The holiday season is a time to spend with friends and family

Happy New Year 2025, Orléans! I hope you’ve all had a great Christmas and holiday season.

The holidays always bring a refreshing and invigorating spirit, and I trust you took the time to relax, rejuvenate, and unwind during this special period.

I was pleased to see the Bank of Canada’s decision to lower interest rates for the fifth time since June, bringing them down to 3.25% to provide some much-needed relief for Canadians.

The HST tax break will continue until Jan. 15, 2025. This tax exemption is helping reduce the cost of food and other essential goods, allowing us to better support our local small businesses and restaurants.

The federal government introduced several important measures in the Fall Economic Statement (FES), tabled on Dec. 16. Among these is a focus on increasing housing in single-family neighborhoods like Orléans. Starting in January 2025, new mortgage insurance reforms will help homeowners add secondary suites to their properties. The Canada Secondary Suite Loan Program will see its loan limit doubled to $80,000, making it more affordable for homeowners to add secondary suites. The program will offer 15-year loan terms at a low interest rate of just 2%.

The federal government is also working to lower the cost of homeownership, both for buying and renting, by reducing payments and monthly mortgage payments. These measures are designed to help more Canadians achieve the goal of buying their first home.

The government is taking action to enhance community safety by investing in border security to address illegal migration, the illicit drug trade, car theft, and weapons smuggling. Additionally, they are introducing new tools for law enforcement, including the creation of an Aerial Intelligence Task Force equipped with helicopters, drones, and mobile surveillance towers. Read more https://budget.canada.ca/
update-miseajour/2024/home-accueil-en.html.

Locally, I joined the YMCA of the National Capital Region at the launch of their new employment and newcomer services hub located within the Orléans Cumberland Community Resource Centre. The hub will help clients to easily access services, such as counselling, parenting support, healthy living workshops, employment and more.

The YMCA’s free employment services support employers and job seekers while also helping local businesses attract and recruit employees with the skills they need to achieve their business goals.

I want to inform you that the deadline to nominate an outstanding woman or girl for the Orléans Leading Women and Girls Recognition Awards is Feb. 14. Nomination forms are available by emailing Marie-France.Lalonde@parl.gc.ca. Thank you once again for helping us celebrate their accomplishments and their volunteerism.