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Newsletter | Volume 1 | Issue 7 | April 10, 2026

April 10, 2026

In This Edition

This month’s newsletter highlights a busy and productive period at both Queen’s Park and across Carleton. At the Legislature, work continued on the 2026 Spring Session, including key budget discussions, local advocacy, and several opportunities to recognize important milestones and community contributions from right here in our riding.

We also welcomed several Ministers to Carleton for a range of visits focused on agriculture, transportation, community safety, small business, and long-term care. These visits provided valuable opportunities to showcase local priorities, meet directly with residents and stakeholders, and continue building strong connections between our community and the provincial government.

In addition, this edition features updates on community engagement and local events, including constituency meetings, Open Door sessions, and celebrations across the riding this spring. You’ll also find updates on recent funding announcements, new and ongoing provincial programs, and key legislative developments currently before the Legislature.

From education and local arts initiatives to infrastructure and accessibility improvements, there is no shortage of important work happening across Carleton, much of which is highlighted in this newsletter.

Legislative and Community Recap 

Spring Session at Queen’s Park

After a busy winter break spending time in Carleton and connecting with residents, businesses and stakeholders each and every day, it was nice to head back to Queen’s Park in late March to begin the Spring legislative session.

During the time back in Carleton, I heard from constituents about the priorities that matter most to them: healthcare, education, the economy, and investments in infrastructure, to name a few. Our government is getting right to work to deliver the 2026 budget and legislation to make a difference in the lives of Carleton residents.

I had the pleasure of speaking in the house on April 2nd to highlight some of the key investments proposed in the budget, some of which include a proposed $186 million increase in funding to the Ontario Autism Program, a proposed $325 million increase to the Primary Care Action Plan, and a proposed $1.1 billion increase in hospital funding. The budget bill continues to be debated in the house.

I also had the pleasure to stand in my place in the legislature and recognize the 200th anniversary of Stanley Olde Maple Lane Farm, a well respected local business in Carleton, and to share their story with my colleagues.

Finally, the house unanimously approved a motion from my riding neighbour MPP Billy Denault, which will see Ontario recognize the third week of September as Rural Ontario Week. As someone who has lived in rural Ottawa and represented rural Ottawa for nearly 12 years, I was very pleased to see this motion recognize the importance of our rural residents in Ontario each year.

Minister Visits in Ottawa

It’s been a remarkable month for ministerial engagement, with several provincial ministers visiting our community for on-the-ground visits, conversations with local leaders, and opportunities to highlight the incredible work happening right here at home. It’s also been a strong reminder of just how much attention our region is getting at Queen’s Park, and a valuable opportunity to showcase our community and ensure local priorities are heard.

In early March, Trevor Jones, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, joined me at the 99th Ottawa Valley Farm Show. Held annually at the EY Centre, this event is always a fantastic showcase of innovation and dedication from our local agricultural community. I loved seeing so many familiar faces from our riding! We also paid a visit to Alexerin Dairy Inc to see their dairy facility right here in Carleton. It was great to connect with them and hear more about their experiences in the industry. Hearing from our local stakeholders is important to

me, as their feedback helps guide our understanding of the challenges facing the agricultural sector and informs meaningful policy that we can bring back to the Legislature.

A few days later I welcomed Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation, to Manotick to discuss the community’s desire for additional transportation infrastructure in our south end to support our communities. Those who know me will know that I have always been a major advocate for investments in our infrastructure, and I always continue to advocate for this each day with our government. With that being said, this is why I was extremely disappointed that Ottawa City Council rejected the concept of a full and fair evaluation of a southern Ring Road last July.

I will always continue to advocate within our government for long-term solutions that will invest in infrastructure to support the growth and sustainability of our communities, and I hope that representatives in our city will consider doing the same for our south end.

The next day I also welcomed Attorney General Doug Downey to Ottawa. We had productive meetings with Deputy Chief of Police Paul Burnett, Superintendent of Neighbourhood Policing Ken Brayden, Acting Inspector of Frontline Investigations Rick Carrey, and Superintendent of Investigations Heather Lachine. It was a important opportunity to discuss how we can continue strengthening community safety and ensuring criminals are held accountable.

Nina Tangri, Minister of Small Business, was also in the area this week. Minister Tangri has been an exceptional champion for small businesses across Ontario. She has visited Carleton many times, meeting directly with local entrepreneurs, listening to their challenges, and celebrating their successes. This visit was no exception as we spent the afternoon touring and meeting with several of Carleton’s local rural small businesses, including Red Dot Café, Vibration Studio, No Go Coffee, One World Bazaar, Elite Cutz, Abu Ali, and Metcalfe Pizza.

Each visit was a reminder of something we all know well: small businesses are the backbone of our communities. They create jobs, drive innovation, support local families, and give our villages their identity. When small businesses thrive, our communities thrive.

Following these tours, we held a round table with several local rural small businesses. Each of these businesses brings something unique to the table, whether it’s a story, a vision, or a commitment to their craft, and together they represent the strength and resilience that define rural entrepreneurship.

It was also great to share information about our government’s proposal to cut small business Corporate Income Tax rate by over 30% to support small businesses.

It meant so much to see so many dedicated small business owners, community leaders, and partners gathered for this important roundtable focused on the unique needs and opportunities of our rural small businesses.

This afternoon, I was fortunate to join John Jordan, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Long-Term Care, at Extendicare Medex to celebrate an important milestone in dementia care in Ontario. Our government is advancing care through the launch of the Improving Dementia Care Program (IDCP) and expanded access to behavioural specialized units, supported by a $9 million investment over three years to enhance quality of life for residents.

