News Seniors CAQ Budget Commits Additional Funding for Senior Wellness Centres Across Quebec CHSSN March 30, 2023 News, Seniors News CAQ Budget Commits Additional Funding for Senior Wellness Centres Across Quebec Quebec City, on March 28, 2023- The Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN) was very pleased to see a commitment to increase support for Senior Wellness Centres (SWCs) serving the English-speaking population across Quebec in the Provincial CAQ budget announced on Tuesday, March 21st, 2023. SWCs will double their funding in 2025 to $2 million to expand existing programs and increase the number of sites for the centres. There are currently 75 sites offering health education and health promotion activities across the province supported by 30 organizations. “With this announcement the Minister of Finance and Minister Responsible for Relations with English-speaking Quebecers, Eric Girard, is demonstrating his government’s support for vulnerable seniors” says Jennifer Johnson, Executive Director of CHSSN, the organization that manages the program. “I would also like to acknowledge the hard work of the Secretariat for Relations with English-speaking Quebecers to ensure this increase in funding for the community,” Johnson confirmed. SWCs aim to maintain and improve the health and well-being of English-speaking seniors, increase access to knowledge of health and social services, and decrease social isolation through purposeful and informed programming. With a focus on prevention, the SWC activities are community-led, cost effective, adapted to the linguistic and cultural needs and realities of English-speaking seniors, and there is no criteria required to participate. SWCs are an innovative response by community organizations to address a gap in services for seniors. While each SWC is unique, provincial coordination ensures consistent levels of safety and quality across all activities. Formal and informal collaborations with health and social service professionals at regional and provincial levels support this flexible, adaptable, inclusive and multifaceted approach to improving overall health and wellbeing. “It is so critical to have the financial support from the Provincial Government for this project,” says Ms. Johnson. “It allows communities across the province to help vulnerable English-speaking seniors stay in their homes as long as possible and gives them a support network that is often difficult to build as you age.” About CHSSN– Since 2000, Community Health and Social Services Network’s mission is to support the English-speaking communities in Quebec through promoting equitable access to health and social services in English and addressing social determinants of health by relationship building, knowledge sharing, empowering, and training. Share This Article Twitter LinkedIn Email