SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN, January 24, 2008 — Parliamentary Secretary Lynne Yelich, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Honourable Marjory LeBreton, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Secretary of State (Seniors), today announced funding for 44 projects under the New Horizons for Seniors Program, to ensure seniors in Saskatchewan have the opportunity to participate and take an active leadership role within their communities.
Speaking at the Sherbrooke Community Centre, Parliamentary Secretary Yelich announced total funding of $598,959 to support 37 communities throughout Saskatchewan. This includes almost $25,000 for the Walk on the Wild Side Nature Program, which will provide opportunities for seniors and youth to experience Saskatchewan's abundant vegetation, insects and butterflies and to design and develop two urban conservation trails.
"The Government of Canada is proud to support seniors in strengthening our communities and building our country," said Parliamentary Secretary Yelich. "These projects will encourage seniors throughout Saskatchewan to continue sharing their skills, wisdom and experience in their communities."
In Budget 2007, the Government of Canada announced an additional investment of $10 million per year for two new components of the New Horizons for Seniors Program: raising awareness of elder abuse and providing capital assistance for upgrades to facilities and equipment used for existing seniors' programs. Projects funded under these new components will be announced in the spring of 2008.
The federal government is also acting to address the needs of Canada's seniors through the introduction of a series of important measures that include:
establishing the National Seniors Council to advise the Government on issues of importance to older Canadians;
enabling 1.6 million low-income seniors to benefit from increased monthly benefits available under the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and to make a one-time application for the GIS. As long as these seniors file income tax returns every year, they will never have to reapply;
providing more than $1 billion in tax relief to Canadian seniors and pensioners in Budget 2007;
allowing seniors to build their retirement savings in Registered Pension Plans and Registered Retirement Savings Plans for an extra two years until age 71; and
raising the amount seniors can claim under the age credit on their tax returns for 2007. With less income taxed, seniors save more.
Since its launch, the NHSP has funded over 2,600 projects across Canada, inspiring seniors to bring their leadership, energy and skills to projects that benefit our communities. For more information about the Program, please visit the following Web site: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/community_partnerships/seniors/index.shtml.
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A detailed list of funded projects in Saskatchewan is included in the attached backgrounder.
This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.
Additional information (media only):
Pema Lhalungpa
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Solberg
819-994-2482
Media Relations
Human Resources and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
backgrounder
New Horizons for Seniors Program
Across Canada, the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) helps to ensure that seniors are able to benefit from and contribute to the quality of life in their communities through their social participation and active living. This is achieved by funding community projects that help seniors share their skills, wisdom and experience to benefit others, while reducing their social isolation.
Building on the success of the NHSP, in Budget 2007, the Government of Canada increased the Program's budget by $10 million per year to provide capital assistance for repairs to facilities and equipment related to existing seniors' programs, and to raise awareness of elder abuse across Canada. This has increased the total budget for the NHSP to $35 million per year.
As a result, the Program now offers three types of funding to organizations:
Pre-existing component
Community Participation and Leadership Funding: This funding supports community-based projects across Canada. The projects encourage seniors to continue to play an important role in their communities by helping those in need, providing leadership and sharing their knowledge and skills with others.
New funding components
Capital Assistance Funding: This funding will help non-profit organizations that need to upgrade facilities or equipment used for existing seniors' programs and activities. It will enable seniors to continue to lead active lives by participating in existing programs and activities in their communities.
Elder Abuse Awareness Funding: This funding will help non-profit organizations and coalitions raise awareness of the abuse of older adults on a national or regional level. Through this funding, new educational and awareness resources about elder abuse will be available to improve quality of life, safety and security for seniors.
backgrounder
FUNDING TO NEW HORIZONS FOR SENIORS PROJECTS IN SASKATCHEWAN
Organization
Project Title
Location
Amount
Big River and District Economic Development Inc.
Big River Seniors
Big River
$18,511
Blaine Lake Senior Citizens Centre
Seniors in Motion
Blaine Lake
$10,400
Bruno Friendship Centre
Community Beautification
Bruno
$18,550
Burstall Senior Citizens Association Inc.
