OTTAWA, ONTARIO, February 11, 2008 - The Honourable John Baird, Minister of the Environment, and the Honourable Marjory LeBreton, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Secretary of State (Seniors), on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today celebrated funding for 16 projects in the Ottawa area under the Government of Canada's New Horizons for Seniors Program. This funding will help ensure that seniors in the area have the opportunity to participate and take an active leadership role in their communities.
Speaking at Jewish Family Services of Ottawa, Ministers Baird and LeBreton announced that $339,241 would be invested in 16 projects in the Ottawa area. This includes $19,600 for Jewish Family Services of Ottawa and their project entitled Warm Home. Throughout Ontario, total funding of $6,014,538 is being provided for 281 projects to support 112 communities.
"The Government of Canada is proud to support seniors in strengthening our communities and building our country," said Minister Baird. "The 16 projects we are funding across the Ottawa area will encourage seniors to continue sharing their skills, wisdom and experience to benefit others."
"Seniors have given so much to our country and our communities," said Secretary of State LeBreton. "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 to make it a better place to live."
In the 2007 federal budget, the Government of Canada announced an additional investment of $10 million per year for two new components of the New Horizons for Seniors Program-to raise awareness of elder abuse, and to provide 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 addressing 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 GIS. As long as they file income tax returns every year, these seniors will never have to reapply;
providing more than $1 billion in tax relief to Canadian seniors and pensioners in Budget 2007;
enabling 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 launch, the New Horizons for Seniors Program has funded over 2,600 projects across Canada, inspiring seniors to bring their leadership, energy and skills to projects that benefit their 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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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
Eric Richer
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Baird
819-997-1441
James Maunder
Office of Secretary of State LeBreton
613-762-8527
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 TO NEW HORIZONS FOR SENIORS PROGRAM PROJECTS IN THE OTTAWA AREA -
Organization
Project Title
Location
Amount
Carlington Community & Health Services
Seniors on the Move
Ottawa
$10,580
Centretown Community Health Centre
Ottawa Seniors Action Network (OSAN): Reaching Out for Seniors
Ottawa
$24,617
Fédération des Aînés et des retraités Francophones de l'Ontario (FAFO)
Atelier contre le vol d'identité et la fraude envers les aînés
Ottawa
$24,921
Filipino Working Group Inc.
Seniors Café
Ottawa
$23,760
Home Based Spiritual Care
Immigrant Seniors Outreach
Ottawa
$25,000
Jewish Family Services of Ottawa Carleton
Warm Home
Ottawa
$19,600
L'Arche Ottawa
A Marketplace for Seniors
Ottawa
$25,000
Les Éditions du Vermillon Inc
Vivre mieux
Ottawa
$13,775
L'Union culturelle des Franco-Ontariennes (L'UCFO)
Sensibilisation aux programmes gouvernementaux, pensions et fiscalité
Ottawa
$25,000
Osteoporosis Canada, Ottawa Chapter
Strong Bones Peer Support Group
Ottawa
$10,000
Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organizations
Seasons for Seniors
Ottawa
$21,288
Société artistique du Nouvel-Ontario
Si Champlain m' était chanté
Ottawa
$25,000
Somerset West Community Health Centre
Crossing the Age Divide: A Cambodian Intergenerational Project
Ottawa
$23,988
Stroke Survivors Association of Ottawa
Education and Peer Support for Caregivers of Stroke Survivors
Ottawa
$16,992
The Italian-Canadian Community Centre of the National Capital Region Inc.
Canadese Memories of Ottawa
Ottawa
$25,000
Vietnamese Canadian Centre
Seniors Working Together For A Productive Life
Ottawa
$24,720
