Auditor General report incoming
And a fixture at Finance exits
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Presented by Ontario’s Universities
ABOVE THE FOLD
First in Observer — ACCOUNTABILITY CHRISTMAS — It’s that time of year again: the Auditor General’s annual report — a treasure trove of government waste and mismanagement — is headed for the Clerk’s table.
Multiple sources tell me it drops next week.
UPDATE: I’ve confirmed acting AG NICK STAVROPOULOS will release the report on the morning of Wednesday, December 6.
It’s expected to include, among many other things, a look at the Science Centre move.
Speaking of which…
DOWN TO A SCIENCE — The heretofore elusive business case for moving the Science Centre to Ontario Place is due out today.
Meanwhile, Infrastructure Minister KINGA SURMA was on the defensive over the government’s move to fast-track makeover plans for the waterfront, via Bill 154.
When it comes to Ontario Place, the PCs are exempting the land from environmental assessments and heritage laws — which Ontario Place For All had based its legal challenge on — and giving Surma the power to write MZOs to speed up construction.
“We just have to make a decision and move on and start with construction,” Surma told reporters, noting past environmental studies (but those didn’t fully cover Therme’s planned waterpark and spa, which has been redesigned following criticism).
Oppo NDP Leader MARIT STILES scoffed. “This is all about this government giving themselves a free pass to do whatever they want for whomever they want with public dollars.”
As for the Science Centre, Surma previously suggested that moving it downtown was cheaper than repairing the aging facility. She didn’t offer specifics. We’ll get some clarity today from Infrastructure Ontario president and CEO MICHAEL LINDSAY.
Back in Flemingdon Park: Toronto Mayor OLIVIA CHOW says housing is a no-go for the soon-to-be-ex-Science Centre and that she’s keen on keeping some form of science programming at the site. The province, in turn, is leaving some wiggle room for the location of the $400-million taxpayer-funded parking structure at Ontario Place, saying it’s exploring the city’s pitch to relocate to the Ex grounds.
Meanwhile, Premier DOUG FORD admitted the deal with Toronto was “one-sided.”
Recall: The new deal would see the province upload responsibility for the Gardiner and DVP, freeing up billions for the cash-strapped city, which is trading in its fight over Ontario Place. There’s also up to $1.2 billion for transit and refugee supports.
“We gave them everything they needed, but that’s what you have to do,” Ford told the Ontario Real Estate Association’s conference on Monday. (The city says it’ll still fall short and that the feds should pony up more cash.)
HAPPENING TODAY
Housing Minister PAUL CALANDRA goes for Round II with housing-minded civic players, including ex-NDP captain, now-Hamilton Mayor ANDREA HORWATH, who’s headed to the Leg for a supportive housing roundtable, featuring Deputy Premier SYLVIA JONES and Associate Minister ROB FLACK.
11 a.m.: Infrastructure Ontario head MICHAEL LINDSAY is in the Media Studio for a technical briefing on the Science Centre’s relocation to Ontario Place.
FUNDRAISING WATCH — 6 p.m.: The PCs are fundraising in Beaches-East York — Liberal territory — at $50-a-head. RSVP.
7 p.m.: Infrastructure Minister KINGA SURMA is shilling for the PCs in Etobicoke Centre. Tickets go for $500 a pop. Invite.
A message from Ontario’s Universities
After a 10% tuition cut in 2019, four years of a tuition freeze, and pressure from inflation, Ontario’s universities are at a breaking point. Without ending the tuition freeze and providing additional government funding to universities, the programs and services that Ontario’s students rely on and deserve are at risk.
The time for government action is now. Find out more about how government, businesses, community partners and universities must work together to ensure that universities have the resources to continue to support students, lead innovation, and drive economic growth for Ontario here.
ON THE ORDER PAPER
First up: Third reading of the all-party sponsored private members’ Bill 41, which would force financial institutions and collection agencies to forgive any coerced debts accrued by a victim of human trafficking.
After the morning’s Question Period, a deferred vote: On third and final reading of Bill 146, the mini-budget implementation legislation.
