect the pride the residents take in building a vibrant and supportive place to live. Manitouwadge stands as a testament to the resilience, adaptability and community pride found across the north, and we celebrate the people who continue to shape its future. I would also like to recognize and congratulate the mayor and the new council for the upcoming term—

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

Thank you. Members’ statements?

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MPP Robin Lennox

Just two weeks ago, our leader, Marit Stiles, came to Hamilton, and we had the opportunity to sit down with steelworkers and talk about what is happening to Canada’s steel sector. Cleveland-Cliffs plans to lay off 500 workers from Stelco; 175 workers have already lost their jobs. We’ve since heard directly from the mouth of the Cleveland-Cliffs CEO that he bought Stelco in a bad-faith attempt to undermine the competitiveness of the Canadian steel market, and our Hamilton workers are now being sacrificed. This cannot be allowed to go unchallenged. Our Ontario NDP leader, Marit Stiles, has called for bold action to protect our steel sector. We believe that every option must be explored, including public ownership of Stelco if it comes down to it. But this government has been missing in action. Premier Ford is quick to talk, but once the headlines die down, we don’t hear a peep from him about a plan to support our steelworkers or the sovereignty of our steel sector. The fall economic statement talks about supporting 12 POWER centres, but that’s life support after the good jobs are already gone. That’s not an industrial strategy that’s going to save Ontario’s steel sector. One of my constituents, Mike, has worked for Stelco for 21 years. He was laid off a couple of weeks ago. He has a mortgage and four kids. And thanks to this government’s inaction, he’s now out of work. So Mike has asked and wants to know: Will the Premier demand that we stop selling our industries to American companies that turn around and sell out Ontario workers? Will we do everything in our power to support our workers at risk of layoffs currently? And will the Premier commit to bold—

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

Thank you. Members’ statements?

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Ms. Lee Fairclough

Speaker, across Ontario, people are telling me the same thing: They want change. They want leadership that listens, that takes problems seriously and has the courage to act. And nowhere is that need more urgent than with the devastating rise of online gambling addiction. Behind every statistic is a person, a life, someone struggling and people who love them. We know that gambling-related suicides have reportedly tripled since 2018, that emergency department visits are up, and that 85% of students in grades 7 to 12 recall seeing a gambling advertisement in the last month. We now know that this government was warned about the risks before opening up the market in 2022. Speaker, how much more evidence of harm do we need before we act? If any other product was associated with this level of harm, it would be pulled from the shelves. And yet, online gambling continues. Ontario Liberals are calling for an end to online gambling advertising today. But this is about something bigger. It’s about the kind of leadership Ontario deserves—leadership that doesn’t wait for a crisis to become a catastrophe, leadership that puts people ahead of powerful interests, and leadership that has the courage to make difficult decisions. Across this province, I see people who are ready for change, and I share their hope for an Ontario where—

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Ric Bresee)

Thank you. Members’ statements?

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Mr. Amarjot Sandhu

I had a busy and productive summer. It was spent attending community events, meeting with residents, and engaging with organizations across my community. Over the course of the summer, I participated in more than 530 events and meetings, providing countless opportunities to connect with the people I represent. Some of the highlights of this summer included the Brampton Boat Race, Taste of India, Ride for Raja, the 48th annual Jalsa Salana Canada 2026, and the ISKCON Brampton chariot fest. I also hosted a park cleanup and soccer ball distribution event through my Brampton West Youth Council and participated in the third annual Peel Crime Stoppers Golf Tournament. Speaker, each of these events reflects the vibrant diversity, generosity and community spirit that makes Brampton such a wonderful place to call home. I also want to thank the organizers, volunteers and residents who made this summer so memorable. I look forward to continuing to work alongside our community as we return to the Legislature.

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Mr. Sol Mamakwa

This week is Treaties Recognition Week in Ontario. It is an opportunity for everyone to reflect on the treaties of the lands that we live on and the responsibilities that we all hold as treaty people. Here at Queen’s Park, Treaty 13, known as the Toronto Purchase, is being displayed in the LG suite for the week. I encourage all MPPs to go visit and read the treaty. Treaties set out the guidelines for a relationship where everyone living on the lands can mutually benefit and have their rights respected. Through Bills 5, C-5, C-39, 140, and the proposed regulation change to limit the right to protest infrastructure, like the roads to the Ring of Fire, governments continue to violate the treaty rights of our people while paying lip service to treaties and reconciliation. We need a new path forward, together, honouring the true purpose of the treaties: to peacefully share and care for the lands. I urge Canada and Ontario to pause these harmful pieces of legislation and listen to the rights holders who have lived on these lands since time immemorial.

