Report continued from volume A.

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Private Members’ Public Business

Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day Act, 2025 / Loi de 2025 sur la Journée de reconnaissance des travailleuses et travailleurs de l’industrie de l’accueil

Mr. Hardeman moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 67, An Act to proclaim Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day / Projet de loi 67, Loi proclamant la Journée de reconnaissance des travailleuses et travailleurs de l’industrie de l’accueil.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Pursuant to standing order 100, the member has 12 minutes for their presentation.

Hon. Ernie Hardeman: It’s an honour to rise today to speak in support of my private member’s bill to proclaim February 23 as Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day in the province of Ontario. It’s a bill that, if passed, will recognize a group of workers who contribute greatly to Ontario’s prosperity, to our social fabric and to the day-to-day experiences that make our communities welcoming, vibrant and memorable.

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Across the province, in every town, city and community, hospitality workers play an essential role in making Ontario what it is. Whether you’re operating hotels, supporting tourism attractions, working behind the scenes at sporting venues, managing local arts or culture spots, pouring coffee at 6 in the morning in a cafe, or preparing meals late at night at an event venue, these individuals are the backbone of what we so often take for granted.

Speaker, every Ontarian has had moments shaped by hospitality workers: a family trip where the front desk staff made you feel welcome, a birthday dinner where the server went above and beyond to make the celebration special, a local festival where events ran smoothly because dedicated workers were there before dawn and stayed long after the last patron had gone home. Hospitality workers ensure that we have memorable experiences, but too often their work remains invisible.

There’s another important truth about hospitality: For countless Canadians, particularly young people and newcomers, the hospitality sector is often where their journey begins and where they learn invaluable life skills such as teamwork, communications, problem-solving and financial management.

This is the story of Danny Murrell, CEO and founder of Harrison Staffing, who is with us in the gallery with his parents, Cedric and Grace; Celso Lopes, a member of his team; Richard Anderson of Smart Serve Ontario; Carol Greenwood of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario; Kris Barnier of Restaurants Canada; and Jim Wielgosz of the Greater Toronto Hotel Association.

Danny was born and raised in Barbados and came to Canada for university. Hospitality gave him the first opportunity to work, build stability and help him begin chasing the Canadian dream. He worked his way up and, in 2018, he founded Harrison Staffing. It became a model for ethical and empowering employment in the sector and is now Toronto’s premier event staffing company.

His story is far from being the only one. So many Ontarians have kick-started their careers this way and there are so many more who are forging their futures in the industry today.

Danny wanted to find a way to show appreciation for and give long overdue credit to the dedicated skill and resilience of the people who keep the sector thriving—to people like him, people who are devoted to making sure that patrons and guests have a memorable experience, that they’re safe and that the hospitality sector in Ontario thrives.

He came to me with the idea of putting forward a bill on Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day in Ontario. We’ve worked closely together to ensure that the voice and experiences of front-line hospitality workers are central to this bill, and I’m proud to put it forward in this Legislature. The recognition that would come from declaring February 23 as Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day would be a pivotal moment for the hospitality sector in Ontario.

Recognition matters, Madam Speaker. It matters to the young worker trying to balance school and part-time hours. It matters to the housekeepers and the front desk staff who make their stays at hotels and motels pleasurable. It matters to the staff who work at casinos, tourist attractions, spas, museums, parks, travel services, agri-tourism, sports and recreation. All the people working in hospitality—the people whose names we may or may not know, but whose efforts shape some of our most important experiences. A designated day for appreciation tells these workers, “We see you, we value you and we thank you.”

Hospitality work is demanding, but when workers feel valued, respected and celebrated, it strengthens the entire workforce by attracting and retaining talent and builds workforce pride. It sends a message that hospitality work is skilled work: It requires emotional intelligence, adaptability and professionalism.

We also elevate the aspirations of everyone who chooses this career path. The people who do it deserve to take pride in their craft. This day creates a moment for the entire province to reflect on the importance of the hospitality sector and to commit to supporting it.

