I want to rise in this House and acknowledge that, yes, the Ontario Greenhouse Alliance was here last week. I hope the members opposite heard loud and clear how the carbon tax is punishing the people who produce good-quality food close to home here in Ontario.

The carbon tax is now 30% of everyone’s energy bills, whether you are a chicken farmer or a greenhouse operator. Any relief that greenhouse farmers actually had was completely wiped out on April 1 with the 23% increase in the carbon tax.

Do you know what the irony is in this? HST gets charged on top of the carbon tax. So we have a tax on a tax.

Moreover, people need to understand that farmers need carbon. They’re part of the solution. In greenhouses, that carbon is needed to grow our food.

Why do the federal Liberals continue to punish—why does Bonnie Crombie stand with those federal Liberals and enable them to continue to punish Ontario—

It’s unfortunate, because right in the member from Chatham-Kent–Leamington’s area, there are four greenhouses that are looking to grow—but unfortunately, because of this Liberal ideology that is costing them to see an increase in the cost of production of food, they’re going to look to expand south of the border.

We’re going to see the tail lights of farmers leaving Ontario because of this punishing carbon tax.

People need to wake up and understand that Ontario farmers can be part of the solution. Scrap the tax.

I want to wish everyone happy holidays and remind people that tomorrow the Ontario Greenhouse Alliance is here—they’re known as TOGA. In the spirit of the holiday season, they’ll be bringing poinsettias and celebrating with you. So if you’re available from mid-morning to noon tomorrow, please pop by room 247 to visit with the people who belong to the Ontario Greenhouse Alliance. That’s an invitation for all of you.

I want to touch on the fresh flower market here in Ontario—and thank you to the member opposite from Peterborough for recognizing the TOGA party that was held here.

The Ontario Greenhouse Alliance has so much to celebrate. In fact, I was speaking to one grower who specializes in fresh flowers, and I want to quote something that he shared. They had a really good market leading up to Mother’s Day, and not only did they satisfy demand across the province, but he also stated that $1 million worth of flowers grown in Ontario was sold into the US market. I know the finance minister will appreciate this, because selling into the US market translated into $1.35 million returning to Ontario, so that we can continue to build Ontario, invest in our greenhouse business and, most importantly, continue to grow good Ontario jobs.

Speaker, that’s exactly why we stand with the members of the Ontario Greenhouse Alliance and farmers across this province to meet market challenges and to help them realize growth opportunities.

I appreciate the question from the MPP from Peterborough, because this is something we need to celebrate.

It’s really important that people across Ontario understand that Ontario’s greenhouse vegetable sector and fresh flowers sector actually represent over 81% of Canada’s total greenhouse vegetable exports. We are a food powerhouse in Canada.

We’re working with the sector in an all-of-government approach to make sure that the right supports are in place. For example, we continue to work with the greenhouse sector and introduce programs like the Grow Ontario Market Initiative to help grow markets not only in Ontario but around the world. We’re working with our colleagues to reduce red tape and introduce research initiatives. And we’re working with greenhouses to ensure that when international workers choose to work in Ontario, they have safe living conditions—for instance, the HEPA filter system that we introduced. The list goes on and on, but the important part is—

Thank you very much, Speaker. Today, across Canada, people are showing their 4-H colours by wearing green, and I would like to thank everybody in this chamber today for wearing green and supporting 4-H members across Ontario.

Thank you very much to the member opposite from Cambridge for that question.

I want to share with you, Speaker, that through the leadership of Premier Ford and the commitment of our government, some of the most advanced agri-food research around the world is happening right here in Ontario. We are investing in research stations positioned strategically throughout the province, like in Emo, in northwestern Ontario, where they’re seeing if a crop of hops can grow. We have research stations that farmers and government alike are partnering on, like we have in Elora. We also are investing $7 million in over 50 Ontario-led research projects facilitated through institutions like the University of Guelph, focused on environmental stewardship, animal and plant health, as well as rural economic development.

We have greenhouse growers developing initiatives that are going to see net-zero energy greenhouses. We’re putting digital soil-mapping into the hands of farmers. And, Speaker, we are also bringing agri-tech forward with the adoption of new innovations, automation and robotics.

But, again, Speaker, under the vision of Premier Ford, doors for new, innovative, made-in-Ontario solutions have been opened. And I’m pleased to share with you an example that really has hit home, because we’re wanting to inspire and invite and incentivize companies to invest in Ontario for Ontario-led solutions, like the fertilizer challenge that we opened up. We’re inviting people to bring forward ideas to introduce new opportunities for fertilizer that has been made right here in Ontario.

When we come up with alternatives like fertilizer solutions right here in this province of Ontario, our farmers will be the early adopters. And what does that generate? It generates consumer confidence in their food source—nutritious, delicious, grown right here, close at home.

Speaker, in closing, I want to share with you that it is our government that’s standing shoulder to shoulder with our farmers, with our food processors and with our innovators to make sure we’re leading-edge and everyone—