Message From Tony
Growing the Economy
Canadians have been loud and clear: they want clean air, good jobs, and a strong economy. And as Canadian workers position our country as a global leader in the clean economy, that’s exactly what we’re delivering.
In the last year alone, our government has secured tens of thousands of good-paying jobs by attracting historic investments from companies around the world to mine critical minerals, build electric vehicles, and make batteries right here in Canada. Earlier this summer, we secured a deal with Stellantis-LGES to continue the construction of their electric vehicle battery plant in Windsor, Ontario and create good manufacturing jobs. When electric vehicles are made from Canadian minerals, assembled by Canadian auto workers, and powered by Canadian-made chargers, we secure and create good, middle-class jobs, grow our economy, and keep our air clean now and for the future.
Ahead of Target
While in B.C. this past week, Minister Wilkinson announced that our 2 Billion Trees program has helped plant over 110 million trees, 20 million trees ahead of our goal for the first two years! Our forests play a crucial role in our fight against climate change. Not only do trees capture and store carbon, they reduce the risk of fires and floods while also helping to restore areas impacted by climate-related disasters. Minister Wilkinson also announced support for tree planting in areas affected by past wildfires, tackling climate change and the effects of past wildfires.
New Horizons for Seniors Program – Open Call for Proposals
A reminder to organizations interested in applying for our New Horizons for Seniors Program. Applications are now open with a deadline of 3:00 pm on September 14, 2023. Our New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) provides organizations with up to $25,000 to fund a project created by or aimed at seniors..
To be eligible for funding, projects must:
be no longer than 52 weeks; request no more than $25,000; meet at least 1 program objective; have seniors leading or playing a vital role in its planning and/or delivery; and seek to benefit seniors and communities; and, demonstrate cost effectiveness.
The NHSP is aiming to support projects that engage and connect seniors with their communities, raise awareness of elder abuse, and promote volunteerism among seniors and other generations.
Any organization can apply for funding as long as they have a proposal that meets all the criteria and follows at least one program objective.
Last week, we commemorated Emancipation Day in Newmarket-Aurora by acknowledging the painful history of slavery here in Canada and celebrating the strength and determination of Black communities, who fought – and continue to fight – for freedom, justice, and equality.
I had the pleasure of speaking at the Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA)’s Flag Raising Ceremony as well as the Aurora Black Caucus’ Emancipation Day Commemoration Event.
Thank you to NACCA and the Aurora Black Caucus for inviting me, as well as the leaders within these groups, Jerisha Grant-Hall, Milton Hart, and Phiona Durrant, who continue to provide an inclusive community for all in Newmarket-Aurora.
We recommit to working toward ending the social, economic, and political barriers caused by anti-Black racism and discrimination. We must continue to work towards a better and more inclusive society.
Increasing Our Housing Supply
Canadians everywhere are seeing the cost of living rise and our government is committed to combatting this.
We’re helping Canadians through several investments like:
- The Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), a $4 billion investment that will provide incentive funding to local governments to help increase the housing supply.
- The First Home Savings Account, which allows Canadians to open a tax-free savings account to help them save up for the down payment on their first home.
- Cracking down on house flipping and banning foreign buyers who drive up the cost of housing.
- Our Rental Construction Financing Initiative (RCFi) Strategy, which will stimulate the supply of rental housing units for middle-income Canadians.
Through these initiatives, we’re helping renters, making the system more fair, increasing our housing supply, and helping young Canadians enter the housing market with ease.
We’re taking real, urgent action to drive down the cost of housing for Canadians. All Canadians should have a safe and affordable place to call home.
Provide Your Feedback on Reducing Plastic Food Packaging
Plastic food packaging makes up approximately one-third of all plastic packaging in Canada, and we’re committed to ending all plastic waste by 2030.
We’re proposing a Pollution Prevention Planning Notice (P2 Notice) for plastic packaging that comes into direct contact with food. This notice would require grocery retailers to meet targets to reduce, reuse, and redesign primary food plastic packaging to reduce plastic waste.
To continue with our next steps, we’re inviting grocery retailers, stakeholders, interested partners, and Canadians to provide their feedback on the development of the P2 Notice until August 30, 2023.
We’re committed working towards our goal of zero-plastic waste, and we want to hear from you on how we can best move forward.
Submit your feedback here.
Investing in a National Autism Network
With about 1 in 50 children and youth in Canada aged 17 having been diagnosed with autism, our government is committed to improving access to quality and inclusive health care.
We’re investing up to $500,000 into Autism Alliance of Canada to collaborate with other organizations to outline the requirements to design, develop, implement, and evaluate a National Autism network that will support the implementation of a national autism strategy.
The National Autism Network will work to bring together autism organizations and partners to share their skills, knowledge, and resources.
Canadians with autism are encouraged to share their thoughts on how they could best be represented with this network through the online survey, open until August 4, 2023.
By listening to and working with Autistic communities, we’re building a strategy that will respond to the diverse needs of Canadians with autism.
