Pilot project with the Government of New Brunswick will focus on helping seniors to be active, live safely and enjoy good health.

The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of addressing the needs of this growing and diverse population. Canada’s population is living longer than ever before, with our older adult population now outnumbering those under 15 years of age, and women making up the majority of Canadians over the age of 65.

Today, at the YMCA of Greater Moncton, the Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, and Brian Gallant, Premier of New Brunswick, announced the launch of the Healthy Seniors Pilot Project. As announced in Budget 2018, the Government of Canada will invest $75 million in this project to fund a range of applied research initiatives.

This project will help to improve understanding of the impacts of aging on our population, including the different challenges faced by women and men. It will focus on testing innovative solutions that support healthy aging and improve the quality of life of older adults. This includes ensuring that seniors are able to live safely in their homes, improving social and built environments, reducing health inequalities through community-level approaches, and encouraging healthy lifestyles.

This pilot project will provide useful information for provincial and territorial governments as well as stakeholders across the country on how to better support seniors in their homes, communities and care facilities.