| NEWS RELEASE |
|
| June 2, 2008 | For
Immediate Release |
Yorkton-Melville
seniors groups receive New Horizons funding
Producers
have until April 30 to apply for 2008 program year
Yorkton-Melville Member of Parliament Garry Breitkreuz has announced that 12 seniors groups in his riding are receiving $136,851 in federal funding under the New Horizons for Seniors Program.
A total of 68 projects in Saskatchewan are receiving funding of $793,341 for equipment replacement, renovation, and for raising awareness of seniors abuse. The New Horizons program is part of a commitment made in the 2007 federal budget to help seniors groups meet the challenges of providing services and programs.
“This is the kind of government expenditure that goes directly to helping our local seniors,” says Breitkreuz. “It’s not an extravagant funding program because it delivers real dollars where they are needed most. This financial assistance provides a helping hand from a federal government that cares deeply about quality of life issues for Canada’s senior citizens.”
Budget 2008 and other recent federal initiatives are also addressing the needs of Canada's seniors through the introduction of a series of important measures that include:
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providing $13 million over three years to help seniors and others recognize the signs and symptoms of elder abuse and to provide information on what support is available;
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proposing to raise the current Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) earned income exemption to $3,500 from $500. This means that typical GIS recipients will be able to keep more of their hard-earned money without any reduction in GIS benefits;
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enabling 1.6 million low-income seniors to take advantage of increased monthly benefits available under the Guaranteed Income Supplement and to make a one-time application for GIS. As long as they file income tax returns every year, these seniors will never have to re-apply;
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providing more than $1 billion in tax relief to Canadian seniors and pensioners;
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allowing seniors to build their retirement savings in Registered Pension Plans and Registered Retirement Savings Plans for an extra two years until age 71; and
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raising the amount that seniors can claim under the age credit on their tax returns for 2007. With less income taxed, seniors save more.
Recipients in Yorkton-Melville are as follows:
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Churchbridge Evergreen Club
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Endeavour Golden Age Seniors
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Hudson Bay Seniors Centre
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Invermay Golden Age Club
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MacNutt Sunset Club
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Margo Silver Threads Senior Citizen Club
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Melville Senior Citizens Inc.
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Mistatim Golden Rods Society
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Norquay Involved Community Effort Senior Citizen Centre Inc.
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Rama Golden Jets Corp.
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Rose Valley Drop-in Centre Inc.
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Silver Social Club Corp., Stockholm
“Although the number of seniors in Canada is increasing steadily, this government wants to help make life for seniors more comfortable immediately,” explains Breitkreuz. “Their generation scrimped and saved to make this country what it is today, and our government believes that hard work should be recognized. Our seniors are a tremendous resource that must be protected and respected.”
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