MAPLE RIDGE– NDP MLAs Lisa Beare and Bob D’Eith say a new grant will benefit seniors and help them live active, socially engaged and independent lives by making Maple Ridge more age-friendly.

“The 2024 BC Summer Games will be an exciting time here in Maple Ridge, and I am glad that we are creating more opportunities for seniors to participate as volunteers,” said Lisa Beare, MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows. “By helping seniors to stay connected to their community, we are making Maple Ridge a great place to live, at any age.”

Maple Ridge will receive $9,700 for their Volunteer Engagement project for seniors in Maple Ridge. The goal is to engage seniors, reduce barriers to participation where feasible and to connect seniors who wish to volunteer for the 2024 BC Summer Games.

“Connecting seniors with the greater community not only improves their quality of life, but it also creates and strengthen intergenerational relationships across Maple Ridge,” said Bob D’Eith, MLA for Maple Ridge-Mission. “Stronger relationships make our community stronger for everyone.”

Through the Age-friendly Communities (AFC) Program, a total of $500,000 in age-friendly grants are being awarded across 25 communities in B.C. this year, with 6 Indigenous communities being among the grant recipients. The AFC Program is a partnership between the provincial government and BC Healthy Communities Society (BCHC), which is a provincewide not-for-profit organization that facilitates the ongoing development of healthy, thriving and resilient communities.

The New Democrat government continues to make BC more age-friendly, through the Age-friendly BC Strategy, in collaboration with key stakeholders, to engage, strengthen and support communities to prepare for an aging population that can age actively in place.

Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HLTH0142-001809