MESSAGE FROM YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
Dear residents,
I hope you are staying safe and active during this time. On my end, I try to stay as active as I can. Despite the lockdown, it is important for us to get fresh air safely and following the COVID public health guidelines during the lockdown.
This week marked the resumption of operations in the House of Commons and I am proud to have introduced a motion that will allow us to innovate and move to hybrid sittings of Parliament, with members from all parties who will be able to participate virtually to ensure Canadians from across the country, no matter where they are, can always have a voice in Parliament. Thank you again for always sharing your views with me and my team on any topic. I am always here to help, defend and keep you informed to the best of my abilities.
PRE-BUDGET CONSULTATIONS
This week Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and I launched the pre-budget consultations.
This is an opportunity for Canadians from across the country to share their ideas and priorities for how the government can best invest to create jobs, strengthen the middle class, and build a greener, more competitive, more inclusive, and more resilient economy.
We want to hear your very best ideas on how to ensure our economy is poised for growth and can hit the ground running when we are through this crisis.
Over the coming weeks, there will be many consultation activities in Ottawa-Vanier such as holding virtual round tables with the participation of stakeholders from different sectors the business community, the health sector and postsecondary institutions to discuss the very real challenges Canadians are facing and listen to ways that the government can ensure a robust recovery that leaves no one behind.
We are looking forward to hearing from you! We have said very clearly from the beginning of the pandemic that we will do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to support Canadians, and we will continue to look for ways to do that through this upcoming budget. We have your back, and as Canadians we will get through this together.
In the meantime, please share your ideas at LetsTalkBudget2021.ca and follow the conversation with
#YourBudget2021.
A MESSAGE FROM OTTAWA-VANIER YOUTH COUNCIL
Dear residents,
We hope you are doing well and staying warm at home, away from all the snow and cold that has taken our community by storm(s) since the start of the year. February is coming up soon, known around the world as Black History Month!
In this light, our Council will be entertaining discussions in the coming days on black literature, the movements of African Canadians and African Americans in recent years towards justice, the legacy of colonialism, and several other debates pertaining to black culture and experience. We will invite leaders in the community and the political world to come and share with us their knowledge and tell us the actions they’re taking to counter racism and promote equality in our community and throughout Canada.
This month we had a roundtable on affordable housing and poverty reduction. We discussed the several projects currently underway or in planning to counter the housing crisis in the national capital, as well as the various resources available right now for those who need it most. Members raised several interesting points about the complexity of the homeless situation in Ottawa and our ideas for addressing it.
We look forward to February, to continuing our discussions and debates on Black History Month, and to moving the Ottawa-Vanier community forward this year! Stay at home, wear a mask when you go out, wash your hands, practice social distancing, and download the COVID-Alert app!
Take care of yourself!
Your Ottawa-Vanier Youth Council
COUNSELLING CONNECT
Tired of pretending everything is fine? If you need to talk about it, Counselling Connect provides quick access to a free phone or video counselling session. You choose a convenient date and time. This service is for everyone: children, youth, adults and families in Ottawa and the surrounding area. There is no waiting list.
Sessions are offered for all ages by Ottawa community agencies, including community health centres, Crossroads, Family Services Ottawa, Ottawa Community Immigrant Service Organization, Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, Youth Services Bureau and more.
For more details, visit this
link.
ENSURING ALL CANADIANS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO A FREE AND A SAFE VACCINE BY SEPTEMBER
We’re working hard to ensure that free and safe vaccines reach all Canadians who want one by September. To date, we’ve distributed more than 1.1 million vaccine doses to the provinces and territories, with more doses on the way.
Our long-term vaccination plan remains unchanged. We are on track to receive 6 million doses by the end of March, 20 million doses between April and June, and a total of over 70 million doses by the end of September. While Conservative politicians are focused on playing politics, our Liberal government will continue to focus on vaccinating Canadians as quickly as possible.
Until a vaccine if available for everyone, we must all do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep our communities safe. Let’s all stay home unless for essential reasons, follow local public health advice, and use the COVID Alert application. Together, we’ll get through this crisis and emerge stronger and more resilient.
COVID-19 POP-UP TESTING SITE AT VANIER COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTRE
The COVID-19 Pop-Up Testing Site at Vanier Community Service Centre is a temporary out-of-hospital clinic where people will be assessed by a health-care provider and tested for COVID-19 if required. This testing site is a collaboration between the Ottawa Health Team, the Ottawa East Ontario Health Team, Ottawa Public Health, the City of Ottawa Montfort Hospital, Vanier Community Service Centre, and several additional community partners.
This pop-up testing site serves residents who face barriers accessing other testing locations. This response extends well beyond testing-only to include access to other social supports including food, housing and health education. Residents who meet the testing criteria and who don't have a car, experience language barriers, or who need additional supports to self-isolate are encouraged to book an appointment by calling 613-288-5353. This number is answered from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday. This number is not available over the weekend. If you need to cancel your appointment, you may do so by calling 613-288-5353.Residents who do not experience similar barriers are encouraged to access other testing sites in Ottawa.
Testing is available for anyone older than 6 months of age.
You do not need to have an OPH card to be tested, but if you have one, please bring it.
Important: You do NOT need to contact Ottawa Public Health before going to an assessment centre or before attending the Vanier Community Service Centre Pop-Up Testing Site.
BEING ACTIVE DURING COVID-19
Physical activity and getting fresh air are important for our overall physical and mental wellness. There are ways to be active either at home or outside while keeping physical distance and being
COVIDWise.
Our neighbourhood sidewalks, streets,
multiuse paths, and dog parks are all available to get outside and get moving. When doing these activities, some ways to stay safe:
- Step-aside or pass others quickly and courteously on sidewalks. Passing someone on the sidewalk is not considered a close contact or a significant risk for exposure to COVID-19.
- Keep 2 metres (six feet) distance from others or wear a mask if this is not possible.
- When moving at a fast pace (such as when running or cycling), it is best to stay as far away from others as possible;
- If you must be behind another runner or cyclist, stay well back and try to stagger yourselves so as to not be directly behind them;
- Change your route or the time of day that you go out, so that you can follow these guidelines.
I encourage you to get outside and get some fresh air while following the public health guidelines!
