Government of Canada investing $75 million in seniors’ health
News release
Pilot project with the Government of New Brunswick will focus on helping seniors to be active, live safely and enjoy good health.
June 25, 2018 Moncton, New Brunswick Public Health Agency of Canada
The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of addressing the needs of this growing and diverse population. Canada’s population is living longer than ever before, with our older adult population now outnumbering those under 15 years of age, and women making up the majority of Canadians over the age of 65.
Today, at the YMCA of Greater Moncton, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, and Brian Gallant, Premier of New Brunswick, announced the launch of the Healthy Seniors Pilot Project. As announced in Budget 2018, the Government of Canada will invest $75 million in this project to fund a range of applied research initiatives.
This project will help to improve understanding of the impacts of aging on our population, including the different challenges faced by women and men. It will focus on testing innovative solutions that support healthy aging and improve the quality of life of older adults. This includes ensuring that seniors are able to live safely in their homes, improving social and built environments, reducing health inequalities through community-level approaches, and encouraging healthy lifestyles.
This pilot project will provide useful information for provincial and territorial governments as well as stakeholders across the country on how to better support seniors in their homes, communities and care facilities.
Quotes
“We are pleased to be working with the province of New Brunswick on this pilot project, which will provide valuable information on how best to help Canadians live well as they age. This project will also lay the groundwork for informing national solutions that can improve the quality of life for Canada’s older population.”
The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health
“New Brunswick’s aging strategy focuses on keeping seniors as healthy as possible and supporting our seniors to remain independent longer while offering them nursing home care if they need it. This investment will spur many important research projects that will foster healthy aging and innovative support for New Brunswick seniors.”
Brian Gallant
Premier of New Brunswick
“Ensuring that seniors have the opportunities, environments and supports needed to live safely and securely in their homes and communities is integral to healthy aging. This pilot project will provide important insights and information on initiatives and innovations to meet the diverse and changing needs of seniors across Canada.”
Dr. Theresa Tam
Chief Public Health Officer of Canada
Quick facts
-
New Brunswick is well suited to undertake this pilot project. The province has one of the highest populations of people over the age of 65, with a measurably higher proportion of women over 65 relative to the Canadian average. In addition, in 2012, Statistics Canada forecasted over the next 20 years the province’s population would age faster than the rest of Canada.
-
New Brunswick offers the added capacity to explore urban, rural and remote considerations, linguistic minority communities, and Indigenous perspectives.
-
Funding for projects under the Healthy Seniors Pilot Project will be available for government and non-governmental groups to initiate projects that will align with New Brunswick’s Aging Strategy.
-
Further details on the parameters of the project and on how non-governmental groups can submit project proposals will be made available in July 2018 by the Department of Social Development in New Brunswick.
Associated links
Contacts
Thierry Bélair
Office of Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health
613-957-0200
Media Relations:
Public Health Agency of Canada
613-957-2983
hc.media.sc@canada.ca
Public Inquiries:
613-957-2991
1-866-225-0709
Page details
- Date modified: