Submitted by Catherine McKenna, MP Ottawa Centre –
As the leaves begin to change colour and the weather cools down, signalling Thanksgiving, I can’t help but reflect on how thankful I am to be part of the wonderful community that is Ottawa Centre. Knocking on doors and listening to residents is one of the best ways to hear what matters to you.
As Ottawa continues to grow and evolve as our capital city, I will continue to push for investments that help our community. Some examples of those important investments in Ottawa Centre include:
$1.4 million across 133 organizations in Ottawa Centre through the Canada Summer Jobs program this past summer. Thanks to Canada Summer Jobs, young people in Ottawa Centre had access to job opportunities with small businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and the public sector.
$10.5 million for the Fifth-Clegg Footbridge, now named the Flora Footbridge. The five-metre-wide, 123-metre-long, linear multi-use pedestrian and cyclist bridge will connect the important mid-town communities of Old Ottawa East, Old Ottawa South, and The Glebe. It will also reduce commute distances and promote the use of active modes of transportation in Ottawa. It is scheduled to be completed by August 2019.
$26.4 million to Carleton University in support of sustainability and green initiatives on campus, including energy-efficient retrofitting and development of the Advances Research and Smart Environments project, a collaborative infrastructure project that promises to bolster innovation in clean technology.
These are just some examples of our government’s commitment to helping communities and the middle-class grow. Together, we will keep working to build and grow a healthy and prosperous Ottawa Centre.
A final note: resolving the ongoing public service pay problem is our government’s priority. We are committed to working collaboratively at all levels to resolve the issues with Phoenix as soon as possible, while understanding that there is no quick fix. We are confident that we will resolve the problem with the help of our dedicated public servants, and we are listening to all valuable perspectives.
If you have challenges resolving your Phoenix pay issue, please contact our office. A member of our team will look into how our office can best help.
Connect with Team McKenna at CatherineMcKennaMP.ca. By telephone: 613-946-8682 or by mail: 107 Catherine Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 0P4.