Speaker, right now our country and province face a unique challenge with recent rhetoric from the United States, but Ontarians are stepping up by choosing to support and travel local. That is a powerful vote of confidence in our hospitality sector. We’re going to local restaurants and cafes; booking staycations; visiting local craft breweries, festivals, historic sites; and our hospitality workers are there to make sure everyone feels welcome.

They are the core of an entire industry that supports local jobs and small businesses. They are ambassadors of Ontario. Proclaiming a hospitality workers’ day in Ontario is a way to recognize this choose-Ontario movement and further mobilize support around it—an act that strengthens our economy in the face of economic uncertainty from American tariffs.

On that, Madam Speaker, I’d like to take a few moments to talk about the importance of the hospitality sector to our economy.

According to Employment and Social Development Canada, there were almost 427,000 people employed in the accommodation and food service industry in 2023 in Ontario. That’s 5.4% of the workforce and one of the largest sectors in Ontario’s economy by employment.

There are even more hospitality workers who are employed in other parts of the tourism sector, and it contributes billions to our economy annually. It’s also a key driver for regional development. Strong hospitality means stronger small business, more vibrant towns and cities, and economic growth.

An official day of appreciation is a way to shine a light on its workers and their importance to our economy and communities—it’s the workers who keep Ontario’s world-class hospitality sector running, after all—and to encourage investment by demonstrating that Ontario is committed to supporting hospitality workers and the businesses that employ them. It promotes social media campaigns, partnerships and events centred around recognition and celebration. It boosts workforce recruitment and retention, highlighting hospitality as a career path where people can grow and be successful. It drives local spending as hospitality organizations and businesses use the day to celebrate their workers and encourage Ontarians to visit a local establishment. Overall, it will inspire continued growth and excellence across the sector. When we recognize the workers, Madam Speaker, we strengthen the sector as a whole.

Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day also provides an annual opportunity for communities to highlight what makes them unique. Through social media campaigns, local hospitality businesses, industry associations and elected representatives, this day is a way to spotlight front-line hospitality workers and share stories of their contributions.

People can discover local destinations that they may not know about. It can bring families together into independent restaurants that they have never visited. It deepens the sense of community pride, all because we’re highlighting the important work of the hospitality sector employees.

With all that, why did Danny and I choose February 23 for Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day? Madam Speaker, February is a quieter period in the tourism calendar. Many businesses face slower traffic during the winter months after the holiday season. Having a day during these months can give the sector a mid-winter boost as Ontarians are encouraged to get out, visit local establishments and support their favourite spots. Local venues need support year-round.

It’s also a time when the Legislature usually sits. MPPs can have a chance to highlight local establishments that make their communities unique right in this chamber. Every member here has tourism spots, events, venues, restaurants and cafes, hotels and motels, and experiences that they love and are highlights of their community. Along with industry associations, local businesses and leaders like Danny, we can be an important voice in highlighting the people who contribute so much to Ontario.

Speaker, this is a bill about gratitude. It’s about valuing hard work that is often taken for granted. It’s about the people who make sure that patrons feel welcome and are safe. It’s about celebrating people whose hospitality helps define Ontario’s identity. It’s about facilitating workforce pride. It’s about recognizing the patriotic efforts of Ontarians supporting local. It’s about encouraging investment in our sector to create jobs and grow our economy.

Overall, Madam Speaker, it is a pivotal step in acknowledging the front-line workers who are too often overlooked. It tells them all that their contributions matter and encourages people to pursue hospitality as a career pathway. It celebrates a profession that has lifted up so many people like Danny, whether at the beginning of our careers or throughout our professional lives.

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I invite all members of this Legislature to stand in favour of this bill. Let us join together in recognizing hospitality workers’ dedication. Let us show them our appreciation. Let us pass Bill 67 to officially proclaim February 23 as Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day in Ontario.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Further debate?

