“Everywhere across Canada the message is the same: Social isolation of seniors is becoming a deep concern. It renders seniors more vulnerable. HelpAge Canada is dedicated to addressing it. We are pleased to have received support from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program for the Seen Your Citizen? project that fights agism and helps seniors share their life experience.”
– Jacques Bertrand, Director General, HelpAge Canada
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Office of the Minister of State (Seniors)
613-852-3761
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Backgrounder
New Horizons for Seniors Program
The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) is a federal grants and contributions program that supports projects led or inspired by seniors who make a difference in the lives of others and their communities. Through the NHSP, the Government of Canada encourages seniors to share their knowledge, skills and experiences to the benefit of others.
The objectives of the NHSP are
• promoting volunteerism among seniors;
• engaging seniors in the community through mentoring of others;
• expanding awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse;
• supporting social participation and inclusion of seniors; and
• providing capital assistance for new and existing community projects and/or programs for seniors.
NHSP funding supports community-based and pan-Canadian projects.
The annual NHSP Call for Proposals for Community-Based Projects is currently inviting organizations, until July 10, 2015, to apply for funding of up to $25,000 for projects that help empower seniors to share their knowledge, skills and experiences with others and support communities by increasing their capacity to address local issues. More information on how to apply is available at Canada.ca/Seniors.
The 2015–2016 NHSP Call for Proposals for Pan-Canadian Projects is currently inviting organizations, until July10, 2015, to apply for funding for projects that will help to reduce social isolation among seniors by using collaborative approaches that place an emphasis on measurable results. Through this call, organizations are eligible to receive between $150,000 and $750,000 for projects up to three years in duration. The Government of Canada is partnering with the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation and its Innoweave initiative to support the development, implementation and scaling of these collaborative approaches to reduce social isolation among seniors. Applicants can contact Innoweave through its Seniors SI program to obtain support and to learn more about how organizations can work together to address social isolation. More information on how to apply for funding is also available at Canada.ca/Seniors.
For more information on the NHSP, visit Canada.ca/Seniors.
Other Government of Canada measures that support elder abuse prevention
Protecting Canada’s Seniors Act
The Protecting Canada’s Seniors Act, which came into force in January 2013, better protects seniors by ensuring tougher sentences for those who take advantage of elderly Canadians. Under the amendments to the Criminal Code, evidence that an offence had a significant impact on the victims due to their age—and other personal circumstances such as their health or financial situation—will now be considered an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes.
Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act
The Government of Canada recently introduced the Digital Privacy Act in Parliament, which amends the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). PIPEDA sets the rules private sector organizations must follow when collecting, using or disclosing personal information in the course of commercial activity.
The new legislation will also allow banks and other organizations to notify officials or a client’s next of kin if they suspect that an elderly client is the victim of financial abuse.
Canadian Victims Bill of Rights Act
In fulfillment of an Economic Action Plan 2014 commitment, the Government of Canada introduced the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights Act, which received Royal Assent on April 23, 2015. The Canadian Victims Bill of Rights will transform the criminal justice system by creating, at the federal level, clear, statutory rights for victims of crime—a first in Canadian history.
The Canadian Victims Bill of Rights will give victims an effective voice in the criminal justice system by amending the Criminal Code to require consideration of a victim at every stage of the criminal process, from bail to sentencing. Amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act will expand the amount of information available to victims and introduce other measures to enhance their participation and protection.