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M. Stéphane Sarrazin

J’aimerais profiter de cette occasion pour féliciter l’ensemble des élus municipaux qui ont été choisis par leurs concitoyens lors des élections municipales de la semaine dernière dans Glengarry–Prescott–Russell. Je tiens d’abord à féliciter les maires de North Glengarry, de Russell, de Clarence-Rockland et de La Nation qui ont tous été réélus, et j’ai hâte de poursuivre notre collaboration au cours des prochaines années. Ce sera également un plaisir de voir de nouveaux visages se joindre aux conseils municipaux. Dans cinq autres municipalités de ma circonscription, j’aurai le plaisir de travailler avec des nouveaux maires élus : M. Antoni Viau du canton d’Alfred et Plantagenet, M. Paul Groulx de la municipalité de Casselman, Mme Corina Parisien du canton de Champlain, Mme Julie Séguin de la ville de Hawkesbury et M. Richard Sauvé de la municipalité de Hawkesbury Est. Je félicite chaleureusement les nouveaux maires élus ainsi que tous les nouveaux membres qui feront leur entrée au sein des différents conseils municipaux. Je tiens également à prendre un moment pour remercier celles et ceux qui ont quitté la vie municipale à la suite de cette élection, que ce soit de leur propre gré ou parce qu’ils n’ont pas été reconduits dans leurs fonctions. Plusieurs d’entre eux ont consacré de nombreuses années au service de leur communauté et méritent toute notre reconnaissance pour leur engagement. Je tiens donc à exprimer ma sincère reconnaissance pour leur engagement, leur dévouement et tout le travail accompli au bénéfice de leurs citoyens. Félicitations à tous les élus dans Glengarry–Prescott–Russell.

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MPP Catherine McKenney

New documents obtained by Le Droit and reported out yesterday show that this Conservative government was warned about the risks related to the closure of supervised consumption sites. On March 30, 2025, the day before nine sites were forced to close—and in the case of Somerset West Community Health Centre, backed by knowingly false data—the Premier’s office and health minister were briefed by their very own ministry. The staff at the site and at other nearby community health centres and the closest hospital had all warned that they might not be able to handle the increased demand and that the closure would put emergency and front-line services at risk. The health minister was told that clients of another health centre here in Toronto had already started opening their own homes as de facto consumption sites. Those homes will include apartments and rooms in dense neighbourhoods with no health care available—and will likely be close to schools and parks. But that evidently was never the real concern. The minister knew all of this, and she closed the sites anyway. The government didn’t respond to those warnings, and it still won’t answer questions about them. This was never about evidence. People in my community are paying the price for a decision that was made against expert advice. This scandal-ridden government owes Ottawa Centre an explanation. An independent review of the effects of the closures must be conducted in order to restore any remaining faith in this government.

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Hon. Laurie Scott

Speaker, I rise today to share some good news for my riding of Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock. Our rural communities are wonderful places to live, work, and raise a family, but we know that strong communities don’t happen by chance. They depend on access to key services, opportunities for youth, and investments that support families and growth. Recently, our government announced another increase in land ambulance funding, ensuring our residents have timely access to care. Through the primary care action plan, 15,000 residents across Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock will be connected to a primary care team, improving access to health care close to home. We are also supporting the next generation of health care professionals. With the expansion of the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant—nursing and paramedicine programs at Trent University and Fleming College. This program reduces financial barriers and encourages graduates to build careers in the communities that need them the most. I recently attended the groundbreaking for the Trillium Lakelands District School Board’s new outdoor and Indigenous education centre in Minden. This centre will offer students hands-on learning opportunities in nature, which helps deepen their understanding of Indigenous perspectives. Speaker, whether it’s expanding access to health care, supporting future professionals or creating new learning opportunities, these investments all contribute to building stronger, more connected rural communities.

