Mona Fortier

February 16, 2024

A word from your MP

Dear residents,

I hope you have had a good week, especially as you celebrated Valentine's Day with your loved ones. As for me, I visited the Veterans' House in the Wateridge Village to distribute Valentine's cards to the residents who are veterans and to thank them for their sacrifice and service to our country.

Last Monday was a significant day for Ottawa-Vanier and the entire city of Ottawa with the announcement of $176.3 million from the Housing Accelerator Fund. All members of the Ottawa caucus, Mayor Sutcliffe, and the majority of city councilors gathered at the Mikinak housing project of the Ottawa Community Housing Corporation for this historic event. This new funding, combined with the city of Ottawa's support, will enable us to build nearly 4,400 housing units in the next three years.

Canadians deserve a healthcare system that allows them to access health services when and where they need them. That's why we are investing nearly $200 billion over the next decade to improve healthcare across the country. Recently, we announced that the federal government will invest $3.1 billion over the next three years in Ontario to enhance access to healthcare and modernize health data systems throughout the province. To learn more, follow this link: Less waiting and better healthcare in Ontario.

This week, I also took part in the announcement by the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, to unveil a $3 million funding for Birds Canada, an organization dedicated to the protection, growth, and well-being of birds across the country. The importance of safeguarding our natural heritage cannot be underestimated.

Also, last Wednesday, we announced that a family of four in Ontario will receive $1,120 this year through the Canadian Carbon Rebate (formerly known as the Climate Action Incentive). This rebate is only available in provinces where the federal pollution pricing is applied. Further details on the amounts can be found here: Government announces Canadian Carbon Rebate amounts for 2024-2025.

And finally, yesterday, I had the honor of joining Mayor Sutcliffe, Lucille Collard, Rawlson King, and Nicky Bridgland, owner of the Rideau Sports Centre, to announce the opening of four new tennis courts that will be accessible and open to the public. This is excellent news for sports and physical activity enthusiasts.

Wishing you a great weekend!

Announcements

Helping build more homes, faster in Ottawa

On Monday February 12th, the Government of Canada, the City of Ottawa announced that they had reached an agreement to fast-track over 4,400 housing units over the next three years. The work will help spur the construction of 32,600 homes over the next decade.

Under the Housing Accelerator Fund, this agreement will provide over $176.3 million to eliminate barriers to building the housing we need, faster. It will allow for more housing options in the city, including more rental, affordable, and missing middle-housing, with up to four units as-of-right through their comprehensive By-Law Review process. Ottawa’s Action Plan proposes a variety of approaches that will leave lasting impacts on the broader housing system and influence long-range planning through a city-wide plan. Initiatives proposed include the elimination or simplification of rezoning requirements to allow for low-density area intensification, expansion of existing affordable rental programming, and modernizing policy and regulatory frameworks including digitization and leveraging office buildings and city-owned land for housing.

More information here: Helping build more homes, faster in Ottawa

Government of Canada invests $3 million in citizen science and open data for birds and biodiversity

Birds are the most accessible and effective indicators of the health of air, water, and land. They are at the heart of Canada's biodiversity and play an essential role in maintaining healthy, resilient ecosystems in communities. When bird populations and their habitats are thriving, communities also benefit.

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced an investment of $3 million to Birds Canada over five years. The funding will support citizen science programs and open data, providing access to hundreds of millions of data records gathered by volunteers and professional biologists on the distribution, abundance, and population trends for birds in Canada.

The new funding will allow Birds Canada to build and improve the tools needed to collect, analyze, and share open-access data that will inform a wide range of conservation efforts. Also, experts and citizen science volunteers will be mobilized across Canada to monitor migratory birds, including species at risk, to identify priority habitats and inform land-use management to better protect them.

For more information: Government of Canada invests $3 million in citizen science and open data for birds and biodiversity

News from the Rideau Sports Centre

Tennis for everyone in Ottawa has just gotten more accessible,
now offering 864 hours of indoor court time every week on 8 bubbled hard courts at Rideau Sports Centre (RSC)’s new, expanded indoor tennis facilities, now Ottawa’s largest indoor tennis facility. On Thursday, I joined Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, provincial MP Lucille Collard, city councillor Rawlson King and RSC Founder and CEO Nicki Bridgland to make the announcement.

