Newsletter

I hope you are enjoying the beautiful weather that has arrived, it seems like summer is already here! On my end, the House of Commons resumed sitting on Tuesday, May 21st. This marks the last session before Parliament's summer recess, scheduled for June 21st. The coming month will be a hectic sprint towards the finish line, but we will continue working hard to implement the Fall Economic Statement, as well as Budget 2024 in order to build more affordable housing, provide $10-a-day childcare, provide a Canada dental care plan, a national school food program, and much more.

May 25th marks Africa Day. Ottawa-Vanier is fortunate to have a large and thriving African community. It's a time to celebrate the rich mosaic of cultures within Ottawa-Vanier's vibrant African community! For decades, African peoples have made invaluable contributions to Canada's social fabric, and their traditions, art, music, and cuisine significantly enrich our society.

During the week of May 13th to the 17th, Acfas (a non-profit organization contributing to the advancement of sciences in Quebec, in the Canadian Francophonie, and on the international Francophone scene) held its 91st annual conference. The conference is the largest multidisciplinary scientific gathering of the Francophonie. This year, nearly 6,000 researchers from about 40 countries gathered at the University of Ottawa.

On Wednesday, May 22nd, I attended the unveiling of the new Downtown Ottawa Action Agenda for the revitalization of the downtown area, including the ByWard Market, initiated by the Ottawa Board of Trade. Ottawa faces challenges, and it's important to address these challenges to foster inclusivity, vitality, and prosperity. The agenda focuses on concrete measures such as increasing residential developments, attracting tourism, creating 50,000 jobs, improving public transportation, and addressing homelessness and addiction issues. These actions represent a firm commitment to revitalizing our urban core. By prioritizing these initiatives, we are shaping the future of our city.

To learn more: https://canurb.org/

Our new Canadian Dental Care Plan continues to make a real difference for seniors. In just three weeks, the CDCP has helped over 90,000 elderly Canadians access dental care. Tangibly, it has assisted seniors in replacing old dentures, receiving dental cleanings, and preventing serious infections. This is truly making a difference in the lives of Canadians. And starting in June, even more eligible Canadians will be able to enroll! To learn more, visit Canada.ca/dental.

Wishing you a great weekend!

Liaison Officer service - free tax help for small business owners and self-employed individuals

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) offers free, personalized support to owners of small businesses and self-employed individuals. The Liaison Officer service is available across Canada to help you understand your tax obligations. A visit from a liaison officer is 100% confidential; the information you choose to discuss with a liaison officer will not be shared with other areas of the CRA, or anyone else.

To learn more, click the following link: Personalized support to help you save time and money

Sir George-Étienne Cartier Park Plan

Online public engagement 

 
In December 2021, we started planning the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Park, a 13-kilometre stretch of federal land along the Ottawa River east of downtown Ottawa. The goals of the plan are to:

• promote and protect a healthy natural environment
• foster safe and continuous access to the park and the river
• celebrate the heritage, culture and diversity of the riverfront corridor
• create and promote diverse, balanced and engaging park experiences

To date, two rounds of public and interested party engagement have helped shape the vision and concepts that frame the plan’s recommendations.

We now invite you to comment on the final draft of the plan.
When: May 23 - June 6, 2024 

Where: Comment publicly on our PlaceSpeak

For more information on the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Park Plan, or to see our previous public consultation reports, please visit our website.
 

FedDev Ontario Launches Spring Timed Intake for Businesses and Organizations

I am pleased to share that businesses and organizations can now apply for our spring intake for funding opportunities.

Applications are being accepted until June 24th 2024. We are looking for projects that create sustainable and green jobs; projects that accelerate business development and growth; technology-based projects such as AI, cybersecurity, digital health, etc.; and projects that support change in traditional sectors to adopt new technologies. We may prioritize projects that support the transition to zero-emission vehicles and housing manufacturing innovation.

I encourage businesses and organizations in within Ottawa-Vanier to visit the FedDev Ontario website and contact the Agency for full eligibility criteria. They can also attend a virtual technical briefing to learn more about funding opportunities at FedDev Ontario by registering through the links below. Additional dates and times are expected to be added, so please refer back to the registration page for more details.