Powell River – Seniors on the Sunshine Coast will benefit from greater accessibility and a higher quality of life thanks to age-friendly grants coming to two communities, announced New Democrat MLA Nicholas Simons.
“Accessible health services, connections with neighbours, options for physical activity all help make graceful ageing more possible,” said Simons. “These grants ensure older people will have local champions to encourage them to continue to play an active role in the community.”
The Powell River Seniors Coalition is receiving a grant to address the key priority areas outlined in their age-friendly community plan, and the District of Sechelt, Sunshine Coast Regional District, and Town of Gibsons will partner on an age-friendly and accessible trails guide.
The local investment is part of the approximately $587,000 in age-friendly grants being provided to B.C. communities in 2018. Simons said the number of communities receiving grants has almost doubled since 2017 and that he’s glad that people in his riding will benefit from projects focused on accessibility, physical activity and aging well.
The age-friendly communities grant program is a partnership between the Province and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities and in September 2017, local governments were invited to apply. Simons said these age-friendly grants will work to accommodate the changing needs of older residents on the Sunshine Coast while also contributing to the creation of sustainable, healthy communities for all British Columbians.
The following organizations are recipients of the 2018 age-friendly community planning and project grants:
Powell River
Project: Seniors for Seniors: Powell River Seniors Coalition
Amount: $15,000
Details: The Seniors for Seniors Action Table will meet to discuss local barriers to age-friendly communities, plan and implement initiatives and advocate for policies and programs in their neighbourhoods. Several engagement meetings will identify champions in the community to join the table that will work closely with the City of Powell River advocating on behalf of seniors and assist in addressing the key priority areas outlined in the Age-Friendly Community Plan.
Sechelt
Project: Age-friendly Trails Guide
Amount: $15,000
Details: The District of Sechelt, Sunshine Coast Reginal District and Town of Gibsons will partner on an age-friendly/accessible trails guide, which will identify existing accessible trail networks and user-friendly accesses to parks, neighbourhoods and other amenities on the Sunshine Coast. The guide will highlight trails that are welcoming to all ages and people with diverse levels of mobility and endurance. The project builds on Sechelt’s 2012 recognition as an age-friendly community.
Today’s announcement builds on other significant investments the new government is making to support seniors:
- investing $548 million over three years to improve care for seniors: adding more specialized primary care services, helping seniors stay in their homes longer with home and community care, and improving the quality of care in residential care homes;
- increasing support from the Shelter Aid for Elderly Residents (SAFER) rental assistance program by an average of $930 per year;
- expanding Fair PharmaCare coverage, including eliminating deductibles for families with net annual incomes under $30,000;
- and launching a new surgical strategy to reduce wait times for hip and knee surgeries by increasing the number of surgeries performed in 2018-19 by 34%.
Learn More:
More information about age-friendly BC can be found by visiting: http://www.gov.bc.ca/agefriendly