Government of Canada supports seniors in Saskatchewan

SASKATOON, July 9, 2015 /CNW/ - Today in Saskatoon, the Honourable Peter Van Loan, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, on behalf of the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), announced financial support for three organizations that help reduce the social isolation of seniors.

Through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP), the Royal Canadian Legion Saskatoon Branch #63, the Dalmeny Seniors' Centre and Harris-Tessier New Horizons Inc. will receive a total of more than $58,000 for their projects. As part of their projects, the Royal Canadian Legion will undertake renovations, including building a ramp; the Dalmeny Seniors' Centre will purchase appliances and furnishings; and Harris-Tessier New Horizons will install a dishwasher and an air conditioner. The upgrades will help the organizations continue to offer community-based seniors activities for seniors.

Under the NHSP, up to $25,000 in grant funding can be provided to eligible organizations for community-based projects that are led or inspired by seniors. Since 2006, the NHSP has funded more than 15,000 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada, representing a total Government of Canada investment of $350 million.

Today's announcement is one example of what the Government is doing to improve the lives of Canadians. To help families prosper, the Government is also enhancing the Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB), introducing the Family Tax Cut and making improvements to the Child Care Expenses Deduction and the Children's Fitness Tax Credit.

Quick Facts

• A call for proposals for community-based projects funded through the NHSP was launched May 29, 2015, and will be open until July 10, 2015. A call for proposals for pan-Canadian projects under the NHSP was also launched at the same time and will be open until July 10, 2015. Funded pan-Canadian projects will focus on addressing social isolation among seniors.
• Economic Action Plan 2014 increased funding for the NHSP by $5 million, for a total of $50 million annually.
• Since 2006, $2.8 billion in annual tax relief has been provided to seniors and pensioners.
• For a wide range of information for seniors, including details on the NHSP and the Government of Canada – Action for Seniors report, visit Canada.ca/Seniors.
• The UCCB will increase to up to $1,920 per year for children under the age of 6, and parents will receive a new benefit of up to $720 per year for each child aged 6 through 17.

Quotes

"Our Government is proud to support seniors in communities across Canada by lowering taxes and investing in meaningful initiatives such as the New Horizons for Seniors Program. By partnering with local organizations, we can help seniors stay active, engaged and informed."
– The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors)

"Our Government recognizes the valuable contribution seniors have made to our society and the economy for so many years. By supporting projects like the ones with the Royal Canadian Legion Saskatoon Branch #63, the Dalmeny Seniors' Centre and Harris-Tessier New Horizons, we are ensuring that seniors in Saskatchewan maintain a good quality of life and  continue to be active members of their communities."
– The Honourable Peter Van Loan, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

"We thank the Canadian Government for their assistance in helping our Legion. We appreciate the support for our veterans and members. With this funding, we can do renovations that create a safer building for our members and others."
– Delores Maduke, President, Royal Canadian Legion, Saskatoon Branch #63

"Without this funding from the federal government our organization would not be able to support any critical improvements to our seniors hall.  With this funding we are able to offer our seniors a facility that is in good state of repair and a great meeting place."
– Pat Trask, Federal Grant Funding Coordinator, Harris-Tessier New Horizons Inc.

Associated Links

Canada.ca/Seniors 
Funding: New Horizons for Seniors
Economic Action Plan 
Helping Families Prosper
Enabling Accessibility Fund

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.

Community-based Projects

Community-based project funding supports activities that engage seniors and address one or more of the program's five objectives: volunteering, mentoring, expanding awareness of elder abuse, social participation and capital assistance. These projects are eligible to receive up to $25,000 per year per organization in grant funding.

Through the NHSP 2014–15 call for proposals, over 1,850 community-based projects were approved.

The annual NHSP Call for Proposals for Community-Based Projects is open until July 10, 2015 and is currently inviting organizations 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.

Pan-Canadian Projects

Pan-Canadian projects provide support to help seniors protect themselves from elder abuse, including financial abuse and fraud. These projects enable community members to better recognize elder abuse in all its forms and improve the quality of life, safety and security of seniors. Projects focus on developing tools, resources and promising practices that can be adapted and shared across communities, regions or Canada. These projects are eligible to receive up to $750,000 in funding for up to three years.

The 2015–16 NHSP Call for Proposals for Pan-Canadian Projects is open until July 10, 2015 and is currently inviting organizations 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.

Pilot Projects

Pilot project funding provides support to help address seniors' isolation by establishing better social support networks and resources, and initiating community interventions. It also supports intergenerational learning projects that help seniors develop new interests and share their knowledge and experience with others. These pilot projects are receiving up to $100,000 in federal funding, 50 percent of which is being matched with funding from other sources, over a maximum of 24 months.

For more information on the NHSP, visit Canada.ca/Seniors.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

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