Legislative Assembly of Ontario

The committee met at 0902 in committee room 1.

Election of Vice-Chair

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Good morning, everyone. The Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy will now come to order. We are here to conduct clause-by-clause consideration of Bill 131, An Act to enact the GO Transit Station Funding Act, 2023 and to amend the City of Toronto Act, 2006. We are joined by staff from legislative counsel, Hansard, and broadcast and recording. Please wait until I recognize you before starting to speak. As always, all comments should go through the Chair. Are there any questions before we begin?

The first item on the agenda is committee business. It is my duty to entertain a motion for Vice-Chair.

Before we proceed with the election of the Vice-Chair, I would like to draw your attention to standing order 119(d): “When there are two recognized parties, where the Chair of a standing committee is a member of the party forming the government, the Vice-Chair shall be a member of a recognized party in opposition to the government or an independent member....”

I’m asking for any motions. MPP Harden, please go ahead.

Mr. Joel Harden: I’d like to move that MPP Armstrong be appointed Vice-Chair of the committee.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): MPP Harden has moved a motion. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare the motion carried.

Welcome, MPP Armstrong, to the team.

Committee business

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): The Clerk has distributed the amendment package to all members and staff electronically. Are there any—

Mr. Matthew Rae: Chair?

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Yes, MPP Rae? Sorry.

Mr. Matthew Rae: Sorry; I just have one more item under committee business.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): I apologize.

Mr. Matthew Rae: I have a motion.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Back to committee business: MPP Rae.

Mr. Matthew Rae: The motion reads:

I move that the committee meet for public hearings for the study on regional governance in the following regions: Durham, Halton, Niagara, Simcoe county, Waterloo, York; and

That the committee meet in at least two locations in each region with specific dates and times to be determined at future meetings of the committee; and

That interested presenters be requested to select the region in which they wish to appear.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Thank you very much, MPP Rae. I believe we’re going to, in a second, have that motion displayed in front of us on the screens, for all to have a glance at.

Any debate? Discussion? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote? All those in favor of MPP Rae’s motion, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare the motion carried.

Transportation for the Future Act, 2023 Loi de 2023 pour un réseau de transport orienté vers l’avenir

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill 131, An Act to enact the GO Transit Station Funding Act, 2023 and to amend the City of Toronto Act, 2006 / Projet de loi 131, Loi édictant la Loi de 2023 sur le financement des stations du réseau GO et modifiant la Loi de 2006 sur la cité de Toronto.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): The Clerk has distributed the amendment package to all members and staff electronically. Are there any comments? Yes, MPP Harden?

Mr. Joel Harden: Just a question: Are we going to get a printed version of the passed motion handed out? Yes? Okay. Thank you.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Are there any comments or questions to any section or schedule of the bill, and if so, which section? This is in respect to the amendment package that was passed out. MPP McMahon.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Maybe I do it later on, but I do have a substitution for one of my amendments.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): It’s later on.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Okay. Thank you.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): No problem. Thanks for clarifying.

We’ll now begin clause-by-clause consideration of the bill. Bill 131 is comprised of three sections which enact two schedules. In order to deal with the bill in an orderly fashion, I suggest we postpone these three sections in order to dispose of the schedules first. Is there agreement to this? There is agreement.

Schedule 1, sections 1 to 3, City of Toronto Act: There are no amendments to sections 1 to 3. I propose we bundle them. Is there agreement? Is there any debate on sections 1 to 3, which have no amendments, to the City of Toronto Act? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote?

Mr. Joel Harden: Recorded vote.

Ayes

Coe, Kusendova-Bashta, Pang, Rae, Sabawy.

Nays

Armstrong, Harden.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): I declare sections 1 to 3 carried.

We now need to vote on schedule 1 as a whole. Are the members ready to vote? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare schedule 1 carried.

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GO Transit Station Funding Act, 2023, schedule 2, section 1: There are no amendments. Any discussion? Seeing none, shall schedule 2, section 1, carry? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare schedule 2, section 1, carried.

Under the same GO Transit Station Funding Act, schedule 2, section 2: There are no amendments. Shall we have any discussion? Seeing none, shall schedule 2, section 2, carry? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare schedule 2, section 2, carried.

Under schedule 2, section 2.1, there is an amendment. MPP McMahon, I believe this is your amendment.

