My question is to the Premier. Two days ago, the TTC faced a massive service disruption, with Line 2 being out of service for 12 hours. Thousands of people were impacted as they were crammed onto shuttle buses that could not meet demand. Commutes from Scarborough were more than doubled.

Do you know what we heard from this government? That’s right: nothing. Because this government doesn’t take responsibility for its failures. They talk a big game, but when their neglect becomes clear, they can’t face it. They don’t want to face the nurse who missed a shift or the patient who can’t see the doctor because they couldn’t make it in on time.

Will this government continue to pass the buck on reliable and safe transit, or will they actually provide the TTC with the funding Ontarians really need?

We know where their priorities are. It’s not in making Ontarians have public services they can rely on. It’s not ensuring that they can get to work on time. It’s making sure that cheques get cleared on time.

Under this government, we have seen massive delays to the subway, bus services cut, fare increases and the Scarborough RT derailed. Through you, Mr. Speaker: Will the Premier commit to funding the operations of the TTC so it runs on time, or will he continue to let Toronto transit riders down?

I want to reiterate again to the members across the floor, here in Toronto, we have seen remarkable growth in the bike-share system, and there is a current disconnect between the bike-share system and the TTC and GO systems, like they almost exist in two different worlds. Bikes are a great first- and last-minute transit option, giving riders a healthier and more flexible method to get towards subway and GO stations than just buses. This legislation would compel Metrolinx to adopt that viewpoint, both in how it plans its transit routes as well as for fare integration.

We are also in a major housing crisis. How do they not know that? We are lacking housing for middle-income and lower-income residents alike. Governments have an interest in disposing of surplus land to be built into housing, particularly affordable housing for those of lower incomes. The best place to build new housing is by transit stations, as it reduces those residents’ reliance on automobiles. From the perspective of income equity and also cohesion, there is an interest in requiring affordable housing by transit stations in order to avoid driving low-income residents to far-away car-oriented communities. Let’s not forget our low-income earners.

The third part of this act is the stronger maintenance standards for Highways 11, 17 and 69. I sympathize with my member across from me—the passion, the pain that the people in the north feel, and members on the opposite side not agreeing with this bill. I feel very sorry—very sorry—for the people who are living in the north. This bill is all about having a long-term plan for transportation.