Today, I want to draw attention to a remarkable grant awarded to Centre 105, an organization in my riding that serves the community’s most vulnerable individuals. Centre 105 received a $106,800 capital grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. With this funding, they began funding for two new accessible washrooms in the shower facility, addressing critical needs in Cornwall.

Thanks to generous donations from corporations, individuals and community organizations, over 400 nutritious breakfasts are served each week. Beyond providing meals, Centre 105 goes above and beyond to meet the diverse needs of those they serve. The centre serves as a hub for vital services such as laundry services, support and resources, and a safe place for individuals to socialize.

Having clean laundry and showers are not just about physical cleanliness, they also have profound effects on mental health. Having access to these new facilities promotes a sense of cleanliness, comfort, confidence and making individuals foster a positive self-image, which can improve their social interactions and increase their chances of job opportunities.

This project exemplifies our commitment to enhancing the well-being and quality of life for all members of our community. I extend my sincere thanks to all staff and volunteers at local agencies and organizations for all you do to help the most vulnerable individuals in our community.

Ontario is leading the country with 90% of Ontarians having a family doctor or primary health provider. The Ontario Health Coalition is an out-of-touch, NDP-backed special interest group that has spent the last decade ideologically opposed to innovation taking place in our health care system.

Our government has taken bold action to connect more people to the care they need when they need it. Over the last year, we have increased publicly funded diagnostic imaging capacity by an additional 97,000 MRIs and 116,000 CT operating hours, added tens of thousands of OHIP-covered cataract surgeries and achieved some of the shortest wait times in Canada.

We look forward to working together with the provincial, territorial and federal governments to ensure that this loophole is closed.

Our plan is adding thousands of hours of MRI and CT scans and more procedures, including hip and knee replacements closer to home, all accessible with their OHIP card, not their credit card. Our plan has already reduced the surgical backlog to below pre-pandemic levels, Speaker.