SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Ontario Assembly

43rd Parl. 1st Sess.
April 10, 2024 09:00AM

Just to touch quickly on the forest fire piece, even though you may not see it in the budget, there theoretically is almost an unlimited amount that is used to fight forest fires. There’s a floor that is set by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and then that is added on throughout the year as necessary.

I did want to touch a little bit on the One Fare program. The One Fare program is available in Waterloo region. It’s fantastic. You can use it with the GRT to then connect to GO train networks to then come to Toronto and other places in the GTA. So it’s great that we have that in the region, and I was hoping that maybe the member from Kitchener Centre, my next-door neighbour, would maybe like to elaborate on a little bit more about what she’d like to see in regard to the LRT. I know that’s something that has been challenging to talk about on both sides, and just get her thoughts a little bit more on what phase 2 could look like.

188 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border

Well, thank you very much, and my partner from Kitchener kind of stole my thunder a little bit on that question. Because I know you’re very passionate about the northern Ontario travel grant, you and I have talked about this previously. I’ve had some family experience with it as well, and sometimes it can be a little bit cumbersome, but I think there are some good things on the way.

I did want to hear a little bit more from you as to what you think some of the changes or beneficial changes could be. Obviously, seeing the accommodation amounts go up to $175 is a good start. What are some other things that you would like to see that are real, plausible, tangible things that we might be able look at in the future?

137 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Apr/10/24 2:20:00 p.m.

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for many years now, pre-politics. I just wanted to thank her for her continued advocacy for rural Ontario, because she truly embodies it, lives and breathes it every day, and is a huge champion.

I know that one of the things that we’ve talked about a little bit—and I know the member from Timiskaming–Cochrane, in second reading, was very much in favour of the new veterinary pieces that are in this bill and looking at some of the ways that we can incentivize new vets to get involved and serve underserved communities, like parts of northern Ontario and, certainly, more rural areas near yourself and myself as well, eastern Ontario. I wondered if you could talk a little bit more about what those grants look like and how you think that they’ll impact the industry and communities.

157 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Apr/10/24 4:20:00 p.m.

Well, thank you very much. We have a proud history of reducing, reusing and recycling in Waterloo region as sort of the creators of the Blue Box Program, but I wanted to just touch a little bit more on the member from Ottawa South’s comments about Vancouver and hear a little bit more about what is setting them apart, with their green box program, from other parts of the country. And because we are obviously talking about research and innovation here, what research and innovation led to them being the leaders in mitigating food waste in Canada?

98 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border