Mona Fortier
Hon. Mona Fortier
Member of Parliament for Ottawa—Vanier
Infoletter - December 17th, 2021

Word of the MP

Dear constituents,

I want to wish you all a holiday season full of joy and a happy year 2022! As the snow sets in and the days get shorter, I hope you’re staying warm and safe. In recent weeks, Canadians have been lining up for their booster shots and have continued to do their part to reduce community transmission and keep themselves and their neighbors safe. We’re all looking forward to a warm and comforting holiday season this year, so let’s remember to stay safe and continue following public health guidelines so that the new year starts off on the right foot.

The recent rise of the Omicron variant is a worrying reminder that the pandemic is not yet over, and that we still have a collective effort to make to preventing the spread of this dangerous disease, especially over the holidays. Remember to limit your contacts and gatherings, wear a mask, and gather only with people who are vaccinated. If you haven’t got your first dose yet, or need a second dose or a booster, there is no better time than now to gift yourself protection from COVID for you and those around you.

The past year has been one marked by many challenges, hurdles, and difficulties but, thanks to the hard work of people across the country, we will come out of it stronger and better prepared to face variants and tackle our economic recovery. The resilience of our small businesses, our community in Ottawa-Vanier, and the many parents who have kept their children safe through the school year have made getting here possible, so let’s continue our efforts to push back the virus and keep each other safe.

In our recent economic update, our government highlighted key supports for small and medium sized businesses to continue creating new jobs from coast to coast and moving our economy forward despite the ongoing threat of Omicron. We’ve now recuperated over 106% of jobs lost since the start of COVID-19, bringing us to the level of employment in Canada before the pandemic. As we look for the perfect gifts for our friends and families, let’s remember to encourage our local entrepreneurs and business owners by buying local and promoting our national capital’s economy.

My team and I are available to answer any of your questions and concerns. Don’t hesitate to contact my office by email at [email protected] or calling 613-998-1860. Stay safe and have a great holiday season!

 

 

New Year’s Levee will be Online!

To ensure we have a safe get-together next Sunday, January 16, 2022, between 1:30pm and 3 :30pm, we’re moving our New Year’s Levee will be online, as many of you and our government is concerned with the recent rise in COVID-19 cases and the Omicron variant.

We’re looking forward to seeing you there, behind your cameras, as we’ve been gathering for most of the year. Limiting our gatherings and in-person events is one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of the pandemic in Canada, but on the bright side this does means we’ll have more room on Zoom! See you in January! 😊

 

 

COVID-19 and Economic Statement

With the rise of the Omicron variant, Canadians and the world are reminded that the pandemic is not over. Our support for Canadians cannot waver or faulter with this new threat.

The pandemic has had important and noticeable impacts on our supply chains, on the global economy and trade, and has accentuated many economic disparities and trends which our government answered throughout this last year with ambitious measures for businesses, workers, students, seniors, and our most vulnerable.

Thanks to the efforts of Canadians, our country is now well positioned to engage with an inclusive, green, and comprehensive economic recovery. We’ve recuperated over 106% of jobs lost since the start of the pandemic and our debt-to-GDP ratio remains the lowest among G7 countries. Additionally, the deficit for last fiscal year, this year, and next are being revised down as our economy is growing faster than expected and our government shows responsible fiscal planning.

In this week’s economic statement, delivered by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, our government highlighted additional tailored programs to ensure our economy continues its recovery into 2022. We’ve put aside 40 billion dollars to support indigenous reconciliation, 7 billion dollars for COVID-19 booster shots, additional money and tax credits for businesses to improve air quality, 742 million in one-time payments for GIS recipients who received CERB or the Canada Recovery Benefit, and 1.3 billion over six years to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees and their families in Canada.

With this economic statement, our government is continuing to protect Canadians across the country while reducing pandemic costs for families and businesses, growing our economy, and delivering results for Canadians. Our government will continue to closely monitor the situation regarding the Omicron variant and give provinces and municipalities the wherewithal to be able to respond to outbreaks and rising case numbers.

 

 

Supporting Ottawa Residents with Healthy Meals

There's good news too: as of December 1st, Food for Thought Ottawa has served over 365,000 meals to our community. Having supported this organization over many years, I'm happy to see the great work they've done supporting residents of Ottawa-Vanier to reach this amazing milestone.

That said, we can do more. The organization forecasts an even greater need for food assistance in the coming months and their important work relies on the support of volunteers and donors. To get involved, visit:  https://www.foodforthought.cafe/get-involved.

 

 

A Place to Call Home, For Everyone

To make sure every Canadian family can afford a home, our government is investing in the Housing Accelerator Fund, a new Rent-to-Own program, and effective housing solutions that drive real results from coast to coast!

