Newsletter | Volume 1 | Issue 5 | February 6, 2026

February 6, 2026

In This Edition

The year began by spending much of my time in the riding, attending hundreds of events around the city alongside both my team and visiting Ministers. It has been great to connect with so many of you at community events, hear directly about your priorities, and discuss how our government can continue to support our region and invest in projects that strengthen our communities as we prepare for Budget 2026 in the next sitting of the House. 

 As you read through this month’s newsletter, you can use the links below to jump straight to the updates that matter most to you: 

• Legislative and Community Recap
  • Rural Ontario Municipal Association Conference
  • Pre-Budget Consultations
  • Minister Tours in Ottawa and Carleton
  • Engaging with Community Institutions
  • Open Door
• Important Constituency Notes
  • Kindergarten Registration
  • Recycling Collection Transition
• News Releases, Funding Announcements, and Statements
• Legislative Business and Government Bills
• Helpful Contacts

Legislative and Community Recap

ROMA 

One of the highlights in January was the Rural Ontario Municipal Association Conference in Toronto. The weekend was busy and incredibly meaningful. From the moment Day 1 began, the conference was alive with conversation, with mayors, reeves, councillors, and stakeholders from across Ontario coming together to share ideas, tackle common challenges, and look ahead to the opportunities shaping rural communities. There’s something powerful about being in a room filled with people who care deeply about the future of rural Ontario, and the energy throughout the conference truly reflected that commitment. 

It was especially great to see strong local representation from Carleton, Ottawa and the Eastern Ontario region. Councillors David Brown, Catherine Kitts, Isabelle Skalski, Riley Brockington, Clarke Kelly, and Tim Tierney were all actively engaged, bringing local perspectives forward. As a riding with many rural communities, having our voices at the table matters. These conversations ensure that our government hears directly from municipal stakeholders about what they are hearing in their local areas. 

In my role as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, Hon. Michael Parsa, I spent much of the conference attending delegations and meeting directly with municipal leaders. Hearing firsthand about the challenges and opportunities in their regions is extremely important and helps guide how the government can continue to support rural municipalities. Conferences like ROMA remind us that collaboration is at the heart of rural advocacy, and I look forward to continuing these conversations throughout 2026. 

Pre-Budget Consultations

 As we approach provincial Budget 2026, and continuing on the theme of having active conversations with stakeholders across the province, there have been Budget 2026 consultations and committee meetings occurring all across the province, and it has been a pleasure to participate directly in two of them here in the Eastern Ontario region. 

 As Parliamentary Assistant to the Treasury Board Secretariat, I was glad to be able to attend a budget consultation in the City of Cornwall to hear from many different stakeholders, alongside my colleague and the MPP for the region, Minister Nolan Quinn.  

 Also in January, I was glad to participate in the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs committee meeting right here in Ottawa, where we heard from 18 different stakeholders, outlining their priorities here in the region. These conversations are extremely important as your Member of Provincial Parliament, to ensure that we are hearing feedback directly from local members of our community. 

Minister Tours in Ottawa and Carleton 

As we moved into February, the Minister of Energy and Mines, Stephen Lecce, hosted a roundtable with leaders from the tech and energy sectors to discuss how we can protect and strengthen Ontario’s energy future. Ottawa’s energy and tech communities are buzzing with innovation from cutting‑edge clean technologies to the digital systems that will power tomorrow’s modernized grid. Sitting down with the people driving this progress is invaluable, helping shape smarter planning, better policy, and stronger partnerships as Ontario prepares for growing energy demands. 

With Red Tape Awareness Week just behind us, this has also been the perfect time to highlight Carleton’s diverse, dynamic, and hardworking business community. The Minister of Red Tape Reduction, Andrea Khanjin, had the opportunity to see firsthand the dedication and innovation that define our local businesses. These businesses are economic engines and are pillars of our neighbourhoods, providing jobs, supporting local initiatives, and contributing to the unique character of our riding. 

I’m encouraged by the thoughtful discussions we’ve had and will continue working closely with Ministers and stakeholders to ensure the voices of Carleton are reflected in future improvements. 

Engaging with Community Institutions 

Over the past several weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to be out in the community meeting with students, seniors, healthcare leaders, and local institutions across the riding and greater Ottawa. These visits are an important part of staying connected and ensuring I’m hearing directly from the people and organizations who make Carleton and Ottawa such a strong and diverse community. 

In Stittsville, I was pleased to tour Sacred Heart Catholic High School, guided by students Jayden and Mckenna, who proudly showcased their school and its deep learning programs. Sacred Heart serves students from Stittsville, Richmond, and Munster, and stands out for its inclusive environment where students of all abilities learn and grow together. Thank you to Principal Ryan Larose for hosting, and to Superintendent Geoff Edwards of the Ottawa Catholic School Board for joining the visit. 

Later that day, I spent time with the Seniors Council at Aspira Wildpine Retirement Living in Stittsville. It was a valuable opportunity to listen to residents’ perspectives, discuss provincial legislation that affects their daily lives, and highlight the role of the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority. I appreciate the thoughtful questions and engagement from the council and residents. 

