MISSISSAUGA, ON, May 22, 2015 /CNW/ - Today in Mississauga, the Honourable Peter Van Loan, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for York–Simcoe, and Stella Ambler, Member of Parliament for Mississauga South, on behalf of the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), and the Honourable Candice Bergen, Minister of State for Social Development, announced financial support for a local organization that helps reduce social isolation of seniors and improve access for Canadians with disabilities to programs and services in their community.
Through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP), the Royal Canadian Legion, Port Credit Branch 82, will receive $25,000 for its project. As part of the project, the Legion will install fryers and a ventilation system in their facilities in order to continue to support the social participation of seniors and encourage them to be active in the community.
Under the NHSP, up to $25,000 in grant funding can be provided to eligible organizations for community-based projects that are led or inspired by seniors. Since 2006, the NHSP has funded more than 13,000 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada.
The Legion will also receive more than $18,000 through the Enabling Accessibility Fund to construct an exterior ramp, renovate three doorways, install automated door openers and renovate a washroom for accessibility.
Under the Enabling Accessibility Fund, launched in 2007, the Government of Canada has funded over 1,800 projects, helping thousands of Canadians gain better access to their communities' facilities, programs and services.
Today's announcement is one example of what the Government is doing to help Canadians. To help hard-working families, the Government is also enhancing the Universal Child Care Benefit, introducing the Family Tax Cut and making improvements to the Child Care Expenses Deduction and the Children's Fitness Tax Credit.
Quick Facts
- Economic Action Plan 2014 increased funding for the NHSP by $5 million, for a total of $50 million annually.
- Since 2006, $2.8 billion in annual tax relief has been provided to seniors and pensioners.
- Minister Wong released the Government of Canada Action for Seniors report in September 2014. The report is a new information resource highlighting federal programs and services that can be accessed by seniors, their families and caregivers. It was created in collaboration with more than 22 federal departments and agencies. The report is available on Canada.ca/Seniors.
- In 2013, the Government of Canada extended the Enabling Accessibility Fund on an ongoing basis at $15 million per year to improve accessibility in facilities across Canada, including workplaces.
- In recent years, the Government of Canada has taken concrete action to support programs for people with disabilities:
- The Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities has helped 40,000 people with disabilities across Canada to prepare for, obtain and maintain employment or self-employment.
- As of March 2015, Canadians have registered over 100,000 Registered Disability Savings Plans and have benefitted from over $1 billion in bonds and grants deposited by the federal government.
- The Government provides $222 million annually to the provinces and territories through Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities to help Canadians with disablilties develop skills to improve their job prospects.
- Through Economic Action Plan 2014, the Government is providing $15 million over three years to the Canadian Association for Community Living to help connect people with developmental disabilities with jobs. It is also providing $11.4 million over four years to the Sinneave Family Foundation and Autism Speaks Canada to expand vocational training programs for people with autism spectrum disorders.
- The Universal Child Care Benefit would increase from $100 to $160 per month (totalling up to $1,920 per year) for children under the age of 6, and parents would receive a new benefit of $60 per month (up to $720 per year) for each child aged 6 through 17.
Quotes
"Our Government is proud to support seniors in communities across Canada through lowering taxes and investing in meaningful initiatives such as the New Horizons for Seniors Program. By partnering with local organizations, we can help seniors stay active, engaged and informed."
– The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors)
"Our Government remains committed to supporting Canadian Veterans, as we recognize the valuable contribution they have made to our society and economy through safeguarding our security and protecting our values and freedoms. By supporting projects like this one with the Royal Canadian Legion, Port Credit Branch 82, our Government is ensuring that Veterans and seniors, including those in Mississauga, maintain a good quality of life and can continue to be active members of their communities."
– The Honourable Peter Van Loan, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for York–Simcoe
"Through the New Horizons for Seniors Program, our Government is partnering with the Royal Canadian Legion, Port Credit Branch 82, to deliver a project that supports seniors in our community. With initiatives like this, we will continue to meet the needs of seniors, now and into the future."
– Stella Ambler, Member of Parliament for Mississauga South
Associated Links
Canada.ca/Seniors
Funding: New Horizons for Seniors
Economic Action Plan
Helping Families Prosper
Enabling Accessibility Fund
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Backgrounder
New Horizons for Seniors Program
The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) is a federal grants and contributions program that supports projects led or inspired by seniors who make a difference in the lives of others and their communities. Through the program, the Government of Canada encourages seniors to share their knowledge, skills and experiences to the benefit of others. NHSP funding is targeted to community-based projects, pan-Canadian projects and pilot projects that focus on issues such as social isolation and intergenerational learning.
Community-based Projects
Community-based project funding supports activities that engage seniors and address one or more of the program's five objectives: volunteering, mentoring, expanding awareness of elder abuse, social participation and capital assistance. These projects are eligible to receive up to $25,000 per year per organization in grant funding.
Through the NHSP 2014–2015 call for proposals, over 1,850 community-based projects were approved.
Pan-Canadian Projects
Pan-Canadian projects provide support to help seniors protect themselves from elder abuse, including financial abuse and fraud. These projects enable community members to better recognize elder abuse in all its forms and improve the quality of life, safety and security of seniors. Projects focus on developing tools, resources and promising practices that can be adapted and shared across communities, regions or Canada. These projects are eligible to receive up to $750,000 in funding for up to three years.
Pilot Projects
Pilot project funding provides support to help address seniors' isolation by establishing better social support networks and resources, and initiating community interventions. It also supports intergenerational learning projects that help seniors develop new interests and share their knowledge and experience with others. These pilot projects are receiving up to $100,000 in federal funding, 50 percent of which is being matched with funding from other sources, over a maximum of 24 months.
For more information on the NHSP, visit Canada.ca/Seniors.
Enabling Accessibility Fund
The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) was originally announced in 2007 as a three-year, $45-million program to support community-based projects across Canada. In 2010, the EAF was extended with an additional three‑year, $45-million commitment and the creation of a new mid-sized project component.
Economic Action Plan 2013 extended the EAF on an ongoing basis at $15 million per year to continue to help improve access in communities and workplaces for Canadians with disabilities.
Successful projects demonstrated they were able to create or enhance accessibility for Canadians with disabilities and involve community partnerships.
At least 35 percent of the total funding for each project comes from non-federal government sources.
To date, over 1,800 projects have received funding to improve accessibility in Canadian communities and workplaces.
SOURCE Canada's Economic Action Plan
Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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