The Program supports innovative approaches to help businesses accelerate their adoption of new technologies.

“I am pleased that our Government is investing in science and technologies that will help strengthen local businesses in Durham,” said Minister Oda. ”This support to four local companies shows the range of innovative and growing businesses we have here in Durham.”

Nessis Inc., located in Hampton, is receiving $45,350 to support its work in computer and software distribution business.

Jeffrey Ross Jewellery Ltd., located in Uxbridge, will receive $35,750 to support an innovated process of silver jewellery design and manufacturing.

Nortek Solutions Inc., located in Uxbridge, will receive $30,000 to support a research and development project for its software publishing business.

Oasys Healthcare Corp., located in Uxbridge, will receive $13,000 to support adoption of new technology in its medical equipment and supplies manufacturing enterprise.

Conservative MP Bev Oda says that an unnecessary election, triggered by the opposition parties, will threaten positive benefits for Durham families, seniors and businesses included in the federal budget, the  next phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.

“Canada is moving out of the economic recession with strength, but the global economy is still fragile, we need to stay focused on creating new jobs and building Durham’s economy,” said Bev Oda.

The 2011 budget, introduced on Tuesday,  keeps taxes low for seniors, families and businesses.  For businesses, it includes a new Hiring Credit for Small Business to promote job creation, extension of the tax relief for new equipment and machinery to encourage business expansion, increasing the work sharing program to keep jobs in Durham and  new investments to help our agriculture sector.

For families and communities, the budget includes grants up to $5,000 to help Durham families make their homes more energy efficient; up to $840 in new yearly support for needy seniors; a new Family Caregivers Tax Credit, a Children’s Art Tax Credit; loan forgiveness to attract more doctors and nurses to rural Ontario; an improved federal student loans program and a new tax credit for volunteer firefighters to recognize the crucial service that they provide to our communities.

The budget includes all of this and more, while staying on track to return Canada to balanced budgets without raising taxes, and without cutting transfers to provinces that support health care and social services.

“Durham has seen the benefit of our government’s responsible management of Canada’s finances. Today the average family in Durham is paying $3,000 less in taxes. Canada’s Economic Action Plan brought new roads, bridges, waterfront improvements and upgrades at local community and recreational facilities to Durham,” said Bev Oda. “We need the Next Phase of the Action Plan, a low-tax plan for jobs and growth here in Durham.  This not the time for change and uncertainty for Durham families or for our communities.”

Bev Oda
Member of Parliament for Durham

As Bev Oda said to those in attendance, “By educating women their children are better fed, better educated, are healthier and grow up in more stable community environments.”

In Scugog, Bev Oda, partnered with the Scugog and Uxbridge Standard inviting young children to enter a contest to write about a woman they most admired. The entries were juried by Kent Farndale, The Standard’s Tracey Coveart and Uxbridge Mayor Gerri-Lynn O’Connor.  The 5 finalists, Taylor Bevis, Elena Hall, Cameron Hick, Clara Hick and Karley Weisflock, read their entries and were honoured at the tea. Special guest tea servers were Scugog Mayor Chuck Mercier, Uxbridge Councillor Jacob Mantle, Scugog Councillors John Hancock and Larry Corrigan.

In Bowmanville, Bev Oda shared her admiration for the women serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. Commander B. Thornton spoke of her experiences in the Forces and in Afghanistan. She thanked MPP John O’Toole, Councillors Ron Hooper, Willie Woo, Joe Neal and former mayor Jim Abernethy who acted as servers. In closing, the Minister of International Cooperation said,”Women, they are the ones who are going to lift their societies up out of poverty.”

REVAMPED GLASGOW BRIDGE OPENS IN UXBRIDGE

UXBRIDGE, ON – Federal, provincial and municipal partners gathered in Uxbridge today to officially open Glasgow Bridge.  

Weight restrictions on the former Glasgow Bridge impeded the flow of heavy traffic, and its narrow one and a half lane design did not accommodate a sidewalk for pedestrians. The new structure has no weight restrictions and features two full traffic lanes and a separated walkway, providing motorists and pedestrians with safer, more reliable passage on Webb Road.

Bev Oda, Member of Parliament for Durham and Minister of International Cooperation; Joe Dickson, Member of Provincial Parliament for Ajax—Pickering on behalf of the Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Infrastructure; and Gerri Lynn O’Connor, Mayor of the Township of Uxbridge, were present at the completion ceremony.

“Replacing Glasgow Bridge will now provide a direct route for many local users as well as improve safety,” said Minister Oda. “As part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, we are committed to creating jobs and enhancing the quality of life for residents through important infrastructure projects like this.”   

“Local Infrastructure investments like this are an important part of our Open Ontario Plan to support economic development in Durham Region and rural communities across the province,” said Joe Dickson, Member of Provincial Parliament for Ajax-Pickering, on behalf of the Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure. “The new Glasgow bridge will better connect local residents to their families, their friends, and their businesses, which is good news for everyone here in Uxbridge.”