I also visited Matthew House Ottawa, a long-standing nonprofit dedicated to supporting low-income households and refugees. I was pleased to share that the Ontario Trillium Foundation has invested $122,000 to support the purchase of a new moving truck, helping Matthew House reduce costs, improve reliability, and serve more families. In 2025 alone, their work supported over 4,400 individuals and diverted more than 37,000 pieces of furniture from landfills. 

These conversations continue to inform my work at Queen’s Park and strengthen our community connections. 

Open Door 

This past week marked my second Open Door as your Carleton MPP and it was amazing to be able to connect directly with everyone who dropped in. 

Being accessible to those I represent is one of the most important parts of my job, and these Open Door sessions play a vital role in fostering open dialogue and maintaining that accessibility. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to host these sessions, and I look forward to the next one on Wednesday, March 18^th! 

Important Constituency Notes

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten registration is now open for the upcoming school year, and families are encouraged to begin the process early. Registering on time helps school boards plan for classrooms, staffing, and student supports, ensuring a smooth start for children and families.

Families can register their child through their local school board. Registration information and details are available through the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, the Ottawa Catholic School Board, the Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est, and the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario.

If you have questions about eligibility or the registration process, your local school board can provide guidance and support to help make the transition into kindergarten as smooth as possible.

Recycling 

As you are now aware, on January 1^st Ontario moved to a new recycling model for packaging and paper products, known as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). This change shifted responsibility for recycling away from municipalities and placed it directly on the producers that create packaging and paper products. 

One of the many benefits of this change is that it allows for an expanded list of accepted materials. This list can be found on the Circular Materials website, on this Recycling Guide, or on the Recycling App. 

To clear up some of the conflicting information circulating, there is no cost to receive an additional or replacement recycling bin, and they can be requested by submitting this Request Form. Currently there are only two locations in Ottawa, Stittsville and the Trainyards, where bins can be picked up, however, we have been working with Circular Materials and they have confirmed they are looking at additional locations across the City. We have also raised the issue of the bins not being delivered to homes (apart from new builds), and they have agreed to raise this issue with the contractor. 

For collection-related questions, residents can continue to contact Miller Waste Systems at 1-888-852-2374 or area2@millerwaste.ca. 

News Releases, Funding Announcements, and Statements

• Rural Ontario Development Program: The second intake period for the Rural Ontario Development Program is open until February 26^th, 2026. Funding is available for not-for-profits and small businesses (between 1 and 20 employees). Eligible rural areas and more information can be found here, and information on webinars to support applications can be found here. I highly encourage anyone interested to take a look. 
• Ontario Parks Jobs: Minister McCarthy announced that there are over 1,600 positions available at Ontario Parks, including a wide range of jobs. This is a great opportunity, especially for students to look at summer employment. 
• Incremental Surgical Funding: Minister Sylvia Jones and our government announced that three Ottawa hospitals are receiving a combined $7.1 million to increase access to care, reduce wait lists and complete more surgeries, including hip and knee replacements, cataracts and other procedures. 
• One-Time Funding for Public Health Units: Our government is allocating one-time funding to support public health programs administered by Public Health Units, including over $2.2 million for Ottawa Public Health. 
• Funding for CT Hours: Minister Sylvia Jones and our government announced approval of up to $81 million in one-time funding to support 324,000 additional CT hours across the province, including a combined $5.3 million for Ottawa hospitals. 
• Trillium Fund Capital Grant: The application period opened February 4^th, 2026, and eligible non-profits and religious entities can request between $10,000 and $200,000 to update buildings, enhance physical spaces, and purchase fixed and non-fixed equipment so people and communities can thrive. Grant applications are accepted until March 4^th, 2026 at 5PM EST. 
• Safer and Vital Communities Grant: Applications are open until February 11th, 2026 for non-profit organizations to apply for funding to implement projects that focus on community safety and well-being, as well as reducing crime and victimization. 
• $21 Million Investment to Train Staff in Long-Term Care: Our government announced that we are investing $21 million in two programs that will help 700 long-term care staff upgrade their skills. 
• Ontario Fast-Tracking Access to Breakthrough Cancer Drugs: Our government announced that six new cancer drugs have been accelerated for funding, giving patients access to new treatments. 
• Post-Secondary Funding Announcements: Minister Nolan Quinn announced funding for post-secondary institutions in Ottawa, including $4.5 million for research and innovation programs, and $26.7 million for capital upgrades. 
• Grant Writing Workshop: The English Grant Writing Workshop and Information Session has filled up, but there are still spaces available in the French workshop on February 19^th, 2026 from 8:30AM-3PM. I will be sure to post about any future English workshops. 

Legislative Business and Government Bills

No new legislation has been passed since the last newsletter. The house resumes sitting on March 23^rd, 2026. 

You can read all current bills here. 

Helpful Contacts