General News

Simcoe County updates age-friendly grant program

October 27, 2023   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The County of Simcoe is once again providing $500,000 in funding to support eligible applicants in creating 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 funds projects that incorporate accessible, adaptable, and inclusive designs which allow seniors to continue to live independently in their communities for as long as possible.

“We know that our seniors have created the strong, vibrant region that we are proud to live in today,” said Simcoe County Warden Basil Clarke in a statement issued earlier this year. “That’s why we are enhancing support services and resources to meet the needs of our aging population and working hard to address affordable housing in our area. Since this program began in 2018, we have provided annual funding through the Age-Friendly Seniors Housing Grant, and I am thrilled to say that we have been able to support almost 300 projects through this innovative program. We look forward to working with our community through these grants to help grow the availability of age-friendly accommodations across the County of Simcoe.”

In September of 2023, County Council received a report on the Age-Friendly Housing Grant’s performance.

In 2023, there were 110 applicants. The County was able to support 83 projects. These include 50 bathroom modifications, 16 stair lifts, 16 ramps, handrails or entranceways, and one dementia modification.

Grants are awarded in three areas: accessible housing design for seniors, design for individuals with dementia, and providing support services for housing that incorporates enhanced aspects of accessibility over and above compliance with the Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Over the past five years, the program has approved 346 housing renovations and seen an average of 31.5 per cent growth in the number of approved applications.

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