$17 Million Increase in Funding Supporting Opening of More Than 100 New Seniors Active Living Centres
December 11, 2024
BEAMSVILLE – The Ontario government has announced the largest single-year expansion for Seniors Active Living Centres in its history. Ontario is increasing funding by $17 million to expand services and activities and adding up to 100 new Seniors Active Living Centre programs across the province over the next year.
"Seniors Active Living Centres are an important part of the community," said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.
"This increase in provincial funding will support seniors in Niagara with services, activities and programs and help ensure older adults in our region stay connected all year long."
"This is the largest single-year investment in Seniors Active Living Centres by any government in Ontario's history," said Hon. Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility.
"This shows Premier Ford's and our entire government’s commitment to keeping our seniors fit, active, healthy and socially connected in their communities."
The government is investing up to $17 million extra over three years, beginning in 2024-25, increasing the number of Seniors Active Living Centres across Ontario from 316 to 416, expanding access to services for seniors and those with disabilities in underserved communities. A call for proposals was launched in July 2024 and successful new Seniors Active Living Centre recipients will be announced starting in early 2025.
Due to the overwhelming success of the more than 300 Seniors Active Living Centres, recent changes in effect this year now enable more types of organizations to deliver Seniors Active Living Centre programs, including municipalities, non-profit corporations, registered charities, Indigenous groups, Legions, Lions Clubs and recreational clubs.
These changes are one more way the province is meeting the needs of Ontario's aging population and better supporting the people who care for seniors by improving and expanding supports for seniors no matter where they live.
In 2024, the Ontario government invested $624,788 for thirteen Seniors Active Living Centres in Niagara. In Niagara West, the funding supported seniors programming at the Livingston Activity Centre in Grimsby, Lincoln Community Centre in Beamsville and Meridian Community Centre in Fonthill.
Quick Facts:
On June 1, 2024, changes to the Seniors Active Living Centres Act, 2017 came into effect letting more types of organizations provide the twenty percent contribution requirements towards Seniors Active Living Centre programs' operating costs. A call for proposals for organizations to deliver Seniors Active Living Centre programming opened on July 16, 2024.
Funding for the expansion was approved in the 2024 Fall Economic Statement.
- Seniors Active Living Centre programs will be able to request up to $55,000 for maintenance and operating costs, an increase from the previous maximum of $50,000 in 2024 and up from $42,700 in base funding from 2023.
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