By: Hon. Lena Metlege Diab, MP Halifax West
To my constituents and all Nova Scotians, best wishes for a Merry Christmas, happy holiday season, and a bright and prosperous 2025! I hope the coming weeks bring peace, joy, and optimism for you and your loved ones.
BUILDING UP OUR COMMUNITY
Halifax West is a diverse and rapidly growing community, and it deserves proper investment to maintain the quality-of-life we enjoy here. As your MP, I’ve been incredibly proud to deliver investments that support the lives of people in our community and improve the neighbourhoods we call home.
That support includes the $1.7 million in Canada Community Revitalization Fund money that I’ve secured for local infrastructure projects. With this investment, Halifax West residents are benefiting from better audio and lighting at the Bella Rose Arts Centre; an improved basketball court in Fairview; a newly renovated and accessible Fairview Resource Centre; building upgrades at our local Legions; improvements to the BLT trail; extensive renovations at the Fairview Salvation Army; A/V equipment at the Cedar Events Centre; and an elevator and accessible washroom at the Saint Mary’s Cathedral Basilica Foundation. This funding also helped advance the Rec and Arts Centre project being pursued in Upper Hammonds Plains.
One thing is clear to me: We need to continue with these investments in order to grow responsibly. That’s what your family and your neighbours deserve.
CREATING JOBS, SUPPORTING YOUTH
Creating opportunities for young people is the reason I got into politics more than a decade ago. It’s also why I’ve been thrilled with the success of the Canada Summer Jobs program.
Each year, Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) provides wage subsidies to non-profits, faith groups, small businesses, universities, and municipalities—helping them offer job placements for our youth. The return we get from the program is enormous: CSJ funding helps young Canadians enter the job market and succeed, allows families to find summer supervision for the kids, and provides support to our businesses and community organizations.
Since 2021, I’ve been proud to secure over $2.8 million in CSJ funding for youth and employers in Halifax West—creating well over 800 jobs. From Maskwa and the Mount to our soccer clubs and day camps, that support is making a huge difference. So, if you’re a non-profit employer, or run a small business in Halifax West, I encourage you to apply for Canada Summer Jobs 2025 before December 20th!
As your MP, I’ll continue advocating for investment in our riding and the people who call it home.
