The Canadian government announces new funding to support and encourage seniors

The Canadian government has announced a new funding of $16,592,175 for 915 projects under the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) across the country, which will be used to ensure that seniors have the opportunity to participate and take an active leadership role in their communities.

Initially, a total funding of $1,117,021 is being provided to 56 communities in Alberta, $1,598,466 to 58 communities in British Columbia, $619,901 to 35 communities in Nova Scotia and $196,800 to 14 communities throughout Prince Edward Island under these projects.

In Budget 2007, the government of Canada announced an additional investment of $10 million per year for two new components of the New Horizons for Seniors Program: raising awareness of elder abuse and providing capital assistance for upgrades to facilities and equipment used for existing seniors' programs. Projects funded under these new components will be announced in the spring of 2008.

The federal government is also acting to address the needs of Canada's seniors through the introduction of a series of important measures that include: (a) establishing the National Seniors Council to advise the Government on issues of importance to older Canadians; (b) enabling 1.6 million low-income seniors to benefit from increased monthly benefits available under the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and to make a one-time application for the GIS. As long as these seniors file income tax returns every year, they will never have to reapply; (c) providing more than $1 billion in tax relief to Canadian seniors and pensioners in Budget 2007; (d) 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 (e) raising the amount that seniors can claim under the age credit on their tax returns for 2007. With less income taxed, seniors save more.

Since its beginning, the NHSP has funded over 2,600 projects across Canada, inspiring seniors to bring their leadership, energy and skills to projects that benefit and strengthen communities.