Hon. Steve Clark: I want to first thank the member for Oxford for putting forward Bill 67, the Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day Act, that would make February 23 a day when we can appreciate all the work that they’ve done. I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for us to recognize the hard-working folks who are in our restaurants, hotels, event venues, and catering companies.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention our own front-line hospitality staff right here at Queen’s Park in the In Camera Dining Room, the Quorum Café and our in-house catering. I want to do a shout-out to Tyler Ing and Tim Lilleyman, who manage and direct the facility. I want to give a shout-out—because I promised him last night that I would—to chef Peter Ochitwa. I want to thank three people you might not see: chefs Khaled Kabel, Jordan Weathers, and Patrick Goolcharan. I also want to say to the sous-chefs, cashiers, waiters and support staff, thank you, on behalf of all the members of the Legislative Assembly, for what you do every single day here for us.

In my riding of Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes—let’s face it—tourism is vital to our economic well-being. We’ve got the Rideau Canal, the world-famous Thousand Islands, rivers, lakes, trails, parks, fabulous entertainment venues and special events. But we all know that that’s only part of the experience that keeps people coming back. Tourism is powered by people. And it’s that personal touch that makes it a truly memorable event—the smile from a server in your local restaurant, a friendly greeting and local knowledge imparted by a front-desk clerk at a hotel, or a chef who accommodates that personal request. Hospitality workers are ambassadors for our community—they make for an incredible impact for that visitor’s experience.

In Leeds-Grenville, we’ve got about 4,900 hospitality workers in our restaurants, inns, hotels and marinas. Whether you’re enjoying a stay at the Holiday Inn Express in Gananoque, having breakfast at Nicky’s Place in Cardinal, lunch at the Mainstreet Restaurant in Merrickville, dinner at the Cove Inn in Westport, enjoying food at a wedding catered by Catered Affairs in Kemptville, or, as I did with my seatmate recently, having a coffee and a sweet treat at Katarina’s Coffee Shop in Prescott, you’ve met the front-line faces in our communities who welcome visitors and really shape that experience that people take home.

Their role goes beyond service. It’s those special moments that sometimes—maybe when life is difficult, or that connection when a local senior pops into a diner every morning for a cup of coffee and some company. I just think this is a great opportunity.

Like many people, I got my first job at a local restaurant. Although I don’t say it was public-facing, my job was at La Touraine restaurant in Brockville. I was 15 years old. I want to thank the late Jim Karidis; his wife, Toula; his son George—George, unfortunately, just passed away on November 8, so I want to extend to Toula my sincere condolences. I was a dishwasher at La Touraine, a French restaurant. It was a great spot. Eventually, I got moved up to be a busboy, and I got to wear a white dinner jacket, black bow tie, black pants, black shoes. Unfortunately, I dropped a tray of glasses, so the next day, when I came to work, I was back being a dishwasher again. I did eventually make it back out on the floor. There was a great friendship with the family. It was a great opportunity for a bunch of young people to really get that opportunity to work.

I reached out to social media to ask my constituents to name some of the front-line workers who they think needed to be recognized tonight and who think that Mr. Hardeman’s motion is wonderful.

I want to give a shout-out to Lynne Candlish and the entire team at the Mill Restaurant in Brockville, who go above and beyond.

I also want to mention the great job that Sarah and her co-workers do at every visit to Dixon’s General Store and Café in Algonquin.

I talked to Jeff Brown from Brown family hotels in Gananoque, who wanted me to mention Sharon Hughes and Joanna Polenz, describing them as amazing people who love their careers. Jeff also gave a shout-out for you, the member for Oxford, because he felt this was an awesome way to recognize and thank hospitality workers.

John Ciampaglia, who taught hospitality and tourism for thirty years with the Upper Canada District School Board, had this to say: “Upon completing the course, most students would easily find entry-level work in food services. The food service industry allows students to earn an income while continuing their studies at a post-secondary level.

“The industry provides employment in all levels, from local establishments to international employment such as Disney. As a retired teacher, I have a network of former students who are located all over the globe. Thanks to Facebook, I’m able to keep in touch with these wonderful hospitality workers!”

I appreciate everyone who reached out to me. To the hospitality workers who work early mornings, work late nights, work weekends and holidays while we’re all celebrating—I want to thank them for the incredible work that they’re doing.

The least we can do, including tipping generously, is to celebrate their hard work by declaring February 23 as Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day. Thanks to the member for Oxford for putting this forward, and, like everyone, I encourage you to support the motion.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Further debate?

Ms. Peggy Sattler: I also want to thank the member for Oxford for bringing forward this bill, because we certainly agree that hospitality workers deserve our appreciation. Having been a hospitality worker myself in university as both a server in a restaurant and later in a bar, I know that these can be very challenging jobs.

I think we have to think about the profile of a worker in the hospitality industry right now in Ontario. These jobs tend to be quite precarious—a lot of turnover in restaurants. There’s no long-term job security in these positions. They tend to be low-wage as well, Speaker, with few benefits or other perks. They often involve only part-time work, temporary work. Their servers are required to work late at night. In many cases, there are very sexualized dress codes required for servers, for young women servers. There is often alcohol involved and there is a reliance on tips.

All of this together means that the women who are predominantly overrepresented in the hospitality workforce are very vulnerable to sexual harassment. There’s lots of statistics to show that—the vulnerability of servers to sexual harassment from customers—and they’re particularly vulnerable because they’re reliant on a good tip from the customer who may be harassing them.

So in addition to declaring February 23 as Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day, I think we have to be mindful of our obligation to make sure that the workplaces that these hospitality workers are working in are safe, and in particular for the women who are working as servers, that they are free from sexual harassment.

I certainly agree with the member for Oxford when he talked about the importance of the hospitality sector to our local economy. In Ontario, $86 billion is generated in tourism revenue by the culinary and hospitality workforce.

The industry, however, right now, Speaker, is really facing a significant labour shortage. The Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association says that there are a projected 88,000 jobs that will not be filled in Ontario’s tourism and hospitality sector by 2030.

Now, some of that can be because these jobs are challenging, as I said. They are low-wage. But another part of it is related to the fact that the post-secondary programs that communities rely on, that employers rely on to graduate hospitality workers, are being closed at an alarming rate across our province.

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We just saw Loyalist College cancel a third of its programs, including its culinary skills certificate and its culinary management diploma. In response, tourism operators in Prince Edward county that for years have used the graduates of those programs to fill available hospitality positions—those employers, those councils, the councils of Quinte and Belleville, have urged this government to ensure that colleges have the kind of funding they need to keep those programs open so that employers can continue to rely on the graduates of those programs. Similarly, right here in Toronto, we saw George Brown College also announce the closure of a third of the programs that are offered in its chef school, which really has an international reputation—truly, Speaker. And those program cuts also include cuts to culinary and hospitality-related programs.

So Speaker, in addition to showing appreciation to hospitality workers—which we absolutely must, and we’re happy to support this bill—we should be doing something to ensure that the sector, which is so important to Ontario’s economy, has the workforce that they need to grow and to support all of those wonderful restaurants, hotels, resorts and other tourism facilities that are so important to quality of life here in this province.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Further debate?

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: I’m happy to rise tonight to speak to my colleague across the way, my colleague from Oxford—I think he usually calls it the centre of the universe, Oxford—and his private member’s bill, Bill 67, An Act to proclaim Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day. And yes, I think that’s fantastic, that we are speaking about a bill, and this bill has been introduced to appreciate hospitality workers, as we should be. I think most of us do appreciate all workers in Ontario, and so thank you to the member for bringing this forward.

And thank you also to the member from—oh my gosh, it’s very long—Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. It’s very long. Thank you so much to him for recognizing the hospitality workers and all the workers at the Ontario Legislative Assembly, who we don’t take for granted because they’re so fun, they’re so competent and they make our days and evenings here more wonderful than they are. I would also add to his long, long list Stephanie Duffy, who’s the lead for catering and the receptions. Gosh, can you imagine juggling all those logistics for the receptions? She does it with competence and style, so I really appreciate that.

The bill, An Act to proclaim Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day, recognizes the essential contributions of Ontario’s hospitality workers across restaurants, hotels, catering and event services. As we know, the hospitality sector is a key economic driver and major employer that supports tourism and community life. Despite this, hospitality workers often receive little formal recognition, so it’s great to have this bill, for sure.

