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.
Today, Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for Northwest Territories, on behalf of Canada’s Minister of Seniors, Deb Schulte, announced an investment of $364,329 for 18 community-based projects in the Northwest Territories. 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.
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.
Quotes
“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.”
- The Honourable Deb Schulte, Minister of Seniors
“Through the New Horizons for Seniors Program, the Government of Canada is providing a wide range of opportunities for seniors here in the Northwest Territories to participate in meaningful activities that nurture their personal growth and foster community vitality.”
- Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for Northwest Territories
“As president of the Enterprise Senior Society, I would like to take this opportunity to thank MP Michael McLeod for supporting our proposal. With this funding, and with the restrictions of COVID-19 being lifted we have been able to be active with seniors in our community.”
- Amy Mercredi, President, Enterprise Seniors Society
“We are very appreciative of the funds received from the NWT New Horizon Fund. With this support, we are able to provide essential services to our senior clients, improving their well being and quality of life.”
- Pravina Bartlett, Executive Director, Hay River Committee for Persons with Disabilities (HRCPD)
“The resources developed in partnership and under the guidance of Dene Elders have resulted in several educational projects that have contributed to the revitalization of Indigenous languages and cultures throughout the NWT. The values of our College are at the heart of our partnership with Dene Elders: creativity of approach, valuing diversity, engagement with the community, and pride in the languages and cultures of the NWT. The Elders mentorship program would have not been possible without the support of programs like the New Horizons for Seniors Program.”
- Angélique Ruzindana, President of the Board, Collège nordique francophone
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.
Backgrounder: List of NWT NHSP Recipients and Projects
Acho Dene Koe First Nation
Elders Gathering Knowledge
Seniors involved with the organization will create a sharing circle to gather traditional knowledge and pass it to youth in order to engage seniors in the community through the mentoring of others.
$25,000
Collège nordique francophone (CNF)
Intergenerational and Cross-Cultural Mentoring Project
The organization will purchase tablets to offer mentorship educational sessions for elders and students in order to engage seniors in the community through the mentoring of others.
$25,000
Enterprise Senior Society
Just Jogging Along
Seniors involved with the organization will partake in fishing, golfing, bird watching and other events in order to support the social participation and inclusion of seniors.
$25,000
Hay River Committee for Persons with Disabilities
Seniors Shelter Support Services
Seniors involved with the organization will benefit from workshops on elder abuse, government services and intergenerational activities in order to expand awareness of elder and financial abuse.
$25,000
Hay River Seniors Society
Providing a Healthy, Informative and Inviting Environment
The organization will purchase furniture and a storage shed to continue to offer space and programs in order to support the social participation and inclusion of seniors.
$25,000
Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk
Year-Round Active Seniors Program
Seniors involved with the organization will organize and offer traditional on-land activities (harvesting) in order to engage seniors in the community through the mentoring of others.
$25,000
K'asho Got'ine Housing Society
Elders Supporting Kádúyi´le
Seniors involved with the organization will help with the implementation and operations of KGHS programming in order to promote volunteerism among seniors and other generations.
$11,562
Paulatuk Community Corporation
Elders and Youth on the Land in Paulatuk
Seniors involved with the organization will organize and offer traditional Inuvialuit on-land activities in order to engage seniors in the community through the mentoring of others.
$25,000
Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre/NTNU CFC
A Seniors Hot Lunch at your Doorstep Program
Seniors involved with the organization will partake in distribution of hot meals to and friendly chats with isolated elders in order to support the social participation and inclusion of seniors.
$18,667
Teetl'it Gwich'in Band Council
Loving our Elders
Seniors involved will organize sharing circles, on-land activities and events to engage seniors and youth in order to support the social participation and inclusion of seniors.
$25,000
The Tree of Peace Friendship Centre
Elder Eagle Program
Seniors involved with the organization will share their gifts, offer mentorship to youth and connect with one another to support the social
participation and inclusion of seniors.
$25,000
Tlicho Government
Oral History Preservation Project
Seniors involved with the organization will organize and plan cultural knowledge preservation in order to engage seniors in the community through the mentoring of others.
$25,000
Tlicho Leagia Ts’iili Ko
Re-Imagining Elder Abuse Responses
Seniors involved with the organization will create an elder circle, advocate for elders and deliver workshops on abuse in order to expand awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse.
$25,000
Uncle Gabe's Friendship Centre
Beading by Virtual Coal Oil Lamp
Seniors involved with the organization will organize and offer virtual and in-person arts/crafts sessions in order to engage seniors in the community through the mentoring of others.
$25,000
Yellowknives Dene First Nation
Strengthening our Communities with Elders Guidance
Seniors involved with the organization will promote safety and support elder workshops and cultural programs in order to support the social participation and inclusion of seniors.
$25,000
Hay River Health and Social Services Authority
Tower Garden -Bringing the Outdoors In
The organization will purchase a tower garden and gardening equipment to allow seniors to participate in gardening activities in order to
support the social participation and inclusion of seniors.
$5,000
St. John's Anglican Church
Video Conferencing Technology for Community Hall
The organization will purchase a projector, screen and webcam to offer live streaming to allow seniors to participate from home in order to support the social participation and inclusion of seniors.
$1,850
Yellowknife Curling Club
Senior Curling Yellowknife 2020/2021
Seniors involved with the organization will create an opportunity to get physically active and promote healthy ageing by curling in order to support the social participation and inclusion of seniors.
$2,25
