my PRIORITIES

Making life more affordable for everyone in Oakville, while boosting our economy, remains a key goal of mine. Canada holds a Triple A credit rating, the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7, and historically low unemployment rates. Furthermore, Canada led its G7 allies in reducing interest rates, with the Bank of Canada lowering rates by 0.25% to 4.75% on June 5.

Despite higher interest rates, Canada has avoided the recession that some predicted. Inflation has fallen significantly from its June 2022 peak of 8.1% to 2.8% in February 2024. Our labour market remains robust, with over 1.1 million more Canadians employed today than before the pandemic, marking the fastest jobs recovery in the G7. Moreover, real wages have increased, providing Canadians with more purchasing power.

At the same time, individuals right here in Oakville are facing challenges with elevated costs of living. Our government is committed to ensuring that hard work pays off for every Canadian. We are boosting innovation, increasing productivity, raising wages, and creating more good jobs to ensure you can thrive. These efforts are not just national but resonate locally. In Oakville, we are seeing the benefits of these initiatives firsthand. Our community will continue to see new job opportunities, enhanced infrastructure, and improved programs. As your Member of Parliament, I am dedicated to ensuring that Oakville continues to benefit from these positive economic trends.

In Oakville, my commitment to public safety remains a top priority. Budget 2024 lays out comprehensive measures to combat auto theft, reduce gang violence, and prevent the proliferation of assault-style firearms, all with the aim of making our community safer. To support this effort, the Building Safer Communities Fund will allocate an additional $390 million from 2023 to 2028, ensuring that Oakville receives the necessary resources for law enforcement and community organizations to address these challenges directly.

Moreover, our National Action Plan on Combatting Auto Theft introduces key additions to the Criminal Code, which will empower our law enforcement agencies to prosecute offenders involved in violent car thefts, organized crime, and the distribution of theft devices more effectively. These include tougher penalties, with maximum sentences of up to 14 years for theft involving violence or organized crime. Furthermore, we are targeting the possession or distribution of car theft devices, with penalties now up to 10 years. We are also implementing harsher sentences for using minors in these auto thefts. Meanwhile, updates to the Radiocommunications Act will tightly regulate devices used for car theft, helping our local authorities limit access to these tools and remove them from circulation. This plan also includes efforts to increase the capacity of the Canada Border Services Agency, enhance cooperation between all levels of government and our police forces, and implement new technology like scanners to better apprehend stolen vehicles.

By prioritizing these enhanced measures and allocating strategic resources, we aim to build a safer Oakville. It is also important for all levels of government to play their part in making our community safe.

I am dedicated to ensuring that both young families and long-time Oakville residents can continue to thrive in our community by addressing housing affordability and expanding access to new homes. Our government is committed to accelerating the construction of affordable housing while tackling Oakville’s unique challenges.

We are making targeted investments to streamline building projects and cut red tape, ensuring that new homes can be built quickly and at a lower cost. Key policies from Budget 2024, such as the Housing Accelerator Fund and the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, will collaborate with local partners and developers to increase the availability of affordable housing in Oakville, particularly for renters and first-time homebuyers. Additionally, the federal government is converting vacant government offices and underused federal properties into new homes, which will boost the supply of rental units and reduce rental costs.

In the 2023/2024 parliamentary session alone, we announced over $55.7 million for 131 purpose-built rentals just west of Downtown Oakville, and approximately $15 million to support the construction of low-income housing for seniors, including a community wellness hub accessible to all seniors. By supporting these initiatives and lowering rental costs, we are ensuring that Oakville remains an inclusive and prosperous community where both long-standing residents and newcomers can flourish.

To further support for homebuyers, we doubled the First-Time Home Buyers' Tax Credit, providing up to $1,500 in direct support to offset expensive closing costs. The new Tax-Free First Home Savings Account also allows you to contribute up to $8,000 per year (up to a lifetime limit of $40,000) for your first down payment. Budget 2024 also increases the Home Buyers' Plan withdrawal limit from $35,000 to $60,000, enabling first-time buyers to use RRSP tax benefits to save up to $25,000 more for their down payment. Furthermore, an extension of the grace period for repaying Home Buyers' Plan withdrawals by an additional three years provides further flexibility and financial relief for new homeowners.

With continued federal support, our efforts to streamline zoning processes, offer incentives to builders, and provide robust support for homebuyers will make housing more affordable for people in Oakville.

As your Member of Parliament, I am dedicated to ensuring that Oakville families receive the support they need to thrive. Since 2016, the Canada Child Benefit has been instrumental in reducing child poverty, cutting the rate by more than half and lifting 650,000 children out of poverty. With over $25 billion in annual benefits, around 3.5 million families receive support, and in 2024-25, eligible families can receive up to $7,787 per child. This ensures financial relief and better opportunities for children right here in Oakville, making a tangible difference in our community.

Our commitment to families in Oakville also includes robust support for seniors. The Old Age Security program will deliver $80.6 billion to over seven million seniors this year, significantly reducing seniors' poverty. The Canada Pension Plan provides an average of $8,400 annually to nearly six million retirees. Since 2016, we have enhanced these benefits, including increasing the maximum Guaranteed Income Supplement and Old Age Security payments. These measures ensure seniors in Oakville can enjoy a secure and dignified retirement.

