Dear Nipissing-Timiskaming,

As we head into the holiday season, the Government of Canada continues to push forward on its plan to stand up for the middle class. 

There have been some major highlights in the progress on the economic plan including:

• Helping Canadians save for a first home and building more co-op homes, faster
  • Over 300,000 Canadians have now opened a Tax-Free First Home Savings Account to make it more affordable to save for their first down payment; and,
  • Allocating $78 million to build and repair over 1,600 co-ops, in Quebec, B.C., Ontario, and New Brunswick.
    • Supported by an additional $1 billion top-up to the Affordable Housing Fund, to help non-profit, co-op, and public housing providers to build more than 7,000 new homes by 2028.
  • Since 2015, the average annual federal housing investment has more than doubled compared to under the previous government. This year, federal investment in housing is $9 billion higher than it was in 2013-14.

• Delivering affordable child care
  • In 2023, our Canada-wide early learning and child care system has:
    • Announced over 82,000 new child care spaces towards our 250,000 target.
    • Delivered $10-a-day in six provinces and reduced fees by 50 per cent in all others.

• Lowering credit card transaction fees for small businesses
  • Finalized agreements with Visa and MasterCard to lower the credit card fees small businesses are charged—saving small businesses $1 billion over five years.
  • These new agreements will help more than 90 per cent of credit card-accepting businesses in Canada qualify for lower rates and see their interchange fees reduced by up to 27 per cent.

You can learn more about each of these programs by clicking on the links, highlighted by the blue text.

Press Releases & Community Engagement

A $1.1 million investment from the Community Services Recovery Fund helps community service organizations adapt, modernize and be better equipped for the future.

Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Bill Blair opened the new $22 million Health Services Centre at 22 Wing / CFB North Bay.  

Canadian Tire North Bay Celebrates Grand Re-opening.

Jim Parker was presented with the Governor General's Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers.

Remembrance Day in East Ferris.

Remembrance Day in North Bay.

Remembrance Day in Powassan.

The Salvation Army kicked off their 2023 Kettle Campaign in front of Antiques at Deegans on Main Street in North Bay.  

It was so great to see so many people at the Downtown Christmas Walk in North Bay.

I was honoured to extend greetings to everyone at the Ormta Honour Recital and to congratulate all the students who have earned the highest standing on their Conservatory Music Exams this past year.

I had the chance to speak at the AIDS Committee of North Bay & Area's #WorldAIDSDay event at the North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre.

I had the opportunity to honour the members of Clean, Green, Beautiful North Bay with a certificate, recognizing their outstanding efforts to achieve the highest possible rating in their Communities in Bloom evaluation.

It’s always a pleasure to drop in to the Lions Club Children’s Telethon!

Funding opportunities

Canada Summer Jobs:

Employers interested in applying for Canada Summer Jobs 2024 funding are encouraged to submit their applications electronically on the Grants and Contributions Online Services portal. The application deadline is January 10^th, 2024. CLICK HERE to apply today.

Tourism Growth Program:

The new Tourism Growth Program is a $108 million investment to support small businesses, create good jobs, and help the industry reach new heights. Funding through the Tourism Growth Program is available to a range of tourism businesses and organizations across Canada. To find out if you qualify for the program, visit your REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY'S WEB PAGE.

Youth Substance Use Prevention Program (YSUPP):

Organizations working closely with schools, or those serving youth populations disproportionately impacted by substance use-related harms, are encouraged to apply for funding. More details about the Call for Proposals, including information about eligibility and how to apply can be found HERE. The deadline for submitting an application is January 15, 2024.

Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF).

The Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF) will support the development of strategic infrastructure projects that will enable the acceleration of Canada’s critical minerals production and reinforce associated supply chains. INFORMATION ON FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. Applications for this first CFP must be submitted online by February 29, 2024.

Events Coming Up

• Sunday, December 10^th, 10 am – 3 pm: North Pole Christmas Market @ 1984 Swale Street, Callander.
• Wednesday, December 13^th, 6 am – 6 pm: 9 Rock / McDonald’s Toy Drive @ McDonald’s on Lakeshore Drive, North Bay
• Friday, December 15^th, 6 am – 9 am: Carmine Ricciuti Christmas Special @ Twiggs Coffee Roasters on Fraser, North Bay.
• Saturday, December 16^th 8 am – 12 pm: Riverside Farmers Market @ 1-55 Riverside Drive, Temiskaming Shores
• Sunday, December 31^st, 5 pm – 9 pm: Families First New Years event @ Memorial Gardens and Thompson Park in North Bay
• Ceremonies for local businesses

Our Temiskaming Shores Office has Moved!

We are now located at 17 Wellington Street North, but our phone number and hours remain the same. You can still reach out to us at 705-647-6262

Important news and notes from Parliament Hill

Online News Act:

The Online News Act passed in Parliament was a significant step forward toward a sustainable news ecosystem in Canada.

It is a framework for commercial agreements between tech giants and news organizations, that will compensate news organizations for their journalism that is vital to our democracy.

READ THE NEWS RELEASE

Fall Economic Statement:

With the Fall Economic Statement, we’re continuing to build a strong economy that works for everyone—with good, middle-class jobs that Canadians can count on and investments to help them get ahead.

Read the News Release

Staying Cybersafe Holiday Season: It’s Phishing Time!

With the holiday season fast approaching, you may be one of the millions of people looking for a perfect gift over the coming weeks. The Internet can be a great tool to find exactly what you are looking for. Be mindful, however. Online offers, advertisements and store fronts can also be an ideal cover for hackers seeking to access victims’ personal information, credit card number and money. Be wary of unusual requests and unbelievable deals.

Users are advised to be vigilant for holiday-related emails like:

• unusual requests for help due to illness or an unfortunate situation;
• great offers that seem too good to be true;
• delivery notifications from known companies (e.g. Canada Post, UPS, Fedex); or
• an electronic greeting card with QR code or hyperlink.

Be especially careful never to scan enclosed QR codes, click on included links or open attached files. For more information visit: WWW.GETCYBERSAFE.GC.CA/EN