Chris Bittle

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Chris Bittle

MP
Chris Bittle Justin Trudeau.jpg
Chris Bittle (right) meets with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, 2019
Member of Parliament
for St. Catharines
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 19, 2015
Preceded byRick Dykstra
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Incumbent
Assumed office
March 19, 2021
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byPeter Schiefke
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
In office
December 12, 2019 – March 19, 2021
Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau
Preceded byArnold Chan
Succeeded byKirsty Duncan
Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
In office
September 19, 2017 – September 11, 2019
Personal details
Born
Christopher Joseph Bittle

(1979-02-17) February 17, 1979 (age 42)
Niagara Falls, Ontario[1]
Political partyLiberal
ResidenceSt. Catharines, Ontario[1]
Alma mater
ProfessionLawyer

Christopher Joseph Bittle MP (born February 17, 1979) is a Canadian Liberal politician who was elected to represent the riding of St. Catharines in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2015 federal election.[2] He currently serves as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change,[3] sitting on the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.[4] He previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport and as Deputy House Leader of the Government.[5] Bittle is the youngest MP to hold the Deputy House Leader position in the House of Commons.[6]

Early life and career[]

Born in Niagara Falls, Bittle graduated from St. Paul Catholic Secondary School[7] before attending Queen's University where he graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree. He then attended law school at the University of Windsor where he received a Bachelor of Laws.[8][9] Before he was elected Member of Parliament, he worked at Lancaster, Brooks and Welch LLP,[10] as a civil litigator focusing in matters like commercial disputes, real state litigation defamation, and landlord tenant matters. In addition to practicing law Chris also served as Chair of Quest Community Health Centre, a not-for-profit Community Health Centre in St. Catharines.[11] Chris also worked as an instructor in the Department of Continuing Education at Niagara College and as seminar leader at Brock University.[12]

Political career[]

Bittle was elected as a first time Member of Parliament in October 2015. He received 24,870 votes and defeated incumbent Rick Dykstra.

In September 2017, Bittle was appointed Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. He is the youngest Member of Parliament to hold that position.[13] In December 2019, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport. In this role, he worked alongside both Minister Marc Garneau and Minister Omar Alghabra to invest in public transit and to ensure Canadians who needed to travel during the pandemic were able to do so safely— while also ensuring the health and safety of transport workers and Canadians.[14]

In March 2021, Chris received a call from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to appoint him as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Jonathan Wilkinson.[15] Upon accepting the position, Bittle stated that it is a privilege to be tasked with addressing this threat and continuing to implement the Government of Canada’s climate change plan, which includes a 30% reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHGs) by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050.[16] As a member of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, Bittle also deliberates on issues such as single use plastic restrictions, the development of a national strategy to redress environmental racism, and the Enforcement of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.[17]

Bittle was re-elected as an Member of Parliament in the 2021 Canadian federal election.[18]

Investments in Niagara[]

Bittle has, on several occasions since being elected Member of Parliament, made announcements in Niagara highlighting the federal government's investments in St. Catharines and surrounding areas.

In March 2017, Bittle and Vance Badawey announced the federal government was investing in public transit in Niagara. In 2018, the federal government followed up on that announcement when Bittle announced an $82 million investment in Niagara's transit systems.[19] During his first session in parliament Chris also made several project specific funding announcements, including $180,000 for Centennial Gardens,[20] $2 million for a Skills Link program at Goodwill Industries,[21] and $100,000 in funding for two local wineries who expanded their services and increase employment opportunities.

At the end of 2019, Bittle stated that some of his personal highlights for the year included announcing funding for the rehabilitation of the Port Dalhousie piers and taking part in the grand opening of the first affordable housing complex to be built in the city in 40 years at 527 Carlton St.[22]

In February 2020, Bittle announced $2 million in joint funding with the Province of Ontario to support innovation and investment in the winery and grape growing industries.[23] In June 2020, he also announced $16 million in federal funding for improvements to St. Catharines Public Transit System to improve the downtown bus terminal, add more busses, and improve bus shelters and new para-transit vehicles.[24] In addition, he participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games after the federal government provided more than $40 million to ensure a lasting legacy for the games.[25]

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance the plant's competitiveness, a $28 Million Cogeneration Investment at General Motors St. Catharines was also completed in August of 2020.[26] GM and its partners were joined at a ribbon-cutting event by Bittle, Mayor Walter Sendzik, and Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley. Speaking at the event, Chris said that this project shows that a price on pollution works and creates innovative ideas for a more sustainable future.[27]