Later on, Finance Minister PETER BETHLENFALVY kicks off second-reading debate on his hot-potato Bill 154, which fast-tracks the Ontario Place redevelopment.
The late show: NDPer JENNIE STEVENS will move her (non-binding) motion calling on the Health Ministry to expand OHIP coverage for universal access to birth control.
Even later: MPPs continue to burn the midnight oil — and debate Bill 134, which among other things updates the definition of affordable housing — at third reading.
TUESDAY’S RUNDOWN:
Passed: Bill 135, which overhauls home care, is awaiting Royal Assent after clearing a third-reading vote, sans Oppo support.
ON THE COMMITTEE CIRCUIT — 9 a.m.: Bill 150, the PCs Official Plan-reverting and MZO-indemnifying legislation, is ripping through due process after not-so-public hearings. It’s up for a possible makeover during clause-by-clause consideration at the Heritage committee.
Over at Justice Policy: It’s clause-by-clause for Bill 142, the consumer protection omnibus that makes it easier to get out of gym memberships and time share agreements, among other things.
COCKTAIL CHATTER — Back-to-back breakfast receptions this morning, put on by the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses and the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. Over lunch, Anishinabek Nation and the Union of Ontario Indians are hosting in Room 228. Later on, the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association and the Heart and Stroke Foundation are each holding shindigs.
CLIPPINGS
— TAGGED IN: MARIT STILES is picking up the fight against Ontario Place’s redevelopment — an awkward position to be in politically, given her (unofficial) NDP counterpart at City Hall, OLIVIA CHOW, gave up on her campaign pledge to slow it down in exchange for the upload of the cash-strapped city’s pricey highways.
That prompted some pointed taunting from Liberal STEPHEN BLAIS. “You know things must be rough when Marit Stiles goes on the attack against the work of the most important [New Democrat] in the province, Olivia Chow. Yowzers!” Blais posted.
Stiles fired back: “Try to follow along…Mayor gains billions for Toronto while Ford tries to duck and trade…What’s not to understand?”
— KEEPING UP WITH KITCHENER: On byelection eve, NDP candidate DEBBIE CHAPMAN’s response to the PCs repeatedly calling her “Queen of NIMBY” in Question Period: “I’ve been called worse.”
In case you missed it, I’ve been chatting with Chapman, the Greens’ AISLINN CLANCY and the Liberals’ KELLY STEISS. (PC ROB ELLIOTT, please call me back!)
— WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS…: The infamous trip that sparked a ministerial resignation and a fresh wave of scrutiny for the Ford government won’t be further investigated by the Integrity Commissioner, for now, because of the RCMP’s Greenbelt probe, CTV confirmed. But them’s the rules: As we noted last month, J. DAVID WAKE can’t take on the case while police are investigating.
Speaking of the RCMP: Ford went one step further and promised investigators not only full access to confidential cabinet documents, but also to his cellphone records, which he’s fighting to keep under wraps from the public. Over to you, Mounties.
— POINT OF PRIVILEGE: Does SARAH JAMA actually have a case against the Legislature’s PC-prompted censure motion? TVO’s John Michael McGrath digs in.
— MANDATORY MATH: “Ontario’s future teachers could be required to pass a math test before receiving their certification after an appeal court quashed a lower court decision that found a high-stakes exam disproportionately affected racialized educators.” Details in the Globe.
— HOLODOMOR HITS THE BOOKS: “Education about the Ukrainian famine of the 1930s that left millions dead at the hands of the Soviet Union will become a mandatory for students in Grade 10.” CTV News reports.
— PROPS: As we await Saturday’s Liberal leadership announcement, BONNIE CROMBIE has sent a thank-you note to supporters. Her opponents beat her to it, something Liberal insiders have been reading into.
A message from Colleges Ontario, the advocacy voice for the province’s 24 public colleges
Twenty-five per cent of job openings in today’s market require college credentials and that will rise to 36 per cent over the next 10 years. We owe it to our students and businesses to get the college investment model right and make sure colleges remain key training hubs for our workforce.
We are calling on the government to act now on solutions that will support college students and the key sectors of our province’s economy.
