Newsletter | Volume 1 | Issue 12 | September 25, 2026
September 25, 2026
In This Edition
It has been a busy few weeks across Carleton, with plenty happening both here at home and across Ottawa.
In this edition, I’m sharing highlights from visits with provincial Ministers and colleagues, including investments in housing-enabling infrastructure, seniors programming, long-term care training and our local economy. You’ll also read about some of the incredible organizations making a difference in our region, from agricultural innovation and workplace safety to accessible recreation and mental health care.
Closer to home, we have had plenty to celebrate! Local businesses, schools and organizations have marked exciting openings and major milestones, while fairs, festivals, fundraisers and longstanding rural traditions have kept my team and me on the road throughout Carleton.
You’ll also find updates on how Team Carleton is connecting with residents across the riding, details on upcoming Open Door and Meet Me In sessions, and a preview of our return to the Metcalfe Fair.
Plus, meet Owen in this month’s Team Carleton Spotlight and catch up on the latest provincial news, funding opportunities and legislative updates.
Legislative and Community Recap
Ministers in Ottawa
August and September were busy months welcoming Ministers and provincial colleagues to Ottawa and Carleton, creating opportunities to connect directly with local organizations, businesses and community leaders while highlighting the important work happening across our region.
I joined Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, for a roundtable with Carleton University, the University of Ottawa, Algonquin College, La Cité and local business stakeholders. Our conversation focused on strengthening collaboration between government, postsecondary institutions and industry, including opportunities surrounding research, development and the growing use of artificial intelligence. This builds on our government’s investment of more than $663 million in Ottawa postsecondary institutions announced earlier this year.
I was also pleased to join Ministers Todd McCarthy and Rob Flack for the announcement of a new $1 billion federal-provincial partnership to support housing-enabling infrastructure in municipalities that do not levy development charges. The investment will help eligible municipalities build critical roads, bridges and water systems needed to support new housing and complements the previously announced $8.8 billion partnership for municipalities that levy development charges.
Here in Carleton, I welcomed Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, for a day highlighting organizations working to keep seniors active, connected and included. At Baxter Conservation Area, we celebrated up to $57,935 for the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation to complete a 710-metre accessible boardwalk network. We also celebrated more than $48,000 in Seniors Community Grant funding for Rural Ottawa South Support Services and the Therapeutic Riding Association of Ottawa-Carleton to support innovative programming for rural seniors.
Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Minister of Long-Term Care, was in Ottawa as well, where I joined her at Collège Boréal for the announcement of a $75 million investment to train thousands of health-care professionals for rewarding careers in long-term care. Strengthening our health-care workforce will help ensure residents receive the quality care they deserve while creating new opportunities for Ontarians to develop in-demand skills and pursue good-paying careers.
Later in the month, I welcomed Dave Smith, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Finance, to Carleton to hear directly from local businesses. We visited Richmond Estate Winery to meet with Peter and Michael Van Helsdingen and Ashton Brewing Company to meet with Quinn Hodgins. Both businesses are important contributors to our rural economy, supporting local jobs, agriculture and tourism, and these conversations provided valuable insight into Ontario’s winery and craft brewing industries.
Finally, I joined Minister Cho once again to recognize Ka Shing Stephen Lee with an Ontario Senior Achievement Award. Affectionately known as “The Chef,” Stephen has volunteered with the Yet Keen Seniors’ Day Centre since 2011 and has spent years bringing people together through food, friendship and service. Congratulations to Stephen on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for your tremendous contribution to our community.
It is always valuable to have Ministers and provincial colleagues on the ground in Ottawa and Carleton, hearing directly from the people and organizations who know our communities best. I look forward to continuing these conversations and ensuring our local priorities are heard at Queen’s Park.
Organizations in Action
Ottawa is home to incredible organizations that are driving innovation, creating opportunities, and making a difference in the lives of people across our community.
