REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: October 20, 2015 Report No. DEV-15-053
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Marlene Lagoa, Community Development Coordinator
SUBJECT:
Title
2016 Age-friendly Community Planning & Project Grants Application
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council support an application to the 2016 Age-friendly Community Planning & Project Grant for $20,000 to conduct a needs assessment of seniors living in Esquimalt and direct staff to provide overall management of the grant.
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RELEVANT POLICY:
Council's Strategic Priorities 2015 - 2019: Official Community Plan Review
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
The age-friendly community planning grant would be used to conduct a needs assessment of seniors in Esquimalt to inform the review of the Official Community Plan.
BACKGROUND:
The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), on behalf of the Ministry of Health, is accepting applications for funding of up to $20,000 from the 2016 Age-Friendly Community Planning and Project Grants program. Staff recommends that the Township conduct a comprehensive assessment of the status of seniors in Esquimalt to help inform the review and revision of the Official Community Plan (OCP).
The Township has already undertaken two initiatives to make the community more inclusive for its seniors. In 2012 the Township of Esquimalt was recognized as an Age-friendly Community by the Ministry of Health. That same year, Esquimalt also received funding from the Age-friendly Community Planning & Project Grant to establish the outdoor Esquimalt Active Park adjacent to the Recreation Centre parking lot. In 2009 the Township received funding from the 2010 Legacies Now program for the community accessibility audit conducted by SPARC BC.
What the Township is missing is a comprehensive assessment of the needs of seniors in Esquimalt. The study would adhere to the World Health Organization's "age-friendly cities" focus areas which ar...
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