Government of Canada supports programs and activities for seniors in Saskatchewan

News Release

REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN, May 22, 2008-Mr. Tom Lukiwski, Member of Parliament for Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre, today announced funding for 68 projects in Saskatchewan under the Government of Canada's New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP). This support will benefit seniors in Saskatchewan by improving the facilities and equipment they need to stay involved and take active leadership roles within their communities.

Mr. Lukiwski made the announcement 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).

"The Government of Canada is proud to support seniors in strengthening our communities and building our country," said Mr. Lukiwski. "The projects we are funding in Saskatchewan will enable the continuation of programs and activities that play an important role in ensuring quality of life for seniors."

The 68 projects will receive total funding of $793,341 under the new Capital Assistance component of the New Horizons for Seniors Program, which enables organizations that support seniors to replace aging equipment or have needed renovations done.

The funding announced today is part of a commitment made in the 2007 federal budget to provide capital assistance for needed repairs or equipment, and to raise awareness of elder abuse. When added to the original Community Participation and Leadership component of the NHSP, the total amount of funding available for projects under the Program is now $28 million per year.

The announcement followed a National Seniors Council Roundtable on Seniors' Well-Being that was held in Regina. Council members met with seniors' organizations and service providers to better understand the challenges that seniors living on low incomes face, particularly women.

Established in March 2007, the National Seniors Council advises the Government of Canada on all matters related to the well-being of seniors, and helps ensure that federal government policies, programs and services continue to meet the evolving needs of Canada's aging population.

"These roundtables give the Council a great opportunity to get to know people working on the front lines of seniors' issues," said Mr. Jean-Guy SouliÃ¨re, Chair of the National Seniors Council. "Hearing these views will help us to give the Government our best advice to ensure that the evolving needs of Canada's aging population can be met."

Today's roundtable is one of a series being held across Canada. Recently, roundtables have been held in Québec City, Quebec; Vernon, British Columbia; St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador; Woodstock, New Brunswick; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Nanaimo, British Columbia; and Whitehorse, Yukon.

Budget 2008 and other recent federal initiatives are also addressing the needs of Canada's seniors through the introduction of a series of important measures that include:

providing $13 million over three years to help seniors and others recognize the signs and symptoms of elder abuse and to provide information on what support is available;
proposing to raise the current Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) earned income exemption to $3,500 from $500. This means that typical GIS recipients will be able to keep more of their hard-earned money without any reduction in GIS benefits;
enabling 1.6 million low-income seniors to benefit from increased monthly benefits available under the Guaranteed Income Supplement 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 re-apply;
providing more than $1 billion in tax relief to Canadian seniors and pensioners;
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, helping seniors to bring their leadership, energy and skills to benefit our communities. For more information about the Program, please visit http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/community_partnerships/seniors/index.shtml.

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Information on the funded NHSP projects 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 Office
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 actively contribute to and benefit from the quality of life in their communities.

Building on the success of the NHSP, in 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 amount of funding available under the NHSP to $28 million per year.

As a result of the additional $10 million, the Program now offers three types of funding to organizations:

New funding components

Capital Assistance funding (up to $25,000 in funding): This funding helps non profit organizations that need to upgrade facilities or equipment used for existing seniors' programs and activities. It enables seniors to continue to lead active lives by participating in existing programs and activities in their communities. The last Call for Applications closed on December 14, 2007, and applicants received decision letters in March 2008.
Elder Abuse Awareness funding (up to $250,000 in funding annually over a maximum of three years): This funding helps 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. The last Call for Proposals closed on December 14, 2007, and proposals are being assessed.

Original component

Community Participation and Leadership funding (up to $25,000 in 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. The Call for Applications for Community Participation and Leadership funding is currently open until June 13, 2008.

