Since the beginning of the pandemic, our government has been focused on short, medium and long-term efforts to help Canadians. This meant taking a multi-pronged approach to address immediate needs, but also measures that will help our economy recover and future pandemic responses.

A recent report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives highlighted the extent of the support provided by the federal government. It shows that close to $9 out of every $10 spent to fight COVID-19 in Manitoba was provided by the federal government. This includes support for individuals and businesses, as well as COVID-19 related health measures in areas such as hospitals, long term care homes, personal protective equipment, testing, contact tracing and mental health supports thanks to the Safe Restart Fund. The Safe Return to Class Fund provides the province with additional supports for schools to ensure the safety of students, teachers, educational assistants and support staff.

The programs for individuals and businesses were designed with your help. Every call made, every email sent to my constituency office helped shape the measures we took and address the gaps in our federal programs. Thank you for your advice and guidance as we worked together to try to provide meaningful support that would help Canadians now and into the future.

As I write this, we are in the midst of a brutal cold snap, which is disproportionately affecting our shelterless population already hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are working hard with local partners to help address their needs. Through our Rapid Housing Initiative, we are providing $12.5 million to the City of Winnipeg to help expedite affordable housing units to the vulnerable population in our city, in partnership with organisations such as Siloam Mission, the Salvation Army, New Directions, Shawenim Abinoojii Inc and the Winnipeg Housing Rehabilitation Corporation.

As we continue to move forward, I will continue to work hard to ensure you have access to support every step of the way.