By: Hon. Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament for Halifax West
To all the students who are graduating, moving on to a new school, or just completing another academic year – congratulations! I hope the summer has lots of fun in store for you, and that the lessons learned, and friends made this year, will stay with you.
GROCERY REBATE COMING IN JULY
With the passage of Bill C-46, I am very happy to share that the new, one-time grocery rebate is headed to thousands of low- and modest-income residents across Halifax West soon. This direct payment is being issued to GST tax credit recipients to deliver targeted relief from the high prices we’re seeing at the supermarket. Eligible recipients do not need to apply. The rebate offers up to $467 for a family of four, $234 for a single person without kids, and $225 for the average senior.
NATIONAL URBAN PARK MOVING FORWARD
Last month, I had the pleasure of announcing major milestones in the process to designate Blue Mountain— Birch Cove Lakes as a national urban park. Alongside many partners and advocates, I shared that Parks Canada has now completed a pre-feasibility report for the Halifax candidate site. We now move on to the planning phase of the project, focused on partner lands. The planning stage represents an important opportunity to refine key park components, including governance models and boundaries as well as detailed planning for trails, public access, and infrastructure needs. Our federal government, through the National Urban Park Program, is providing a $2.1 million contribution to support this work.
KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE
Over the last month, our government has moved forward with important measures to actively build safer communities. That includes advancing Bill C-21—the strongest piece of gun control legislation in a generation— to implement a national freeze on handguns, permanently ban new assault-style firearms, tackle ghost guns, and more. It also includes strengthening our bail system by making it more difficult for people accused of serious violent offences from getting bail. Additionally, we are investing $390 million in programs to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, including through support for law enforcement and prevention initiatives. This work builds on previous efforts—like reinvesting in our border security and partnering with the United States to fight gun smuggling—and will help keep our neighbourhoods safe.
Thank you again for your continued support! I can’t wait to see you on your doorstep and out in the community in the weeks ahead.