Cultural Awareness through Ethnic Cooking
Burstall
$16,400
Cut Knife Saskatchewan Senior Association Inc.
Walking Path Project
Cut Knife
$12,672
Invermay Golden Age Club
Preserving the Past to create a Better Future
Invermay
$24,800
Kenaston Senior Inc. Branch #113 Region G
Kenaston Seniors Building Relationships
Kenaston
$10,041
Killaly Golden Age Club
Community Quilting Project
Killaly
$3,000
Lanigan and District Youth Centre Inc.
Living Well at the Hub
Lanigan
$17,940
LeRoy Senior Citizens Club Inc.
LeRoy Senior Enhancement Program
LeRoy
$13,491
Town of Macklin and District New Horizons Association Inc.
An Historical Record through the use of a Walking Trail
Macklin
$16,800
Maidstone and District Historical and Cultural Society
Preserving Our Past for the Future
Maidstone
$1,800
Martensville New Horizons Seniors
Community Garden and Beautification Mentoring Program
Martensville
$7,300
Melville Senior Citizens Inc.
Seniors Connected
Melville
$3,120
Montmartre Citizens' Golden Age Club Inc.
Montmartre & District Intergenerational Museum
Montmartre
$5,050
Morse Cultural and Heritage Association Inc.
Capturing Community Chronicles
Morse
$17,800
City of North Battleford
Yoga on the Go
North Battleford
$4,024
Pense Seniors Inc.
A Walk with History
Pense
$25,000
Perdue and District New Horizons Association
Our Village Square
Perdue
$15,450
Northern Village of Pinehouse
Community Healing Through Elders and Youth
Pinehouse
$25,000
Cooperative Health Centre Community Against Family Violence
Spotlight on Seniors II
Prince Albert
$14,600
North Saskatchewan River Métis Nation Local
Métis Seniors Wholistic Healing Circle
Prince Albert
$17,700
Prince Albert Indian Métis Friendship Centre
Crafty Elders
Prince Albert
$18,100
Prince Albert SSAI
Seniors Exercise and Aerobics
Prince Albert
$8,350
Qu'Appelle Seniors and Pensioners
Seniors Promoting Community Wellness
Qu'Appelle
$8,455
Radisson '71 Seniors Club
Revitalization of the Radisson Campground
Radisson
$8,682
Regina Plains Museum
The Oral History Preservation Project
Regina
$12,000
Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism
"Regina's Busy Bee Network": Reducing Urban Seniors Social Isolation
Regina
$19,212
Women of the Dawn Counselling Centre Inc.
Reconnect- Reconnecting with our Elders
Regina
$25,000
Regina Beach Leisure Time Club
Keeping in Touch
Regina Beach
$6,268
Village of Riverhurst
Community Summer and Winter Activity Program
Riverhurst
$11,750
Northern Village of Sandy Bay
Sandy Bay Elders Club
Sandy Bay
$18,550
College of Kinesiology
Senior Fitness Peer Leadership Development Project
Saskatoon
$25,000
Eamer Court Social Club Jubilee Residences
Shared Experiences
Saskatoon
$6,000
Sherbrooke Community Centre
A Walk on the Wild Side Nature Project
Saskatoon
$24,585
Grand Coteau Heritage and Cultural Centre
Virtual Volunteers
Shaunavon
$15,500
Sintaluta Silver Horizons
Reviving Our Community
Sintaluta
$1,850
South West Centre for Entrepreneurial Development Inc.
Legends of the Southwest: Sharing the Model
Swift Current
$22,000
Birch Narrows Dene Nation
Birch Narrows Elder Youth Mentoring Program
Turner Lake
$24,990
Vanguard Senior Citizens
Vanguard Intergenerational Opportunities
Vanguard
$15,000
Wawota Drop In Centre
Exercise for Seniors
Wawota
$5,180
Weirdale Senior Citizens Club
Seniors Sharing Knowledge
Weirdale
$1,700
Weldon Silver Tone Club Inc.
Seniors Staying Active
Weldon
$20,838
White Fox School Community Council
Volunteers in Classrooms
White Fox
$500