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Ms. Laura Smith

Last month, after the Jewish High Holidays, I visited the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville. Unfortunately, I did not go to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur or Sukkot; I went there to meet members of the congregation in solidarity and support after they faced a targeted, anti-Semitic and hate-motivated mass shooting attempt. Thankfully, Constables Jeff Smith and Michael McCurdy fought off the shooter, with Smith suffering multiple injuries while protecting the 25 congregants inside. This is just one example of the hate and evil that continues to exist. Despite Jewish Canadians being less than 2% of the population, post-October 7, anti-Semitic incidents have spiked, accounting for 40% of reported hate crimes. That is why our government has continued to take real action, making Holocaust education mandatory and strengthening our grade 6 social studies and grade 10 Canadian history curriculums to deepen students’ understanding of the Holocaust and the lasting effects of anti-Semitism. Last week, Officer Smith was released from the hospital. We are so grateful to both Smith and McCurdy for their bravery. This Holocaust Education Week, we remember the six million Jews who were murdered simply for who they were and the 25 in Belleville who are still here because of the bravery of those two police officers. Now, more than ever, we have to double down. If we don’t learn from the past, we are doomed to repeat it.

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Applause.

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Ms. Bobbi Ann Brady

Last Monday, municipal councils were elected across Ontario, and in Norfolk county, we saw an unusual turn of events. In ward 4, two candidates, Jeni Lambert and incumbent Chris Van Paassen, received exactly 858 votes. I understand that ties can happen. The legislation provides for an automatic recount to ensure every vote is accurately counted. But what happens if the recount still produces a tie? Well, according to section 62(3) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, the successful candidate is chosen by lot. In other words, we put two names in a hat and we draw one out. This is 2026. At a time when technology has transformed how we conduct elections, I find it difficult to accept that the outcome of a democratic election could ultimately come down to a lottery. Voter apathy is already a real concern. We should be doing everything we can do to strengthen public confidence in our democratic institutions, not introduce another reason for people to question the process. Democracy should be determined by the voters, not by a coin toss or a name drawn from a hat. That’s why, this morning, I will table a motion calling on the government to modernize the Municipal Elections Act and remove this outdated provision. Surely, in 2026, we can come up with a better way to resolve a tie than leaving the outcome to chance.

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The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly)

We have with us in the Speaker’s gallery today a cohort of interns from the Parliament of Canada’s Parliamentary Internship Programme. They are here to learn about Ontario’s Legislature and meet with their counterparts in the Ontario Legislature Internship Programme. Please join me in warmly welcoming our guests to the Legislature.

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Applause.

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The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly)

Members, if I could have your attention, please. The year is 1981. Canada’s Wonderland opens its gates. Interest rates are 22%. And Bill Davis wins a massive majority. Sitting in the media gallery is a cameraman with a full head of hair, who would go on to cover nine Premiers: Davis, Miller, Peterson, Rae, Harris, Eves, McGuinty, Wynne and Ford. This week, CHCH-TV’s Randy Rath celebrates 45 years here at Queen’s Park, making him the longest-serving current member of the press gallery. Randy, from all of us here at the Ontario Legislature, congratulations. Thank you for the work you do, your sense of humour and friendship. I love you from the bottom of my heart.

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Applause.

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The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly)

Introduction of visitors?

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Hon. Kevin Holland

Joining us from Thunder Bay in the House today is Dr. Donald Young and Dr. Gerald Smith. Welcome.

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MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam

I’m very proud to rise and to recognize a number of esteemed guests we have in the House. Ted Garrard, Patsy Anderson, Dr. Peter Szatmari and Priscilla Ofosu-Barko are all here for Capitalize for Kids. Their reception took place this morning. From the Ontario Dental Association, we have Dr. Lynn Tomkins, Dr. David Ho and Dr. Jaclyn Chin. Lisa Philipps is the interim president and vice-chancellor of York University. And from the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres, we are joined by CEO Sean Longboat as well as president Armand Jourdain Sr. Welcome to your House.

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Ms. Marit Stiles

I want to join my colleague in welcoming board president Armand Jourdain Sr., CEO Sean Longboat, and everyone joining us on behalf of the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres. I look forward to meeting with you this afternoon. Welcome to your House.

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Hon. Greg Rickford

My very talented policy analyst Katherine Hunt joins us in this magnificent place.

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Hon. Michael Parsa

I’d like to welcome the members of the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres and the friendship centre movement: president Armand Jourdain Sr., CEO Sean Longboat, and the entire team. Thank you very much for hosting us this morning. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

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Hon. David Piccini

I’d like to welcome Alex Tinker, mother of page Robert, who’s here from our riding, following in the footsteps of Katherine. It’s a family affair of pages here. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

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Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon

I’d like to welcome two fantastic dentists from the Ontario Dental Association: Dr. Lily Zhang and Dr. David Stevenson. Welcome to your House. Please excuse my candy bar in my office.

