Good News for Seniors in Budget 2011

The Conservative Government values what seniors have done for this country and is helping them meet their needs.

This year, Canadians will receive close to $72 billion in benefits through the Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).

Over the years, the GIS has contributed significantly to reducing poverty among Canadian seniors. In fact, the incidence of poverty among seniors in Canada has dropped from a rate of 21 percent in 1980 to 5.2 percent in 2009.

The Conservative Government strives to ensure that this positive trend continues. This is why it introduced new measures through Budget 2011 to improve the financial security of older Canadians, expand their opportunities and enhance their quality of life.

Beginning this month, seniors with little or no income other than the Old Age Security and the GIS will receive additional benefits up to $600 for single seniors and up to $840 for couples per year — the most significant increase for the lowest-income seniors in over 25 years.

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This will improve the financial security of more than 680,000 of Canada’s most vulnerable seniors, many of whom are women.

The Government also wants to support seniors in staying active and involved in their communities. For this reason, they are building on the success of the very popular New Horizons for Seniors Program by providing an additional $10 million over two years.

Since 2006, the Government of Canada has taken action on many issues important to seniors including:

· providing Canadians with close to $72 billion this year through Canada’s public pension system;

· providing $2.3 billion annually in additional tax relief to seniors and pensioners through measures such as pension income splitting and increasing the Age Credit;

· providing $400 million over two years under Budget 2009 for the construction of housing units for low-income seniors;

· supporting positive and active aging through the collaborative Age Friendly Communities Initiative, Physical Activity Tips for Older Adults, and falls prevention initiatives;

· appointing a Minister of State (Seniors)—someone who can bring the concerns of older Canadians to the Cabinet table and stand up on their behalf;

· establishing October 1st as National Seniors Day to recognize the significant and ongoing contributions seniors make to families, communities, workplaces and society;

· creating the National Seniors Council in 2007 to provide advice to the federal government on matters related to the well-being and quality of life of seniors; and

· investing $13 million over three years in support of the Federal Elder Abuse Initiative (FEAI), which successfully concluded on March 31, 2011. Building on the momentum created through the FEAI, which featured an awareness campaign, the Government of Canada remains active in addressing elder abuse through the New Horizons for Seniors Program.

As seniors enjoy the opportunities and meet the challenges that come with getting older, the Conservative Government will continue to do its part.

Randy Hoback, MP
Prince Albert