Extendicare Medex has been selected as one of the first 17 long-term care homes to participate in the program, receiving funding to support in-house dementia specialists who will provide training and guidance to staff. As Ottawa continues to grow and its population ages, this investment represents an important step forward in ensuring residents and families have access to more specialized, compassionate care.

These visits are more than just stopovers, they are meaningful opportunities to showcase our community, advocate for local priorities, and ensure our voices are heard at the provincial level. We look forward to continuing this momentum in the months ahead.

Team Carleton at Queen’s Park

After more than a year in office, my constituency staff had the opportunity to travel to Queen’s Park for the first time to experience a “day in the life” of the work that takes place at the Legislature.

The visit provided an important opportunity to bridge both teams, allowing our constituency office staff to connect in person with my Toronto EA and better understand how closely both offices work together. While communication between all team members is constant and collaborative, being able to put faces to names and spend time together in person added an important layer of connection and understanding.

As an elected representative, there is far more to the role than what is seen in the Chamber. Between committee work, legislative statements, and meetings that extend well beyond sitting hours, the workload is extensive, and the visit offered a meaningful glimpse into that pace and responsibility.

A big thank my constituency team, Stephanie, Candice, Jane, Ethan, and Owen, for taking the time to come to Toronto, and for the dedication they bring every day to serving Carleton constituents. It was also a pleasure for them to meet Katherine and spend time together as one team.

I am incredibly proud of our Team Carleton, and fortunate to work alongside such a committed and collaborative group.

2026 Canadian Ringette Championships

I had a great time 2026 Canadian Ringette Championships closing ceremonies, on behalf of Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport, where more than 900 of the country’s top athletes took to the ice in Ottawa.

Hosting sport events, like the 2026 Canadian Ringette Championships, boosts local tourism, enhances public infrastructure, and helps Ontario athletes gain elite competition experience to excel on the national stage, while showcasing Ontario as a top choice for amateur sport events.

They work collaboratively with the sport and recreation sector to promote, support, and increase opportunities for all Ontarians to participate in sport and recreation, from playground to podium.

Since 2018, the Ontario’s Sport Hosting Program has invested more than $17 million to support over 240 events hosted in the province, generating over approximately $225 million in economic activity across the province of Ontario.

I’m proud to be part of a government that supports events like this through the Sport Hosting Program.

Introducing Carleton University Students to the House

On April 1st, I was delighted to welcome a wonderful group of Carleton University students, Daisy, Matthew, Benjamin, Lauren, James, Evan, and Colin, to Queen’s Park for a full day of learning and exploration. It was amazing to be able to introduce them in the House during Question Period and to guide them through the legislature so they could experience firsthand what life at Queen’s Park is like.

Throughout the day, the students met several of my colleagues, including Speaker Donna Skelly; Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, Michael Parsa; Minister of Education, Paul Calandra; Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, Nolan Quinn; Government House Leader, Steve Clark; Government Whip, Matthew Rae; Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy and Mines, Rudy Cuzzetto; and MPP for Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound, Paul Vickers.

Students in Carleton and across Ottawa represent the future of our province. I am always grateful for the opportunity to introduce them to the work of our government and to help connect them with the representatives who shape policy in Ontario. Their curiosity and enthusiasm are a reminder of the bright future ahead for our communities.

Connecting with the Community

This season has been filled with meaningful opportunities to connect with residents across the riding. From Easter celebrations and spring markets held throughout the community, to countless St. Patrick’s Day events, it has been wonderful to see so many people coming together to celebrate and support local traditions and small businesses.

We also had the opportunity to join in celebrating Stittsville’s own Collinda Joseph and her outstanding gold medal performance in wheelchair curling at the 2026 Winter Paralympics. An incredible achievement that has made our entire community proud! It was a delight to present a congratulatory certificate from the Premier and myself also as small token of gratitude and recognition.

Alongside these celebrations, I continued important conversations through many meetings with constituents and my quarterly Carleton Advisory Board meeting, where we discussed legislative and community happenings as well as the recently released 2026 Budget, helping ensure residents remain informed and engaged in the decisions that affect them.

Finally, I was pleased to host two Open Door sessions in the past month, providing Carleton constituents with the opportunity drop in to raise concerns, share ideas, and connect directly on the issues that matter most to them. Open Door session are still fairly new in this new capacity and I was so happy to see the incredible amount of residents who made their way to my Manotick office yesterday.

Important Constituency Notes 

Upcoming Open Door

My next Open Door session is currently scheduled for May 20th 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 Facebook page, so please follow along there 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.

News Releases, Funding Announcements, and Statements

All other current funding opportunities can be found here. I encourage you to always monitor this website.

Legislative Business and Government Bills

Government Bills Introduced

  • Bill 97, Plan to Protect Ontario:
    • Bill 97 (budget bill) includes multiple legislative amendments, including amendments which would prevent ticket resale for sports, concerts and other live events above face value and amalgamation of conservation authorities to reduce duplication
  • Bill 98, Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act:
    • Bill 98 includes amendments which would strengthen exempt non-profit retirement homes from development charges, strengthen regional transit fare models, and provide more market flexibility when considering municipal Official Plans
  • Bill 100, Better Regional Governance Act:
    • Bill 100 includes amendments related to regional municipalities to speed up decision-making, reduce costs and streamline upper-tier council sizes

All other current bills can be seen here.

Private Members’ Business

All other PMBs can be seen here.

Helpful Contacts

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