CALGARY, ALBERTA, January 15, 2008 — The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today announced funding for 915 New Horizons for Seniors Program projects across the country to ensure that seniors have the opportunity to participate and take an active leadership role in their communities.
Total funding for these projects under the New Horizons for Seniors Program is $16,592,175. This amount includes $1,117,021 for 56 projects in Alberta.
"The Government of Canada is proud to support seniors in strengthening our communities and building our country," said Minister Solberg. "These projects will encourage seniors to continue sharing their skills, wisdom and experience with others."
"Our seniors have given so much to our country and our communities," added the Honourable Marjory LeBreton, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Secretary of State (Seniors). "They have worked hard all their lives and deserve our support. The Government of Canada recognizes that seniors have helped to build this country and want to continue participating and taking leadership roles 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 that seniors can claim under the age credit on their tax returns for 2007. With less income taxed, seniors save more.
Since its beginning, 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 list of projects by province and territory, as well as a detailed list of funded projects in Alberta 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 through 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 BREAKDOWN BY PROVINCE AND TERRITORY -
Province or Territory
Number of Projects
Total Funding Amount
Alberta
56
$1,117,021
British Columbia
97
$1,598,466
Manitoba
48
$724,588
New Brunswick
43
$743,362
Newfoundland and Labrador
22
$380,009
Northwest Territories
7
$104,100
Nova Scotia
47
$619,901
Nunavut
3
$54,018
Ontario
281
$6,014,538
Prince Edward Island
20
$196,800
Quebec
245
$4,401,638
Saskatchewan
44
$598,959
Yukon
2
$38,775
TOTALS
915
$16,592,175
Organization
Project Title
Location
Amount
Barrhead & District Social Housing Association
One Hundred Seniors, One Hundred Years, One Hundred Stories
Barrhead
$22,500
Boys & Girls Club of the Crowsnest Pass
Hidden Treasures
Blairmore
$24,900
Bonnyville Senior Citizen's Society
Bridging the Generations
Bonnyville
$10,400
Bonnyville Tune-Agers
Senior Choir Festival
Bonnyville
$5,600
Zone II Metis Nation of Alberta Regional Council
Elders Circle
Bonnyville
$12,500
Boyle and District History Book Society
Pages from the Past
Boyle
$25,000
Alliance to End Violence Society of Calgary for The Action Group on Elder Abuse
The Action Group on Elder Abuse - A Coordinated Community Response to Elder Abuse
Calgary
$24,750
Bow Cliff Seniors Association
"ACT UP"
Calgary
$21,933
Calgary Immigrant Women's Association
Senior Immigrant Women take Arts and Crafts on the Road
Calgary
$25,000
Calgary Retired Teachers' Association
New Dimensions in Retirement
Calgary
$25,000
Canadian Hispanic Senior Services Society (CHSSS)
Outreaching Isolated New Arrivals Latin American Seniors
Calgary
$15,715
Haysboro Community Association
A Half Centry Of Haysboro
Calgary
$24,965
Kerby Assembly
Kerby Centre - Our Legacy
Calgary
$25,000
The City of Calgary
Ethno - Cultural Seniors Summit to develop strategies to meet the needs of Immigrant/Refuge Seniors
Calgary
$24,700
Varsity Community Association
Northwest Communities Alliance For Seniors (NCAFS)
Calgary
$15,000
Western Rocky View Communities Development Society
Community Action Plans for Rural Seniors
Calgary
$25,000
Philippine Canadian Seniors Society of Calgary
Leadership Enhancement and Community Involvement
Chestermire
$17,000
Town of Claresholm
Claresholm Walking Paths Network (Phase 1)
Claresholm
$25,000
Cold Lake First Nations
Nation Building: Engaging Our Wisdom Keepers
Cold Lake
$25,000
Riverhurst Seniors' Guild
Parking and Blooming
Cold Lake
$16,020
Seniors For the Future Society
Revitalizing Our Heritage - Through Our Seniors
Cold Lake
$15,000
Alberta Association of the Deaf
Enhancing the Quality of Life of Edmonton Deaf Seniors
Edmonton
$25,000
Alberta Caregivers Association
Community Caregivers Multicultural Project
Edmonton
$25,000
Alberta Council on Aging
CCECC-Community Conversations Empowering Capacity and Collaboration
Edmonton
$25,000
Alberta Estonian Heritage Society
History of the Alberta Estonian community, 1899 to present
Edmonton
$25,000
Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association
Keepers of Wisdom - Elders' Wisdom Circle Storytelling Collective
Edmonton
$24,165
Bernadette N. Swan Social Care Foundation
Black Seniors Community Facilitator Program
Edmonton
$18,425
Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council
Community Partnerships for Immigrant and Refugee Seniors
Edmonton
$25,000
Fédération des aînés franco-albertains
Accueil et apprentissage [meeting and getting to know each other]
Edmonton
$20,500
Senior Citizens Opportunity Neighbourhood Association
Intergenerational Interaction
Edmonton
$19,200
Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton
This Full House - A Pilot Intervention Program to Assist Elderly Compulsive Hoarders
Edmonton
$24,950
Seniors Driving Centre of Edmonton
Volunteers Assisting by Driving Seniors Safely
Edmonton
$23,000
Westend Seniors Activity Centre
The Invisible Senior
Edmonton
$18,100
Hanna Volunteer Association
Creating Community Connections with Seniors
Hanna
$15,000
East Prairie Métis Settlement
East Prairie Kehtehayak Drop In Center
High Prairie
$15,000
Sucker Creek Elders Society
Where do we go from here?
High Prairie
$12,710
Jarvie Community Drop In Centre
The Cool Jarvie Seniors
Jarvie
$3,000
Family and Community Support Services Lamont County Region
Seniors Community Collaboration Project
Lamont
$22,502
The Society of Serving Seniors (Leduc)
Serving the unmet needs of the elderly and disabled
Leduc
$24,907
Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization
LSCO Health Circuit Project
Lethbridge
$25,000
Sik-ooh-kotoki Friendship Society
Elder's (seniors) Wisdom Circle
Lethbridge
$15,000
Young Women's Christian Association of Lethbridge & District
Walking Wednesday
Lethbridge
$23,207
Lloyminster Senior Citizens Society
Outreach To Seniors
Lloydminster
$11,380
Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association of Medicine Hat
Generations at Work program
Medicine Hat
$11,830
Canadian Mental Health Association
Community Response to Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly (CRANE) Education Program
Medicine Hat
$22,300
Okotoks and District Seniors' Club
Okotoks and Foothills Seniors Outreach
Okotoks
$18,450
Oyen Family Community Support Services
Bridging the Gap
Oyen
$18,750
Information and Volunteer Centre for Strathcona County
Seniors Connection
Sherwood Park
$18,000
St. Albert Senior Citizens' Club
St. Albert Seniors Link
St. Albert
$25,000
Kainai First Nations Elders Association
Traditional Concepts Programming for Seniors
Standoff
$25,000
Heritage Agricultural Society
A Seniors' Community Legacy
Stony Plain
$25,000
Stony Plain Parkland Pioneer Museum Society
Seniors Work Shop and Drop in Centre
Stony Plain
$23,237
Thorhild Golden Age Drop In Centre
Thorhild Seniors Green Team
Thorhild
$13,200
Tofield Historical Society
History of Tofield
Tofield
$23,300
Tsuu T'ina Nation
Tsuu T'ina Nation Elders Community Development Project
Tsuu T'ina
$12,500
Westlock & District Historical Society
Celebrating Our Prairie Pioneers
Westlock
$13,425
