Permanent funding to help seniors connect
Amherstburg and Kingsville will be splitting $100,000 in new funding for seniors to help improve their quality of life.
“As we know, public enemy number one for seniors is social isolation,” Ontario Minister of Seniors and Accessibility Raymond Cho told a gathering at the Kingsville Community Centre Wednesday morning.
He was in town to help seniors become more active in their golden years.
The Kingsville Community Centre will be getting $50,000 to establish a permanent seniors’ active living centre.
“It will lead to more services and more permanent services,” proclaimed Essex MPP Anthony Leardi.
Organizers say things like Tai Chi, guitar lessons, scrap booking and even yarn socials help enhance social and spiritual wellness.
“In order to expand our programming beyond these walls, in order to elevate the level of programming, funding definitely helps,” said Kim Deyong, program director at the community centre who appreciates the permanent funding. “It will allow continuation with confidence but also expansion.”
The Kingsville Community Centre is located at the back of the Kingsville Community Church on Division Road north. Activities take place at the centre and in the surrounding community.
“The Kingsville Community Centre gets to expand their programs while also using already great spaces in the community that are accessible and we're just going to fill them up with activities,” Deyong said.
Tai Chi is one of those activities. The program started with only 12 people but now attracts over 100 people to every session.
Thanks to the funding, a new class will be offered in Cottam beginning April 11.
According to Cho, the province has over 300 senior active living centres and is looking to add 17 more this year.
“My plan is to double the number. Try to bring 600. It takes time,” said Cho, who also visited the Amherstburg Active Living Centre on Victoria Street to share the funding announcement. “Seniors, they deserve their dignity, respect and they have a new world through the senior activity living centre.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Parents of infant who died in wrong-way crash on Ontario's Hwy. 401 were in same vehicle
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.
Galen Weston pushes back on 'misguided criticism' of Loblaw as boycott begins
Loblaw chairman Galen Weston, as well as the company's new chief executive, pushed back on what they called 'misguided criticism' of the grocer as a boycott against the company gains steam online.
Three Quebec men from same family father hundreds of children
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
B.C. mayor stripped of budget, barred from committees over Indigenous residential schools book
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
'Giant-killer' Kazushi Kimura to race in Kentucky Derby this weekend: 'I'm representing Canada and Japan'
Six years ago, at age 18, Kazushi Kimura left his home and family behind in Hokkaido, Japan to chase a dream. This weekend, he'll ride in the Kentucky Derby.
Quebec premier asks police to dismantle camp at McGill University
Quebec Premier Francois Legault has called on the police to dismantle the pro-Palestinian protest encampment on the lower field of McGill University's downtown campus in Montreal.
Orangutan observed treating wound using medicinal plant in world first
Scientists working in Indonesia have observed an orangutan intentionally treating a wound on their face with a medicinal plant, the first time this behavior has been documented.
TD Bank hit with $9.2M penalty after failing to report suspicious transactions
Canada’s financial-crime watchdog has levied a $9.2-million penalty against The Toronto-Dominion Bank for non-compliance with money laundering and terrorist financing measures as the bank also faces compliance investigations in the U.S.
Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of U.S. dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.