Djeneba Dosso

LJI Reporter

As part of their recent New Horizons for Seniors program, the federal government is offering up to $25,000 in financial assistance toward the creation of community projects for elders. Loisir Sport Outaouais (LSO) is now calling on the Pontiac community to come to them with initiatives that will allow them to submit applications for funding. Normand Veillette, development agent at LSO is tasked with helping residents prepare their funding applications until the September 14 deadline. 

“The objective of this program is to get seniors out of isolation and to ensure they’re integrated into communities’ rural and urban development,” he said. 

The key is ensuring seniors are socializing while staying active and stimulated. Yoga, pétanque and arts and crafts workshops are examples of ideas suitable for pitching, according to Veillette, but he stresses that residents can and are encouraged to go further. 

“I know that Loisir Sport Outaouais is tasked with public leisure, but it can also be projects outside of leisure,” he said, encouraging Pontiac residents to help seniors acquire new skills. “You can hold trainings on financial fraud prevention and how to be wary of scams, or help seniors with technology like how to write an email, how to do their taxes or create a budget.”

Naturally, due to a limited budget, not all initiatives that are pitched will receive financial assistance. Veillette’s assumption is that the activities that require seniors to leave their home daily and those catered to English-speaking communities of the Pontiac are more likely to be approved. As a linguistic minority, their struggle to get out of isolation is increased, which emphasizes their need for community. “Pontiac is favoured by its economic vitality and linguistic minority, because there are many anglophones in a large francophone margin in Quebec.” The same rule applies to people with reduced mobility or with a handicap. “We often forget that there are facilities for people with disabilities and reduced mobility, so municipalities can think about that too,” he said, adding residents should try to refrain from pitching activities that are already active through NPOs or municipal funding.

Pontiac residents who apply may also potentially be signing up to oversee, organize and run the activity for seniors. If their pitch gets picked up they will also be the first point of contact with the funding agency. Online applications can be filed through the Canada.ca website until September 14. Veillette, who can be reached by calling 819-983-1745 or by emailing nveillette@urlso.qc.ca for more information on funding applications, stresses the importance of this initiative for seniors.  

“We must aim to hire professionals who will help seniors to blossom and make a difference for them.”