Electoral record[]

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  • v
2019 Canadian federal election: St. Catharines
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Chris Bittle 24,183 40.23 -2.95 $87,246.25
Conservative Krystina Waler 18,978 31.57 -6.00 $114,133.28
New Democratic Dennis Van Meer 12,431 20.68 +4.16 none listed
Green Travis Mason 3,695 6.15 +3.56 $5,554.85
People's Allan deRoo 826 1.37 none listed
Total valid votes/Expense limit 60,113 99.17
Total rejected ballots 506 0.83 +0.41
Turnout 60,619 66.46 -1.28
Eligible voters 91,215
Liberal hold Swing +1.52
Source: Elections Canada[28][29]
hide2015 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Chris Bittle 24,870 43.2 +22.6 –
Conservative Rick Dykstra 21,637 37.6 -13.3 –
New Democratic Susan Erskine-Fournier 9,511 16.5 -7.3 –
Green Jim Fannon 1,488 2.6 -1.2 –
Communist Saleh Waziruddin 85 0.1 -0.1 –
Total valid votes/Expense limit 57,591 100.0   $221,576.61
Total rejected ballots 243 – –
Turnout 57,834 – –
Eligible voters 84,474
Source: Elections Canada[30][31][32]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Biography". Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  2. ^ "Elections Canada - Election results since 2015: St. Catharines, Ontario". Elections Canada. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  3. ^ "ST. CATHARINES' MP APPOINTED TO NEW ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE ROLE". iHeartRadio. 2021-03-20. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  4. ^ "OurCommons - Members of Parliament: Chris Bittle". 2021-05-11.
  5. ^ "OurCommons - Chris Bittle: Roles, Current and Past". OurCommons.ca. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  6. ^ "Bittle Named Parliamentary Secretary to Transportation Minister". iHeartRadio. 2019-12-12.
  7. ^ "Home". Spchs.ca. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  8. ^ "Biography - Chris Bittle - Your member of parliament for St. Catharines". Cbittle.liberal.ca. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  9. ^ Cheevers, Melinda (20 October 2015). "'We did it, eh'". Niagarathisweek.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  10. ^ "History - Lancaster Brooks & Welch LLP". Lbwlawyers.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  11. ^ "QUEST COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE - Annual Report 2014-2015" (PDF). Quest Community Health Care. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  12. ^ "Government Members key contacts - Research Canada". Rc-rc.ca. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  13. ^ "Chris Bittle appointed deputy government house leader". NiagaraThisWeek.com. 2017-09-19. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  14. ^ "ST. CATHARINES' MP APPOINTED TO NEW ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE ROLE". iHeartRadio. 2021-03-20. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  15. ^ "Bittle appointed to environment role". The St. Catharines Standard. 2021-03-20. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  16. ^ "Ibid". Missing or empty |url= (help)
  17. ^ "Our Commons - Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development: WORK". OurCommons.ca. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  18. ^ Edwards, Luke; Green, Abby. "Liberal Chris Bittle re-elected in tight St. Catharines race". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  19. ^ "Ottawa to invest $1.9B in GO Transit's regional express rail project - The Star". Thestar.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  20. ^ Omand, Geordon (27 February 2018). "From birds to belugas, feds boost conservation funding in budget". Ctvnews.ca. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  21. ^ "Facebook". Facebook.com. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  22. ^ "St. Catharines MP Chris Bittle Looks Back at the Year That Was". The St. Catharines Standard. 2020-06-02. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  23. ^ "Wine Growers Ontario Thanks Federal Government for Funds For Federal Winery Support Program in Budget 2021". NewsWire. 2021-04-19. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  24. ^ Benner, Allan (2020-06-25). "Niagara Transit Systems Get 78 Million Funding Boost to Pay for 31 Projects". The St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  25. ^ "Canada Games Park official Breaks Ground". Niagara 2022 Games. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  26. ^ "GM Canada - $28 Million Cogeneration Investment at General Motors St. Catharines Plant Lowers GHG Emissions and Reduces Energy Costs". GM Canada. 2021-08-31.
  27. ^ "Ibid". Missing or empty |url= (help)
  28. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  29. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  30. ^ "Voter Information Service - Who are the candidates in my electoral district?". Elections.ca. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  31. ^ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived August 15, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  32. ^ "Election Night Results - Elections Canada". p. Ontario, St. Catharines. Retrieved 23 October 2015.

External links[]

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