BUCKLAND, QC, May 21 /CNW Telbec/ - Mr. Steven Blaney, Member of
Parliament for Lévis-Bellechasse, today announced funding for Club FADOQ "Bon
Accueil" Buckland under the Government of Canada's New Horizons for Seniors
Program (NHSP).
Mr. Blaney 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).
Mr. Blaney announced funding of $8,000 to support a project in Buckland.
This funding will benefit seniors by improving the facilities and equipment
needed for them to stay involved in their communities.
"The Government of Canada is proud to support seniors in strengthening
our communities and building our country," said Mr. Blaney. "The project we
are funding in Buckland will enable the continuation of programs and
activities that play an important role in ensuring quality of life for
seniors."
Club FADOQ "Bon Accueil" Buckland will replace its kitchen and common
room equipment, benefiting more than 300 people, most of whom are seniors.
This new component will enable the organization to continue offering programs
that encourage seniors to remain actively engaged in their community.
These projects are funded under Capital Assistance, a new component of
the New Horizons for Seniors Program. This funding enables organizations with
programs for seniors to replace aging equipment or to make needed renovations
to their facilities.
It is part of a $10-million-per-year commitment made in the 2007 federal
budget for capital assistance and to raise awareness of the issue of elder
abuse. This is in addition to funding for the original Community Participation
and Leadership component of the Program. This has increased the total amount
of funding available under the NHSP to $28 million per year.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 the typical GIS
recipient will be able to keep more of her or his 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;
- establishing the National Seniors Council to advise the Government on
issues of importance to older Canadians;
- 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.
To ensure that the New Horizons for Seniors Program and the programs
provided by the Government of Quebec complement each other, a Canada-Quebec
memorandum of understanding sets out the mechanisms for collaboration. Under
this memorandum of understanding, the projects funded by the New Horizons for
Seniors Program are recommended jointly by representatives of Human Resources
and Social Development Canada and the Secrétariat aux aînés du Québec,
following consultation with the Tables de concertation des aînés established
in every region of Quebec. This process is fully consistent with the broad
cross-Canada policy directions for the Program, under which people who are
engaged in seniors' issues review and recommend projects for funding.
Since its beginning, the NHSP has funded over 2,600 projects across
Canada, improving equipment and facilities used for seniors' activities and
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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backgrounder
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New Horizons for Seniors Program
Last year, the Government of Canada increased the New Horizons for Seniors
Program (NHSP) budget by $10 million per year to provide Capital Assistance
funding and Elder Abuse Awareness funding. This has increased the total amount
of funding available under the NHSP to $28 million per year. Today's
announcement is a result of this additional funding for the Capital Assistance
component of the NHSP.
Capital Assistance funding provides support to organizations to replace
equipment or renovate their facilities so that they can maintain programs and
activities offered to seniors. This helps seniors to continue to participate
and lead active lives through programs in their communities.
The overall mandate of the NHSP is to help ensure that seniors are able to
benefit from and contribute to the quality of life in their communities
through social participation and active living.
As a result of the additional $10 million per year, the Program now offers
three types of funding to organizations:
New funding components
----------------------
1. 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.
2. Elder Abuse Awareness funding (up to $250,000 in funding): 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
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3. 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.
For further information: Additional information (media only): Pascal
Doucet, Media Relations Coordinator, Service Canada Communications, (514)
982-2384, ext. 2209; Media Relations, Human Resources and Social Development
Canada, (819) 994-5559; Pema Lhalungpa, Press Secretary, Office of Minister
Solberg, (819) 994-2482; This news release is available in alternative formats
upon request.
