GATINEAU, QC, June 19, 2019 Seniors make significant and valuable contributions to their families, communities and workplaces. That is why the Government of Canada remains committed to providing Canadian seniors with greater security and a better quality of life.
Today, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Seniors, announced that the Government of Canada will support up to 22 organizations across Canada whose projects will engage and connect seniors to important supports and services in their communities.
This announcement is the result of successful applications submitted through a Call for Concepts launched in December 2018 through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP), pan-Canadian funding stream. Up to $60 million in funding over five years is available for these projects, which are expected to begin in the fall of 2019.
Examples of proposed projects include initiatives that support caregivers of seniors living with dementia, mobilize communities to find seniors who are isolated and at risk and connect them to social services, and make existing seniors services more culturally friendly in some of Canada's most ethnically diverse communities.
Since 2004, the NHSP has funded more than 23,600 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada, with a total Government of Canada investment of more than $487.7 million.
Quote
"Our Government deeply values the contributions seniors make to our country. Through the New Horizons for Seniors Program, we are taking more steps to empower seniors by supporting opportunities where they can benefit from and contribute to the quality of life in their communities. By fostering community connections, seniors can enjoy the healthy, happy and secure life they worked hard for."
– The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Seniors
Quick Facts
- The NHSP is a federal grants and contributions program whose goal is to support projects that help foster social inclusion and engagement of seniors in all aspects of society. The Program's pan-Canadian funding stream supports projects that use a multi-partner approach, bringing together collaborating organizations from different sectors within a community to meet the growing social needs of seniors.
- Seniors are the fastest-growing demographic group in Canada. By 2030, the number of seniors will reach 9.6 million, representing close to one-quarter of Canada's population.
- Budget 2019 proposes an additional investment of $100 million over five years and $20 million per year ongoing for the New Horizons for Seniors Program to support even more projects that empower seniors in their communities and contribute to improving their health and well-being.
Related Document
Backgrounder: New Horizons for Seniors Program
Associated Links
New Horizons for Seniors Program – Engaging seniors, strengthening communities
Programs and services for seniors
Investing in the Middle Class: Budget 2019
A secure and dignified retirement for Canadians
SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
For media enquiries, please contact: Emmaleigh Munro, Office of the Minister of Seniors, 873-396-0732, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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