At Evik Diagnostic Innovations, I had the opportunity to tour their Ottawa facility with Jennifer Look-Hong and Julian Mindel and learn more about their work in Canadian agricultural diagnostics. Evik is developing innovative technologies that support agriculture and food safety while helping strengthen our domestic supply chains. Through the Ontario Together Trade Fund, our government is investing $205,000 alongside Evik’s $1.025 million investment to expand capacity, commercialize new products and build a more resilient made-in-Ontario supply chain. The project will protect 27 local jobs while creating new opportunities for growth and innovation right here in Ottawa.
I was also pleased to once again join Mattamy Homes for its annual National Safety Week event. Led locally by Ottawa Division President Kevin O’Shea and Director of Health and Safety Kenny Tuff, a fellow Carleton resident, the event brings workers and industry leaders together to reinforce the importance of health and safety on job sites. Hearing personal experiences and stories of workplace incidents is a powerful reminder that safety can never be taken for granted. Thank you to the Mattamy team for continuing to make these important conversations a priority.
Another highlight was experiencing the incredible work of SkiAbility Ottawa during an event on the Rideau River. Operating under SkiAbility Canada, this non-profit organization makes water sports accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities, beginning as young as four years old. Using specialized adaptive equipment, participants can experience everything from water skiing and wakeboarding to wake surfing and barefoot skiing.
Founder Ross Holden, his son Chris, and their dedicated team of instructors and volunteers have created something truly special. Seeing participants out on the water enjoying the freedom and excitement of these sports was a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished when passionate people work to remove barriers and create opportunities for everyone to participate.
More recently, I joined The Royal for the ribbon cutting of Ottawa’s new mental health urgent care clinic, marking the return of urgent mental health care to The Royal 20 years after its emergency department closed. The new clinic will provide another option for people requiring timely mental health support while helping reduce pressure on traditional hospital emergency departments.
The opening is the result of significant collaboration between The Royal, community partners and private supporters. It was
encouraging to see so many of those who helped make the clinic possible come together for the celebration, which also included the unveiling of the Minto Greenberg name at the clinic’s entrance.
From innovation and workplace safety to accessibility and mental health care, these organizations are finding meaningful ways to strengthen our community and improve the lives of the people they serve. Thank you to the teams, volunteers, partners and supporters behind this important work.
Local Milestones
There was plenty to celebrate across Carleton and Ottawa in recent weeks, from major anniversaries and new beginnings to a special Olympic milestone!
I was pleased to join the community at SunTech Greenhouses as brothers Devon and Benjamin celebrated five years under their ownership. The anniversary celebration brought out a fantastic crowd while raising funds for CHEO, with the Greely Lions Club keeping the BBQ going throughout the afternoon. Congratulations to the entire SunTech team on five successful years and many more to come!
The Metcalfe Golf Classic marked its 25th year of bringing the community together in support of the Osgoode Care Centre. The Care Centre has always been near and dear to my heart, both as a former board member and through the exceptional care my father received as a resident. It was wonderful to be back on the course supporting an organization that continues to mean so much to families throughout our community.
I joined Central Precast as the company celebrated an incredible 70 years in business. Established as a family business in 1956, Central Precast has grown into one of Ontario’s leading producers of precast concrete products while remaining an Ottawa success story. Congratulations to Stefano Mion and the entire team on seven decades of innovation, investment and service.
Another remarkable anniversary belonged to Stittsville’s own Erica Wiebe, as we celebrated 10 years since her gold medal victory in freestyle wrestling at the 2016 Olympic Games. Erica’s achievement remains an incredible moment in Canadian sport and continues to inspire young athletes in our community and across the country.
There was a new beginning to celebrate in Greely as Adam’s Barbershop officially opened its doors. I was happy to stop by to welcome Adam and his team to the local business community and wish them every success in the years ahead.
Greely also welcomed another new addition with the opening of Parkway Animal Hospital at the Greely Village Centre. I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Kim and his team and welcoming them to their second location. I even brought our newest little family member, Gigi, along for the visit, and she was welcomed with open arms! It is always exciting to see new services opening close to home, and I wish Dr. Kim and the entire Parkway Animal Hospital team every success in Greely.
