Dear Friends,
I hope each of you were able to enjoy your Canada Day. While it was very different than all other July 1sts, it is still important for us to take the opportunity to appreciate the amazing country that we live in.
I very much enjoyed the many virtual events that occurred across the riding. I want to thank Joanne Cutler, Merv Middling, Mayor Mitchell Brownstein and the City of Cote Saint-Luc for organizing the performances that occurred at seniors’ residences yesterday. Great job by all!
I also want to give my thanks to the RCMP and the Ottawa police for their handling of the concerning situation at the Governor General’s residence this morning. I am glad to hear everyone is safe and the suspect was apprehended without incident.
Please find below some important information that has been released since our last update.
Applications Open under the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative
Our Government has established a Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative and is investing $25 million in projects and capital assistance to celebrate, share knowledge and build capacity in Canada’s vibrant Black Canadian communities. This reflects the Government’s long-standing commitment to diversity and social inclusion. It is also another step forward in the Government’s devotion to the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent.
A call for proposals has just launched as part of this initiative to invite eligible, Black-led organizations to submit proposals of up to $100,000 for capital projects such as:
* purchasing work-related equipment; and/or
* undertaking renovations and retrofits of existing community and work spaces to improve their functionality.
The process will run between June 26 and July 27, 2020. Selections will be announced in late September 2020.
Read more about the application process and guide for this call for proposals available on Employment and Social Development Canada’s website. Do not miss the deadline!
Apply for funding for projects to improve Black-led organizations’ workplaces and community spaces
Those interested in applying are invited to participate in an information session on the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Call for Proposals (CFP).
The one hour information sessions will be held on Tuesday, July 7, 2020 at 11 a.m. Eastern Time in French, and 1 p.m. Eastern Time in English.
To participate in the information session and receive the instructions for joining online or by teleconference, please email Employment and Social Development Canada at EDSC.ACNC-SBCC.ESDC@canada.gc.ca. In your email, please specify the language you prefer (English or French). Any questions you may have can also be sent to the same email address.
Enabling Accessibility Fund
Through the call for expression of interest for the Government’s Enabling Accessibility Fund, we are looking to engage and challenge youth leaders to volunteer and collaborate with local community based organizations, and apply for funding up to $10,000 for accessibly projects.
This call for expressions of interest gives young accessibility advocates a chance to make a difference in their communities and help raise awareness of the EAF program. Youth interested in participating are required to identify accessibility barriers in public places or workplaces within their immediate and/or surrounding communities, and seek out interested organizations willing to work with them to develop an EAF accessibility project-funding proposal.
This initiative empowers youth between 15 and 30 years of age to promote awareness of accessibility needs in their communities, gain valuable experience, including how to apply for government funding, further develop their presentation skills and build their sense of social responsibility through a volunteer experience that positively impacts the lives of persons with disabilities in their communities.
Approximately 125 youth-driven projects across Canada will be funded. These projects will increase accessibility in community facilities and workplaces across Canada. Not-for-profit organizations, for-profit organizations (with up to 99 full-time equivalent employees), small municipalities (with a population under 125,000), Indigenous organizations (including band councils, tribal councils and self-government entities) and territorial governments are eligible to apply for project funding of up to $10,000.
Across Canada, we are changing the way we interact with those around us to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Youth, and all Canadians, should continue to consult their local or regional public health authorities for the latest guidelines to protect them during the process.
This year, instead of the originally allotted 12 months to complete a project, organizations that apply for funding will now have up to 24 months to complete their projects. Additionally, projects approved for funding will now be 100% funded to a maximum of $100,000.
Organizations have until July 13, 2020, to apply by visiting https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/enabling-accessibility-fund.html?utm_campaign=EnablingAccessibilityFund&utm_source=SocialMedia\Ddn\Banners&utm_medium=VanityUrl&utm_term=en&utm_content=canada-ca_accessibility-fund
Interested youth accessibility advocates can apply online through the following web page: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/funding/enabling-accessibility-fund-youth-innovation.html.
The call for expressions of interest for youth leaders will close on October 30, 2020.
Support for Post-Secondary Students and Recent Grads
Last week, the Prime Minister announced comprehensive support of the nearly $9 billion for post-secondary students and recent graduates. This plan will help provide support they need this summer, help them continue their studies in the fall, and help many get the experience they need to start their careers.
