NEWS	June 23, 2009

 

Ontario is helping provide seniors with more opportunities to stay active, healthy and involved in their communities.

The province is investing more than $1.2 million to expand its Elderly Persons Centres program, which supports the maintenance, operations and programming of senior centres across the province. These centres serve as vital community hubs that provide health, social and recreational programs to promote wellness for seniors.

This investment brings the number of Elderly Persons Centres receiving funding from 226 last year to 260. According to the Older Adult Centres Association of Ontario (OACAO), seniors centres serve 160,000 seniors across the province and rely on 27,000 volunteers.

 

QUOTES

“Ontario is committed to creating more age-friendly communities across the province. This investment will provide seniors with more opportunities to stay active and engaged in their communities.”
— Aileen Carroll, Minister Responsible for Seniors

“The McGuinty government is pleased to help more Ontario seniors access quality programs and services through these new Elderly Persons Centres. Local centres support seniors as they continue to live independently in their communities.”
— David Caplan, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

“Ontario's support for York West provides us with a solid foundation to offer seniors in this community important programs that encourage and foster healthy, independent living.”
— Maggie Knap, Executive Director, York West Senior Citizens Centre

 

QUICK FACTS

• The OACAO partners with the Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat to deliver Seniors’ Information Fairs at seniors centres throughout Ontario. In 2008-09, OACAO coordinated the delivery of 35 Seniors Information Fairs.
• Creating Age-Friendly Communities is the theme for the 25^th Anniversary of Seniors Month in Ontario.

LEARN MORE

Find out more about Elderly Persons Centres, and Ontario’s Elderly Persons Centres Act

Learn more about the Older Adult Centres’ Association of Ontario

Read more about how Ontario is creating Age-Friendly Communities

 

Sarah Petrevan, Minister’s Office, (416) 325-1676 Lisa Robart, Communications Branch, (416) 212-3928	ontario.ca/seniors-news Disponible en français