in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, S ep te m be r 24 ,2 02 0 | 8 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca insidehalton@metroland.com facebook.com/OakvilleBeav @OakvilleBeaver WHO WE ARE VP, Regional Publisher Kelly Montague Regional General Manager Jason Pehora Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Managing Editor Karen Miceli Director of Distribution Charlene Hall Circulation Manager Kim Mossman Director of Production Mark Dills Regional Production Manager Manny Garcia Directors of Advertising Cindi Campbell and Ryan Maraj CONTACT US Oakville Beaver 901 Guelph Line Burlington, ON L7R 3N8 Phone: 905-845-3824 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Advertising: 289-293-0620 Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail kmossman@metroland.com or call 905-631-6095. Letters to the editor Send letters to insidehalton@metroland.com. All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at insidehalton.com OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT INSIDEHALTON.COM As students head back to school, the federal gov- ernment's Canada Sum- mer Jobs program is wrap- ping up another successful summer. The CSJ program helps youth gain employment skills that prepare them for the workplace and explore career options and inter- ests while earning a pay- cheque to help support their studies. Since 2016, CSJ has provided job op- portunities to hundreds of thousands of Canadian stu- dents and provided fund- ing for not-for-profit orga- nizations, public sector employers and small busi- nesses to create summer jobs for full-time students who plan to resume their studies in the fall. Students faced serious and unprecedented chal- lenges in finding employ- ment this summer. Our gov- ernment announced tempo- rary changes to CSJ, includ- ing nearly $300 million in additional federal funds to help employ 70,000 students and young Canadians. I was fortunate to meet with some of Oakville North-Burlington's CSJ employees and employers, some virtually and others safely distanced at their work placements. It was great to hear what the stu- dents were up to and all the great work they accom- plished. It was also great to hear how valuable these students were to employ- ers and the difference they made for organizations. Halton students are now back in school, some learn- ing in classrooms and oth- ers virtually. It will take some time to adapt to a whole new way of learning and teaching. Through the Safe Return to Class Fund, our government is ensur- ing a safe return to the classroom with an invest- ment of up to $2 billion in support for provinces and territories. This will provide the complementary funding they need, as they work alongside local school boards to ensure the safety of students and staff mem- bers throughout the school year. The funds will help school boards implement measures to protect stu- dents and staff and can be used to help adapt learning spaces, improve air venti- lation, increase hand sani- tation and hygiene and buy extra personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies. I know there is a mix- ture of excitement and ner- vousness as the 2020-21 school year begins. We will get through this year to- gether and not even CO- VID-19 can stop our bril- liant students from shin- ing! Pam Damoff is the MP for Oakville North-Bur- lington and parliamentary secretary to the minister of Indigenous services. She can be reached at Pam.da- moff@parl.gc.ca. GETTING BACK TO SCHOOL SAFELY FROM THE WORKPLACE TO THE CLASSROOM, LOCAL YOUTHS ARE ADAPTING THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, WRITES PAM DAMOFF After suddenly being sent home to work remote- ly, people are now realizing they are far more efficient at their job. They are spending far less money commuting and they are more available for home duties, particularly with young school-aged chil- dren. As a bonus, many are happier with their new life. Statistics Canada re- leased a study at the end of August that shed some light on the new normal. Canadians that were sent home to work at the begin- ning of the pandemic to- talled over three million people. Now, almost three- quarters of them still work at home. ADP Canada surveyed their workforce and found 45 per cent of them wanted to remain working at home at least three days a week. Younger workers aged 18 to 34 believe that work has changed permanently. The new work normal will include flexible hours and working remotely. For some, working at home was a personal pref- erence. Those with young children in many cases found it a necessity when schools were closed. How do you measure work output and quality with a staff member you do not see? Understanding the ability of all workers is im- portant for their careers individually in order for them to continue to grow. Remember that humans are very social. The cama- raderie that existed in many offices will have to be replaced in some other form. Time spent together via a Zoom meeting should al- low for continued social in- teraction that would nor- mally happen face-to-face at the office. Plus, getting together periodically for work and socialization is going to be an important aspect. The future will be differ- ent and interesting. For many of us, there are a lot of changes ahead. Peter Watson, of Wat- son Investments MBA, CFP®, R.F.P., CIM®, FCSI offers a weekly financial planning column, 'Dollars & Sense'. He can be con- tacted through www.wat- soninvestments.com. IS THE OFFICE A THING OF THE PAST FOR MANY? STUDY SHOWS MOST SENT HOME TO WORK AT START OF PANDEMIC STILL THERE, WRITES PETER WATSON PETER WATSON Column SNAPSHOT A beaver searches for food at Joshua Creek pond. Do you have a great local photo you'd like to share? Send it to sleblanc@metroland.com, along with a brief description. Martha Sinopoli photo PAM DAMOFF Column