Vancouver, British Columbia, October 14, 2011 —The Government of Canada is offering to help communities protect seniors from elder abuse.

The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, announced today that the government is seeking applications for elder abuse prevention projects under the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP).

“Our government is committed to supporting the well-being of seniors and we are proud to assist organizations working to improve the lives of seniors,” said Minister Wong. “These projects will ultimately help seniors protect themselves from the many forms of elder abuse, including fraud and financial abuse.”

On October 17, 2011, the program will begin accepting proposals for pan-Canadian projects that address elder abuse. Organizations with eligible projects can receive up to $250,000 per year in contribution or grant funding, for up to a maximum of three years. The application deadline is November 25, 2011.

“We pledged in the Speech from the Throne that our government will do more to support our seniors – such as combatting elder abuse in all its forms and raising awareness of this serious issue,” added Minister Wong.

For more information about this call for proposals and the NHSP, please visit www.hrsdc.gc.ca/seniors.