As the Government of Canada looks to build-up and roll out these programs, we want to hear from municipalities, provinces and territories, Indigenous governments, organizations and communities, private and non-profit housing sectors, and Canadians on how you think these programs could be most effective. Let us know what you think : https://www.placetocallhome.ca/callforideas. 🏡

 

 

New Horizons

The New Horizons program supports healthy ageing, including addressing social isolation, mental health, and dementia, and supporting accessible intergenerational housing. It is also aimed at preventing elder abuse and fraud, including measures to reduce crimes and harm against seniors and supporting financial empowerment of seniors.

The program, which our government has expanded and reinvested in, continues to encourage community-based projects where seniors are engaged, connected, and actively included in their communities. Organizations are eligible to receive up to $25,000 in grant funding. Small grants of up to $5,000 are available to organizations that have not received funding from the program within the last five years.

To further support Canadian seniors through the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada is also providing New Horizons for Seniors Program funding to organizations serving seniors. The funding will help organizations offer essential services and carry out broader recovery efforts to safely reduce social isolation and promote the social participation of seniors in their communities.

Since 2004, the New Horizons for Seniors Program has funded more than 30,000 projects, including projects related to COVID-19, in hundreds of communities across Canada. The total Government of Canada investment has been more than $600 million.

Our government is committed to improving seniors’ access to government services and benefits, including helping seniors navigate access to government benefits, and providing support to file their taxes. That’s why we’re continuing to support the New Horizons program and adapting community-based organizations to a more virtual environment, including by developing and delivering virtual programming, and recruiting and training volunteers to support the social inclusion of seniors.

 

 

Black Entrepreneurship Fund

The government is committed to supporting the success of Black entrepreneurs and business owners and recognize the incredible opportunities and wealth they bring to our country and communities like Ottawa-Vanier. However, many continue to face systemic racism and obstacles when starting and growing their businesses. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last fall, the Government of Canada announced the first-ever Black Entrepreneurship Program, Representing an investment of up to $400 million, in partnership with the Business Development Bank of Canada. The program continues to support thousands of Black business owners and entrepreneurs across the country.

This program is being expanded by our government to ensure the success of Black-Canadian researchers and entrepreneurs. The National Ecosystem Fund, an investment of up to $104.7 million, provides funding to Black-led not-for-profit business organizations to strengthen their capacity to provide business support and services to Black entrepreneurs and business owners. It also connects ecosystems of support across the country. Additionally, the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund is an investment of up to $163.3 million from the government and the Business Development Bank of Canada.

Now, our government is creating the new Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, which will gather disaggregated data on Black entrepreneurship in Canada to help identify critical gaps, barriers to success, and opportunities for growth. It will be jointly run by Carleton University and the Dream Legacy Foundation.

Once operational, the Knowledge Hub, created through a $5 million investment from the federal government, will conduct research and collect data on Black entrepreneurship in Canada and identify barriers to success as well as opportunities to help Black entrepreneurs grow their business.

The Hub will be an important component of Carleton University’s new Innovation Hub, an initiative promoting innovation and entrepreneurship and that contributes to the university’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Dream Legacy Foundation, a key partner in this project, is a Black-led not-for-profit organization based in Toronto that focuses on diversity and inclusion with an emphasis on the Black community and other under-represented groups.

Our government is committed to encouraging and investing in Black-led research and entrepreneurs, and the Black Entrepreneurship Program’s Knowledge Hub is the next step in our fight against systemic racism and inequalities – closing the gap in opportunities and giving minorities the tools that they need to succeed.

 

 

Canada Summer Jobs

Our government is happy and proud to announce that the Canada Summer Jobs 2022 application period is currently open. The CSJ program provides wage subsidies to employers in the not-for-profit, public and private sectors to provide quality job opportunities and valuable work experience to youths between the ages of 15 and 30.

In delivering on this, the Government of Canada seeks to ensure that quality job placements occur in inclusive, safe, and respectful work environments, and to ensure that young people, including those who face barriers, achieve their potential in today’s evolving labour market!

To help young people develop stronger connections to the job market, and to support funded public and private sector employers will be eligible to receive a wage subsidy reimbursement of up to 75% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage. Employers from the not-for profit sector will continue to be eligible for a wage subsidy reimbursement of up to 100% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage.

 

 

Important Contacts and Numbers

Main office - Ottawa-Vanier
233 Montreal Road
Ottawa, Ontario
K1L 6C7

Telephone:
613-998-1860

Fax:
613-947-7963
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Hill Office
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Telephone:
613-992-4766

Fax:
613-992-6448
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