Liberal Party Logo

Liberal Party Icon
Julie Dzerowicz Member of Parliament
Davenport

Davenport Friends and Neighbours,

Wishing you and your families a warm and joyful Easter. And to all those celebrating Passover, I wish you and your loved ones a meaningful and joyful Pesach. I hope this long weekend brings you rest, connection, and time with the people who matter most.

A Historic Moment for Canada — and an Inspiring Start to This Letter

Yesterday, Colonel Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency blasted off from Kennedy Space Center as part of NASA’s Artemis II mission — becoming the first Canadian ever to venture to the Moon. Alongside Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Jeremy is now on a ten-day journey that will take the crew farther from Earth than any human has ever travelled. With Artemis II, Canada becomes only the second nation on Earth to send an astronaut on a lunar mission. As Prime Minister Carney said: Canada is “a nation of explorers, builders, and innovators.” Colonel Hansen carries forward the legacy of Marc Garneau, Roberta Bondar, and Chris Hadfield — and the dreams of every young Canadian watching that rocket climb into the sky.

I share this because it captures something I’ve been feeling all week — a renewed sense of what Canada can accomplish when we believe in ourselves and back it up with action. Earlier this week, I was proud to be in the riding for an announcement by Minister Evan Solomon, Canada’s Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, where the federal government invested $14.5 million in two companies right here in our community — including Kepler Communications, a Toronto-based satellite telecommunications company that designs and builds satellites for next-generation defence and communications. These are exactly the kinds of innovative companies that strengthen our sovereignty and create high-quality jobs for Canadians.

And something Minister Solomon said that day stuck with me, because it speaks to a larger truth about what is happening in Ottawa right now. There has been a massive mindset shift in the federal government. We are no longer the government of “no.” We are the government of “yes.” Yes to supporting Canadians. Yes to supporting our small businesses and entrepreneurs. Yes to defending our sovereignty. Yes to strengthening the Canadian economy. As both Minister Solomon and Prime Minister Carney have made clear, this is a government that is focused on what we can control — building a stronger, more resilient, more independent Canada. And the announcements this week show exactly what that looks like in practice.

Here are some of the highlights from what our federal government announced this week.  If you want to get a more comprehensive list, please go to the links section at the end of this email update.

Housing & Affordability: A Landmark Partnership with Ontario. On Monday, Prime Minister Carney and Premier Ford signed the Canada-Ontario Partnership to Build — a historic agreement to make housing more affordable and invest in the infrastructure our communities need. The full 13% HST will be removed for new homes in Ontario valued up to $1 million. On top of that, $8.8 billion in joint federal-provincial funding over 10 years will support cutting municipal development charges by up to 50% for three years. For Davenport residents — many of whom are young families trying to get into the housing market — this could reduce the cost of a new home by up to $130,000. This is real, tangible relief. (Full announcement)

Waterfront East Transit: As part of the same partnership, all three levels of government announced a $3-billion cost-sharing agreement to build the Waterfront East Transit line — a 3.8-kilometre LRT connecting Union Station to the Port Lands. This line will serve more than 150,000 people, enable the construction of over 75,000 new housing units, and create more than 100,000 jobs. For our riding and for all of Toronto’s waterfront communities, this is a generational investment in transit and economic growth. (Full announcement)

Environment: A Force of Nature — Canada’s New Nature Strategy: Prime Minister Carney and Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin unveiled “A Force of Nature” — a $3.8-billion national nature strategy committing Canada to protecting 30% of our lands and 30% of our waters by 2030. This includes funding for up to 14 new marine conservation areas, at least 10 new national parks, and 15 national urban parks. The strategy also renews the Canada Strong Pass, offering Canadians free access to national parks this summer. As the PM said, protecting nature is not separate from building Canada — it’s central to it. For Davenport, where so many of us cherish our green spaces and our connection to the waterfront and the lake, this commitment matters deeply. (Full announcement)

Arts & Culture: Renewed Investment in Harbourfront Centre: Minister Marc Miller announced a renewed federal investment of more than $40 million over five years in the Harbourfront Centre — Toronto’s waterfront hub for arts, culture, recreation, and family programming. This includes $6.5 million annually for programming and $10 million for capital repairs. Harbourfront Centre welcomes millions of visitors every year and is one of our city’s most beloved public spaces. This investment ensures it remains a vibrant, accessible gathering place for all Torontonians. (Full announcement)

Public Safety: Modern Tools to Keep Canadians Safe: The government introduced Bill C-22, the Lawful Access Act – legislation that gives law enforcement and CSIS updated tools to investigate serious crimes in the digital age, including child sexual exploitation, extortion, human trafficking, and organized crime. This is about catching our laws up to the reality of how crime operates today, while maintaining strong oversight, privacy protections, and Charter rights. Canada’s Five Eyes allies all have similar frameworks in place, and this brings us in line. For Davenport families concerned about online safety and organized crime, this is an important step forward. (Full announcement)

Supporting Our Small Businesses: Excise Duty Relief for Craft Brewers: And finally, some fantastic news for the many craft breweries and small beverage producers here in Davenport. Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced a two-year extension of alcohol excise duty relief — capping inflationary increases at 2% and continuing to cut the excise duty rate in half on the first 15,000 hectolitres of beer brewed in Canada. For a craft brewery, this represents up to $90,000 in additional tax savings this year alone. With nearly 1,200 craft breweries across Canada supporting close to 30,000 jobs, this is about protecting the small businesses that are the backbone of communities like ours — especially as the FIFA World Cup approaches and our local brewers deserve to shine. (Full announcement)

It has been a truly extraordinary week. From a Canadian heading to the Moon, to billions invested in housing, transit, nature, culture, and public safety — this is what it looks like when a government says “yes” to Canadians.

I also want to let you know that I recently wrote a detailed letter to the Dufferin Grove community addressing the many questions and concerns I’ve been receiving about Billy Bishop Airport, our waterfront investments, 2SLGBTQI+ spaces, and the defence of public health care. If you’d like to read it in full, here it is.

Once again, wishing all of Davenport a peaceful and Happy Easter and a joyful Passover to all those celebrating.

As always, it is a true honour and pleasure to serve you, Davenport.

My very best,

Julie Dzerowicz

Member of Parliament for Davenport

Chair, Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration

Chair, Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association

Chair, Toronto Caucus