Home Suite Hope was among many local non-profit agencies to attend a Federal Pre-Budget 2024 consultation with Oakville MP Anita Anand Feb. 2.
It was a full house for the meeting hosted at the YMCA of Oakville and moderated by its CEO Kyle Barber. HSH Executive Director Sara Cumming and Director of Operations Catherine Villasenor were there to bring HSH concerns to the spotlight.
Myriad non-profits raised funding and other issues about housing, mental health, food security, healthcare, childcare, women’s issues and more.
While the MP praised the non-profits and their leaders and workers as the unsung heroes who are the advocates who help get the help out the door to those in need, Anita Anand, who is also the President of the federal Treasury Board, vowed to take the concerns raised back to the appropriate Cabinet ministers for consideration in the upcoming federal budget.
In what was lauded as a gathering that brought many non-profit agencies together at one time, there was no time wasted by the agencies to do networking, not just with the federal representative, but also with one another.
Neither was the list short of concerns raised.
These included a more timely funding of the Canada Summer Jobs program; the combating of gender-based violence shelters for the homeless; the need for co-op housing; the affordable housing crisis; improved mental health supports, digitization of services, child care challenges, investment in skills training recruitment, environmental concerns, ensuring the practice of matching funds for specific charities doesn’t disadvantage other charities; potential income tax breaks for charities and their women staff, socio economic issues, racial barriers and social inequities.
“The Government of Canada is inviting all Canadians to share their ideas as part of pre-budget consultations on how to best support Canadians, Canadian businesses, and the Canadian economy,” states the Government of Canada website.
The feedback received will help inform measures and investments in Budget 2024.
Pre-budget consultations are an opportunity for Canadians across the country to share their ideas and priorities for how the government can continue to take action to build an economy that works for everyone.
Canadians are invited to share their ideas at LetsTalkBudget24.ca until February 9, 2024.
Submissions can also be emailed to Budget2024@fin.gc.ca or by sent by mail to: Department of Finance Canada, 90 Elgin Street, Ottawa ON K1A 0G5
The budget is expected to be released later this spring.
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