I can see the Minister of Labour is quite excited about our $1.3-billion investment.

Interjections.

Interjection.

This funding will help Ontario researchers to continue to access state-of-the-art advanced research computing, or ARC, systems to build and further their research. Additionally, it will support Ontario institutions in leveraging their fair share of federal investments to refresh national ARC systems.

These investments will help us ensure that the social and economic opportunities that result from discoveries made in Ontario benefit Ontarians and the Ontario economy.

To help post-secondary institutions provide modern and safe learning environments for students, faculty and staff, we are also providing nearly $170 million in additional funding for institutions that will allow them to address their deferred maintenance backlog, undertake critical repairs, modernize classrooms, update technology and improve their environmental sustainability, while continuing to deliver a safe experience for students on campus.

We also recognize that our northern and smaller rural post-secondary institutions face unique challenges. They’re more reliant on operating grants and domestic tuition. That’s why, in 2022-23, our government provided more than $400 million in operating grants to northern institutions. And in 2023-24, we provided northern colleges with $83 million through the Small, Northern and Rural Grant, and $16 million for northern universities through the Northern Ontario Grant.

Our government appreciates the special role that our post-secondary institutions play in northern Ontario: providing learners with access to high-quality education close to home and helping to prepare them for in-demand jobs in their local communities and beyond.

As I mentioned earlier, I was at the NOMA conference, and I had the pleasure of visiting Confederation College. When we were at Confederation, we visited the flight school. This was my second time visiting the flight school—absolutely incredible work that is being done. We were talking with students, all who were from—actually, the majority of them were from the Thunder Bay area, so they had the opportunity to study right there at home, but they were also all planning on staying in the Thunder Bay area. One of the students who was graduating was coming back in the fall to become a flight instructor, so she could up her hours—to continue on her goal and profession of becoming a commercial pilot.

Our government recently announced that we are providing a one-time additional investment of $10 million in 2024-25 through the Small, Northern and Rural Grant and the Northern Ontario Grant. This will help northern universities and small, northern and rural colleges to maintain a full range of programs and will provide students with local competitive choices for post-secondary education.

Speaker, I want to be clear about something: Our government’s approach to ensuring the financial sustainability of our post-secondary system does not just include infusing more money into the system. We know that taxpayer dollars need to be spent wisely, while still maintaining the high-quality level of education that Ontarians deserve.

That’s why, to further support publicly assisted colleges and universities to operate in an efficient, accountable and transparent manner, our government also announced that we’re creating an Efficiency and Accountability Fund. This fund will provide institutions with $15 million over the next three years, starting in 2024-25, to support third-party reviews. These reviews will identify actions institutions can take to drive long-term cost savings and positive outcomes for students and communities. Ontario will work with post-secondary institutions to create greater efficiencies in operations and program offerings, because at the end of the day, our government needs to ensure that colleges and universities are taking the necessary steps to operate as efficiently as possible.

The measures I’ve just outlined focus on restoring efficiency, transparency and accountability to post-secondary education, which are critical because we want our post-secondary system to remain strong and sustainable for generations to come. A strong education system will ensure that students have the opportunities and supports they need to prepare for in-demand jobs, which in turn helps to build Ontario’s economy. And a strong economy is going to benefit all Ontarians.

While I’ve covered a lot of actions our government is taking today, we need to remind ourselves that at the heart of it, post-secondary education is about students and their futures. That is why the measures we are proposing would put students first. My top commitment is to always put students, their education and their futures first.

If students don’t feel safe or have a sense of belonging, this will impact their success. It will impact their performance, not just in school, but long after graduation.

Post-secondary institutions have a responsibility to provide a safe and supportive learning environment and are expected to do everything possible to address issues on campuses, be it the mental health of their students or incidents of hate and racism.

The three amendments I outlined at the beginning of my remarks, if passed—and I hope we’re passing this—would benefit students by helping to create a safer, more supportive environment and campus community. These are measures to help position our post-secondary education sector for present and future generations—because there is no greater investment that we can make in the talent and skills of our next generation.

As I noted earlier, in my days as a faculty member at Georgian College, in my role as the Minister of Colleges and Universities, and as the MPP for Simcoe North, I see every day how important post-secondary education and training are to the broader community.

The actions that we’re taking will strengthen the system in a responsible way, supporting both the students and the institutions. The legislative measures in Bill 166 will ensure that students are aware of the mental health supports available to them, understand the fees that they pay, and are protected from discrimination, empowering them to achieve their full potential during some of the most formative years of their lives.

We are building on past successes to help students feel safe and supported, and supporting our institutions in upholding high standards. By implementing these initiatives, together, with our partners, we will keep building strong, vibrant communities and continue creating real opportunities across every corner of the province for the people who live here and the businesses that want to invest here.

I feel optimistic about the changes being proposed as part of the Strengthening Accountability and Student Supports Act, and I appreciate your support as we move forward.

Thank you to the member for asking such an important question. Our government recognizes that addressing labour shortages head-on starts with post-secondary education. That is why we continue to support and promote our Ontario colleges skilled trades and apprenticeship programs across the province.

To further enhance opportunities for college students to enter the workforce with job-ready skills, our government expanded the degrees that colleges can offer to now include new three-year degrees and more four-year degrees. Our government also invested over $60 million in funding to support Ontario’s first micro-credentials strategy and made them OSAP eligible, to help workers from all backgrounds upgrade their skills. All these measures were unsupported by the Liberals and NDP.

As Ontario faces a growing labour shortage in the skilled trades, we are making the necessary adjustments for students to enter skilled trades programs because, Speaker, when you have a job in a trade, you have a job for life.

Speaker, that’s why events like Jill of All Trades, hosted at Centennial College, are so important. I am excited to be attending this event tomorrow for the second year in a row with my colleagues. These events provide opportunities for high school girls to experience rewarding career options in the trades and teaches them that the skilled trades are a promising option for them.

Speaker, it’s projected that one in five new job openings in Toronto is likely to be the skilled trades sector by 2025. That is why I am proud that our government is giving women and all students the flexible access they need to pursue innovative training that leads to rewarding careers.