The committee met at 0901 in committee room 1.

Selection of estimates

The Chair (Hon. Laurie Scott): Good morning, everyone. The Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy will now come to order.

On our agenda this morning is the selection of estimates for consideration. Pursuant to standing 62(b), the estimates, upon tabling, are deemed to be referred to the standing committees to which the respective ministries and offices were assigned pursuant to standing order 113.

All committee members should have received an electronic copy of the 2025-26 estimates and the corresponding ministry briefing books from the Clerk.

The estimates for the following ministries and offices have been referred to the standing committee for selection and consideration:

—Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism;

—Ministry of Infrastructure;

—Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing;

—Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming;

—Ministry of Transportation;

—Ministry of Sport;

—Office of the Lieutenant Governor.

The objective of this morning’s meeting is to select the estimates of certain ministries for review by the committee. Standing order 63 sets out the process by which the committee makes its selections. Each of the recognized parties in the committee shall select the estimates of up to one ministry or office in each turn. The official opposition selects first, followed by the third party and then the government. If members of one party decline to make a selection, the selection then passes to the next party in the rotation. The process concludes when either there are no further ministries available to select, or if all recognized parties decline to make any, or any further, selections.

Pursuant to standing order 63(c), these selections are to be reviewed in the order that they were chosen. This order may be altered by unanimous agreement of the subcommittee on committee business or by order of the House.

Pursuant to standing order 63(d), the time for the consideration of the estimates of each ministry shall be determined by the respective committee.

It should be noted that, pursuant to standing order 63(d)(i), if the estimates of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor is selected, it shall have no time allotted to it, and when these estimates are considered, the Chair shall put, without further amendment or debate, every question necessary to dispose of these estimates.

The estimates of those ministries not selected for consideration will be deemed to have been passed by the committee. As Chair, I will report those unselected estimates back to the House, and they will be deemed to be adopted and concurred in by the House.

When making your selections, I would also like to add that—if members could please look at the list of ministries as they are listed in the estimates book and give the correct names of the ministries when they select them for consideration. The Clerk has displayed these correct names on the screens in front of you and has provided a hard copy which should also be in front of you.

Do members have any questions? Okay.

I’ll start with the official opposition for their first selection, please. MPP McKenney.

MPP Catherine McKenney: The NDP, as our first choice, will hear from the Ministry of Infrastructure.

The Chair (Hon. Laurie Scott): Next is the third party. MPP Watt.

MPP Tyler Watt: Just a quick question: Since my colleague has picked infrastructure, I pick something else?

The Chair (Hon. Laurie Scott): Yes.

MPP Tyler Watt: I will pick the Ministry of Transportation.

The Chair (Hon. Laurie Scott): We’ll move over to the government side. MPP Anand.

Mr. Deepak Anand: Madam Chair, I’d like to pick the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism as my first pick.

The Chair (Ms. Laurie Scott): MPP McKenney, please make your second selection.

MPP Catherine McKenney: My second selection will be the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

The Chair (Hon. Laurie Scott): We’ll now move on to the third party: MPP Watt.

MPP Tyler Watt: I will be choosing the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming.

The Chair (Hon. Laurie Scott): To the government side for their selection, please.

Mr. Deepak Anand: Madam Chair, I would like to pick the Ministry of Sport.

The Chair (Hon. Laurie Scott): Are there any further selections? No? Okay.

MPP Catherine McKenney: Can I just clarify something?

The Chair (Hon. Laurie Scott): MPP McKenney, you have a point?

MPP Catherine McKenney: Yes. Sorry. If the Office of the Lieutenant Governor is chosen, what does that mean? Is that a choice that we have in front of us?

The Chair (Hon. Laurie Scott): Maybe we’ll let the Clerk answer. Technically, yes, it is, but—

The Clerk pro tem (Ms. Lesley Flores): Again, like the Chair mentioned earlier, pursuant to standing order 63(d)(i), if the estimates of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor is selected, it shall have no time allotted to it, and when these estimates are considered, the Chair shall put, without future amendment or debate, every question necessary to dispose of these estimates.

The Chair (Hon. Laurie Scott): Thank you very much for all your selections.

Are there any further comments? Motions? Seeing none, I will say thank you, everyone, for attending this morning’s meeting.

The committee stands in recess until 1 p.m. this afternoon.

The committee recessed from 0907 to 1305.

The Clerk pro tem (Ms. Lesley Flores): Good afternoon, honourable members. It is my duty to call upon you to elect an Acting Chair. Are there any nominations? MPP Saunderson.

Mr. Brian Saunderson: I nominate MPP Pierre.

The Clerk pro tem (Ms. Lesley Flores): Does the member accept the nomination?

Ms. Natalie Pierre: Yes.