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Mr. Adil Shamji

This morning, I’d like to welcome to the House the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres, the Ontario Dental Association, as well as Life Sciences Ontario. Welcome.

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MPP Alexa Gilmour

Today I’d like to welcome Angela and the whole team from Capitalize for Kids, the 20-plus organizations serving our youth and their mental health needs. Welcome to your House.

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Mrs. Michelle Cooper

I’m pleased to welcome Angela Simo Brown, not only from Capitalize for Kids, but from my riding of Eglinton–Lawrence—a national charity dedicated to improving child and youth mental wellness. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

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Hon. Steve Clark

I’d like to welcome to the Legislature Dr. Lance McIntosh and Dr. Homa Jammehdiabadi. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

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Hon. Rob Flack

I’d like to welcome Dr. Edward Busvek, the Ontario Dental Association’s president-elect, from St. Thomas, Ontario.

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Mr. Mike Schreiner

It’s an honour to introduce Anne Dyck, today’s page captain, and welcome her parents, Sarah Westmacott and Paul Dyck, who are here to see her perform her duties today. I’d also like to welcome everybody from the Ontario Dental Association, especially Dr. Maneesh Jain from Guelph.

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Ms. Chandra Pasma

I’d like to welcome, from Ottawa West–Nepean, Dr. Isha Moza and Dr. Lance McIntosh from the Ontario Dental Association, and also, from the Parliamentary Internship Programme, director Paul Thomas, a long-time friend.

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MPP Lisa Gretzky

I would like to welcome a Windsor dentist, Dr. Charles Frank, who is here with the ODA. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

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Mr. Stephen Blais

I’d like to welcome dentists from Orléans and across Ottawa who are with us today from the Ontario Dental Association: Dr. Isha Moza, Dr. Sherif Elsaraj and Dr. David Schooley. I look forward to our meeting this afternoon.

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Hon. Nina Tangri

I’d like to welcome Dr. Cyril Tahtadjian here at Queen’s Park, from Mississauga–Streetsville, with all of the Ontario Dental Association.

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Mr. Tyler Allsopp

It’s my pleasure to introduce Dr. Matti from my riding, who’s here with the Ontario Dental Association. I’ve never flossed harder.

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Mr. Anthony Leardi

Welcome, from the Ontario Dental Association, Dr. Leith, Dr. Bentley, Dr. Frank, Dr. Silverman, Dr. Dwyer from Essex county, and CEO Frank Bevilacqua.

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Ms. Peggy Sattler

I’m delighted to welcome Dr. Brock Nicolucci, who’s here with the ODA, from London West.

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Mr. Terence Kernaghan

It gives me great pleasure to welcome Dr. Peter Fendrich and Dr. Edward Busvek with the Ontario Dental Association. I look forward to our meeting. I would also like to welcome Ken Hughes, Emily Beduz, Mark Jeddi and Monte Lamka from Life Sciences Ontario. I also look forward to our meeting.

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The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly)

Unfortunately, that’s all the time we have. Please come back at 1 o’clock if you have other introductions of visitors. But I would like to mention that joining us today is Phil Gillies, the representative for Brantford in the 32nd and 33rd Parliaments; also, Caroline Di Cocco for Sarnia–Lambton in the 37th and 38th Parliaments. Also with us are members of the Ontario Association of Former Parliamentarians and students; I believe they are with former MPPs Gillies and Di Cocco.

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Ms. Marit Stiles

My question is for the Premier. Yesterday, this government voted against bringing in urgent financial relief to students who have been caught in the crosshairs of this Premier’s private college debacle. Students are being hung out to dry while this government is clearly in panic mode trying to cover their tracks. Academy of Learning, a private career college, has been raking in hundreds of millions of dollars in OSAP grants despite red flags being raised over and over again. The minister knew and did nothing for years, and people are asking me why, and I will tell you, there are some reasons, some indications of why—three executives behind the Academy of Learning donated over $11,000 to members of this government. To the Premier: Did your government look the other way because they wanted to keep raking in donations?

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The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly)

I recognize the Minister of Colleges and Universities.

