Constituent Feedback from Marda Loop Meet-and-Greet

On February 11, I hosted a Meet and Greet for residents of Marda Loop and area. Here is some of what they told me:

1) Housing Affordability. This is a concern for both owners and renters as inflation and interest rates push up the cost of keeping a roof over our heads. My party has proposed several measures to bring inflation down – which would also ease up pressure on interest rates – and it starts with smarter and more restrained government spending.

2) Inflation. Grocery prices increased 11% in December and predictions are that a family of four will spend $1,000 more in 2023 on groceries than they did in 2022. This should be the government’s number one priority.

3) Immigration. Canada has a backlog of 2 million applications, 1 million of which are past their mandated due date. Canada has a labour shortage – not least in health care workers. The government is accepting more applications, but can’t competently process the applicants they already have in the queue.

4) Neighbourhood development. While this is a municipal issue, people are very interested in their neighbourhood quality of life. I frequently get inquiries about preserving parkland, controlling density and maintaining the character of older neighbourhoods. It’s not federal jurisdiction, but I do talk to local Councillors about residents’ concerns.

5) Natural Resources and Environment. I received encouragement for the work I’m doing to balance responsible energy production with environmental goals. I appreciate that my constituents recognize the work I’m doing on this file.