In Stittsville, I was privileged to join Legion Branch 618 as it celebrated the Royal Canadian Legion’s centenary year. The celebration brought together veterans, families and Legion members, including Silver Cross Mother Clair Léger and her husband Richard. A particularly special moment saw the Branch’s oldest and youngest members come together to cut the anniversary cake. Congratulations to everyone at Branch 618, and thank you to our veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.
The first day of school was especially exciting at the new Cassiopée French Public School in Stittsville as students and families walked through its doors for the very first time. From adding their names to the school’s first wall mural to the ribbon cutting and unveiling of the new school logo, it was wonderful to share in the excitement of this brand-new school community. I look forward to joining them again for their official grand opening later this fall.
Finally, congratulations to École élémentaire catholique Bernard-Grandmaître on 20 years of serving students and families in Carleton. It was remarkable to learn that the school opened two decades ago with just 10 students and to see how much the community has grown since then. I even spotted graduation photos of a few familiar family members among the hundreds of students who have passed through its doors! Congratulations to the students, staff, families and alumni who have all been part of Bernard-Grandmaître’s first 20 years.
Connecting with the Community
August and September have been packed with opportunities to get out into our communities, support local organizations and spend time with the people who make Carleton such a great place to call home.
I stopped by the 34th Annual Osgoode Family Ball Tournament, a longstanding tradition that continues to bring families, friends and neighbours together while giving back. This year’s tournament supported the Miracle League of Ottawa and its work to make baseball accessible to players of all abilities. Thank you to the organizers, volunteers, players and families who continue to make this event such a success year after year.
At Manotick Heating & Cooling, Jordan King and his team welcomed customers and community supporters for a BBQ to thank them for their continued support. Local businesses have faced their share of challenges in recent years, and it was great to see the strong community that has grown around this one. Thank you to Jordan and the team for the hospitality, and to Garvin BBQ for providing some fantastic southern-style food!
The Capital Fair was another highlight of August. I joined organizers, volunteers and supporters for the official opening and ribbon cutting before Team Carleton returned to spend time at our booth, handing out goodie bags and meeting fairgoers. The Capital Fair remains one of my favourite annual events in Carleton, and the incredible turnout was a testament to the work of Zybina Roberts and the many volunteers and partners who make ten days of fun possible each year.
Rain couldn’t stop the 14th Allan Haan Manotick Soapbox Derby, where racers, families, volunteers and spectators came together for another memorable day in the Village. Congratulations to all of the young racers who took to the course, and thank you to the Manotick Village & Community Association and its volunteers for keeping this wonderful community tradition going.
September began with a day on the course at the Greely Lions Club Annual Golf Tournament at Metcalfe Golf and Country Club. The Lions are always finding ways to give back, and their annual tournament is a perfect example of community service and a little friendly competition coming together. Thank you to everyone who organized, participated in and supported another successful fundraiser.
I stopped by MP Bruce Fanjoy’s Community BBQ, where it was nice to catch up with residents and enjoy a hot dog courtesy of the Stittsville Lions Club. Maintaining strong relationships and open communication across all levels of government benefits the communities we collectively serve, and I am always happy to support events that bring residents and their representatives together.
That same day, I joined residents in Findlay Creek for the Ghanaian Family BBQ and Engagement Day. I enjoyed meeting families, hearing their stories and sharing some of my own experiences of building a life in Canada. The music, food and conversations made for a memorable afternoon celebrating the many cultures and experiences that contribute to Carleton. Thank you to Ebenezer and Samuel for the invitation and warm welcome.
Ottawa then welcomed the world for the opening of the 2026 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships. I was proud to deliver opening remarks on behalf of Ontario’s Minister of Sport alongside MP Yasir Naqvi and Mayor Mark Sutcliffe as Canada opened the competition against Morocco. Our government is proud to support the Championships with a $1.5 million investment, helping bring 11 days of world-class accessible sport to our nation’s capital and showcasing Ontario as a destination for major international sporting events.
