MESSAGE FROM YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
Dear Ottawa-Vanier neighbours,
I wish you a great start to the month of May, I hope you enjoy the beautiful sunny days ahead while staying home, following the instructions given to us by Ottawa Public Health and using the Covid Alert application, available for IOS and Android devices.
Every day more Canadians are getting vaccinated and each dose is bringing us closer to the end of this pandemic. To date, we have delivered 20.5 million vaccine doses to the provinces and territories, which is about 380,000 doses of vaccine here in Ottawa, with more to come.
I encourage you to make an appointment when it's your turn to get vaccinated.
From my side, the last few days have been filled with a virtual tour of Budget 2021, to discuss the various investments our government is making to support Canadians as we fight COVID-19.
Thank you again for always sharing your views with me and my team, no matter which subject. I am always here to help, advocate and keep you informed to the best of my ability.
As always, you can contact my office. Give us a call at 613-998-1860 or email us at [email protected].
I wish you a wonderful week,
Mona Fortier
BUDGET 2021
As we continue to fight the pandemic and try to heal the wounds left by the recession that was caused by COVID-19, we must address the recovery and create the conditions for new jobs and growth now and in the years ahead. It is within this framework that the 2021 Budget was unveiled by our government on April 19, which is focused on creating jobs and growing the middle class in the days and years ahead. In Budget 2021, we propose to:
We will continue to support you, and we will get through this together. I leave you with this link to access the full 2021 Budget.
RETRAITE EN ACTION
It was a great pleasure for me to join the region's retirees and my provincial and municipal colleagues, Lucille Collard and Mathieu Fleury, last week! It was a very rewarding and productive meeting; my colleagues and I had the opportunity to update pensioners on what each level of government is doing to improve the situation we are in. I know we have a lot of work to do before the current situation changes, but I am extremely confident that we will get there if we continue to work together.
Thank you to the Retraite en action team for organizing this meeting!
OTTAWA-VANIER YOUTH COUNCIL
I met virtually with the Ottawa-Vanier Youth council last week to talk about Budget 2021 and take questions from some of our community’s brightest minds and leaders!
We talked about affordable housing, our agenda for growth and an inclusive recovery, the national 10$-a-day national childcare program our government presented, and much more!
The 2021 Budget also creates a number of new opportunities, funds, and resources for BIPOC Canadians and young Canadians from coast to coast to coast. By doubling the Canada Student Grant program for two more years, waiving interest fees on federal student loans through March 2023, and ensuring anyone earning $40,000 or less does not need to make payments on their student loans, we’re providing for students and our youth through this pandemic.
We’re creating a Black-led Philanthropic Endowment Fund through Social Development Canada to empower black Canadians’ businesses, we’re improving data collection to better reflect racial realities and disparities, and we’re addressing systemic racism with real policies to level the playing field for BIPOC Canadians across the country. I was happy to discuss with our local youth how we’re laying the groundwork for a better, more inclusive economy in the future!
Despite the pandemic keeping us apart this year, the Ottawa-Vanier Youth Council has still come together almost every month, eager to discuss matters relating to the community and ready to lend a hand where needed! As our family, friends and neighbours roll up their sleeves to get their shots and we look to this summer accelerating vaccine deliveries, I can’t wait to keep working with the council to bring exciting new conversations and activities to Ottawa-Vanier – hopefully in person soon!
VACCINE UPDATE
To date, we have delivered over 20.5 million vaccine doses to the provinces and territories, which is about 380,000 vaccine doses here in Ottawa, with more to come.
While the vaccines are here, we're not there yet. We need to continue to stay safe and listen to public health guidelines, and when it's your turn to get vaccinated, I encourage you to make an appointment as soon as possible.
Check your eligibility at this link.
YOUR MENTAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT
The pandemic brings with it its own set of challenges and it is normal to feel more stressed and anxious than usual and to seek help if needed. If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health issues during this time, you can access virtual mental health resources such as:
Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction
Together, we'll get through this.
MOBILE TESTING SITE AT THE VANIER COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTER
The mobile testing site is always open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Vanier Community Service Centre for anyone who needs to be tested. You can make an appointment by calling 613-288-5353.