As we know, the hospitality industry is a major provincial employer, with over 426,000 Ontarians working in accommodation and food services. The hospitality sector contributes over $15 billion annually to Ontario’s GDP, and the industry has rebounded strongly post-pandemic, but it’s been a struggle. Also, in the pandemic, you will recall how clever and innovative the industry got with home deliveries and online events. As we know, there are still struggles with labour shortages, number one. When we talk about that, we need to inspire and empower more people to go into the sector. Part of that would be, as my colleague from London West mentioned, investing in the hospitality sector and the community colleges.

The other thing is that although it is fantastic to have—is it a week? No, a day we’re going to appreciate the workers—we need to be appreciating them every day, and that would be with proper labour standards and accessible housing. We know that in Collingwood, Blue Mountain has actually had to build their employees housing, because for many of these people, there’s no affordable housing for them. They’re gig workers, and their salary is not enough.

As the member across me mentioned, we need to not only support these businesses, but tip generously. I think we should talk about that with the Board of Internal Economy—how many tips we’re allowed to give in our expenses—because I don’t feel that’s high enough. We need to talk about full-time employment versus part-time employment, benefits and proper working conditions, because that’s a problem. Low wages and high turnover are a problem in the industry.

We know that it’s not just feeding and watering us. There’s tourism; there’s community benefit; there’s social benefit—something like Bill 60 with the section on not removing a lane—well, for bike lanes, but that’s an aside—of traffic for patios. In Toronto, we have the very successful—as in your communities, I’m sure too; it’s called something different—CaféTO, where you have patios that support the restaurants, and they need patios to survive. In my area of beautiful Beaches–East York, if you’ve been down to the beach—I’m not sure if any of you have, but come on down; I’ll give you a tour—it’s basically like a resort town. It’s seasonal, in the sense of in the summertime it’s packed. The businesses need patios to survive.

It’s kind of ridiculous for us to be meddling in municipal affairs again and removing patios. They add to vibrancy of the street. In Beaches–East York, summer is the busiest time—albeit winter, I would encourage you to come down in the winter to support our local businesses. I implemented something years ago called Winter Stations. It’s an international art competition on the lifeguard stands on the waterfront, and it draws a lot of people down to the beach in the winter, which is helpful to businesses. But there needs to be more people coming down in the winter to support the businesses and the restaurants.

Speaking of restaurants in my area—since the member across had his bragging rights on his shops and favourite places to go—I have most of my meetings at Poured Coffee on the Danforth. It’s an eco shop as well as a coffee shop. If you don’t bring a travel mug, then you get a China mug to go that a neighbour has donated. It’s quite clever. You can fill your own bottles with shampoos and cleaners and things like that. They do a great job. Mira runs that.

Bodega Henriette is a very clever restaurant on Gerrard. It’s a bit of a food desert there; it’s also a little bit of a market/marché at the side and then the restaurant. Nicole is the proprietor there. She’s a very successful entrepreneur and restaurateur. At one point, I think she owned five restaurants in Toronto. She runs the amazing restaurant on Toronto Island. That’s Bodega Henriette—it’s very popular.

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Fearless Meat, great burgers, if you’re into meat, very tasty, on Kingston Road—he’s very benevolent and is always giving out free burgers for all kinds of events: Remembrance Day to veterans, Christmastime. He’s a very kind soul and Beach Citizen of the Year.

Kingston House is a great local pub at Kingston and Main. I was just there last night for an event. Krishna runs a great shop there; and Sauvignon, a beautiful French restaurant run by Stephane and Gregoire on Queen Street.

As you know—I’ve mentioned it a few times—I was a waitress at a few places, and, as I mentioned, I was not the best waitress. I worked at the Royal York and Chateau Laurier. At the Chateau Laurier, I was carrying trays, as you do, with the silver lids on them. They were a little heavy I will admit, so one lid did slip down and off. It was hot and went down someone’s back. So I was never on the schedule again at Chateau Laurier, unfortunately, but I know how hard it is to be a hospitality worker.

My kids—my son is bartending in Kelowna right now, living the dream. As a bartender, you’re not just a server and a creator of concoctions and cocktails; you’re also basically a psychiatrist and a soulmate to many people who are there, pouring out their hearts to you. My daughter did a lot of waitressing at one point.

So I know what it’s like to be treated not very well, to be stiffed for the bill, stiffed for a tip—to work in those stressful, chaotic places at times, but it’s also very rewarding, the people you meet.

What I would say to the member from Oxford: Thank you very much for bringing this private member’s bill forward. I do think we can do more. We could have your government support our youth career fund, which would help more youth get into the hospitality business and get started on their careers. Let’s work more collaboratively.

Thank you for bringing forth this bill and for supporting hospitality workers.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Further debate?

MPP Mohamed Firin: It’s an honour to rise today to speak in support of Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day Act, which proposes February 23 be formally recognized as Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day in Ontario. I’d like to acknowledge and thank the member from Oxford for bringing this forward.

Hospitality workers are essential to the fabric of our communities and to the strength of our economy. In 2023, more than 426,700 Ontarians were employed in accommodation and food services, representing 5.4% of our provincial workforce. This makes hospitality one of the largest employment sectors in Ontario, and for many young people and newcomers, it the first place they find an opportunity for stability and a pathway into a meaningful career.

Yet despite their importance, hospitality workers rarely receive the recognition they deserve. This bill aims to change that, Speaker. If passed, Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day will celebrate the skill and dedication of the people who keep Ontario’s vibrant hospitality sector running. It is intended not only to foster pride and elevate recognition but also to help attract and retain talent in an industry that is a cornerstone of our economy and our community life.

Hospitality is far more than serving food or greeting guests. It is a skilled profession that requires emotional awareness, professionalism, judgment and the ability to create experiences that bring people together. These workers support weddings, birthdays, family gatherings, business conferences, arts and cultural events, and so many of the moments that define our lives. Their work strengthens local tourism, supports cultural and heritage organizations, and keeps restaurants, hotels, venues and small businesses thriving.

This initiative has been championed by industry leaders, most notably Danny Murrell, CEO of Harrison Staffing—I believe Danny is here. As an immigrant who arrived 24 years ago, hospitality was a sector that gave him his first opportunity to work and build a future. Today, through his company, he helps newcomers and young people do the same. From the beginning, Danny emphasized that voices and experiences of front-line workers must guide this bill, and his leadership has helped ensure that this initiative is grounded in real experiences and real impact.

We’ve also heard strong support from across the hospitality and tourism community. Smart Serve Ontario, which trains more than 140,000 workers every year, has called the hospitality professions “the face of Ontario’s hospitality sector,” who demonstrate skill, responsibility and commitment to community safety. The Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association have also emphasized that hospitality workers are “the heart of our communities,” shaping memorable experiences that bring people together.

The Tourism and Industry Association of Ontario has also expressed its full support. Their president and CEO, Andrew Siegwart, noted that the people working in hotels, restaurants, attractions and travel services are “the heart of every visitor experience,” and that this bill provides a well-deserved spotlight on individuals who make Ontario’s industry thrive.

I also want to acknowledge the Greater Toronto Hotel Association, whose members are here with us today. Their workers keep Ontario’s visitor economy running every single day, and we are grateful for their commitment and professionalism.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Further debate?

Mr. Sheref Sabawy: I rise today in proud support of An Act to proclaim Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day. In 2023, tourism contributed approximately $33 billion to Ontario’s GDP, supporting over 325,000 jobs and 92,000 businesses. This is a meaningful step towards acknowledging a workforce that powers our communities, our local tourism and a significant share of our economy.

The hospitality sector includes servers, chefs, line cooks, hosts, hotel attendants, banquet staff, event coordinators, events, cleaners and tens of thousands more roles that keep the doors open to Ontario’s strong and important hospitality industry. These workers are often the public face of Ontario’s economy, yet rarely publicly the focus of Ontario’s gratitude.

They are welcoming visitors to Ontario towns, staffing events in Toronto and cities like Mississauga, guiding tourists through our regional gems and serving patrons in neighbourhoods, restaurants and community hotels. Behind every Ontario milestone, whether that is a birthday, graduation or just a get-together, there are hospitality workers making sure that this moment feels memorable, enjoyable and effortless, even when their job is not that. These workers don’t just serve meals, prepare rooms or coordinate schedules; they are problem-solving the invisible details that allow life’s visible moments to shine.

When I had just arrived in Canada, like so many newcomers chasing a new beginning, I entered the workforce through hospitality. My first job was in Tim Hortons. That job didn’t just give me a paycheque; it gave me the most important thing: my first Canadian experience.

I want to recognize the spark that inspired this: Danny Murrell, who founded Harrison Staffing and reminded us that hospitality workers deserve credit not just for what they do, but for who they lift up along the way. If passed, the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association has already committed to amplify this recognition annually, encouraging Ontarians to visit and champion local hospitality establishments every February 23.

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So today—

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Thank you.

Further debate?

Mr. Chris Glover: I love every corner of this province, and all 124 of us in this House are very privileged to be able to serve the communities that we serve. Every riding is fantastic. I will say, though, that the most fantastic riding is Spadina–Fort York, and there’s no better place to experience hospitality than Spadina–Fort York.

I want to thank the member for bringing forward this motion to declare February 23 as Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day. It’s important—it’s long overdue—that we actually celebrate the people who create the hospitality experiences for all of us in this province. So thank you for bringing this motion forward.

I asked the Liberty Village BIA, “Who should I give a shout-out to?” I’ve got a little bit of a message here. Chris Fraser from the BIA says that two people who really deserve special mention for helping to not only build great food options in Liberty Village but also for mentoring the next generation of hospitality workers are Rosa Muscillo from Caffino, which is a delicious southern Italian hot spot—I’m hoping that as I give my speech, you guys are going to want to go and eat at restaurants and experience some of the hospitality here in Spadina–Fort York. The other one is Donna Dooher from Mildred’s Temple Kitchen, home to some of the best pancakes in the city—

Ms. Mary-Margaret McMahon: Oh, yes. Great.

Mr. Chris Glover: Yes. My colleague is obviously a fan of Mildred’s.

There are so many places in my riding that I can’t actually name all of the restaurants; there just isn’t enough time here. But I will name some of the areas, some of my recommendations.

If you’ve never been to the Distillery Winter Village, you’ve got to go. It’s a 19th-century distillery. We just had the tree lighting last week. It goes till December 31. You can visit—all kinds of great food, all kinds of great places to drink.

Illuminarium is an incredible light experience that you may—you want to go if you have kids or grandkids.

And you can visit the distillery with Segway tours. If you’ve never been on a Segway, I highly recommend it. That is the best way to get around the distillery, to explore the whole space.

I’ve got to give a shout-out to some of the restaurants and the bars on Queen West: the Rex—and Darryl Fine, the owner of the Bovine club; Jeff Cohen, the owner of the Horseshoe Tavern and Lee’s Palace.

I want to give a shout-out to Stackt market, another—I’m just checking the time, because I have more material than I could possibly fit in the time that I’ve got. It is such an incredible space. Stackt market has another holiday festival, as well, going on right now. It’s a shipping container shopping area—if you’ve never been, you’ve got to get out there.

The waterfront, the harbourfront, all of the restaurants along the waterfront in downtown Toronto are just as beautiful in the summer as they are in the wintertime.

Old Town, St. Lawrence Market, Waterworks Food Hall—if you haven’t been yet, you’ve got to go, because it is so cool. There’s just an incredible variety of places. You can go with a group of people, and each person can choose something else that they want to eat, and then you can all sit down at one table. There are all these food options—and then you go and you sit down. It’s a 19th-century old waterworks factory building. It’s an incredible space as well.

