Thank you to the hard-working member from Thornhill for that great question. Their local business owners are absolutely right: The carbon tax is driving up costs and making life more expensive for the people of this great province.

In fact, a recent study by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business found that more than 56% of businesses would need to increase their prices immediately due to direct pressures from the carbon tax. That means that it’s not just on the carbon tax, Mr. Speaker. It’s a tax on the truck drivers who bring in our food, it’s a tax on the farmers who grow our crops and it’s a tax on the local businesses that try to succeed in Ontario.

It’s not fair for the people of this province to continue with this punitive carbon tax, and that’s why we will continue to fight against the carbon tax, even as the Liberals and the NDP opposition members continue to vote to make life more expensive for Ontario families.

That’s why I was proud to have stood alongside the Premier today to announce that our government is once again taking action to support hard-working Ontario families and businesses by extending our gas tax cut. If passed, the 2023 fall economic statement will extend the gas tax cut to June 30, 2024, saving households an average of $260.

Mr. Speaker, this is just one more cost-saving measure championed by our government, putting money back in the pockets of Ontario families at a time when they need it most.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Merci, monsieur le Président. Through you: Thank you to the member opposite for that question.

We understand and share the concerns that drivers have regarding the cost of auto insurance. No question, costs are up. That’s why we’ve been getting things done. In fact, in the 2023 budget we continue to build on that work. We’ve helped consumers save $1.8 billion on their auto insurance over the last couple of years.

I’m not sure the member opposite and his team over there have ever met a driver they like. When we took the tolls off the 412 and the 418 in Durham, they voted against it. When we cut the gas tax, which way did they vote? Did they vote yes or no? When we reduced the validation stickers and actually rebated two years of fees, which way did they vote? What does the opposition have against drivers?

In fact, the Solicitor General just announced over $50 million to attack auto theft, which is a component of rising insurance costs in Ontario.

Through the Ministry of Finance, we’ve asked FSRA for data so we can attack fraud and abuse.

In fact, we’ve also spoken with the Insurance Bureau of Canada to make sure that auto insurance companies in Ontario treat customers fairly, and we continue having a dialogue with them.

This government is acting. We’ve been able to get some things done. There’s more to do, and we’re going to continue working on behalf of Ontarians.