M^me Mary-Margaret McMahon: C’est moi. I move that schedule 2 to the bill be amended by adding the—first of all, good morning, everyone. Sorry for my poor manners.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): It’s okay.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: I move that schedule 2 to the bill be amended by adding the following section immediately before the heading “Transit station charge bylaws”:

“Affordable housing

“2.1(1) Despite any other act, the residential development of land located within the prescribed area surrounding a GO Transit station shall include a minimum of 20% affordable housing units that satisfy prescribed requirements, if any.

“Limitation

“(2) Subsection (1) applies in relation to a GO Transit station only if construction of the station has not yet begun on the day this section comes into force.”

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Is there any discussion on MPP McMahon’s motion? MPP McMahon.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: I would just say, we’re all about building housing and building it now, but we also want to have housing for everyone, so we want affordable housing to be definitely included in that and baked in. That’s what that does.

Thank you in advance for your support.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Is there any further discussion? MPP Rae.

Mr. Matthew Rae: Thank you to the independent member for putting forward all the motions. It’s great to see the independent member doing the work at committee here today.

Unfortunately, the government recommends voting against this amendment. The TOC program chair currently has a framework designated to establishing affordable housing where possible, in partnership with the municipalities and project partners. A blanket policy will not only overlap with existing efforts but will set a standard that may also impose on a region or a municipality’s ability to recover the costs associated with transit station delivery, which was a key goal of this bill—to ensure there was cost recovery for the municipalities that choose to implement this initiative.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further debate? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote? Shall amendment number 1—

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Recorded.

Ayes

Armstrong, Harden, McMahon.

Nays

Coe, Kusendova-Bashta, Pang, Rae, Sabawy.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): I declare amendment 1 lost.

Moving on to schedule 2, section 2.2, amendment number 2: MPP McMahon.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: I move that schedule 2 to the bill be amended by adding the following section immediately before the heading “Transit Station Charge Bylaws”:

“Authorization

“2.2(1) Despite any other act, any residential development of land located within the prescribed area surrounding a GO Transit station may consist of buildings with up to six storeys at or above ground.

“Same

“(2) For greater certainty, subsection (1) applies in respect of any proposed new residential development and any redevelopment of an existing residential building in the prescribed area.”

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any debate? MPP McMahon.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Essentially, we’ve spoken about this—I’ve spoken about this until I’m blue in the face—in the chamber, about as-of-right zoning, building up all our avenues, but building up along the subway corridors, transit corridors. Let’s just make it happen and get the shovels in the ground.

I’m happy for your support.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further debate? MPP Rae.

Mr. Matthew Rae: Again, I thank the independent member for the proposed amendment. Unfortunately, the government is recommending voting against this amendment. It would not only take away a municipality and region’s ability to plan for their own needs in their community, which is, I would argue, a large overreach of municipal jurisdiction, but it also significantly harms our goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031. The motion says “up to six storeys”—again, if the municipality chooses to build above that, that would be supported by this government to ensure we have densification around transit station areas.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further debate? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote? All those in favour of—

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Recorded.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): A recorded vote is asked for.

Ayes

McMahon.

Nays

Coe, Kusendova-Bashta, Pang, Rae, Sabawy.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): I declare amendment 2 lost.

Moving now to schedule 2, section 3, amendment number 3: MPP McMahon.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: I move that subsection 3(1) of schedule 2 to the bill be struck out and the following substituted:

“Transit station charge bylaws

“(1) The council of a municipality may, subject to the requirements of section 6, by bylaw impose a transit station charge against land to pay for the following costs:

“1. Costs related to the construction of a GO Transit station that the municipality has agreed to pay.

“2. Costs related to the infrastructure necessary to create a complete community surrounding a GO Transit station mentioned in paragraph 1, which may include costs related to necessary services and the provision of affordable housing, with a goal of funding future growth in an equitable manner.

“3. Anticipated costs related to the construction of potential future GO Transit stations, as identified in the municipality’s official plan.

“4. In the case of the city of Toronto, the city’s costs for the SmartTrack Stations Program that are not eligible to be recovered through development charges.

“Limitation

“(1.1) For greater certainty, the costs mentioned in paragraph 2 of subsection (1) may include only such costs that are not otherwise eligible to be recovered through such charges as may be prescribed or through such programs as may be prescribed.”

