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.

Mr. Speaker, maybe I’ll take the member opposite out for lunch.

I do appreciate the question. It’s a very serious question.

Let me read from page 103—sorry—from the budget, which I’m sure the learned member read: “The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario is implementing a new strategy for reforming the regulation of automobile insurance rates and underwriting. As part of the new strategy, FSRA will be developing a new framework for ensuring fairness in rates that would replace outdated guidance, including existing guidance on territorial rating”—also known as postal codes.

So I’d ask the member opposite: Do you support that in the budget, and why did you vote no?

Interjections.

I come back to the pandemic—$1.3 billion of relief; zero increases for two years, because we’ve been focused on keeping costs down for the people of Ontario.

But it just doesn’t end with territorial ratings—that we’re looking to provide value for auto insurance premiums and the people of Ontario. We’re also looking at choice. That’s also on page 103. We’re looking at more choice for auto drivers who want more choice in the industry. We’re also looking at fraud and abuse. We’ve directed FSRA to collect the data so that we can tackle fraud and abuse in the system.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite knows well that this government’s priority is to provide relief to the hard-working people of Ontario. That’s what we ran on, and that’s what we’ll—

Thank you to the member opposite for that important question.

Mr. Speaker, we could have saved the Auditor General some time and money. Maybe we should have done a value-for-money on this finding—because, of course, as the member opposite knows, we take the cost of auto insurance very seriously. As the member opposite knows, through the pandemic, we saw rate relief of $1.3 billion for drivers in this province.

The member opposite—because I know he’s a very learned fellow—has read page 102 of the budget that was tabled in April, which, as the member for Brampton South just highlighted, his party didn’t vote for.

Mr. Speaker, I’ll highlight what’s on page 102 in the supplemental question.

Thank you for the question. I’m sure he’s noting my tie and saying it’s very scary. Of course, it’s for Halloween, not for your party.

The member asks an important question about auto insurance rates, and he will remember that through the pandemic, it was this government, working alongside industry and others, that had no changes to premiums in 2020 and very limited changes in 2021, producing over a billion dollars in savings for auto drivers in this province.

I’m sure the member opposite will remember it was this Premier and government that took the licence plate stickers off the drivers—that’s eight million people in the province.

And, of course, this member will remember those tolls that the previous government put on the 412 and 418. They’re off, they’re done, they’re gone.

I’m sure this member has read the budget, where we have a plan for auto insurance. Please take the time to read it.