The Clerk pro tem (Ms. Lesley Flores): Are there any further nominations? There being no further nominations, I declare the nominations closed and MPP Pierre elected the Acting Chair of the committee.

Committee business

The Acting Chair (Ms. Natalie Pierre): Good afternoon, everyone.

Is there any business which members wish to raise? I recognize MPP Saunderson.

Mr. Brian Saunderson: I move that, pursuant to standing order 63(d), the following time be allotted to the consideration of the estimates of the ministries selected by the committee:

—the Ministry of Infrastructure for two hours;

—the Ministry of Transportation for two hours;

—the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism for two hours;

—the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for two hours;

—the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming for two hours;

—the Ministry of Sport for two hours; and

That the ministers responsible for those respective ministries to be invited before the committee; and

That for each ministry, the minister be allotted 20 minutes to make an opening statement followed by question and answer in rotations of 15 minutes for the official opposition members of the committee, and 15 minutes for the Liberal members of the committee, and 15 minutes for the government members of the committee for the remainder of allotted time; and

That the committee meet for the purpose of considering the estimates of the selected ministries on the following dates and times:

—the Ministry of Infrastructure on Thursday, November 6, 2025, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m.;

—the Ministry of Transportation on Thursday, November 6, 2025, from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.;

—the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism on Thursday, November 13, 2025, from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m.;

—the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on Thursday, November 13, 2025, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m.;

—the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming on Thursday, November 13, 2025, from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.;

—the Ministry of Sport on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m.; and

That the subcommittee on committee business be authorized to revise dates and times if necessary.

The Acting Chair (Ms. Natalie Pierre): MPP Saunderson has moved a motion regarding scheduling of the various ministries for the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy.

Is there any debate or discussion on the motion? I recognize MPP McKenney.

MPP Catherine McKenney: I find it surprising that we are going to meet on a week that the House is not sitting, given that this is the week of Remembrance Day. MPPs—some of them—will have to travel on Remembrance Day to get back here. It just seems like that’s not taking into consideration the due respect to our veterans. I wonder if those meeting dates on the 13th could be made either the week earlier or the week later so that MPPs can be in their ridings on Remembrance Day, paying due respect.

I also find two hours to be a very short period of time. It’s really the only time that we have to question ministers and to bring up issues of concern. Again, I look at two hours and I’m a bit surprised that it’s that short. I don’t know if I’m able to amend the motion, but I would like to amend that time to up to four hours.

The Acting Chair (Ms. Natalie Pierre): Just confirming, MPP McKenney: You’re looking to amend the motion?

MPP Catherine McKenney: Yes. I’d like to see the time for each committee meeting extended to four hours, and I’d like to see the three meetings that are taking place on the week of Remembrance Day moved to either the previous week or the following week.

The Acting Chair (Ms. Natalie Pierre): The committee will need to recess for you to formally submit an amendment.

The committee recessed from 1310 to 1319.

The Acting Chair (Ms. Natalie Pierre): I recognize MPP McKenney.

MPP Catherine McKenney: My amendment reads that the motion be amended by striking out “two hours” where it appears in paragraph 1 and replacing it with “four hours.”

The Acting Chair (Ms. Natalie Pierre): MPP McKenney has moved an amendment to the motion regarding the time allocation for estimates. Is there any debate or discussion on the motion? Are the members ready to vote? We’re voting on the amendment. Should the motion carry? All in favour? All opposed? The amendment is lost.

Is there any debate or discussion on the original motion? Seeing none, are the members ready to vote? All those in favour, please raise your hand. All those opposed, please raise your hand. The motion is carried.

Thank you, everyone, for attending today’s meeting. This concludes our business for today. The committee is now adjourned.

The committee adjourned at 1320.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON HERITAGE, INFRASTRUCTURE AND CULTURAL POLICY

Chair / Présidente

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

First Vice-Chair / Premier Vice-Président

Mr. Guy Bourgouin (Mushkegowuk–James Bay / Mushkegowuk–Baie James ND)

Second Vice-Chair / Deuxième Vice-Président

MPP Tyler Watt (Nepean L)

Mr. Deepak Anand (Mississauga–Malton PC)

Mr. Aris Babikian (Scarborough–Agincourt PC)

Mr. Guy Bourgouin (Mushkegowuk–James Bay / Mushkegowuk–Baie James ND)

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

MPP Catherine McKenney (Ottawa Centre ND)

Mr. Amarjot Sandhu (Brampton West / Brampton-Ouest PC)

Mr. Brian Saunderson (Simcoe–Grey PC)

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

MPP Tyler Watt (Nepean L)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Ms. Natalie Pierre (Burlington PC)

Clerk pro tem / Greffière par intérim

Ms. Lesley Flores

Staff / Personnel

Mr. Michael Vidoni, research officer,
Research Services