Spring has arrived Nickel Belt! Happy Easter to those celebrating.

You may have heard that the price on pollution is going up by a few cents on April 1^st. Please note that the Canada Carbon Rebate (CCR) amounts are also going up proportionally which helps offset costs incurred. If you filed your 2024 taxes electronically by March 15, 2024, you should receive the next CCR payment on April 15th, 2024. If taxes were filed after March 15, 2024, the April payment will be later once the return has been assessed. Because CCR is based on households, both spouses or common-law partners need to file. Additional payments are scheduled for July 2024, October 2024, and January 2025.

Find more details here: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/cai-payment.html

Press Releases and funding opportunities

• MP Serré announced a $288,000 FedNor investment in support of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation’s economic development corporation Giyak Mishkawzid Shkagmikwe (GMS.)
• Canada announces new immigration pilots to support rural and Francophone minority communities, will create a permanent program
• Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources opened PDAC 2024 with an investment for International sustainable mining
• Call for Proposals now accepted: Sustainable Jobs Training Fund (SJTF)
• Call for proposals: 2SLGBTQI+ Projects Fund
• Environment and Climate Change Youth Council applications are now being accepted
• MP Serré shares information on the Canada Carbon Rebate

Community Engagement

• MP Serré welcomed the Right Honourable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Nickel Belt – Greater Sudbury. Prime Minister Trudeau made an announcement at Health Sciences North concerning the future benefits of the Ontario bilateral health care agreement. He then met with seniors at “Le Rendez-Vous” in Hanmer.
• MP Serré attended the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada conference where he met with various stakeholders, including Indigenous partners, and made announcements related to Canada’s leading position in mining.
• MP Serré welcomed the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Refugees. The Minister announced 2 new pilot projects, one with a focus on Francophone immigration, will offer enhanced opportunities and build upon the Rural Northern Immigration Pilot project’s (RNIP) tracked success. MP Serré hosted a roundtable with Minister Miller following the announcement to engage with key stakeholders
• MP Serré welcomed the Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Labour and Seniors to Nickel Belt- Greater Sudbury and arranged a site visit at the Rayside Balfour Seniors Craft Shop, former New Horizons for Seniors funding program recipients, where he met with shop members. They then met with trade union representative following a visit at the Local 800 Pipefitters and Plumbers union.
• MP Serré participated in a bilateral visit to Costa Rica and Santo Domingo as part of his role as President of the Canadian section of Parl-Americas to further exchange democratic processes and best practices in multiple sectors, he also met with the Minister of Trade and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
• MP Serré met with Katie Mahdo and Crystal Pigeon-Way from Deaf Blind Ontario to discuss how the Federal government and their organization can work together to support Canadians with disabilities.
• MP Serré met with Elia Eliev and Alexandru Finidori of the Fondation Baxter & Alma Ricard concerning support for Francophone youth and post-secondary education.
• MP Serré met with leaders of Canada’s Dietitians Association. He also stood in the House of Commons recognizing Dietitian’s Day in Canada on March 20^th, view the video here: https://fb.watch/r5eh0lGmAX/ 
• MP Serré met with Professor Schulte-Hostedde of Laurentian University (School of Natural Sciencesm) related to broad support throughout Accademia to increase funding for graduate and post-doctoral research.
• MP Serré continues to perform his parliamentary duties and parliamentary secretary duties for both his Official Languages role and his Energy and Natural Resources role
• MP Serré continues to meet with staff in his constituency offices, residents, stakeholders, municipal leaders, Indigenous communities, non-profit organizations, local entrepreneurs and more, to take the pulse of the priorities of the region.

Other important information :

To receive the benefits and credits you may be eligible for, you need to file your income tax and benefit return every year. This year’s filing deadline is April 30^th. Find information on how to file, what to expect, and how to protect yourself from fraud here: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/get-ready-taxes.html