Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada met with economic development leaders from the Prairies to discuss the new Prairie-focused regional development agency investment from Budget 2021.

The Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, today launched a $964-million program to support smart renewable energy and grid modernization projects that will lower emissions by investing in clean energy technologies, like wind, solar, storage, hydro, geothermal and tidal.

The Governments of Canada and Ontario are launching a new targeted beekeeper intake to support and strengthen the health of managed honey bees and Ontario’s beekeeping sector.

The Government of Canada is committed to diversifying trade and investment with key markets around the world, including in the Asia-Pacific region, as part of its commitment to supporting a strong, resilient, and inclusive economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funding through the Investing in Canada plan will support infrastructure projects in Alberta. The Government of Canada is investing nearly $25.6 million in these projects through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program with the Alberta government providing nearly $6.4 million. In total, this represents a combined infrastructure investment of more than $31.9 million.

The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, and Parliamentary Secretary Neil Ellis, will give remarks at a live virtual event on the upcoming federal consultations for the Next Agricultural Policy Framework. Minister Bibeau will then host a media availability.

Minister Carolyn Bennett releases a statement on the 6th anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. This anniversary comes as last week’s news of the finding of 215 remains in the area of the Kamloops Indian Residential School.

Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, and the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, the Honourable Mary Ng, announced that the new Canada Recovery Hiring Program, would be available retroactively to June 6, 2021.

For businesses that have been hit hardest by the pandemic, hiring the workers they need to grow is a cost they may worry about taking on. The federal government wants these businesses to be able to recover and grow by hiring more people.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government acted swiftly to protect Canadians and support people and businesses. To help ensure a strong recovery, it has adapted and extended this support as the pandemic has evolved.

Due to overnight closures of the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is recommending commercial drivers and travellers entering or exiting Canada use either the Thousand Islands Bridge or the Seaway International Bridge.

Members of the media are invited to attend an important virtual infrastructure event with Mark Gerretsen, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; the Honourable John Yakabuski, Ontario’s Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry and Member of Provincial Parliament for Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, on behalf of the Honourable Laurie Scott, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure; Ron Vandewal, Warden, Frontenac County; and His Worship Denis Doyle, Mayor of Frontenac Islands.

The Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr. will make a virtual electric vehicle infrastructure announcement.

A strong and vibrant women’s movement is part of the foundation of a more inclusive Canada, where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. The Government of Canada continues to support women’s and equality-seeking organizations to ensure women are given the opportunity to fully participate in Canada’s social, economic and democratic life.

The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, issued the following statement today in response to the Office of the Veterans Ombud (OVO) report on Peer support for Veterans who have Experienced Military Sexual Trauma.

The Government of Canada provided an update on COVID-19 and Indigenous communities. 687 First Nations, Inuit and territorial communities are rolling out vaccines, and more than 508,800 doses have been administered.

Today, the Honourable Jim Carr, Minister and Special Representative for the Prairies, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Prasad Panda, Alberta’s Minister of Infrastructure, announced funding for 362 infrastructure projects that will repair and upgrade housing for seniors and families with low income in 95 communities across the province. They were accompanied at the announcement by the Honourable Deb Schulte, Minister of Seniors; The Honourable Josephine Pon, Alberta’s Minister of Seniors; and Naheed Nenshi, Mayor of Calgary.

Statement from the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health on Implementing COVID-19 Vaccination in Canada.

Today, Andy Fillmore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities and Member of Parliament for Halifax, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Iain Rankin, Premier of Nova Scotia, announced funding to improve schools within eight Nova Scotia Centres for Education. The Honourable Derek Mombourquette, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Sydney—Whitney Pier, Jaime Battiste, Member of Parliament for Sydney—Victoria, Mike Kelloway, Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso, and Rafah DiCostanzo, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Clayton Park West, were also in attendance.

Joint federal and provincial funding through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan will support school improvement projects across the province.

On June 2, 2021, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, issued the following statement on COVID-19.

Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt will participate in a virtual FedNor announcement on Thursday, June 3, 2021. The announcement will be made on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for FedNor, in support of Francophone organizations, businesses and communities.

Chris Bittle, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines on behalf of the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard announced today the completion of the Port Dalhousie Piers rehabilitation project.

The Honorable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario and His Worship, John Tory, Mayor of the City of Toronto will announce support for the growth of underrepresented talent in the tech and innovation sectors.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all Canadian workers, but some groups – including women – have been disproportionately affected and their economic recovery has been slower. The Government of Canada recognizes that a robust and inclusive recovery is necessarily a feminist recovery as well and that supports such as child care are critical to achieving that goal. Investing in new training and employment supports for women, with a focus on removing barriers to accessibility and inclusion, will ensure that no one is left further behind and that everyone takes part in Canada’s economic recovery.