The Nipissing-Timiskaming riding has received over $48 million in federal funding in 2020.
MP Anthony Rota says that his government has been working hard behind the scenes during the pandemic.
“Since all this happened, we’ve been working hard in the background to make sure that funding continues to go to special projects,” he said in an interview. “It’s been in the background and not many people know about what’s going on.”
The investments from the Feds have gone towards “building and renewing roads and bridges, improving transit services, constructing seniors housing in Temiskaming Shores, supporting employers through Canada Summer Jobs, and expanding business development and growth in Nipissing-Timiskaming,” according to a release from Rota’s office.
Some of the investments include $7.5 million from FedNor to promote job growth and production; $17.5 million for transit improvement plans; and $13.6 million for a new seniors apartment building in Temiskaming Shores.
Rota, who is also the Speaker of the House of Commons, says that the $48 million dollars Ottawa put into the area since January is “more than we’re used to.”
The MP added that he is happy with the way his riding has handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Overall, people are very tolerant of COVID-19 and working within the parameters. They’re looking at the challenge and taking it up. I’m very proud of the people of Nipissing -Timiskaming,” he commended.
With the federal government spending billions of dollars on COVID, Rota admits he’s concerned about a budget deficit but adds that it was necessary spending.
“The long term goals are something that we’re going to want to keep an eye on and one of the issues that keeps coming up – and, I agree, it is concerning – is the deficit. But when we look at what would have happened if we didn’t take the steps we had, the carnage and devastation would far outweigh any damage a deficit could do,” he explained.
Rota has represented the Nipissing-Timiskaming in Ottawa for a combined 12 years since 2004. He says that he’s proud of the growth that he’s seen in his hometown.
“Every citizen such as myself wants to see their community do well and the city of North Bay is no exception, I want to see it do exceptionally well. It’s nice to see people working hard and actually making everything work well. We’re heading in the right direction – I’m looking at city council, I’m looking at a lot of our organizations in town – they’re all working together,” he said. “Whatever the new normal turns out to be, we are ready for it and we’re taking it head-on.”
