January 30, 2008

FORT McMURRAY, ALBERTA — Mr. Brian Jean, Member of Parliament for Fort McMurray-Athabasca, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Honourable Marjory LeBreton, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Secretary of State (Seniors), congratulates the Sucker Creek Elders Society and the Boyle and District History Book Society on being selected to receive funding under the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP). This will help to ensure that seniors will have the opportunity to participate and take an active leadership role within their community.

Total funding of $12,710 is being provided for the Sucker Creek Elder’s Society project entitled “Where Do We Go from Here”. Total funding of $25,000 is being provided for the Boyle and District History Book Society project entitled “Pages from the Past”.

“The Government of Canada is proud to support seniors in strengthening our communities and building our country,” said Mr. Jean. “These projects will encourage seniors to continue sharing their skills, wisdom and experience.”

In Budget 2007, the Government of Canada announced an additional investment of $10 million per year for two new components of the NHSP, in order to raise awareness of elder abuse, and to provide 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:

establishing the National Seniors Council to advise the Government on issues of importance to older Canadians;

• 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;
• providing more than $1 billion in tax relief to Canadian seniors and pensioners in Budget 2007;
• enabling seniors to build their retirement savings in Registered Pension Plans and Registered Retirement Savings Plans for an extra two years until age 71; and
• 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 launch, the NHSP has funded over 2,600 projects across Canada, inspiring seniors to bring their leadership, energy and skills to projects that benefit our communities. For more information about the Program, please visit http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/community_partnerships/seniors/index.shtml.