Minister Tassi meets with seniors in Guelph and Kitchener to promote healthy aging and active participation in their communities Français
GUELPH and KITCHENER, ON, Jan. 23, 2019 /CNW/ - Seniors play an important role in our families, communities and workplaces. They helped build Canada and continue to contribute to its success. This is why the Government of Canada is committed to providing Canadian seniors with greater security and a better quality of life.
Today, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Seniors, visited Guelph and Kitchener, Ontario, where she met with seniors and other partners to hear about issues important to older Canadians. During her discussions, the Minister encouraged seniors to stay active, engaged and informed and highlighted a number of measures the Government of Canada has taken to improve their social and economic well-being.
While in Guelph, Minister Tassi met with members of Guelph Wellington Seniors Association at the Evergreen Seniors Centre, where she toured their computer lab and met with seniors participating in centre's canoe club. Both the computer lab and canoe club have received Government of Canada funding through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP). The NHSP fosters social inclusion and the engagement of seniors by encouraging seniors to share their knowledge, skills and experiences to the benefit of others through projects that make a difference in the lives of seniors and their communities.
While in Kitchener, Minister Tassi visited the Rockway Centre, which offers programs for seniors including art and fitness classes. She also met with seniors at Trinity Village Studios, an assisted living retirement home that keeps its residents active by offering a number of activities and programs, including swimming, cooking and computer classes.
Seniors are the fastest-growing demographic group in Canada. By 2030, the number of seniors will reach 9.6 million people, representing close to one quarter of Canada's population. Canadians' life expectancy is expected to continue rising—Canadian men and women born in 2016 will live on average to age 87 and 90, respectively.
Quotes
"Older Canadians continuously make important contributions to our communities. Meeting with them is not only rewarding but also critical to better understand their specific needs. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring its programs and services reflect those needs, and provide seniors with income security and encourage healthy aging."
– The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Seniors
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Backgrounder: Providing seniors in Canada with greater security and a better quality of life
Associated Links
Programs and Services for Seniors
Healthy Living – Seniors
SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
For media enquiries, please contact: Annabelle Archambault, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Seniors, 613-462-7126, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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