Ontario is home to about 1.6 million seniors – 40 percent of Canada’s seniors. By 2028, the number of senior citizens in Ontario will double.

The Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat functions to improve the quality of life for Ontario’s seniors by:

1. Undertaking and influencing policy initiatives for seniors with a multiministry focus and making value added contributions to policy activities in other ministries.
2. Developing and supporting public education efforts
   • about the programs and services to which seniors are entitled,
   • about healthy aging/lifestyles, and
   • about the ongoing contributions Ontario seniors make to families, communities and country.
3. Maintaining a close working relationship with Ontario’s nine largest seniors organizations, and partnering with them on both policy and public education initiatives.

Policy initiatives include:

• Implementation of Ontario’s Strategy for Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
• Implementation of Ontario’s Strategy to Combat Elder Abuse with the Ministry of the Attorney General.
• Federal, Provincial, Territorial (F/P/T) Ministers Responsible for Seniors projects, which included hosting in Toronto, June 2002, the 6th Meeting of F/P/T Ministers Responsible for Seniors.
• Public education and staff training on our Guide to Advance Care Planning to help seniors make choices, while they are still capable, about how they wish to be cared for in the future.

Public Education and Awareness initiatives include:

• Continuing to implement the Memory Project to recruit 1,000 volunteer veterans to provide a living history to over 50,000 students.
• Launching a series of “Ontario Seniors’ Seminars” to educate seniors about safe and healthy aging, and increase awareness amongst seniors of the programs and services to which they are entitled. Ontario Seniors’ Seminars will be offered in communities across Ontario and topics will include safe medication use for seniors, safe driving for seniors, avoiding financial scams, advance care planning.
• Providing this booklet, A Guide to Programs and Services for Seniors in Ontario, a comprehensive directory to government and community programs and services for seniors.

For more information about the Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat and its activities please write or call:
Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat
777 Bay Street, Suite 601C
Toronto ON M7A 2J4
Phone: 416-326-7076
Website: www.ontarioseniors.ca

Seniors’ INFOline
Toll-free: 1-888-910-1999
Phone: 416-314-7511
TTY Toll-free: 1-800-387-5559