General News » Headline News » News

County grant program funds age-friendly housing

April 7, 2022   ·   0 Comments

For the fourth year in a row, the County of Simcoe is providing $500,000 in funding to support eligible applicants to create additional age-friendly housing in Simcoe County.

The grant program was recommended within the Simcoe County 2018-2023 Positive Aging Strategy, which identified a number of recommendations for the County and its municipalities to prepare for the region’s aging population.

The program will fund projects that incorporate accessible, adaptable and inclusive designs which allow seniors to continue to live independently in their communities for as long as possible.

“The County is working hard to address affordable housing in our area, including enhancing support services and resources to meet the needs of our aging population,” said County Warden George Cornell. “Since 2018, we have provided annual funding through the Age-Friendly Seniors Housing Grant, and we are pleased to have supported almost 200 projects through this innovative program. We encourage eligible applicants to apply and help grow the availability of age-friendly accommodations in our region.”

Grants will be awarded under three categories: Accessible housing design for seniors, design for individuals with dementia, and the provision of support services for housing that incorporates enhanced aspects of accessibility over and above compliance with the Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and building code standards for residential units.

Applicants eligible for this grant include those completing housing projects located within Simcoe County, excluding the cities of Barrie and Orillia.

Applicants can be homeowners of principal residences or developers who wish to include accessible, adaptable, and inclusive design modifications for occupants aged 60 or older.

Grant amounts will be distributed based on the number of applications received and ability to meet funding criteria.

An age-friendly grant selection sub-committee will evaluate each grant submission in accordance with established evaluation criteria and make recommendations to the Simcoe County Age-Friendly Advisory Committee for endorsement.

Since 2018, 75 per cent of all applicants to the grant program have been successful and received County support.

The deadline for 2022 application submissions is June 30, 2022.

For further details and to apply, visit: www.simcoe.ca/LongTermCare/Pages/Age-Friendly-Senior-Housing-Grant-Program.aspx.

By Brian Lockhart

Readers Comments (0)