“This project has been envisioned for the last 15 years and with the financial assistance of the Federal and Provincial governments, this project is now complete,” said Mayor O’Connor. “This new structure will aid in the movement of agricultural commodities and provide safe access for the traveling public to the Lincolnville GO Train Station.”

The governments of Canada and Ontario have each committed up to $275,000 toward the project. The Township of Uxbridge contributed the balance of the total eligible costs of up to $825,000.

The Government of Canada’s contribution comes from Canada’s Economic Action Plan, which provides approximately $16 billion over two years to modernize a broad range of infrastructure. These investments are helping to create and maintain jobs across Canada for the benefit of all Canadians, and will ensure the country emerges from the economic downturn with a more modern and greener infrastructure.

The contribution from the Province of Ontario comes from its 2009 provincial budget that is supporting more than 300,000 jobs and strengthening Ontario’s economy.

Since 2007, the governments of Canada and Ontario have committed more than $13 billion in funding to more than 6,400 infrastructure projects across the province to stimulate the economy and create jobs.

FIELD HOSPITAL BASED in the Americas

Brampton, ON―The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, today announced Canada’s support to the Canadian Red Cross’s First Responder Initiative. This Initiative will enhance the Red Cross Movement’s capacity to prepare for and respond more quickly to natural disasters, particularly in the Americas.

“The tragic earthquake in Haiti this January reminded us of the extreme vulnerability of the Americas region to natural disasters. The Government of Canada is already a leader when responding to humanitarian emergencies,” said Minister Oda. “Supporting this First Responder Initiative, means that Canada and the Canadian Red Cross will be able to respond to humanitarian crisis and disasters in the Americas faster and more effectively. The initiative is a comprehensive package that strengthens the capacity of local Red Cross Societies in country, increases the surge capacity of the Red Cross response and introduces the first rapid deployment field hospital based in the Americas.”

Canada will provide up to $17 million in funding to the Canadian Red Cross Society over three years for the First Responder Initiative. The Initiative comprises three components: a rapid deployment Red Cross field hospital, based in Canada; the recruitment and training of a core team of Canadian experts in emergency and disaster management; and strengthened disaster management capacity for Red Cross National Societies in the Americas.

“The Canadian Red Cross is grateful to the Government of Canada for this important Initiative,” says Conrad Sauvé, Secretary General and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross. “Ensuring that the Red Cross has the necessary resources to respond, trained professionals that can be deployed quickly, and strong local Red Cross teams able to support their communities will have a huge impact when disaster strikes.”

The rapid deployment field hospital will be the first located in the Americas, with only three others based in Europe. It can be ready for deployment within 24 hours, and will consist of medical services, infrastructure services such as telecommunications and needed transport as well as medical staff. The initiative includes the recruitment and training of an estimated 150 Canadians trained in health, disaster management, relief and recovery. The third component recognizes that national Red Cross Societies are frequently the first to provide assistance in emergencies and will build their disaster management capacity.

Through this initiative, Canada is contributing to a faster and more effective international emergency response system.

The Canadian Red Cross Society is a leading humanitarian organization that responds to the needs of vulnerable communities around the world. A significant strength of Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is its extensive network of national societies and volunteers around the world.

Information:

Justin Broekema
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of International Cooperation
Telephone: 819-953-6238

Media Relations Office
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Telephone: 819-953-6534
E-mail: media@acdi-cida.gc.ca

Alison Frehlich

Public Affairs Coordinator

Canadian Red Cross

Telephone: 613-296-4669

E-mail: alison.frehlich@redcross.ca

Canadian Red Cross Media Line:
613-740-1994

“With this support, families in Durham will benefit from improvements to the bridge,” says Oda. “Our government will work with all levels of government to improve the life in our communities while stimulating our economy and creating jobs in the Durham Region.”

“The $32 Billion from our Provincial government continues to strengthen infrastructure projects in our Durham Region and beyond.  I am proud of our collaboration with the Federal Government to deliver these crucial infrastructure upgrades to our Region.” said Ajax-Pickering MPP Joe Dickson.

This project will remove and replace deteriorated concrete on the bridge’s sofits and abutments.

Total eligible project costs are estimated at $500,000. The governments of Canada and Ontario are each providing up to $250,000.  This announcement is part of a package of 43 highway, bridge and local road projects announced on April 7, 2010 by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.

The Government of Canada’s contribution for this project is being provided through the $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, a key component of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, which invests in infrastructure projects that must be completed by March 31, 2011.

The contribution from the Government of Ontario is being provided from the two-year, $32.5 billion infrastructure commitment laid out in the 2009 Ontario Budget – Confronting the Challenge: Building Our Economic Future.

To date, the governments of Canada and Ontario have announced over $11 billion in joint funding for more than 2,600 infrastructure projects across the province to stimulate the economy and create jobs.

-30-

Thank you for visiting my official website. I invite you to read about my position on a wide variety of issues and share your feedback about issues that matter to you.

As part of the Government of Canada I will continue working for you in Ottawa to restore accountability in our federal government, to give families the tax relief they deserve, to improve the quality of life for all Canadians, and to enhance Canada’s reputation in the world.