BACKGROUNDER
FUNDING FOR PROJECTS IN SASKATCHEWAN UNDER THE NEW HORIZONS FOR SENIORS PROGRAM

Organization	Project Title	Location	>Amount
Alameda Merry Makers Society	Facility Renovations	Facility Renovations	Alameda	$7,300
Alsask Drop Inn Club Inc.	Equipment Replacement	Alsask	$1,050
Annaheim New Horizons Club	Facility Renovations	Annaheim	$25,000
Friendly Neighbours	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Avonlea	$13,424
Battleford Pensioners and Senior Citizens	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Battleford	$10,688
New Horizons Searchers of Bengough Inc.	Facility Renovations	Bengough	$21,000
Bethune 50 Plus Club	Equipment Replacement	Bethune	$675
Big Muddy Drop-In Centre	Facility Renovations	Big Beaver	$19,163
Biggar New Horizons Project	Facility Renovations	Biggar	$2,210
Bruno Senior Citizens Friendship Centre	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Bruno	$3,500
Canwood Pensioners and Senior Citizens Org.	Facility Renovations	Canwood	$3,000
Carrot River Seniors #33, District C	Equipment Replacement	Carrot River	$4,811
Sunshine Group Inc.	Equipment Replacement	Chitek Lake	$2,160
Churchbridge Evergreen Club	Equipment Replacement	Churchbridge	$10,610
Coderre Sunshine Friends Inc.	Equipment Replacement	Corderre	$4,895
Coronach New Horizon Club Incorporated	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Coronach	$20,885
Cupar Plus 50 Club	Equipment Replacement	Cupar	$6,300
Denare Beach New Horizons	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Denare Beach	$25,000
Dinsmore Gaiety Group	Facility Renovations	Dinsmore	$5,222
Golden Age Club	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Domremy	$24,967
Duck Lake Co-operative Senior Citizens Centre	Equipment Replacement	Duck Lake	$6,731
The Dundurn 50+ Community Club Inc.	Equipment Replacement	Dundurn	$3,000
Edam 49ers	Equipment Replacement	Edam	$4,090
Endeavour Golden Age Seniors	Facility Renovations	Endeavour	$3,194
Garrick Senior Citizens Inc.	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Garrick	$8,099
Goodsoil Silver Threads Cooperative	Facility Renovations	Goodsoil	$8,223
Govan and District Seniors Association Inc.	Facility Renovations	Govan	$9,477
Gull Lake Senior Citizens Club	Facility Renovations	Gull Lake	$5,834
New Horizons Centre of Hague	Equipment Replacement	Hague	$4,450
Hepburn Golden Age Centre	Facility Renovations	Hepburn	$10,800
Herbert New Horizons Group Inc.	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Herbert	$21,468
Hudson Bay Seniors Centre	Equipment Replacement	Hudson Bay	$4,740
Invermay Golden Age Club	Facility Renovations	Invermay	$11,416
Kelliher Senior Citizens Co-operative Hall Limited	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Kelliher	$13,050
Kenaston Seniors In Branch #113, Region G	Facility Renovations	Kenaston	$7,538
Lafleche Club 50 Inc.	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Lafleche	$25,000
Laird New Horizons	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Laird	$25,000
Leoville Senior Citizens Society	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Leoville	$25,000
Macklin and District New Horizons Association Inc.	Facility Renovations	Macklin	$24,995
MacNutt Sunset Club	Equipment Replacement	MacNutt	$4,049
Maidstone Seniors Citizens Drop-In Centre	Equipment Replacement	Maidstone	$2,054
Mankota New Horizon Group	Equipment Replacement	Mankota	$1,550
Margo Silver Threads Senior Citizen Club	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Margo	$20,944
Marsden Golden Age Group Inc.	Facility Renovations	Marsden	$14,000
Meath Park Seniors' Centre	Equipment Replacement	Meath Park	$23,739
M.A.D.R.A. Leisure Life Club Inc.	Equipment Replacement	Medstead	$5,000
Melville Senior Citizens Inc.	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Melville	$21,922
Mistatim Golden Rods Society	Facility Renovations	Mistatim	$4,783
Montmartre Citizens' Golden Age Club Inc.	Facility Renovations	Montmartre	$22,010
Neilburg Seniors Inc.	Equipment Replacement	Neilburg	$2,344
Norquay Involved Community Effort Senior Citizen Centre Inc.	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Norquay	$22,514
Ogema Senior Citizens Dew-Drop In Centre	Facility Renovations	Ogema	$23,900
Rabbit Lake Senior Sunrise Circle	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Rabbit Lake	$24,118
Rama Golden Jets Corp.	Equipment Replacement	Rama	$9,319
Rose Valley Drop-In Centre Inc.	Facility Renovations	Rose Valley	$14,885
Club de l'Âge d'or de Saskatoon	Equipment Replacement	Saskatoon	$7,000
Shaunavon Senior Centre	Facility Renovations	Shaunavon	$8,500
Silton Sunshine Seniors Club	Equipment Replacement	Silton	$10,000
Southey Senior Citizens Club	Facility Renovations	Southey	$3,500
Spalding New Horizon Seniors	Equipment Replacement	Spalding	$2,000
St. Walburg Pensioners and Senior Citizens Org.	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	St. Walburg	$17,874
Happy Valley Seniors Club Stewart Valley Sask Inc.	Equipment Replacement	Stewart Valley	$1,050
Silver Social Club Corp.	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Stockholm	$8,475
Torquay 50 and Over Club	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Torquay	$800
The New Horizons Association of Unity Inc.	Facility Renovations	Unity	$25,000
Val Marie Seniors' Centre	Facility Renovations and Equipment Replacement	Val Marie	$24,910
Wilkie New Horizons Society	Facility Renovations	Wilkie	$25,000
Wynyard Senior Cooperative	Facility Renovations	Wynyard	$8,136
TOTAL			$793,341

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Government of Canada supports programs and activities for seniors in Saskatchewan

News Release

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