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any debate? MPP McMahon.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: There were plenty of organizations and groups that wrote in to us, and this idea is coming from the city of Toronto. I’m sure you all read the submissions, but these are their requests—just allowing municipalities to collect and charge for the purpose of funding future stations, which is identified in their official plan, and other community infrastructure as needed, and yes, making the transit stations eligible for charge recovery for these municipal costs.

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The city of Toronto is our economic engine for Ontario and Canada, and they have credible and informed and experienced staff at the helm. I would just like to heed their request so everything goes smoothly with this bill.

Thank you for your support in advance.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Further debate? MPP Rae, please.

Mr. Matthew Rae: Thank you again to my colleague from Beaches–East York for proposing this motion.

Again, unfortunately, the government recommends voting against this motion. The proposed motion, as written, would broaden the scope and purpose of the station contribution fee, beyond paying only costs related to the construction of new GO stations. There are other revenue tools available to regional municipalities and lower-tier municipalities, such as development charges and community benefit charges, which municipalities can use to recover infrastructure costs and community benefits related to any new development they choose to undertake.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further debate? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote?

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Recorded.

Ayes

Armstrong, Harden, McMahon.

Nays

Coe, Kusendova-Bashta, Pang, Rae, Sabawy.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): I declare amendment number 3 lost.

Moving on to section 3(3) of schedule 2, amendment 3.1: MPP Rae.

Mr. Matthew Rae: I move that subsection 3(3) of schedule 2 to the bill be struck out and the following substituted:

“Limitation—only to new stations

“(3) A bylaw may be passed in relation to a GO Transit station only if construction of the station did not begin before the day the Transportation for the Future Act, 2023, received royal assent.”

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any debate? MPP Rae.

Mr. Matthew Rae: The reason we are proposing this amendment is that the motion would help address some stakeholder concerns, specifically in the region of Durham, about being potentially disqualified from passing a bylaw under this act, should early work take place at any of the potential station locations before the region is able to pass the bylaw.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further debate? MPP Harden, please.

Mr. Joel Harden: I may be missing something—maybe MPP Rae can clear it up for me—but what I understood Durham decision-makers telling us at the committee, in the hearings, was that for some of the projects, like Bowmanville, that are far along the way, or others, they’re worried they may not be able to recoup costs for construction already under way. Am I reading the amendment right—through you, Chair—that this is making it explicit that the only way you can take advantage of the station administration fee is if your project starts after the legislation comes into force and there is no retroactivity? I just want to make sure I am clear.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further debate or discussion? MPP Rae?

Mr. Matthew Rae: To my colleague, the amendment would provide greater certainty for the municipality so they can proceed with the early work associated with the station construction by allowing them to recover costs incurred prior to the bylaw being passed.

Durham is proactive in their initiatives around these transit-oriented communities—in east Bowmanville, for example, as my colleague opposite mentioned. This amendment would allow them to continue that work with haste.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further debate or discussion? MPP Harden.

Mr. Joel Harden: I’ll try it one more time, because I am just trying to listen to what my colleague is saying. I heard the same presentation—but I read the proposal here to take away the option of retroactivity.

MPP Rae, are you actually saying—help me understand. There are a number of things on our agenda these days, so I just want to make sure—because I appreciated what the Durham decision-makers were telling us. With this amendment, there will be no ability for Durham region decision-makers to levy a station administration fee if the project begins before the legislation comes into force? I just want to understand. That will really inform our vote.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further debate or discussion? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote? All those in favour of amendment 3.1, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare amendment 3.1 carried.

Moving on to section 3.1 of schedule 2, amendment number 4: MPP McMahon.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: This isn’t the substituted one.

I move that section 3 of schedule 2 to the bill be amended by adding the following subsection:

“Affordable housing exclusion

“(6.1) A transit station charge does not apply with respect to residential development that includes a minimum of 20% affordable housing units that satisfy prescribed requirements, if any.”

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any debate? MPP McMahon?

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Again, this is just trying to max out as much affordable housing as we can get anywhere, any time, and just putting it in writing to ensure that it actually happens.

Thank you for your support in advance.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further discussion or debate. MPP Rae?

