A Message from Your MP

Dear residents,

I hope you've been able to enjoy the snow that has fallen over the past few weeks, with more than 70 cm in just 4 days! This past Monday was Family Day, it was a wonderful opportunity to come together, and I hope it was an enjoyable one for you and your loved ones.  Stay warm and take advantage of the winter activities, such as ice skating on the Rideau Canal or cross-country skiing on the trails throughout #OttawaVanier and the National Capital Region. This week has been busy, with numerous meetings and visits in the riding to engage with the residents of Ottawa-Vanier.

🏒 Canada Stays on Top! 🏒

What an incredible game! Team Canada once again showcased its talent, determination, and fighting spirit by defeating the United States last night. Every pass, every shot, and every save reflected the hard work and dedication of our players.

A huge thank you to the players, coaches, and staff for their unwavering commitment and passion for our national sport. And a special shoutout to Jordan Binnington, whose spectacular saves in overtime were crucial to securing the victory! You make us all proud! Go Canada! 🍁👏🏆

Passing of Antonine Maillet

On February 17, I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Antonine Maillet, a proud Acadian voice and a leading figure in Francophonie. Through works like La Sagouine and Pélagie-la-Charrette, she leaves behind a lasting literary legacy. The biggest voice in Acadian culture and the Canadian francophonie is no longer with us. My thoughts are with her family and loved ones.
 

Alto

On February 19, exciting news was announced with the unveiling of the Alto project by the Prime Minister — a high-speed rail network spanning 1,000 km that will revolutionize travel in the Toronto-Quebec corridor.

✅ 300 km/h – Travel times reduced by half
✅ Stops in Toronto, Peterborough, #Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, Trois-Rivières, and Quebec City
✅ 51,000+ jobs created during construction
✅ Up to $35 billion in annual GDP impact
✅ Fewer emissions and increased productivity

This project will cut travel time between Ottawa and Montreal, as well as between Ottawa and Toronto, in half! This is the future of transportation in Canada — let’s build it together!

To learn more about this project, click here.

Plan Your Retirement with Tools from Canada.ca/retirement

Every Canadian deserves a comfortable and secure retirement, but too often, retirement planning is postponed until later in life, or essential information about public pensions is lacking. To help Canadians better prepare for this crucial step, Minister for Seniors, Joanne Thompson, and Minister of Citizens' Services, Terry Beech, have launched a new homepage on Canada.ca/retirement. This site centralizes a complete range of tools and resources for retirement planning.

Whether you're planning for retirement or already enjoying it, you'll find useful information about public pensions (CPP, OAS, GIS), retirement calculators, budgeting tools, and much more. Canadians will have easy access to resources to maximize their retirement income, avoid financial pitfalls, and prepare for a smooth transition.

Discover everything you need to plan your future by clicking here!

Wishing you a great weekend!

🗳️ Ontario's Provincial Election – Make Your Voice Heard! 🗳️

Ontario’s provincial election is coming up! Make sure to cast your vote on or before February 27 to elect your next Member of Provincial Parliament. There are multiple ways to vote:

✅ In person at your local election office – Open until February 26 at 6 PM
✅ At an advance voting location – From February 20 to 22, from 10 AM to 8 PM
✅ On election day – February 27, from 9 AM to 9 PM (ET)

To vote, you must be:
✔️ 18 years or older
✔️ A Canadian citizen
✔️ A resident of Ontario

Make sure to bring your ID when voting. Assistive voting technology is also available—check with your local election office for details.

Visit Elections Ontario for more information and get ready to make your voice count! 🗳️

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 24, 2025.

To download the nomination form, click here.

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) wishes to advise the public that the Alexandra Bridge will reopen to vehicular traffic on February 26, 2025, weather permitting.

Repair work on the bridge structure carried out as part of the boardwalk and articulation repair project will allow the bridge to remain in safe service until it is replaced. PSPC has a rigorous inspection, monitoring and maintenance program to ensure that all its bridges and crossings remain safe at all times for users.

Off-peak lane closures may be necessary to finalize minor work and perform inspection and maintenance work. PSPC appreciates the public’s cooperation and understanding during this necessary repair work.

Minister Miller announced that Canada will resettle more refugees affected by the conflict in Sudan over the next two years and increase the spaces available under the family-based permanent residence pathway. These measures will be delivered as part of the existing Immigration Levels Plan and could help more than 7,000 additional people impacted by the conflict in Sudan.

Canada is committing to resettle up to 4,000 Sudanese government-assisted refugees by the end of 2026, and intends to support an additional 700 Sudanese refugees through private sponsorship. This includes up to 350 Sudanese nationals privately sponsored by groups of five and community sponsors for whom Canada also intends to waive the requirement for a refugee status determination document.

The Minister also announced that the number of applications accepted into processing for the family-based permanent residence pathway will increase from 3,250 to over 5,000, which will allow Canada to welcome approximately 10,000 people under this pathway. The pathway will remain the same as when it launched in February 2024, but will no longer require the Canadian anchor to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec. We will begin accepting new applications under this pathway as of February 25, 2025.

In the community

Free Tax Clinics

With the approach of tax season, we invite you to participate in the free tax clinics that our constituency office will be organizing to help you prepare your tax returns and make you eligible for the government benefits mentioned in this calendar.

We will be happy to assist you throughout this process and answer any questions you may have.

On Sunday, February 23 - and following a successful inaugural event last year - we will be hosting our second RWT Loppet.

Starting in front ot the Rideau Sports Centre at 10 am, participants  can choose between a 2 km or 11 km loop (non-timed). All ages are welcome to join in the fun.   Registration includes snacks, hot drinks - and lots of fun! Participants also get 15% off lunch at The Bridge Public House (in the Rideau Sports Centre), following the Loppet. 

For more information, and to register, please click on this link.

If you are unsure what a loppet is all about, Cross Country Canada defines it as “a great gathering of skiers who ski on a specifically groomed trail”.  We had a great gathering of skiers join us last year and a lot of fun was had!

Espoirs Culinaire

The Vanier Community Service Centre (CSC Vanier) is delighted to invite you to the 12th edition of Espoirs Culinaire, a unique event in support of CSC Vanier’s Children, Youth, and Family Services.

📅 Date: Thursday, March 6, 2025
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Excentricité Immersive Hall at Collège La Cité

Immerse yourself in a festive atmosphere inspired by Spain and enjoy a variety of tapas, cocktails, and many more surprises at this unforgettable evening event. This year, we are celebrating the rich flavors of Spain for a unique culinary and cultural experience.

Getting your tickets is easy – click here to access our platform.