New Horizons for Seniors Program

2020-04-18

From: Employment and Social Development Canada

Responding to COVID-19

All New Horizons for Seniors Program recipients

Please contact your funding representative if your project is affected by COVID-19.

Expansion of eligible activities for 2019-2020 community-based recipients

Effective immediately, Service Canada is offering 2019-2020 NHSP community-based recipients the flexibility to use their approved funding for activity expenditures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of the nature of the originally-approved project. Examples could include (but are not limited to) those that:

  • prevent seniors’ social isolation in a time of recommended social distancing / self-quarantine by promoting computer literacy and virtual activities among seniors;
  • support seniors who are self-isolating at home, including the delivery of food and medication or personalized monitoring of seniors to ensure their needs are met and to provide moral support (by phone and via online apps such as FaceTime and Zoom);
  • assist seniors to undertake essential activities, such as visits to the doctor;
  • assist community organizations to provide the types of support listed above, including hiring staff to replace a loss of volunteerism capacity due to the outbreak (many volunteers are seniors that need to self-isolate);
  • provide information to seniors regarding how to care for themselves during the pandemic; or
  • support the ability of seniors to stay connected with their community and their family, including through smart phones and tablets (for example iPhone and iPads) and remote tutorials by community organizations.

Extension of Final Report Deadline for 2018-2019 community-based recipients

Effective immediately, all 2018-2019 NHSP community-based recipients have an extension to the deadline for their Final Report. The new deadline is now December 31, 2020.

The growth in the population of seniors in Canada is accelerating. The total number of seniors is projected to reach approximately 10 million by 2036. Some of the goals of the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) are:

  • empowering seniors
  • encouraging them to share their knowledge, skills and experience with others in the community, and
  • enhancing seniors' social well-being and community vitality

The Program provides grants and contributions funding for projects that make a difference in the lives of seniors and in their communities.

The Program has 5 objectives:

  • promoting volunteerism among seniors and other generations
  • engaging seniors in the community through the mentoring of others
  • expanding awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse
  • supporting the social participation and inclusion of seniors
  • providing capital assistance for new and existing community projects and programs for seniors

The Program has 2 funding streams:

  1. Community-based grants that are either for activity-based or capital assistance projects.
  2. Pan-Canadian grants and contributions to support innovative projects that create a significant impact in communities and invest in large initiatives that meet the growing social needs of seniors.
    • Pan-Canadian project funding supports multi-year projects using collaborative and innovative approaches to address seniors issues.
    • Organizations can apply for projects up to 5 years duration under the pan-Canadian stream. The pan-Canadian stream will support the development and implementation of Collective Impact plans to increase the social inclusion of seniors.

This program is complemented by a range of policies, programs and services targeted at seniors, such as the Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security and the National Seniors Council.

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