Age Friendly Thunder Bay gets $50,000 planning grant

THUNDER BAY – By 2036, it is estimated adults over the age of 60 will represent 33 per cent of the population in the Thunder Bay district.

As the population continues to age, the city and Lakehead Social Planning Council are looking to develop a community wide action plan to address the needs of seniors.

The Age Friendly Thunder Bay steering committee, in partnership with the Lakehead Social Planning Council, announced Wednesday morning they will receive $50,000 age-friendly community planning grant from the province to develop a community wide age-friendly action plan.

Marie Klassen, director of services for the Lakehead Social Planning Council, said the creation of the action plan will help coordinate how to make Thunder Bay a more accessible and inclusive city for seniors.

“It means the quality of life for our senior population is enhanced. There’s safety, there’s recreation opportunities and I think the main thing is access to the things the World Health Organization has defined as the components of an age-friendly community,” Klassen said.

“It gives us a guideline. It’s a formula and framework for implementing the recommendations of the work that’s going to be done. I think we’re perhaps halfway there. Aligning this particular piece with the work of the city and its age-friendly plan is going to enhance and complement the work that’s already been done.”

Launched in 2009 and comprised of the city and more than 20 community organizations, Age Friendly Thunder Bay has worked to identify issues facing the senior population and promote inclusion of seniors. The committee also communicates to the city to advise policy implementation.

In June the five-year age friendly city services action plan was released to demonstrate the city’s measures to become more age-friendly within its responsibilities, such as ensuring city buildings are adequate for seniors and that community centres offer appropriate programming.

Coun. Rebecca Johnson, who is the Age Friendly Thunder Bay chair, said the provincial funding will help bring the process to the next step.

“We’ve been working on a lot of things over the past six years but now we need a plan that will work with what the city services action plan but be at the community base,” Johnson said.

“Seniors are a growing population. The demographic of seniors throughout Canada and the world is increasing steadily and we need to start addressing their needs. People are living longer, a new senior has more money and they are looking for and actually demanding new plans to be put into place for their futures.”

Community consultation, including a summit next year, will be held to identify specific issues targeted in the action plan.

Johnson listed transportation, safety, community involvement, health issues and housing as priorities that affect quality of life for seniors.
Shuniah and Kenora will both also receive $25,000 grants from the province.