Ontario Premier Doug Ford stands in the house as the Ontario Legislature resumes in Toronto on Oct. 21, 2024.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
Ontario’s provincial parliament will be a hive of activity today, as the legislature resumes sitting following a 19-week summer break.
The first day back promises to be a busy one, with Energy Minister Stephen Lecce and Housing Minister Paul Calandra making an 8:30 a.m. announcement, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria introducing a bill aimed at tackling gridlock and advocacy groups planning protests.
Sarkaria has announced that his bill will include facilitating construction 24 hours a day, accelerating property acquisitions and an environmental assessment for Highway 413 and requiring municipalities to ask the province for permission to install bike lanes when they would remove a lane of vehicle traffic.
Lecce’s announcement follows his pledge last week to soon release his vision for how to significantly boost electricity supply in the province, after the Independent Electricity System Operator said demand will surge by 75 per cent between now and 2050.
Opposition parties say some of Premier Doug Ford’s recent remarks and announcements, such as the idea to dig a tunnel for traffic and transit under Highway 401, are evidence he is focused more on electioneering than governing.
Ford has not ruled out calling an election in 2025, before the next fixed election date in June 2026.