RSC has doubled its available indoor tennis courts from four to eight, resulting in Ottawa’s per capita availability of indoor tennis courts now improved to 1:57,000 (previously 1:73,000), getting Ottawa closer to the national average of 1:50,000. And anyone can play here.

As a result of this indoor court expansion, RSC will be able to host Provincial, National and International tennis tournaments, boosting local player development, and Ottawa tourism by attracting national and international players.

I invite you to take a look at the services offered by the Rideau Sports Center by clicking here: Rideau Sports Centre

Celebrate Black History Month with your MP

Every February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and festivities that honour the legacy of Black people in Canada and their communities.

In 2024, the theme of " Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build " celebrates the rich contributions and accomplishments, past and present, of Black people in Canada, while aspiring to embrace new opportunities for the future.

Ottawa-Vanier MP Mona Fortier invites you to a discussion on Friday, February 23 at the OBBA, 235 Montréal Road.
Please confirm your attendance, as space is limited, by sending an email to [email protected]

Celebrating International Women's Day

Do you know an exceptional woman and/or girl who demonstrates exceptional community leadership to improve the lives of others and has made a significant contribution to community life through volunteer activities.
Help us recognize them! Unique women and girls will be honored at a breakfast.
The nomination form and supporting documents must be received by Monday, February 26, 2024.
For more information about the applications, please contact us at [email protected] or 613-998-1860.

Get involved in Montfort’s 2024-2028 strategic planning community consultations and public lectures

Montfort hospital is holding community consultations and public lectures to help develop its next strategic plan. It’s a very innovative process in which I plan to participate. I strongly encourage you to do the same. Their new strategic plan, to be launched in November, will articulate approximately five key goals and 15 outcomes to be achieved by October 2028 which will mark Montfort’s 75th anniversary.

It’s your chance to have your say about the future of our hospital and of health care, teaching and research in our community.

Laptops will be provided at these events in small groups of two to three people. Four or five questions will be asked at the sessions to help Montfort make choices. Everyone will discuss and enter their ideas, see everyone’s ideas and vote on everyone’s ideas. At the end of the two-hour sessions, participants will see on one slide the consensus from the group. It’s a very engaging, fun and interactive process.

At least eight public consultations are planned as follows:

Wednesday, February 21st, 6-8 pm, Centre Pauline-Charron, 164 Jeanne-Mance Street, Vanier (in French)
Thursday, February 22nd, 6-8 pm, MIFO, 6600 Carrière Street, Orléans (in French)
Tuesday, March 12th, 6-8 pm, Camille Piché Community Centre, 8 Blais Street, Embrun (in French and English)
Monday, March 18th, 6-8 pm, RiverRock Inn, 2808 Chamberland Street, Rockland (in French and English)
Tuesday, March 19th, 6-8 pm, Ray Friel Recreation Complex, 1585 Tenth Line Road, Orléans (in French and English)
Tuesday, April 23rd, 6-8 pm, Hôpital Montfort, 713 Montreal Road, Ottawa (in French and English)

Montfort will also hold thought-provoking public lecture series to inform its strategic choices. These will include prominent guest speakers:

Thursday, February 29th, 4-5 pm, André Picard, award-winning author and health columnist for The Globe and Mail (mostly in French)

Tuesday, April 9th, 9-10 am, Dr Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health at Ottawa Public Health (in French and English)

Wednesday, April 10th, 4-5 pm, Matt Anderson, President and CEO, Ontario Health (in English only)

Great Backyard Bird Count

Join in on the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, held annually, this year from February 16th until the 19th. Spend time in your favorite places watching birds–then tell us about them! In as little as 15 minutes notice the birds around you. Identify them, count them, and submit them to help scientists better understand and protect birds around the world. If you already use eBird or Merlin, your submissions over the 4 days count towards GBBC. Be apart of this global event! This is a wonderful opportunity to spend some time outdoors with and family friends, or on your own!

More information can be found here: Great Backyard Bird Count