Back in rural Carleton, I put my plowing skills to the test at the annual Ottawa-Carleton Plowmen’s Association VIP Match at Cranberry Creek Dairy Farm in Kars. With sunny skies, a great turnout and some fierce but friendly competition, I was happy to reclaim first place! Thank you to the Lindsay family for hosting another fantastic day and continuing a tradition that celebrates our agricultural community.
Things got a little sweeter in Stittsville at the annual Butter Tart Festival, where hundreds of visitors came out to enjoy homemade butter tarts of just about every variety imaginable. It was wonderful to see such a strong turnout, support local vendors and, of course, sample a few along the way!
One of Carleton’s longest-running traditions returned with the 182nd Richmond Fair. I joined the Richmond Agricultural Society for the opening ceremonies before returning for the Fair Parade, where Team Carleton helped hand out Ontario flags along the route. From livestock shows and exhibits to the midway, parade and countless familiar faces, the Richmond Fair continues to celebrate our agricultural roots and the community spirit that makes Richmond so special. Thank you to Doug Seabrook, Rob Parks, Jessica Seabrook, Lindsay Daggitt, Brenda Thomas and the entire Richmond Agricultural Society team for the tremendous amount of work that goes into keeping this tradition thriving year after year.
I spent another weekend in rural Carleton at the Osgoode Township Fish, Game and Conservation Club’s annual skeet shoot fundraiser. The event gives experienced participants an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming hunting season while welcoming newcomers who want to learn in a supportive environment. With close to 50 people taking part this year, it was a fun day of friendly competition, learning and supporting the Club.
I was also grateful to participate in the Canadian Walk for Veterans fundraiser at the Swords and Ploughshares Museum near Kars. Hearing directly from veterans, learning about historic military equipment and seeing the Museum’s collection brought an important part of our history to life. Thank you to Major (Retired) Mike Calnan, President of the Museum, for the invitation and to the volunteers who dedicate their time to preserving our military history and sharing the stories and sacrifices of those who served.
From fairs and festivals to fundraisers, sports and longstanding rural traditions, these past several weeks have been a powerful reminder of just how much is happening across Carleton. Thank you to the volunteers, organizers and community members who continue to bring people together and make these events possible.
Serving You Across Carleton
Whether at the constituency office, out in our communities or representing local priorities at meetings across the province, my team and I remain focused on being accessible and providing the support residents of Carleton need.
Our Meet Me In series continued in Riverside South, where I spent the day meeting directly with residents and hearing their questions, concerns and priorities. These travelling sessions are an important way to make my office more accessible throughout our large and diverse riding, and I appreciate everyone who took the time to stop by and have a conversation.
More recently, we brought Meet Me In to Stittsville, setting up at Village Square Park for an afternoon of conversations with residents and passersby about provincial issues and the priorities that matter to them. We even found time for a quick visit to Ritual on Main to grab coffee for the team and support a fantastic local business. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to chat. I look forward to bringing Meet Me In to another Carleton community soon!
We have continued our Open Door hours at the constituency office in Manotick as well, welcoming residents and stakeholders for one-on-one conversations without an appointment. These sessions provide another way to sit down directly with me and my team to discuss provincial matters, ask questions or seek assistance.
Team Carleton has been hitting the streets too! Most recently, the team was in Findlay Creek delivering information about the services available through my constituency office and speaking directly with residents. From driver’s licences and health cards to OHIP and social services, our office is here to help residents navigate provincial programs and services. We have enjoyed the conversations at the door and look forward to visiting more neighbourhoods in the weeks ahead.
Supporting our local businesses is an important part of staying connected across the riding, and Taste of Manotick provided the perfect opportunity to do just that. Hundreds of people filled Main Street to explore local shops, restaurants and businesses and experience everything the Village has to offer. Congratulations to Kelly Bélair, Kris Gordon, the Manotick Village team and all of the participating businesses for another incredibly successful event and for continuing to showcase Manotick as a wonderful place to visit, shop and support local.
