As Christmas and the new year approach, the MP of Halifax reflects on the successes and challenges of 2022 and what Haligonians can expect for the new year. MP Andy Fillmore is a Canadian Liberal politician who has represented the riding of Halifax in the House of Commons since 2015.
He said one of the many initiatives he was looking forward to for the new year is the construction of the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre. "Coming through the pandemic, we had some wonderful successes. My office was able to secure $20 million to seed the construction of a New Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Center in downtown Halifax. So that's, that's going to start to happen sometime in the next year, we'll see changes to the site," said Fillmore.
NATO's Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA)
Fillmore said another victory was positioning Halifax as the global headquarters for NATO's Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA). The network of accelerators and test centres across Allied nations in North America and Europe that will be created under DIANA will concentrate on emerging and disruptive technologies that NATO has identified as priorities, including artificial intelligence, big-data processing, quantum-enabled technologies, autonomy, biotechnology, novel materials, and space. "This is going to put Halifax on the international map for NATO for peacekeeping, for those interested in peace and averting war. The idea is to position our local, speaking of all the amazing things that are happening here to position our local defence network and technology sector in a way that can help position technology for peace in the future going forward," he explained.
Rapid Housing Initiative
He said another highlight was the ability to build 140 units of Rapid Housing for persons at risk. The Rapid Housing Initiative is a federal program that provides funding for the rapid development of new residential units that will provide housing for those in need of deeply affordable housing. The units are targeted to vulnerable populations who are homeless or at severe risk of experiencing homelessness with a percentage of housing that will be targeted to women/women with children, urban Indigenous populations, and Black Canadians.
Tackling the climate crisis
Some of the biggest challenges the province is addressing is finding affordable housing and tackling climate crisis. "We have to acknowledge that the pandemic came and sat on top of the climate crisis as well. Then along came war against Ukraine that caused inflation. And I think that as we go into 2023, a lot of that will alleviate, and we're going to start to see people getting sort of getting back into the groove that we were all knocked out by the pandemic," said Fillmore.
Fillmore discussed his meeting with Ukraine's Ambassador to Canada, Yulia Kovaliv about Nova Scotia being a potential exporter of green hydrogen to Europe to end the reliance on pollutant natural gas. Fillmore said that another goal for the new year is to tackle climate change to be net zero by 2050, as included in Canada's Climate Plan.
Affordable Daycare
Another initiative that will be implemented as of April 1, is affordable daycare. Families will see their fees for accessing licensed, funded child care reduced by 25 per cent, on average. Through the Nova Scotia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, parents will save anywhere between $3 and $10.50 per day, per child, based on the child’s age. "We've also implemented Dental Care for Kids, next year it will be for seniors, and the year after that will be for everyone who needs it. We've introduced programs to get people off of their oil furnaces and replace them with heat pumps to insulate their homes and get efficient windows," added Fillmore.
Growth in Halifax Infrastructure
Before getting into politics, Fillmore was the VP of Planning and Development at Developed Nova Scotia. He said the main purpose was to look after the boardwalk and the waterfront and turn it into something 'vital and unique'. "I think the changes that have happened on that waterfront over the last 10 years the addition of Queen's Marque and then the new Salt Yard vendors, the concert and performance spaces, the lights, the seasonal displays, the volleyball courts, that's my favourite spot to be," said Fillmore.
He said something Haligonians can look forward to this Christmas is the Evergreen Festival taking place this Dec. Fillmore said he is looking forward to Christmas and that one of his new year resolutions is to spend more time with his daughter. His favourite Christmas movie is 1989 National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation where Chevy Chase is played by Clark Griswold.
Reporter Sara Gouda interviews MP Andy Fillmore :