ORANGEVILLE, ON — David Tilson, Member of Parliament for Dufferin-Caledon, today congratulated The Orangeville & District Senior Citizens Centre, on being selected to receive funding under the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) – Capital Funding. This will ensure that seniors in Dufferin will have the opportunity to participate and take an active leadership role within their community.

Total funding of $9, 965 has been provided for the project entitled Equipment Replacement. During a 12 month period, the Senior Centre will replace two stoves and two refrigerators with energy efficient models, as well as upgrade cooking pots, tables, and chairs.

“The Orangeville & District Senior Citizens’ Centre has the proud reputation of enhancing the quality of life for seniors in this community,” said Mr. Tilson. “I am pleased that this Federal New Horizons Capital Assistance funding will go towards the upgrades to the kitchen service facilities.”

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.

“The purpose of this Centre is to provide opportunities for social interaction amongst seniors,” says Pat Elmore, Executive Director of The Orangeville & District Senior Citizen Centre. “The kitchen amenities play a critical role in many of the programs and services and the New Horizons funding is making much needed upgrades possible.”

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:
www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/community_partnerships/seniors/index.shtml.