County opens 2021 age-friendly seniors housing grant program
The County of Simcoe is providing the regional housing market for seniors a boost with the 2021 Age-Friendly Seniors Housing Grant Program.
County council recently approved $500,000 in annual funding towards this program to support eligible applicants in creating age-friendly housing.
“The county is committed to enhancing support services and resources that address our aging population and affordable housing needs,” said Warden George Cornell. “This grant program aligns with our age-friendly strategy to assist our residents in living independently as long as possible, while encouraging property owners to build and retrofit their spaces with age-friendly designs and features.”
The grant program was recommended within the Simcoe County 2018-2023 Positive Aging Strategy, which identified a number of recommendations for the county and its municipalities to prepare for the region’s aging population. The program will fund projects that incorporate accessible, adaptable and inclusive designs, which allow seniors to continue to live independently in their communities for as long as possible.
Grants will be awarded under three streams: accessible housing design for seniors; design for individuals with dementia; and the provision of support services for housing that incorporates enhanced aspects of accessibility over and above compliance with the Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and building code standards for residential units.
Applicants eligible for this grant include those completing housing projects located within Simcoe County (excluding the cities of Barrie and Orillia). Applicants who were successful in obtaining an Age-Friendly Seniors Housing grant in the past three years are not eligible to apply in 2021. Applicants can be homeowners of principal residences or developers, who wish to include accessible, adaptable and inclusive design modifications for occupants aged 60 or older. Grant amounts will be distributed based on the number of applications received and ability to meet funding criteria.
An age-friendly grant selection sub-committee will evaluate each grant submission in accordance with established evaluation criteria and make recommendations to the Simcoe County Age-Friendly Advisory Committee for endorsement.
The deadline for 2021 application submissions is June 30, 2021. For further details, or to apply to the Age-Friendly Housing Seniors Grant program, please visit www.simcoe.ca/LongTermCare/Pages/Age-Friendly-Seniors-Housing-Grant-Program.aspx.