Mr. Matthew Rae: Thank you to my colleague for putting this amendment forward

Unfortunately, the government recommends voting against this motion. This motion would limit the ability of municipalities to collect revenues from developments where 20% of the units are affordable. As mentioned previously this morning, the TOC program currently has a framework designated to establishing affordable housing, where possible, in partnership with the municipality or regional government and project partners. A blanket policy will not overlap with existing efforts, but will set a standard that may also impose on a region or municipal government’s ability to recover costs for the transit stations they choose to proceed with.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further debate or discussion? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote?

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Recorded.

Ayes

Armstrong, Harden, McMahon.

Nays

Coe, Grewal, Kusendova-Bashta, Pang, Rae, Sabawy.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): I declare amendment 4 lost.

We’re going to ask the question: Shall schedule 2, section 3, as amended, carry? All those in favour, please raise your hands.

Interjection.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Do you want any debate?

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Sorry; I thought I had one more schedule 2. No?

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Not in section 3.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Sorry. Right.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): The Clerk will keep us in order, hopefully.

Shall schedule 2, section 3, as amended, carry? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare schedule 2, section 3, carried.

Moving on to schedule 2, section 4: We have no amendments. Is there any debate? Are the members ready to vote? Shall schedule 2, section 4, carry? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. Schedule 2, section 4, is carried.

Moving on to schedule 2, GO Transit Station Funding Act, 2023: Shall schedule 2, section 5, carry? Is there any debate? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote? Shall schedule 2, section 5, carry? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare schedule 2, section 5, carried.

Under schedule 2, section 6, there’s amendment number 5: MPP McMahon.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: I move that section 6 of schedule 2 to the bill be amended by adding the following subsection:

“Time limit

“(5.1) The minister shall make a decision under subsection (5) in respect of a resolution no later than two months following the day on which the municipality forwards to the minister the information required under subsection (3) in respect of the resolution.”

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The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Is there any debate or discussion? MPP McMahon.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: This just includes a time frame for ministerial approval of no more than two months, which would be beneficial to municipalities.

Thank you in advance for your ongoing, solid support.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further discussion or debate? MPP Rae.

Mr. Matthew Rae: Thank you to my colleague for the proposed amendment.

Again, the government is recommending voting against this amendment, and the reason is, the province would need adequate time to review the bylaw—as they possess lots of technical details and other vital details to the proposed bylaw, whatever it is proposed for. This brand new revenue tool that the province will need to ensure is delivered efficiently and successfully—and a maximum of two months would hinder the process and potentially harm the implementation of these transit stations. Overall, the proposed motion would set arbitrary timelines on the amount of time the minister could take to make a decision, as well. We recommend voting against this motion.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further discussion or debate? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote on amendment number 5?

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Recorded vote.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Recorded vote.

Ayes

Armstrong, Harden, McMahon.

Nays

Coe, Grewal, Kusendova-Bashta, Pang, Rae, Sabawy.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): I declare amendment 5 lost.

Shall schedule 2, section 6, carry? Is there any debate? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare schedule 2, section 6, carried.

There are no amendments on schedule 2, from sections 7 to 18. I propose that we bundle. All those in favour? All agreed? Okay. Is there any debate on any of those? Are the members ready to vote? Shall schedule 2, section 7 to section 18, carry? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare sections 7 to 18 carried.

Moving to schedule 2, section 19, still under the GO Transit Station Funding Act, 2023: We have amendment 5.1. MPP Rae.

Mr. Matthew Rae: I move that subsection 19(1) of schedule 2 to the bill be amended by adding the following clause:

“(a.1) prescribing and governing, for the purposes of subsections 3(1) and (2), the costs related to the construction of a GO Transit station for which charges may be imposed by a transit station charge bylaw;”

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Discussion? MPP Rae.

Mr. Matthew Rae: This motion would allow a reg-making authority to provide greater certainty regarding the types of costs that can be recovered through the transit station charge for the purposes of subsection 3(1) and subsection 3(2). I know MOI will consult with municipalities on which costs related to the construction of a GO Transit station may be recouped through a transit station charge bylaw and, obviously, the ministry will take that feedback into consideration when developing those regulations in partnership with those municipalities.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further discussion or debate? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote on amendment 5.1? Okay. All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare amendment 5.1 carried.

Moving on to amendment 5.2: MPP Rae.