The Toronto Island Algonquin Island Association Christmas Boutique—everybody thinks that my riding is just a big city. There is actually a village over on the island, and if you want to experience the village and see what a village community is like in the middle of a city, you’ve got to go to the Algonquin Island Association Christmas Boutique. It’s on Saturday, December 6.

There’s one other person I want to give a shout-out to—and this one is a memorial, but it’s really a celebration of life: Rodney Clark from Rodney’s Oyster House.

MPP Paul Vickers: Yes. That’s a good one.

Mr. Chris Glover: Yes, people know. He passed away, but for 38 years, he ran Rodney’s Oyster House. It was “the go-to place for oysters and other fine food harvested from the sea.

“Supported by devoted and dedicated crew, his restaurant flourished, helped in no small part by Rodney’s spirit of generosity and tendency to ignore the price of things”—this was written by his friends and family.

Anyway, thank you to Rodney; thank you to the friends and family.

Be sure to come out and celebrate the hospitality workers across this province—and in particular, Spadina–Fort York.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Further debate?

Ms. Doly Begum: Now I just feel like saying, “Please support this motion, and we should get going with it.”

I want to thank the member from Oxford for bringing this beautiful bill forward. I fully support it.

I want to take a moment to give a shout-out to our local BIA, the Crossroads BIA, that does wonderful work. It puts on Wheels on the Danforth and showcases our local businesses.

It’s also important that I highlight a few things that I think are important—especially after I met with the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance today, as well as Ontario Student Voices, who actually talked about work-integrated learning, which is really important and something that is related to the hospitality industry, the sector that has been hit so hard since COVID. We still haven’t seen that industry recover.

The CBC, in the summer, reported that the CNE was hiring—and normally, they hire about 5,000 people. There were over 50,000 applicants who applied. They went on, in August, to report that there was a restaurant owner who posted a job, and there were over 250 résumés that were sent.

This is the reality people are facing, especially young people between the ages of 14 and 24—and a lot of people across the province are facing in terms of job losses, and mainly in the hospitality sector.

We have to create the conditions for local businesses: Invest in them, make sure that people have the buying power to be able to go out there, in restaurants, the local tourism industry, and make sure that they can support, so that we have that stability in that sector.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): Further debate?

In that case, I return to the member for Oxford, who has two minutes for his reply.

Hon. Ernie Hardeman: I’d like to thank the members from Scarborough Southwest, London West, Beaches–East York, Spadina–Fort York, and my colleagues from York South–Weston, Mississauga–Erin Mills, and Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes for their kind comments on the bill.

The Ontario hospitality sector’s engine runs because of the people who power it. Whether it’s a welcoming front desk or a carefully prepared meal, a culture tour or an outdoor adventure, every memorable experience is made possible by the dedicated hospitality workers who bring it to life. Their work lifts communities and impacts lives across Ontario, yet it often goes unacknowledged. This bill corrects that and gives hospitality workers the credit they have earned and long deserved.

If passed, the Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day Act would give Ontario the chance to celebrate the people who hold up one of our most dynamic industries. It will shine a brighter light on their unmatched talent, unwavering resilience and focused purpose. This initiative is designed not only to foster pride and to elevate recognition of hospitality workers’ contributions, but also to help attract and retain talent in an industry that is the cornerstone of Ontario’s economy.

I ask all members to pass this bill, because a hospitality workers’ day will give Ontario the chance to celebrate the people—to hold up one of the most dynamic industries. It will shine a brighter light on their unmatched talent, unwavering resilience and focused purpose. It will tell them that their work matters. They deserve to be seen. They deserve to be celebrated.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): The time provided for private members’ public business has expired.

Mr. Hardeman has moved second reading of Bill 67, An Act to proclaim Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard a no.

All those in favour of the motion will please say “aye.”

All those opposed to the motion will please say “nay.”

In my opinion, the nays have it.

A recorded vote being required, it will be deferred until the next instance of deferred votes.

Second reading vote deferred.

The Acting Speaker (Ms. Jennifer K. French): All matters relating to private members’ public business having been completed, this House stands adjourned until 10:15 a.m. on Monday, December 1.

The House adjourned at 1850.