Affordable child care remains a priority for Oakville families. The Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) system aims to reduce child care costs to an average of $10 a day by 2026. This initiative is making a significant impact in Halton Region. In 2022, 88% of Halton’s licensed child care programs enrolled in the ELCC, covering 272 sites and 18,639 spaces. Child care fees across these programs have been reduced by 52.75% from March 2022 rates, providing substantial savings for families in Oakville.

Through these comprehensive efforts, we are strengthening the support system for families in Oakville and across Canada, helping them thrive at every stage of life. As your Member of Parliament, I am committed to ensuring that these programs continue to support our community.

Small businesses are the backbone of Canada’s economy, and in Oakville, we are fortunate to have many local businesses that showcase the strength of our community. As the Member of Parliament for Oakville, I have fought tirelessly to support small businesses through targeted initiatives that empower them to grow. Our government has the small business tax rate at 9%, the lowest in the G7, enabling our local businesses to reinvest in their operations, innovate, and create new jobs.

In addition to lowering taxes, we've also enhanced access to capital through initiatives like the Canada Small Business Financing Program, which allows entrepreneurs to secure the funds they need to start or expand their ventures. Recognizing the challenges faced by underrepresented entrepreneurs, we've also expanded funding for women-owned businesses and those led by racialized Canadians through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy and the Black Entrepreneurship Program. These investments aim to level the playing field and create equitable opportunities for all entrepreneurs.

Moreover, our government finalized agreements with Visa and Mastercard in December 2023 to lower credit card transaction fees for small businesses. These agreements will help more than 90% of credit card–accepting businesses in Canada qualify for lower rates and see their interchange fees reduced by up to 27% from the existing weighted average rate. These reductions are expected to save eligible Canadian small businesses about $1 billion over five years. These new measures come into effect in the fall of 2024 and are part of our ongoing efforts to support Oakville's small businesses.

Our government remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthening Oakville's small business community, ensuring it continues to grow and innovate.

I am committed to building a public healthcare system that works for all Oakville residents. Earlier in 2024, our government introduced plans to provide free coverage for a wide range of diabetes medications and contraceptives, reinforcing our dedication to universal healthcare access. By easing financial barriers through National Pharmacare, we are ensuring that Oakville can access vital medications without the burden of high costs.

Other transformative federal investments into healthcare, like the Canada Dental Care Plan (CDCP), eases financial barriers to oral health for millions of Canadians. Through the CDCP, seniors aged 65 and older, children under 18, and adults with valid Disability Tax Certificates in Oakville will receive basic dental care, from routine check-ups and cleanings to fillings and extractions. The CDCP will ensure that no one’s oral health is left behind. This program will continue to expand so that everyone in Oakville and beyond can access essential dental care.

In addition, the federal government is enhancing healthcare by increasing provincial health transfers. At the beginning of 2023, our government announced an investment of $73.97 billion in federal funding for Ontario over the next 10 years. This includes $8.413 billion for a new bilateral agreement focusing on shared healthcare priorities and $776 million through a one-time top-up to the Canada Health Transfer to address urgent needs. These efforts ensure that Oakville residents will have better access to high-quality family health services, timely and equitable mental health care, and integrated electronic health information shared between health professionals.

These initiatives reaffirm our goal of providing equitable, comprehensive healthcare for all Canadians. I remain committed to ensuring that every Oakville family has access to the high-quality healthcare they deserve.

The rise in global temperatures marks a critical turning point not just for Canadians but for everyone. Our government has been committed to evidence-based actions to safeguard our environment, ensuring that Oakville and other communities have a sustainable future.

We have implemented a comprehensive plan that includes a robust carbon pricing system, putting a price on pollution while ensuring that 8 out of 10 Canadian families receive more money in their pockets each year through a rebate. This system encourages greener choices and reduces emissions, making Canada a leader in climate action. According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, carbon pricing alone will account for about one-third of all projected emissions reductions by 2030.

Furthermore, our government has provided more than $3.6 billion to protect nature and species at risk, along with over $1 billion dedicated to safeguarding marine and coastal areas. We have also taken significant steps to ban the manufacturing of harmful single-use plastics and are working towards a goal of zero plastic waste by 2030. Our new Electric Vehicle Availability Standard will enhance the availability of electric vehicles across the country, complemented by over $2.1 billion to make zero-emission vehicles more affordable and more than $1 billion for building charging stations nationwide.

In Oakville, we are seeing the positive impacts of these initiatives. I successfully secured $22.6 million through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan to purchase 70 electric buses for our community. Additionally, I contributed $5.3 million to electrify more than 50% of Oakville's bus fleet, and supported an investment of over $700,000 for 51 EV charging stations. We are also investing in community organizations like the Oakville Trafalgar Community Centre, where we put forward over $1 million for 1300 solar panels. These will reduce that facility’s energy consumption by 43%, and greenhouse gas emissions by almost 20 tonnes a year.

We are working to make Oakville and Canada greener places to live for generations to come.