Taking the long view on Earth Day

Rossmere

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/05/2024 (757 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s finally spring in Manitoba – that wonderful time of year when temperatures warm up, plants start growing, and everything feels a little more positive and optimistic. It’s also when we celebrate Earth Day and have the chance to connect with others about caring for our planet.

This year’s Earth Day was extra-special because it was my first time as an MLA in the community, visiting hundreds of students, including those in northeast Winnipeg at Calvin Christian School and Collège Miles Macdonell Collegiate. We had some amazing conversations about the history of environmental activism and heard some innovative ideas from students about the challenges facing our planet.

I was also thrilled to spend Earth Day with community members and local sustainability leaders at the Legislature to announce that our government’s Budget 2024 restored funding for environmental non-profit organizations, which had been cut by the previous government. These organizations are doing important work on environmental education, advocacy, and adaptation. I’m also excited that our budget is making several investments in Manitoba’s low-carbon economy, including rebates for electric vehicles and helping families save money on home heating and cooling with geothermal energy.

Budget 2024 takes the long view, not just for the planet, but for people. When I talk to my neighbours in Rossmere, we all agree that our seniors need more support. Our government is listening, and we prioritized seniors in this year’s budget. We ensure seniors living in personal care homes get more direct care. We increased the renters’ tax credit and seniors’ top-up to help seniors living on fixed incomes. And we are creating an independent Senior’s Advocate to ensure seniors’ voices will always be heard here in Manitoba.

Our government is committed to working together with all Manitobans to make our province a better place. We are starting to rebuild healthcare by hiring 1,000 new healthcare workers this year, along with many other strategic investments so that you can get good care close to home. We are working hard to make life more affordable, make our communities safer, and create good jobs for Manitobans today and for future generations, like the students I spoke with this month.

I know my colleagues and I all feel a responsibility to leave behind a better province for Manitoba’s youth and for generations to come. Whether it’s environmental sustainability, rebuilding healthcare, or helping lower costs for families, our team is working for you to tackle the challenges we face head-on and set our province up for success into the future.

Please contact my office anytime with your ideas or questions at 204-661-1377 or email tracy.schmidt@yourmanitoba.ca