Government of Canada supports seniors in Pickering

PICKERING, ON, April 8, 2015 /CNW/ - Seniors in Pickering will benefit from financial support for two organizations that help reduce social isolation. The announcement was made today by the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario) and Member of Parliament representing the Cambridge and North Dumfries region, and Corneliu Chisu, Member of Parliament for Pickering–Scarborough East, on behalf of the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors).

The Seniors of Koro Pilipino and FaithHopeLove Ministry will receive a total of $45,000 from the New Horizons for Seniors Program for pilot projects to help local seniors. The Seniors of Koro Pilipino will receive $25,000 to purchase computers and provide computer literacy training to seniors. FaithHopeLove Ministry will receive over $20,000 to support the social participation of immigrant seniors through a mentorship program that will allow them to mentor others in their community, as well as involving them in the planning and delivery of a community event.

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 13,000 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada.

Today's announcement is one example of what the Government is doing to help Canadians. To help hard-working families, the Government is also enhancing the Universal Child Care Benefit, introducing the Family Tax Cut and making improvements to the Child Care Expense Deduction and the Children's Fitness Tax Credit.

Quick Facts

• 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.
• Minister Wong launched the Government of Canada Action for Seniors report in September 2014. The report is a new information resource highlighting federal programs and services that can be accessed by seniors, their families and caregivers. It was created in collaboration with more than 22 federal departments and agencies. The report can be found on Canada.ca/Seniors.
• The Universal Child Care Benefit would increase to up to $1,920 per year for children under the age of 6 and parents would receive a 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 through lowering taxes and investing in meaningful initiatives such as the New Horizons for Seniors Program. By partnering with local organizations, we can help keep seniors 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. By supporting projects like the ones with Seniors of Koro Pilipino and FaithHopeLove Ministry, we are ensuring that seniors, including those in Pickering, maintain a good quality of life and can continue to be active members of their communities."
– The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario) and Member of Parliament for Cambridge

"Through the New Horizons for Seniors Program, our Government is partnering with the Seniors of Koro Pilipino and FaithHopeLove Ministry to deliver projects that support seniors in Pickering. With initiatives like these, we will continue to meet the needs of seniors, now and into the future."
– Corneliu Chisu, Member of Parliament for Pickering–Scarborough East

"Our goal is to bring our group to the digital age and include seniors in the computer literacy program. Many seniors have left the workforce and can not access the internet because of lack of skills, equipment, facility, internet access, instructional programs and instructors, mobility problems and language barrier. Thanks to New Horizons for Senior Program funding, we will make computer education accessible to seniors who would otherwise be left behind. Being able to use the internet will also improve their communication with family and friends, especially when seniors are too frail to come out. We hope to empower them with this new skill and boost their self-confidence."
– Alicia Siervo, President, Seniors of Koro Pilipino 

Associated Links

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

Backgrounder

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. NHSP funding is targeted to community-based projects, pan-Canadian projects and pilot projects that focus on issues such as social isolation and intergenerational learning.

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 2014–2015 Call for Proposals, over 1,850 NHSP community-based projects were approved.

Pan-Canadian Projects
Pan-Canadian projects provide support to help seniors protect themselves from elder abuse, including financial abuse and fraud abuse. 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.

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.

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada