Funding to provide seniors at Harbour Lites with new indoor and outdoor opportunities
During a break in a St. Patrick’s Day Crib Tournament, Sean Fraser, the Member of Parliament for Central Nova announced that the Harbour Lites New Horizons for Seniors Club will be receiving federal funding in the amount of $15,390 through the New Horizons for Seniors Funding Program.
The federal grant will be used but the ‘YES Team’ (Young Energetic Seniors) to offer a yoga program on Saturday mornings, at no cost to members. As well, the group will be offering a ‘Learn-to-Play’ music program and a dance program, all free to members and prospective members.
Recognizing that many seniors who move into apartments and assisted living homes and therefore give up their outdoor spaces, the group will be developing the outdoor space at the centre with a screen-in BBQ sitting area, washer toss and ring toss.
The New Horizons for Seniors Program promotes positive aging by supporting seniors’ volunteerism and encouraging seniors to play an active role in their communities. This innovative program enhances seniors’ social well-being and enables them to maintain social ties and share their knowledge, skills and experience with others.
“The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that all Canadians have a real and fair chance to succeed. We support a wide array of New Horizons for Seniors Program projects that bring seniors together in innovative ways to help build communities that are strong and vibrant. These grassroots projects are community-driven and promote social interaction, positive aging and seniors’ well-being. They reach out to seniors and encourage them to pursue active lifestyles, expand their social network and play a leading role in activities that inspire goodwill, sharing and fellowship among community members.
– The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Canada
“I’ve had the pleasure of seeing first-hand the incredible work and programming that Harbour Lites has to offer. It’s wonderful to see the centre responding to the needs of the community, especially offering this new space so that everyone has somewhere that they can enjoy the outdoors and engage with others in the community.”
– Sean Fraser, Member of Parliament for Central Nova
Quick Facts
• This project was approved through the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) 2017–2018 Call for Proposals for Community-based Projects.
• Through the NHSP 2017-2018 Call for Proposals, the Government of Canada is providing approximately $35 million in NHSP funding for more than 1,880 community-based projects.
• Since 2004, the NHSP has approved close to 21,600 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada, with a total Government of Canada investment of approximately $452.5 million.
• The NHSP 2017-2018 Call for Proposals for Community-based Projects was open from May 10, 2017 until June 23, 2017.
• Eligible organizations can receive up to $25,000 in project funding.
Associated Links
Funding: New Horizons for Seniors Program – Community-based Projects
Funding: New Horizons for Seniors Program – Pan-Canadian Projects
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.
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 projects 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 in grant funding. Approximately
$35 million is provided each year for community-based projects.
More than 1,880 projects across Canada were approved through the NHSP 2017–2018 Call for Proposals for Community-based Projects. It invited organizations to apply for funding 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.
For more information, visit Canada.ca/funding-new-horizons-seniors-community.
Pan-Canadian projects
Pan-Canadian projects test and share best practices across the country and replicate interventions that have worked well in addressing seniors’ issues.
Projects that have received funding through the NHSP 2015–2016 Call for Proposals for Pan-Canadian Projects are using a collective impact approach where project partners work together to achieve measurable results in addressing social isolation among seniors.
These projects are funded for up to three years and receive financial support of up to $750,000.
More than $21 million is being made available for pan-Canadian projects funded through the NHSP 2015–2016 Call for Proposals.