Dear Friends,

June is National Indigenous History Month, and today, we recognize National Indigenous Peoples Day. We should all be encouraged to learn more about the diverse cultures and incredible contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples: you might read a digital copy of one the books from #IndigenousReads, or check out great Indigenous businesses like SheNative.

June is also Filipino Heritage Month. This is an opportunity for us to celebrate the contributions and the rich culture and traditions that past and present generations of Canadians of Filipino origin have brought to our country, and to our community.

This month, we have already marked several other important occasions – from the beginning of Pride Month to the Black Lives Matter demonstrations happening across our communities and around the world. As we continue to work through COVID-19 together, it is also crucial that we support our friends, family, and neighbours in the face of discrimination or racism. 

While we are gearing up to support Canadians and business through the restart and rebuild after COVID-19, we continue to make enhancements to our support programs that are helping families put food on the table, pay bills, and stay healthy. Our recent announcement of extending the Canada Emergency Response Benefit is one way we are continuing to assisting those who need it most through these difficult times. 

As Team Canada, we are in this together. We’ve made progress, but there is still more work to do to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and with the support of our communities we will ensure that Canadians are healthy, safe, and supported through this crisis.

Even though my Constituency Office remains closed to the public at this time, my team is still available to help members of Markham-Thornhill by email (Mary.Ng@parl.gc.ca) or by phone (905)-479-8100.

Sincerely,
         
      

Whole-of-Government Response 

Updated Measures

CERB EXTENDED BY EIGHT WEEKS

As we begin to lift restrictions and work to safely restart the economy, we acknowledge that many Canadians are still unable to return to work or are unable to find new employment. This is why, our government announced an 8-week extension of the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), making the benefit available to eligible workers for up to a total of 24 weeks. 
 
The CERB is a taxable benefit of $2,000 over a four-week period for eligible workers who have stopped working or whose work hours have been reduces, due to COVID-19. For more information on this program, visit here.
 

REUNITING FAMILIES - EXEMPTION AT INTERNATIONAL BORDER

We recognize that the temporary border measures put in place to fight the spread of COVID-19, while necessary, have created challenges for some families.

Starting June 8, 2020, immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are asymptomatic and seeking entry to Canada for a minimum 15 days, are being allowed to enter Canada. However, in order to continue to protect ourselves and our loved ones we must continue adhering to public health and safety guidelines which require that anyone entering Canada still be required to self-isolate for 14 days. 
 
For additional information you can contact my office at mary.ng@parl.gc.ca or click here.

SENIORS TO RECEIVE SPECIAL PAYMENT IN EARLY JULY

In May, we announced new support to help Canadian seniors and provide them with greater financial security in this time of crisis. Specifically, seniors that are eligible for the Old Age Security (OAS) pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) will receive a special one-time, tax-free payment to assist with increased living costs due to COVID-19.

Eligible seniors will receive payment during the week of July 6, 2020. Additional information can be found here.

SUPPORT FOR CANADIANS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES

On June 5, 2020, our government announced a special one-time, tax free payment of up to $600, for individuals who are certificate holders of the Disability Tax Credit. The support provides;

• $600 for Canadians with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate.
• $300 for Canadians with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate and who are eligible for the Old Age Security (OAS) pension. 
• $100 for Canadians with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate and who are eligible for the OAS pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).   

• Create a National Workplace Accessibility Stream through the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities to provide community organizations with resources to improve accessibility and access to jobs in response to COVID-19. 
• Invest $1.18 million into new projects through the Accessible Technology Program to help organizations develop dynamic and affordable technology to make communication easier for Canadians with disabilities in the digital economy.  

POST PROMISE

This week, I announced that our government partnered with the People Outside Safety Together (POST) Promise program, an initiative launched by Canadian private sector organizations to assist businesses across Canada restart safely. The "POST Promise" is a voluntary commitment that businesses are taking the following key public health actions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

• Maintaining physical distance
• Washing and sanitizing hands
• Cleaning and disinfecting regularly
• Staying home if unwell and self-monitoring for symptoms
• Practising respiratory etiquette (including wearing a mask when physical distancing is difficult)

Displaying the “POST Promise” logo, is a way to reassure customers that businesses are committed to protecting the health and safety of Canadians’. We will continue to work with businesses, as one Team Canada, to support them in safely restarting and rebuilding from this crisis. 

TEMPERATURE SCREENING AT CANADIAN AIRPORTS 

As announced on June 12, 2020, the Government of Canada is now requiring temperature screening for all passengers travelling to Canada or travellers departing Canadians airports for either international or domestic destinations. Passengers that have a fever will not be permitted to bard their flight. Employees in the secured areas of airports will also be required to have their temperatures checked. 
 
Since the beginning of COVID-19, we have continued to put strong measures in place to limit the spread of the virus at our borders and within our airports. This next step adds a new layer of protection for all moving forward. 
 
Additional information can be found here.

GAS TAX FUNDING FOR MUNICIPALITIES 

Our government is accelerating the release of the annual $2.2 billion funds delivered through the Federal Gas Tax Fund for this year. The funds will be delivered to local communities as one payment this month. 
 
This action will help ensure that our community has the necessary resources to efficiently more forward with infrastructure projects aimed at improving quality of life, getting Canadians back to work, and restarting local economies. 

MOBILE APP TO HELP NOTIFY CANADIANS OF COVID-19 EXPOSURE

We announced a nationwide mobile app to help track COVID-19, and also notify Canadians if they’ve been in contact with someone who’s tested positive for the virus. Developed by the Canadian Digital Service, with the help of Shopify, Blackberry, and the Government of Ontario, the app will be tested in Ontario before being rolled out nationwide. The privacy of Canadians is our top priority and will always be fully respected.

SUPPORT FOR CULTURAL AND HERITAGE ORGANIZATIONS

In light of the current crisis, we are investing $25.7 million to maintain nearly 200 jobs in seven national museums across the country. Museums are critical in preserving our Canadian heritage, they tell our stories, pay tribute to our artists, and enrich our communities.

Markham—Thornhill Response

It was incredible to witness the power of youth as they led the mobilization of bringing the people of Markham together to stand in solidarity with the Black community. We all need to step up and take action to fight against anti-Black racism here and across the country. 

Proud to see that innovation and advancing women’s economic empowerment continue to be at the core of Markham-Thornhill. Venture Lab Canada’s Tech Undivided program has launched a program aimed at helping women-led companies develop the skills to grow and scale their business by fostering a supportive community for women in tech. 

York Pride has led celebrations of sexuality and gender diversity since 2001 – and 2020 is not any different. Starting June 12, 2020 York Pride is hosting an innovative digital pride! From incredible performances to voguing workshops, their events promise to be fun all month long. Join their events here to continue celebrating the 2SLGBTQ+ community in York Region.

For more information on federal support programs for Canadian businesses, please visit: the Canada.ca/Covid19 business section or reach out to our office at mary.ng@parl.gc.ca. 

As well, the Canadian Business Resilience Network is a resource abundant tool to access information, strategies, and help from over 100 business and industry associations from across the country. Currently, they are running a  business-led, inclusive campaign with the goal of reducing the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and our communities by positioning Canadian business to drive Canada's economic recovery.

The Government of Canada is working with provincial and territorial governments to respond to COVID-19. We are seeking volunteers to help in the following areas:

1. Case tracking and contact tracing;
2. Health system surge capacity;
3. Case data collection and reporting.

We are building an inventory of volunteers from which provincial and territorial governments can draw upon as needed. We welcome ALL volunteers as we are looking for a wide variety of experiences and expertise. You can register here.