Ontario to Recognize Outstanding Age-Friendly Communities

Province Introduces New Age-Friendly Community Recognition Program

Ontario is launching a program to recognize communities across the province that have made outstanding progress to be inclusive and accessible for people of all ages.

Minister of Seniors Affairs Dipika Damerla made the announcement today at the Barrie Chamber of Commerce. The province’s new Age-Friendly Community Recognition Program recognizes communities and municipalities like Barrie that are working to meet the needs of Ontario’s growing seniors population by being inclusive, accessible and promoting the health and wellbeing of community members.

Healthy, active aging is vital to the wellbeing of Ontario’s diverse communities of seniors. Age-friendly communities provide all residents with services that support healthy aging, including safe and accessible public parks and community centres, recreation programming to help local seniors stay active and engaged and walkable communities that make it easier for people to get around.

Helping communities across Ontario support our growing seniors’ population is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.

QUICK FACTS

• Nominations for the Ontario Age-Friendly Community Recognition Program will open in fall 2017.
• There are more seniors aged 65 and over than children under the age of 15 in both Ontario and across Canada.
• There are more than two million seniors in Ontario, and this number is expected to double in the next 25 years.
• Supporting age-friendly communities is part of Ontario’s Action Plan for Seniors, which includes an Age-Friendly Community Planning Guide and other supports to help communities better meet the needs of the province’s aging population.
• Provincial recognition as an age-friendly community will also qualify a community for federal age-friendly community endorsement.
• Qualifying communities will also be eligible for international endorsement through the World Health Organization’s Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Seniors’ Guide to Programs and Services
• Age-friendly community planning