New Westminster gets grant to help vulnerable seniors

A New Westminster project aimed at helping vulnerable seniors in emergency situations just got a provincial boost.

The City of New Westminster has received a $15,000 Age-Friendly Communities grant to help it implement a Connect and Prepare pilot project at a local seniors’ housing complex. City council agreed to apply for the grant in June, and the funding was just announced Wednesday (Aug. 31) by the provincial government.

The project will be launched at Ross Tower, a building that includes 96 units of subsidized housing and that serves what the city calls a “highly vulnerable” population — including a high proportion of frail and live-alone seniors who have low levels of social connectedness and interaction.

“Connect and Prepare presents and innovative approach to building community emergency preparedness and resilience by strengthening social connections between neighbours,” a city report said. “Tenants would be guided to develop their skills to build stronger social networks as a foundation of community resilience and take collaborative action to prepare for acute emergencies and chronic stresses, especially related to climate change.”

The city noted that recent emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, last summer’s heat dome and wildfires, and last fall’s B.C. floods, have been a wake-up call for many communities about the need to help residents be prepared for such events.

John Stark, the city’s supervisor of community planning, told council earlier this year that the project will include a coordinator to help bring people together. He’s hoping that the project in Ross Tower can also be built out to other seniors’ independent living residences and then to market rental complexes in the community.

All told, 37 local and Indigenous governments received grants under the program.

– with files from Theresa McManus

Follow Julie MacLellan on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
Email Julie, jmaclellan@newwestrecord.ca