One of the biggest highlights was welcoming hundreds of residents to my 2nd Annual Community BBQ at Centennial Park in Manotick. We could not have asked for better weather as families enjoyed hot dogs, face painting, skateboard demonstrations, giveaways and plenty of activities throughout the day. Thank you to my incredible team and volunteers, along with our local firefighters and the Ottawa Police Service, for helping everything run so smoothly. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and meet plenty of new ones!
Representing Carleton also means ensuring our communities have a voice in the conversations taking place beyond the riding. At the 2026 Association of Municipalities of Ontario Conference, I participated in a packed schedule of meetings and delegations with municipal leaders from Ottawa and communities across Ontario. In my role as
Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, I heard directly from municipal representatives about the challenges, priorities and opportunities facing their communities.
Having spent many years in municipal government, AMO is a valuable opportunity to reconnect with former council colleagues and support Ottawa delegations as they bring our city’s priorities to the provincial table. Strong relationships between provincial and municipal governments are essential to getting things done for the people we serve.
From conversations in parks and at the door to meetings in my office, local events and provincial discussions, staying connected to residents remains at the centre of everything we do. If you need assistance with a provincial program or service, or simply want to share an issue that matters to you, my team and I are here to help.
Important Constituency Notes:
Upcoming Open Door Session
My next Open Door session is currently scheduled for Wednesday, September 30th from 1PM to 4PM, barring any changes to legislative meetings, and will provide residents with the opportunity to stop by without an appointment to ask questions, share feedback, or raise any local concerns.
As details are finalized, updates will be shared on my website so please follow along to stay up to date.
I always truly value the chance to connect directly with residents and greatly look forward to the conversations and feedback that come out of these sessions.
Bringing Popcorn Back to the Metcalfe Fair
The Metcalfe Fair is just around the corner, and Team Carleton is bringing back the popcorn!
From October 2 to 4, stop by our booth at the Metcalfe Fair for some free, freshly popped popcorn and a chance to chat with me and members of my team.
The Metcalfe Fair is one of my favourite traditions in Carleton, and our annual popcorn booth is always a great opportunity to connect with constituents, catch up with familiar faces and meet new ones while enjoying everything the Fair has to offer.
Be sure to stop by, say hello and grab a bag of popcorn. We look forward to seeing you at the Fair!
Meet Me In Richmond
There have been some slight changes and my October Meet Me In session will now be held in Richmond, subject to any changes in legislative commitments.
DATE: Wednesday, October 14th
TIME: 1:00PM to 4:00PM
LOCATION: Fairgrounds Pavilion, 6107 Perth Street
Meet Me In sessions are a time for me to connect with residents across Carleton, right in the communities they call home. Residents are welcome to stop by without an appointment to ask questions, share feedback, raise local concerns, or simply say hello.
These sessions are part of my commitment to meeting constituents where they are and making it easier for residents throughout the riding to connect with their provincial representative.
I look forward to meeting you in your community and continuing the conversations that help guide my work on your behalf.
This is my final Meet Me In session before the House resumes, so make sure you don’t miss it.
I look forward to resuming these sessions in the future!
Team Carleton Spotlight – Meet Owen:
This month, I’m pleased to introduce you to Owen Murdoch, my Policy Advisor!
Owen is my go-to person when we need to dig a little deeper. Whether a constituent raises an issue that needs some research, a new government announcement comes out, or I need background before heading into a meeting, I can count on Owen to get into the details, connect the dots and help make sense of how an issue affects the people we serve.
On any given day, you might find him researching a complex file, sitting in on a meeting, keeping track of what is happening at Queen’s Park or working with the rest of my team to find answers for residents. He also helps take some of that policy-heavy information and turn it into the updates you see in this newsletter and on my social media.
