County launches 2023 Age-Friendly Seniors Housing Grant Program

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The County of Simcoe is once again providing $500,000 in funding to support eligible applicants in creating additional age-friendly housing in Simcoe County.

“We know that our seniors have created the strong, vibrant region that we are proud to live in today. That’s why we are enhancing support services and resources to meet the needs of our aging population and working hard to address affordable housing in our area,” said Warden Basil Clarke. “Since this program began in 2018, we have provided annual funding through the Age-Friendly Seniors Housing Grant, and I am thrilled to say that we have been able to support almost 300 projects through this innovative program. We look forward to working with our community through these grants to help grow the availability of age-friendly accommodations across the County of Simcoe.”

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 funds 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 2023. 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. The deadline for 2023 application submissions is May 31, 2023. For further details, or to apply to the Age-Friendly Housing Seniors Grant program, please visit simcoe.ca/age-friendly.

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