Seniors To Benefit From Age-Friendly Grants

Seniors in 25 communities throughout B.C. - including Campbell River and Comox – will benefit from grants for policies and projects that will support leading active and independent lives in their communities.

“Our government is committed to creating opportunities for more older adults in B.C. to be actively engaged within their communities and stay connected in the ways that matter to them and keep them healthy,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health.

“Every year, I look forward to seeing the plans and projects from these grants come to fruition because they help more communities across the province become more age-friendly. I thank the BC Healthy Communities Society for its work on promoting the Age-friendly Communities program and helping people develop their ideas that will benefit seniors in their local neighbourhoods.”

Through the Age-friendly Communities (AFC) program, a total of $500,000 in age-friendly grants are being awarded across 25 communities in B.C. this year. Six Indigenous communities are among the grant recipients.

Campbell River will be getting $25 thousand to develop an official community plan with the inclusion of age-friendly planning principles focusing on food security, social participation and inclusion, and emergency planning.

Comox will receive $20,600 for a project to support and strengthen relationships between older adults and young families in Comox neighbourhoods.

“People of all ages benefit from intergenerational connections, where they can support and learn from each other, and broaden their horizons,” said Ronna-Rae Leonard, MLA for Courtenay-Comox.

“Through using this grant funding to help support connections between young families and seniors in Comox, the town is helping make life changing connections and friendships.”

The AFC program has two grant streams to help local and Indigenous governments achieve the vision of building age-friendly communities.

Stream 1 focuses on completing age-friendly assessments and action plans, such as for Campbell River; and Stream 2 focuses on implementing age-friendly projects identified in a community’s action plan for programs, services, or initiatives.

The AFC program is a partnership between the provincial government and BC Healthy Communities Society (BCHC), which is a provincewide not-for-profit organization that facilitates the ongoing development of healthy, thriving, and resilient communities.

To see the full release, visit Government of British Columbia.