Mr. Matthew Rae: I move that clause 19(1)(b) of schedule 2 to the bill be struck out and the following substituted:

“(b) prescribing when construction of a GO Transit station begins for the purposes of subsection 3(3);”

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Debate? MPP Rae.

Mr. Matthew Rae: This motion provides more precise language around regulation-making authority to clarify when the construction of a GO Transit station begins, for the purpose of subsection 3(3). This motion allows greater certainty to be provided through regulations as to when the construction of a GO Transit station begins.

Again, as I mentioned in my previous remarks, MOI will consult with municipalities on when construction of a GO Transit station begins as part of the process for consulting on drafting the implementing regulation.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further discussion or debate on amendment 5.2? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare amendment 5.2 carried.

Shall schedule 2, section 19, as amended, carry? Is there any debate? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare schedule 2, section 19, carried.

Moving on to schedule 2, section 20: Is there any debate? There are no amendments. Seeing none, are the members ready to vote? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare schedule 2, section 20, carried.

Under schedule 2, section 21, there is amendment 5.3. I believe members have—it’s just about to be handed out. MPP McMahon, you can start to read the amendment, though.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: It is quite long, so get comfortable. And this is just a lovely legislative counsel—we have just kind of rejigged one of the amendments.

I move that section 21 of schedule 2 be amended by adding the following subsection:

“(7) The act is amended by adding the following section:

“‘Single fare on local transit

“‘474.22(1) Every operator of a local transit system shall ensure that passengers pay a single fare for any trip, regardless of whether they travel only within one local transit system or within multiple local transit systems through transfer points.

“‘Regulations

“‘(2) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations respecting anything that, in this section, is referred to as being prescribed.

“‘Definitions

“‘(3) In this section,

“‘“local transit system” means a passenger transportation system that is operated principally within an upper-tier, lower-tier or single-tier municipality and includes transportation services for persons with physical disabilities, but does not include transportation by special purpose vehicles such as school buses or ambulances and does not include a prescribed passenger transportation system;

“‘“prescribed” means prescribed by a regulation made under subsection (2);

“‘“transfer point” means a location within a local transit system that satisfies the prescribed criteria, if any, and at which a customer may transfer to another local transfer system.’”

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): We will just give a moment for the Clerk to pass the amendment around.

Are the members okay if MPP McMahon begins speaking to the amendment?

Okay, MPP McMahon, do you want to start chatting?

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: We’re just looking at a single, flat fare for transit users to use. I think you’ve all travelled around and had relative ease in using transit in other municipalities all over Canada and the world. You need to ensure they’re convenient, they’re affordable, they’re accessible, they’re seamless, and we need to do much more to ensure that happens with our system in Ontario. So this just is an effort to do that.

Thank you in advance, as always.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): And thank you for that consistent line.

MPP Rae?

Mr. Matthew Rae: Again, thank you to my independent colleague for proposing this amendment.

Unfortunately, the government recommends voting against this amendment because while the objectives are admirable, they don’t align with the current fare integration priorities. It will be challenging to implement this through legislation. It’s better met through policy or programmatic changes, including the implementation of the province’s new fare integration program. I know the province views municipal transit systems as autonomous decision-making bodies that serve their riders, so prescribing transfer points through legislation could create challenges as we do move towards a single fare.

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The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Discussion? Are the members ready to vote?

All those in favour of amendment 5.3, please raise your hands.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Recorded.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): And a recorded vote it is.

Ayes

Armstrong, Harden, McMahon.

Nays

Coe, Grewal, Kusendova-Bashta, Pang, Rae, Sabawy.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): I declare amendment 5.3 lost.

Moving to schedule 2, section 21, as a whole: Any debate? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare schedule 2, section 21, carried.

Schedule 2, section 22, amendment 5.4: MPP McMahon.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Again, this is just a rejigging with legislative counsel.

I move that section 22 of schedule 2 to the bill be struck out and the following substituted:

“Commencement

“22(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, this schedule comes into force on the day the Transportation for the Future Act, 2023, receives royal assent.

“(2) Subsection 21(7) comes into force six months after the day the Transportation for the Future Act, 2023, receives royal assent.”

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): The Clerk is passing the amendment around. MPP McMahon, if you’d like to start the debate, if you choose to—

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: I would love your support on this.