As part of Innovation, Science and Industry’s contribution, we have provided funding for Mitacs, DS4Y, CFS+, and BHER to help young Canadians find paid work placements and get the skills they need to start their careers.
We are helping young Canadians through:
* Creating 5,000 new internships through Mitacs for college and university students across Canada with small and medium-sized businesses. Funding of $40 million will also help develop partnerships with new industries, and offer internships to students in more areas of study. Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada by solving business challenges with research solutions from academic institutions.
* Increasing funding to the Digital Skills for Youth Program<https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/122.nsf/eng/home> (DS4Y) program by $40 million to help post-secondary graduates gain professional work experience. DS4Y provides wage subsidy opportunities to help connect young people with small and medium-sized businesses and not-for-profits.
* Providing $6.7 million for the Computers for Schools Plus<https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cfs-ope.nsf/eng/home> (CFS+) program. The partnership-based program refurbishes donated surplus computers and electronic devices, and provides them to schools, libraries, not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous communities, and low-income Canadians. It also offers paid, practical work internships for young people, through which they can develop advanced digital skills as well as experience in project management, teamwork, and communications.
* Creating 5,000 to 10,000 more work-integrated learning opportunities through the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER).The BHER will launch a national challenge for students to develop creative solutions in response to current and future sector needs as defined by Canadian industry. The national student challenge will help connect Canada’s small and medium-sized businesses with the next generation of talent in Canada.
Federal Job Opportunities
Today the Government announced that applications were open for the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Candidates have until July 30th to apply. I encourage any qualified candidate who is interested to do so:
Important Fundraiser to Help VMR-Ensemble-TMR Together
The Covid-19 pandemic has plunged the entire population into unprecedented challenges.
Last May, when all the residents and staff of the CHSLD Vigi Mont-Royal were diagnosed with Covid-19, Saïd Metaich, Elias El Hayek, Maya Chammas, Karine Barrette and Brigitte Mack wanted to do something to help. A few days later, it was under the name of VMR Ensemble-TMR Together that the help began for Vigi Mont-Royal.
Since this is a community effort for the community and by the community, there is currently a fundraiser with TMR residents in order to be able to buy our local merchants who were also affected by Covid-19, meals, snacks, personal protective equipment to name a few.
Since May 18, the TMR Together team has been providing Vigi Mont-Royal with items or food that were either donated by or purchased from our local merchants with the funds raised. This is to support the 300 employees and the close to 275 residents who are so fragile.
To donate to VMR Ensemble-TMR Together click on the Gofundme link https://www.gofundme.com/f/covid19-emergency-fund-mtl from our partner Operation Rainbow MTL<https://www.facebook.com/operationrainbow.official/?__tn__=K-R&eid=ARCXtlgDLxvpnP-KvEP8as-djZEhtjNU4J5QJ98cVchbkCj6HhF_9pZorF2wssBNvnYDGhl4ZEvlsJzf&fref=mentions&__xts__%252525255B0%252525255D=68.ARDhke9WyB6QWn3kit9euS0lB8SAaNS79a-dpSaN53m9JvpTgBDQjmg8AgDdf5BJAbSaAcD2J5UK281OjnGCQp_368sBxB4k2gv6HXD–ar-ObUBm-2o3penACp2bfk9TQOKrXZ1ZoHI1KHF7xvBMhpYjrpufwvJqjYkMqzA4FdD-7li5ODCmMS6bRD5nIjxZIEXFtYW_U74Al6PbNs5SkVHxOflpMk36HpadW0wRfC-3FejxaeO0DkajJ-e3L9FMjvGc3m7edMxi_ZqrAx3iz4dIU_L2fqermVIVKsjswl33LmF_HuTGuhPITB9Ev3QlyL9E25dMs28d2tu6RL9ATtcNwRljkvXN2KQLP-aA3CKmllLB4T7zdc9bNMg6EX4VkFY7hKDdZIuYwS9Yr6yQOwkcdwTKxli3_ysArGPCPRd7Xsc3XVIJtUF> and be sure to click on the “referred by” tab and select “TMR / VMR”.
Please continue to stay safe and healthy.
Anthony Housefather,
MP – Mount Royal, Montreal