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Hon. Nolan Quinn

As I said yesterday, the ministry was conducting its own investigations for two years into the career college sector. Once we realized that it was more widespread than initially thought—that is why we brought forward KPMG, a third-party expert auditor, to understand the impact across the sector. Speaker, these are bad actors who took advantage of taxpayer dollars for their intended use—they’re supposed to go towards students and bettering themselves in their education. Unfortunately, these are serious criminal allegations we’re speaking about here. These bad actors took advantage of all taxpayers right across Ontario. That is why we brought forward the third-party auditor to ensure that we can get the confidence back into the private institutions before we release another taxpayer dollar.

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The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly)

Back to the Leader of the Opposition.

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Ms. Marit Stiles

Back to the Premier: This is not a coincidence. It is a pattern of behaviour from this government. As long as the donations continued to flow, they turned a blind eye. And now they’re panicking and they’re punishing thousands and thousands of students across this province. Ministers from this government were actually celebrating the opening of that private career college. I sent a photo, by the way, over to the Premier yesterday, and he ripped it up. Well, I’ve got to tell you something. Guess what? That’s not how this works. I’ve got lots of copies, okay? I want to say to the Premier again, was the government simply waiting for private career colleges to hit the maximum donation before taking action against fraud?

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Hon. Nolan Quinn

I’m not sure how that member can say we’ve turned a blind eye when, since 2020, we’ve done over 3,200 OSAP inspections into individual OSAP accounts. These are bad actors we’re speaking about. Again, I will remind the member opposite of the time frame: In late 2024, we saw an increased amount of OSAP applications at career colleges. In January 2025, Career Colleges Ontario, a third-party agency, saw the same concerns that we saw in late 2024. In May 2025, the federal government gave us the results of their own inspection, which had my ministry do enhanced, targeted inspections in July 2025. I’m not sure how we’re said to be turning a blind eye when, this year, we eliminated the eligibility of six of those institutions prior to pausing OSAP across the whole sector—because we realize it really is widespread, and we need to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being utilized for their intended purpose: to help students advance their education.

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The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly)

Back to the Leader of the Opposition.

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Ms. Marit Stiles

Speaker, this government opened the floodgates and then they raked in the donations from these executives. They were warned. They knew that there were red flags all over this, and they chose to ignore it. That minister chose to ignore it. This government’s incompetence is costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, and it is burying the next generation in debt. The single mom in Windsor who’s going back to school to become a PSW to support her family, the northern paramedic who wants to work in his community—these are the people who are being forced to pay for your failures. Red flag after red flag—but the PC donors at the Academy of Learning kept getting their grants. So I’d like to ask the Premier: When are you going to fire this minister and actually bring in somebody competent to fix this problem?

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Hon. Nolan Quinn

I understand the impact this has on the good students. I’ve read thousands of emails. I’ve spoken to students on the phone as well. I’m not too sure she understands the impact on taxpayer dollars right now. Speaker, we’ve referred this to the OPP and to the Auditor General. In the coming weeks, we’re introducing further legislation to bring more guardrails into the private institution sector. We’re going to require all private institutions to meet stricter criteria for OSAP eligibility. We’re going to ensure that every single taxpayer dollar is spent properly and in the best interest of students, because that is the premise of OSAP. While this is a serious course of action, we needed to take this, because these are taxpayer dollars that have been fraudulently used by bad actors across the system. This is a serious criminal allegation. I can’t repeat that enough. As much as the opposition trivializes and makes this about myself— Interjection.

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Hon. Nolan Quinn

—as the member of the third party is laughing—these are serious criminal allegations, and I won’t rest until we bring them to account.

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Ms. Marit Stiles

I’ll just say that that minister’s tea and tears and sympathy are not going to pay the bills for those students. And I’m not surprised that the minister is doubling down, unfortunately, on this, because it is a pattern. Last week, we learned that the member from Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock promised government favours for the clients of a now-banned lobbyist, John Mutton, as long as they could pony up some cash for the Premier’s fundraiser. Don’t take it from me; take it from her, in her own words: “Do you think you could get a couple of your people especially the people we just helped to buy a few tickets for (the) March 2nd event? They have to go thru my portal so I get credit.” So, to the Premier: Is the only way to get this government’s attention and get on your agenda to buy your way into it?

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The Speaker (Hon. Donna Skelly)

I recognize the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

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Hon. Rob Flack

Speaker, as you know, what the member opposite is talking about is not true. We have ministerial zoning orders in place. Frameworks are in place. Protections are in place. They are diligently followed and will continue to be diligently followed. The bottom line is that we will continue on this path—end of subject.

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