Terry Sheehan

Sheehan announces funds for projects in Sault Ste. Marie through the New Horizons for Seniors Program

Canadians deserve to age with dignity. That comes down to choice, to affordability, to inclusion, and to community. The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) creates those opportunities for seniors to be more connected, supported and active members of their communities.

Today, Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, announced investment of over to $67,000 for four community-based projects in the community:

The Superior Adult Learning Centre will receive up to $25,000 toward their Everyday Digital Skills for Seniors program. Seniors involved with the organization will participate in digital training in order to promote digital literacy and independence allowing seniors to be more secure and better equipped to spot technology based financial crimes, raising awareness of elder abuse issues and social and community engagement to seniors, helping support community involvement and reducing feelings of isolation.
The Ontario Finnish Resthome Association will receive up to $18,873 toward its Inclusive Outdoor Horticultural Therapy Project. The organization will purchase twelve accessible planters to allow seniors living with mobility issues to continue to participate in outdoor gardening activities and improve their social connection with other seniors.
City of Sault Ste. Marie will receive up to $18,548 for upgrades to the Bay Street Active Living Centre. The organization will renovate the main hall by upgrading the sound system, install safety features, and purchase new chairs to allow seniors to continue to offer activities such as exercise classes, workshops, and dancing.
The Sault Ste. Marie Museum and the Sault Ste. Marie Sault Ste. Marie and 49th Field Regiment RCA Historical Society will receive up to $5,216 towards museum programming for seniors with dementia. Seniors involved with the organization will host group sessions focused on object handling of items from the past to promote social participation, interaction and stimulate the memories of those with dementia and remove barriers leading to less isolation.

These projects will help seniors stay active, informed and socially connected in their community. This funding was awarded through the most recent call for proposals for community-based projects through the New Horizons for Seniors Program.

As part of the 2024–25 NHSP Community-based call for proposals, organizations were encouraged to apply for funding to deliver projects that support the national priorities for this cycle. These included:

supporting healthy aging;
preventing senior abuse;
celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion; and
supporting financial security.

The NHSP funds a wide variety of projects, such as online computer classes, financial literacy and fraud prevention education, meal deliveries, and the purchase of equipment to help keep seniors informed, connected and engaged.

QUOTES

“Seniors deserve to live life to the fullest as they with dignity. These local investments with the New Horizons for Seniors Programs will help local seniors stay healthy, social, and connected. By participating in these projects, seniors in our city can lead fulfilling lives and remain engaged members of our communities.”

-Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services and FedNor

“We are grateful for the continued support from the New Horizons for Seniors program. This new funding will help us bring our 1-on-1 digital tutoring services into community housing and recreation hubs in Sault Ste. Marie.”

-Martin Wyant, Executive Director, Superior Adult Learning

“OFRA is so very grateful for receiving this New Horizons for Seniors Program grant to increase and improve our horticultural activities and resources for all of our residents! Being outdoors to garden and enjoy nature is so very important to one’s overall health and mood, and with these 12 Green Circle Gardens, all residents, regardless of ability, will be able to use and benefit from them. We know it will promote socialization, physical activity, and cognitive stimulation, which all lead to happier, healthier seniors.”

-Heidi Slotegraaf, The Ontario Finnish Resthome Association

We are very excited to have received a grant through the New Horizons for Seniors Program. The funding will allow us to enhance our main hall with a new sound system, padding for pillars and new chairs to support the wide range of programs offered. The upgrades, combined with better audio clarity, will create a comfortable and more enjoyable environment for our 55+ participants.

-Virginia McLeod, Manager of Recreation and Culture, City of Sault Ste. Marie

"The Sault Ste. Marie Museum is extremely grateful to the New Horizons for Seniors Program for the funding provided. This funding will allow us to engage with an important part of our community and work closely with our partner the Alzheimer's Society. The Museum will create specialized programming allowing these members to engage with our collections and exhibits in a new and unique way reliving memories of the past in relation to the present."

-William Hollingshead Exec. Director & Chief Curator, Sault Ste. Marie Museum

QUICK FACTS

Seniors are one of Canada’s fastest-growing population groups. They will represent almost 25% of the population by 2057 and could reach close to 11 million people within 15 years.
The New Horizons for Seniors Program Community-based stream invests in projects that help seniors stay active and engaged in their communities. Organizations are eligible to receive up to $25,000 in grant funding.
Program funding supports projects that address one or more of the program’s five objectives: promoting volunteering among seniors and other generations, engaging seniors through the mentoring of others, expanding awareness of elder abuse, supporting social participation and inclusion of seniors and providing capital assistance for new and existing community projects and programs for seniors.
Project proposals are targeted to vulnerable senior populations, including Indigenous seniors, seniors with disabilities, members of racialized and newcomer groups, members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, low-income seniors, veterans, members of official language minority communities and people who primarily speak languages other than English or French.
Since its inception in 2004, the program has funded over 40,000 local projects and broader reaching initiatives in hundreds of communities across Canada with the Government of Canada investing more than $850 million.
Every year, organizations are invited to apply for NHSP Community-based funding through a call for proposals. The projects announced today were approved as part of the 2024–25 call for proposals that was launched on August 1, 2024, and closed on September 12, 2024.

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