Thunder Bay – “The New Horizons for Seniors, promotes healthy living and keeps seniors in our region connected to their communities. Seniors are often isolated and loneliness is connected to poorer health. These 15 local projects will help seniors stay healthier and happier in their communities,” states Patty Hajdu, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay-Superior North. “Far too many seniors face isolation in their retirement years. This was a fact even before the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government of Canada is committed to empowering seniors by supporting opportunities for older Canadians to stay involved and engaged in their communities”.
The Hon. Patty Hajdu, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay-Superior North, met with funding recipients to hear about programming for the local seniors population, and what their plans are with additional resources. At the meeting, Minister Hajdu announced an investment of $297,607 for 15 community-based projects in Thunder Bay and the Superior North region. These projects will help seniors stay active, informed and socially connected in their community. This funding was awarded through the New Horizons for Seniors Program’s recent call for proposals for community-based projects.
Local funding recipients include:
● Southbridge Roseview
● Thunder Bay 55 Plus Centre
● Red Rock Indian Band
● North of Superior Healthcare Group
● Royal Canadian Legion Branch 32
● Handicapped ACtion Group Incorporated
● Gathering Table
● Club francophone du lac Supérieur
● Church of St Michael and All Angels
● Centre des Femmes Francophones du Nord-Ouest de l’Ontario (CFFNOO)
● Anishinabek Employment & Training Services
● Animbiigoo Zaagi’igan Anishinaabek
● Municipality of Greenstone
● Marathon Public Library
● Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment and Training Services (KKETS)
This year, the Government of Canada increased its investment in the New Horizons for Seniors Program to $60.8 million, funding over 3,000 community-based projects to support seniors across the country.
“I am proud of the thousands of projects funded through the New Horizons for Seniors Program across the country, helping Canadian seniors stay active and connected during this unprecedented time. Seniors have given and continue to give so much to our country—it’s important to provide them the programs and support they deserve,” say Deb Schulte, Minister of Seniors
Quick Facts
● Every year, organizations are invited to apply for New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) community-based funding through a call for proposals. The projects announced today were approved as part of a call for proposals that was launched on September 9, 2020, and closed on October 23, 2020.
● NHSP is a federal grants and contributions program whose goal is to support projects that help foster social inclusion and improve seniors’ health and well-being.
● The funding helps support activities that engage seniors in their communities and address one or more of the program’s five objectives: volunteering, mentoring, expanding awareness of elder abuse, social participation and capital assistance.
● Community-based projects are eligible to receive up to $25,000 in grant funding. Additional grants of up to $5,000 were available for organizations that have not received funding from the program in the past five years.
● This year, increased funding and improvements to the program resulted in the highest number of applications ever, almost double the number of projects serving rural seniors, and a greater share of funded projects serving vulnerable seniors.
● Those improvements include updates to national priorities—including targeting vulnerable and rural seniors—improvements to the application process and program delivery, such as a longer intake period, more time to provide missing information, increased use of plain language and focusing support in communities with recent low uptake. These changes put increased emphasis on applicants’ ability to serve seniors over their ability to navigate an application process, while maintaining the same standards and rigour.
● Since 2004, the NHSP has funded over 30,000 projects, including projects related to COVID-19, in hundreds of communities across Canada, with a total Government of Canada investment of more than $600 million. NHSP funding supports community-based projects and pan-Canadian projects.
