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Backgrounder
May 3, 2006
ONTARIO’S COMMITMENT TO SENIORS
Ontario’s seniors population is expected to more than double to 3.2 million by 2028. The government of Ontario has been investing to help meet the challenges and opportunities posed by the province’s aging population, including:
- Investing more than $70 million in Ontario’s Strategy for Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias, and Ontario’s Strategy to Combat Elder Abuse. Both Strategies are the first of their kind in Canada and both are excellent examples of government working collaboratively with seniors groups and service providers.
- Our plan for long-term care homes is making a positive difference in the lives of the residents and their families. Among many needed reforms, we’ve instituted a 1-866 LTC Action Line. Seniors and concerned family and friends now have a number to call if they have a concern or wish to register a complaint about a LTC Home.
- Investing an additional $155 million in new funding this year for long-term care homes, bringing the overall LTC Homes program budget to $2.84 billion for the 2006/07 fiscal year.
- Increasing the number of cataract surgeries by 16 per cent and increasing the number of hip and knee replacements by 28 per cent by December 2006.
- Partnering with the Federal Government to invest more than $600 million for up to 15,000 new units of affordable housing, and provide rent subsidies for up to 5,000 lower income households. Ontario seniors will be among those who benefit from more affordable housing, and new housing projects targeted to seniors are already underway. The first wave of new funding was allocated to municipalities in August 2005.
- Increasing the Ontario Property Tax Credit for Seniors by 25 per cent from $500 to $625. This means over 650,000 senior families will benefit from $86 million in additional property tax support.
- Passed legislation to end mandatory retirement effective December 2006.
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Contact:
David Oved, Minister’s Office, (416) 314-1400
Donna Piasentini, Communications Branch, (416) 314-7242 |
