ANTIGONISH, NS, Jan. 20, 2026 /CNW/ - Canadians deserve to age with dignity. For many seniors, this means staying connected and active in their community. Through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP), the federal government funds pan-Canadian and community-based initiatives across Canada that create a significant impact for the social inclusion of seniors in their communities.
Today, while visiting St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Jaime Battiste, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton–Canso–Antigonish, on behalf of Stephanie McLean, Secretary of State (Seniors), announced that St. Francis Xavier University's collective impact project has been selected to receive up to $3,452,962 over five years under the pan-Canadian stream of the 2023–24 NHSP.
The pan-Canadian stream of the NHSP supports multi-year projects that use collaborative and innovative approaches to meet the growing social needs of seniors.
St. Francis Xavier University will work collaboratively with various organizations across northeastern Novia Scotia to increase the social inclusion of vulnerable seniors aged 55 and above with disabilities. The project will map and increase access to programs and services, encourage intergenerational connection and volunteer participation.
Since the NHSP's inception in 2004, its community-based and pan-Canadian streams have funded over 43,000 local projects and broader-reaching initiatives in hundreds of communities across Canada. The Government of Canada has invested more than $970 million through the NHSP.
Quotes
"When we fund projects that bring different groups together to support seniors, we create real benefits in communities. The New Horizons for Seniors Program encourages people and organizations to work together in new ways, improving the lives of older Canadians and helping them to live with dignity and respect."
– Stephanie McLean, Secretary of State (Seniors)
"This funding will assist vulnerable seniors with disabilities through the St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia by providing crucial programs and services customized to the specific needs of seniors living in northeastern Nova Scotia. The New Horizons for Seniors Program is most effective because it brings together organizations that have a deep understanding of the needs of seniors in the community to deliver supports that will increase social inclusion."
– Jaime Battiste, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton–Canso–Antigonish
"Thanks to the innovative vision of St. Francis Xavier University researchers and the support of the New Horizons for Seniors Program, this initiative will enhance the lives of seniors in our communities by fostering collaboration among diverse organizations dedicated to seniors. We will work together to build a rural community network that supports, promotes and champions age-friendly futures in northeastern Nova Scotia."
– Dr. Erin Morton, Associate Vice-President, Research, Graduate, and Professional Studies, St. Francis Xavier University
Quick facts
- The NHSP is a federal grants and contributions program whose goal is to provide funding to organizations to help ensure that seniors can benefit from, and contribute to, the quality of life in their communities.
- The NHSP's pan-Canadian stream funds multi-year collective impact projects that use collaborative and innovative approaches to build community capacity and increase seniors' social inclusion.
- The most recent NHSP pan-Canadian call for concepts, which was launched in October 2023, was a two-step application process. In the first step, interested organizations had to submit a concept for a proposed collective impact initiative focused on the social inclusion of vulnerable seniors. Successful applicants were then invited to develop a full proposal as part of the second stage.
- Selected organizations are eligible to receive between $1 million and $5 million for projects with a duration of four to five years. Projects must create a significant impact in communities by using collaborative and innovative approaches to increase social inclusion and improve the lives of vulnerable seniors.
- Today's announcement is the result of St. Francis Xavier University's concept being selected from among 515 concepts submitted in October 2023 and then being fully developed into a successful proposal in stage two.
Related products
Backgrounder: Government of Canada advances support for seniors in northeastern Nova Scotia
Associated links
- Funding: New Horizons for Seniors Program – Pan-Canadian projects
- New Horizons for Seniors Program – Engaging seniors, strengthening communities
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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
Contacts: For media enquiries, please contact: Kirstie Hudson, Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary, Office of the Secretary of State (Seniors), [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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