I want to thank the member for emphasizing the real importance of getting Highway 413 built and what it means for local communities, but really for all of Ontario. Our government is critically aware of the importance of Highway 413, because we know it will grow our economy and it will support a growing Brampton and a growing Peel region.

Our roads and our highways are critical for keeping goods flowing across the province. An efficient transportation network is key to supporting our economic growth and also to unlocking our economic potential.

Mr. Speaker, we know the consequences of not building Highway 413, and we are determined to make sure that we reverse course on this. We are going to move forward to address congestion, to ensure the efficient transportation and movement of goods. Our government is committed to building critical infrastructure, because it is a solution to accelerate Ontario’s economic growth and our prosperity. Highway 413 is not only a fundamental piece of infrastructure; it is a key part of Ontario’s success and our future.

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her question. We have been very clear, Mr. Speaker. Our government is focused on building out the most efficient and effective transportation network that Ontarians need and deserve. We’ve focused on building highways and roads and bridges and public transit to address the infrastructure deficit that was left behind by the previous Liberal government. We inherited a contract from the previous Liberal government that was signed back in 2011, and we are working within the confines of that contract to deliver on the Eglinton Crosstown.

The line is 98% complete. Testing is ongoing and the Crosslinx consortium is now completing all remaining work. This includes addressing all and any rectifications that are needed so that the line is reliable and safe for transit riders and transit operators to use when it opens for service.

Our government has been clear from the beginning. We want to make sure that the line is safe for all. We will not rush it. We will not interfere. When politicians interfere with transit projects, then the problems of the Ottawa LRT ensue. We have been very clear; we will get this done. We take responsibility—

GO rail expansion is a key priority for our government and we are committed to delivering on it. GO rail expansion, GO bus service, all of our GO Transit services are a core element of our transportation network. But when we put forward plans to provide these critical, essential services for Ontarians, the Leader of the Opposition votes against it.

Metrolinx is working closely with mayors of municipalities, with stakeholders, to understand what their needs are. We provide service updates on a regular basis to make sure that we can meet transit riders where their needs are. We will continue to listen to municipalities and to local transportation stakeholders, so that we can continue to deliver the service that they need.

Interjections.

I thank my colleague for the question. Zero-emission technology is the way of the future, and that’s why last week I joined the Premier and my colleagues from Durham to announce the addition of two brand-new electric buses. This is a first for GO Transit.

Speaker, these new electric buses are a significant step forward for our government’s plan to be a global leader in clean transportation. Starting May 15, these buses will hit the roads on four routes in my colleague’s riding of Scarborough Centre. The buses will be identifiable by their unique exterior, which features a lightning bolt. Once on board, commuters will experience a quieter ride and will have access to USB chargers.

Thanks to the leadership of the Premier, we’re making it easier and greener to travel on GO Transit.

Despite the lack of interest or the opposition from the members opposite, our strong EV manufacturing sector that our government has been building, access to critical minerals that we have been spearheading and all-electric GO buses signal to the world that Ontario is a leader in electric vehicle technology. A clean transportation network is the future, and our government is at the forefront of this revolution every step of the way.

I thank the member for the question.

Speaker, unlike the previous government, we’re focused on getting results for the entire province, including for the city of Brampton. Our government is making incredible progress to improve transportation infrastructure that was neglected in Brampton for far too long under the Liberals and the NDP. This includes upgrades to GO Transit stations in Brampton—one of the busiest stations along the Kitchener GO line.

The upgrades at Bramalea GO station will support two-way, all-day GO service along the Kitchener GO line and will make travel easier for the growing Brampton community. The enhanced Bramalea GO will include a new bus loop, more parking and an improved platform that is connected by tunnels and elevators.

Speaker, this government is focused on making life easier for the people of Brampton, and I look forward to providing an update on the Bramalea station in the near future.

The NDP and the Liberals think they know what’s best for Brampton residents, but if it were up to them, nothing would get built. That is unacceptable.

We have a balanced approach that expands public transit, like Bramalea GO, and that builds new highways, like Highway 413.

In the last election, the people of Peel and Brampton spoke, and our government is listening. I hear first-hand from residents in Peel region of the impact that gridlock is having on their lives and on their economy. It’s unacceptable. We won’t stick with the status quo. We are building Highway 413.

Speaker, now is the time to act, and now is the time to build.

I thank the member opposite for the question. Ferries are an integral part of Ontario’s transportation network, and I know that communities across the province rely on this essential mode of transportation for them to get to and from their homes and for first responders as well.

Ontario is facing a historic shortage of workers that impacts sector across the board, including an industry-wide shortage of licensed seafarers that has affected ferry operations in the province. Mr. Speaker, in our budget, we announced funding for 20 new staff for our ferries. And in response to this industry-wide shortage of seafarers, my ministry is working with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities so that we can offer more training programs to get more workers in the industry.

Mr. Speaker, this is not just a problem that is facing Ontario; it is a problem across the country. And that’s why, at my most recent federal-provincial-territorial ministers meeting, I had the opportunity to discuss this with my colleagues from across the country so that we can make sure that we’re addressing it so that we can get ferries operating on a consistent basis.

Thank you to the member from Mississauga–Malton for the great question. We cannot afford to delay much-needed infrastructure investments. More delays equal more gridlock.

Our Premier is leading an ambitious plan to deliver the right balance of public transit and road infrastructure projects to keep pace with the demands of today and the future. Over the next 10 years, we’re investing more than $25.1 billion to support the planning and construction of highway expansion and rehabilitation projects across the province. As part of these efforts, we’re getting on with the building of new highways, like Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass, and we’re finishing long overdue projects like the expansion of Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph and the Highway 3 widening between Windsor and Leamington.

Speaker, it’s not enough just to talk about building a better future. Under our PC government, we are getting it done.

Our government is building both. For every dollar that we are spending on highways, our government is spending three more to build transit. Over the next 10 years, we’re investing more than $61 billion to expand and build new transit alone. This includes the largest plan for subways built in Canadian history and delivering on our government’s mandate on two-way, all-day 15-minute service across core segments of the GO network. Expanding our highway and transit networks together will allow us to pave the way for a future that offers more transportation options and less gridlock for commuters, all while creating thousands of good-paying jobs in communities right here at home.

Speaker, the wheels are in motion. The government is getting it done.

I want to thank the member from Brampton West for his question and for his tireless advocacy to improve transportation options for the residents of his riding.

Highway 413 is a key pillar of our government’s plan to build Ontario. As part of that plan, we are fighting gridlock and we’re supporting jobs. Highway 401 is already the most congested corridor in North America, and when you factor in the fact that 200,000 people will be coming to Ontario each year, the need for Highway 413 is even more clear. It will save drivers up to 30 minutes per trip, leaving drivers with five hours back in their week for the things that matter most. Highway 413 will also keep our supply chains strong and help get goods to market faster.

Speaker, our government is filling the infrastructure deficit that we inherited from the previous Liberal government. For 15 years, the Liberals said no to fighting gridlock and to addressing growth; our government is saying yes, and we are going to build Highway 413.

Too many governments have been short-sighted when it comes to transportation planning. We are the only government with a balanced transportation plan that is both practical and reasonable. Our plan includes building roads and highways, but also public transit, because there is not one main solution to addressing gridlock.

Speaker, in the greater Golden Horseshoe alone, we are building towards two-way, all-day GO service, we are building subways, and we are moving full steam ahead on the Bradford Bypass and on Highway 413.

For every dollar our government spends on building highways, we are spending three more to build transit.

Expanding our highway and transit networks in parallel will create the integrated transportation network that Ontario needs.

There is no way out of gridlock without building Highway 413. And we won’t apologize for being the only government to get it done for Ontarians.