Owen is also one of Team Carleton’s familiar faces! He has worked alongside me since my time on Ottawa City Council and brought that experience with him when we made the move to Queen’s Park. His knowledge of both our local communities and government processes, combined with his thoughtful and solutions-focused approach, makes him an invaluable member of our team.
When he isn’t buried in research, Owen is a big sports fan and enjoys keeping up with his favourite teams and watching games with friends and family.
I’m very fortunate to have Owen as part of Team Carleton. Thank you, Owen, for everything you do for our team and the residents of Carleton!
News Releases, Funding Announcements and Statements:
Connecting More People to Faster Emergency Care in Ottawa: The Ontario government is investing over $68 million in Ottawa, a 4% increase in land ambulance funding, as well as continued investment of nearly $2.9 million through the Dedicated Offload Nurses Program to ensure residents receive timely emergency care. Ambulance offload times have been reduced by 68% province-wide in the past year.
Investing $543,000 for Repairs at Local Community Agencies: Our government, through the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services is providing over $543,000 at 8 community agencies in Ottawa to support capital repairs and upgrades.
Ontario Adding 475 Student Spaces in Carleton: École élémentaire publique Cassiopée is opening in Stittsville for the 2026-27 school year, supported by $29.4 million from the government and creating 475 new student spaces in our riding.
$48,000 to Support Seniors Programming in Carleton: I was pleased to announce that Rural Ottawa South Support Services (ROSSS) and Therapeutic Riding Association of Ottawa-Carleton (TROtt) received over $48,000 combined to deliver valuable seniors programming in our community.
Investing $1 Million in Health Infrastructure Upgrades and Repairs in Ottawa: The Ontario government is investing $1,009,717 at four community health centres in Ottawa, as part of a $15 million investment across the province to maintain and upgrade infrastructure at healthcare facilities.
Connecting More Patients to Primary Care in Ottawa: The West Carleton Family Health Team, supported by $1.8 million through the 2025-26 call for proposals under the Primary Care Action Plan, has signed up more than 4,800 patients, achieving 105% of its original target of 4,550.
Ontario Ends Social Assistance for People Living in Canada Illegally: We announced that we are strengthening rules for Ontario’s social assistance programs to ensure that only people who are living in Canada legally can receive financial assistance from Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program.
Connecting 600,000 More People to Primary Care: In August, our government announced that in September we are launching the next call for proposals, supported by $250 million through the Primary Care Action Plan, to connect 600,000 more people to primary care. Since the launch of the plan on January 27th, 2025, over 437,000 people have been connected to primary care.
Expanding Ontario’s Learn and Stay Grant: Applications are open for the new Ontario Learn and Stay Grant – Medical Education program. Through a $220 million investment, the grant covers the cost of tuition, books and other educational costs for students who commit to working as a family doctor anywhere in Ontario for a minimum of five years.
Rural Ontario Development Program: This program provides cost-shared funding to eligible not-for-profits, small businesses (1-20 employees) and municipalities for projects that strengthen our rural economy. I highly encourage you to take a look at the program or reach out to my office with questions, the deadline to apply is October 1, 2026 at 5PM.
Community, Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund: This program provides funding to eligible not-for-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, and municipalities for the repair or building of sport and recreation facilities that make sports more accessible in our communities. You can view program guidelines and contact information here, and the deadline to apply is December 22nd, 2026 at 4PM.
Other provincial funding opportunities can be seen here, and Ontario Trillium Foundation funding can be seen here.
Legislative Business and Government Bills:
No new legislation has been passed since the last newsletter. The House resumes sitting on October 27th, 2026.
You can read all current bills here. Some committees continue to meet during the summer, and you can see all committees here.
Ontario Regulatory Registry and Environmental Registry of Ontario:
- Ontario Regulatory Registry: This registry posts new or amended provincial policy proposals that may affect businesses, organizations and communities. You can provide comments to be reviewed by ministries, and also sign up to receive updates.
- Environmental Registry of Ontario: This registry posts notices on amendments related to the environment, including acts, regulations, permits, approvals and orders.