I’m cutting to the chase.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Any further debate or discussion? Last call for any debate, discussion. Okay. Are the members ready to vote? All those in favour of amendment 5.4—

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Recorded.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): —and it’s a recorded vote.

Ayes

Armstrong, Harden, McMahon.

Nays

Coe, Grewal, Kusendova-Bashta, Pang, Rae, Sabawy.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): I declare amendment 5.4 lost.

Shall schedule 2, section 22, carry? Is there any further debate? Are the members ready to vote? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare schedule 2, section 22, carried.

Moving on to schedule 2, section 23: There are no amendments. Is there any debate or discussion? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote? All those in favour of schedule 2, section 23, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. Schedule 2, section 23, is carried.

Shall schedule 2, as amended, carry? Any debate or discussion? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare schedule 2, as amended, carried.

Moving on to schedule 3, Local Transit Fare Act, 2023: I believe amendment number 6 is in this section.

MPP McMahon, are you ready to begin amendment number 6?

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: I have one for schedule 4. Is that—

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Are you withdrawing amendment 6? Do you have those numbered? We did have an amendment number 6 under your name. But do you want to wait for—

Interjections.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Just a second. We’ll clarify here.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: I’m withdrawing that one, because the wise legislative counsel and I worked on reformatting it, and we already moved it. So, yes, thank you, I will withdraw that.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Amendment number 6 is withdrawn.

MPP Armstrong?

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong: Did you replace that with 5.3? Is that the one?

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Yes, it has been replaced. It’s still in there—just a different piece.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): We’re going to move over to schedule 4. Thank you for your patience, everyone.

Under the Planning Act, schedule 4, amendment number 7: MPP McMahon.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: This is my final one, everyone, so contain your excitement.

I move that schedule 4 be added to the bill:

“Schedule 4

“Planning Act

“1. Subsection 16(1) of the Planning Act is amended by adding the following clause:

“(a.2) policies respecting the identification of locations for potential future GO Transit stations;”

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): I have a Chair ruling. Amendment number 7 is beyond the scope of the bill. If passed, the amendment would vicariously amend the Planning Act, 1990, which is an act that is not opened by Bill 131. It is not possible to do indirectly what cannot be done directly. I therefore rule the amendment out of order.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: May I challenge the Chair?

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Only if you have unanimous consent to debate the motion.

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: All right. That’s very disappointing, but—

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Okay. There is no schedule 4.

We’re going to return to the first page for sections 1, 2 and 3, if I could flip you over to there.

On Bill 131: Shall section 1 carry? Any debate or discussion? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare section 1 carried.

Shall section 2 carry? Any debate or discussion? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare section 2 carried.

Shall section 3 carry? Any debate or discussion? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare section 3 carried.

If the members could just go to the last page of their package—shall the title of the bill carry? Any debate or discussion? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare the title of the bill carried.

Shall Bill 131, as amended, carry? Any debate or discussion? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I declare Bill 131 carried, as amended.

Shall I report the bill, as amended, to the House? Any debate or discussion? All those in favour, please raise your hands. All those opposed, please raise your hands. I shall report the bill, as amended, to the House.

Is there any other business before we leave the committee room?

Mr. Matthew Rae: Not from me, Chair.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): Thank you very much. There being no further business, this committee now stands adjourned until 10 a.m. on Monday, November 6, 2023, in beautiful Barrie.

The committee adjourned at 0950.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON HERITAGE, INFRASTRUCTURE AND CULTURAL POLICY

Chair / Présidente

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock PC)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Présidente

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong (London–Fanshawe ND)

Ms. Teresa J. Armstrong (London–Fanshawe ND)

Mr. Lorne Coe (Whitby PC)

Mr. Hardeep Singh Grewal (Brampton East / Brampton-Est PC)

Mr. Joel Harden (Ottawa Centre / Ottawa-Centre ND)

Ms. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta (Mississauga Centre / Mississauga-Centre PC)

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon (Beaches–East York L)

Mr. Billy Pang (Markham–Unionville PC)

Mr. Matthew Rae (Perth–Wellington PC)

Mr. Sheref Sabawy (Mississauga–Erin Mills PC)

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock PC)

Clerk / Greffier

Mr. Isaiah Thorning

Staff / Personnel

Mr. Mark Spakowski, legislative counsel