Learn more about our recommendations here.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
First in Observer — EXIT — SHIR BARZILAY, a fixture at Finance, is leaving Queen’s Park. Barzilay has three budgets and three fall economic statements under her belt, and has worked for Minister PETER BETHLENFALVY since 2021, most recently as executive director of budget and policy. Barzilay is joining GT and Company, the public affairs firm headed up by Liberal DON GUY and the NDP’s BRIAN TOPP.
TRANSITION — ROLANDO ONG is moving on from Solicitor General MICHAEL KERZNER’s office, where he was most recently director of operations. Ong is headed for Environment Minister ANDREA KHANJIN’s team.
We called it! — STAFFING UP — It’s Info-Go official: PAUL SZACHLEWICZ and VONNY SWEETLAND have followed NINA TANGRI over to the Small Business file, as director of policy and stakeholder relations and director of communications, respectively. JEROME BENNETT, formerly of PO, is also joining as senior issues and comms manager. They’re reuniting with Tangri’s chief of staff ALEXANDRA HOENE — the quartet came over from the Associate Housing file, which we previously scooped.
SPOTTED:
The Star’s Robert Benzie scoping out Ontario’s latest crumbling acquisition (which isn’t going anywhere)…The Grand Staircase looking mighty festive…
QUESTION PERIOD
THE HIGHLIGHTS: Re: Ontario Place, “Is [Ford] overriding his own rules to avoid accountability under the law?” — “Why is this elite luxury spa his number one priority?” — After Toronto’s funding agreement, “which other municipalities will get a deal from this province?” — “Can Northerners also expect a new deal to actually put Highway 11 up to standards so people don’t die on it?” — “Why is this government expanding private hospitals, where we pay more for less?” — “Universal access to contraception will give survivors more control over their bodies and lives and help combat sex trafficking” — “When will [the Premier] wake up, smell the wildfires and declare a climate emergency?” — “Bring back real rent control…to help keep food on the table” — When it comes to the big spike in food bank usage, “When will the government acknowledge this and respond to this emergency?” — “Why is this government more focused on improving profits for insider health care investors than in reducing wait times in Ontario?”
LOBBYING DISPATCH
Here are the new, renewed and amended registrations over the past 24 hours:
Shanice Scott, Hill+Knowlton Strategies: Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario
Katie Heelis, Enterprise: Ontario Pharmacists Association
Rick Roth, Global Public Affairs: Cement Association of Canada
Alexandra Rodgers, Policy Concepts: Ontario Home Care Association, Ve’ahavta, Professional Geoscientists of Ontario, Rick Hansen Foundation, Curbo Inc. operating as Roam
Lily Mesh, Wellington Dupont Public Affairs: DCM Solutions
Emily-Jean Gallant, Wellington Dupont Public Affairs: Bilt Services Inc.
Kevin McCarthy, Exhort 3.13: Enriched Academy
Joyce Mankarios, Sussex Strategy Group: TC Energy Corporation, G6 Energy Corporation
Amanda DeYoung, Sussex Strategy Group: Aecon
Logan Ross, Michael Ras and Devan Sommerville, Counsel Public Affairs: Umicore Rechargeable Battery Materials Canada Inc.
Johanna Chevalier, Devan Sommerville, Michael Ras and Shawn Cruz, Counsel Public Affairs: Ontario Chiropractic Association
Yaron Gersh, The CCS Group: Seine River First Nation, Batchewana First Nation
Natalie Dash, Campbell Strategies: NAIOP Greater Toronto Chapter, Nobleton Landowners Group
Chris Holz and Ted Griffith, Campbell Strategies: Waterloo Biofilter Systems Inc.
In-house organizations: Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario — Tesla Motors Canada ULC — Enel Green Power Canada — Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association.
🍽️ ON THE MENU: Wondering whether to pick up lunch or brown-bag it? Ginger beef with rice and vegetables is on special in the basement cafeteria.
⏳ COUNTDOWN: T-minus 1 day until the byelection in Kitchener Centre…3 days until the Liberal leadership contest…15 days until the House breaks for winter…129 days until the Premier has to call a byelection for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex.