Elders' home, transitional housing among Nunavik priorities for new federal funds

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Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-30 16:34:17.0
Tags: [National, Quebec, Housing, Indigenous, Healthcare, Seniors]

The Government of Canada announced $130 million in funding for Inuit treaty organizations, with more than $32 million allocated to Makivvik to support regional priorities in Nunavik. Makivvik plans to put the funds toward a new elders' home in Kuujjuaq, Quebec, and transitional housing in Montreal, following the relocation of 13 elders due to structural issues at a previous facility. Additional allocations from the $130 million package include $16.9 million for the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, $15.5 million for the Nunatsiavut government, and $65 million for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated under the federal Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Fund.

2 years on, the Nunavut government is still trying to get elder mobility vans on the road

This article is new today!

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-30 11:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Transportation, Seniors, Social Services, Infrastructure]

Two years after the Government of Nunavut spent $1 million purchasing five elder mobility vans for Iqaluit, Cambridge Bay, Coral Harbour, Pangnirtung, and Rankin Inlet, the vehicles remain parked and unused due to a failure to secure operational funding. The initial pilot project contract with the non-profit Northern Future Skills Development expired after the territorial government budgeted only for vehicle purchases and shipments without providing management funds. Premier John Main announced that the government has now approved $1.25 million in funding for the current year to establish an operational policy and seek new organizations to run the transportation service.

Budget 2026 title and theme focus on Canada’s sovereignty, minister reveals

Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-29 15:00:05.0
Tags: [National, Finance, Economy, Trade, Seniors, Governance]

National Revenue Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced that the federal government will table Budget 2026 on November 5, 2026, under the title and theme "MASTERS OF OUR DESTINY: BUDGET 2026" (inspired by Jean Lesage's 1962 Quebec slogan "Maîtres chez nous"). Prime Minister Mark Carney's government designed the upcoming budget to address a period of profound change and uncertainty involving redefined trade relationships, U.S. tariffs, trade tensions, and geopolitical conflicts threatening Canadian sovereignty and economic resilience.

Réaction QS - Vente illégale d'un OBNL d'habitation à Repentigny : Québec solidaire salue l'initiative de Québec

Source: Quebec - Fil de presse gouvernemental
Date: 2026-10-29 12:15:00.0
Tags: [Quebec, Housing, Seniors]

Quebec solidaire housing critic Andrés Fontecilla expressed support for the Quebec government's intervention to cancel the illegal sale of a non-profit housing organization for seniors in Repentigny. The initiative aims to protect affordable housing assets for seniors from unauthorized commercial transactions. The party continues to press for stronger provincial oversight to prevent speculative sales of social and non-profit housing infrastructure.

Saskatchewan Monthly Construction Update - October 2026 Edition

Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
Date: 2026-10-28 20:00:00.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, Infrastructure, Healthcare, Education, Seniors]

The Government of Saskatchewan released its October 2026 Monthly Construction Update, highlighting progress on major provincial infrastructure projects including the Regina Specialized Long-Term Care Home, the newly completed Weyburn General Hospital, and renovations to Saskatchewan Polytechnic's Regina campus. The 30 per cent completion milestone was celebrated for the Regina Specialized Long-Term Care Home—a 240-bed, five-story facility spanning nearly 22,000 square metres scheduled for completion in fall 2028. Additionally, a ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the completion of the Weyburn General Hospital to begin welcoming patients on November 1, 2026, while Saskatchewan Polytechnic completed eighth-floor renovations to house a new high-fidelity simulation laboratory for nursing education.

Construction of the New Grenfell Long-Term Care Home Reaches Halfway Point

Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
Date: 2026-10-26 22:30:00.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, Healthcare, Seniors, Infrastructure]

Construction of the new 33-bed Grenfell Long-Term Care Home in Grenfell, Saskatchewan, has reached 50 per cent completion. Led by contractor PCL Construction Management Inc., the project is backed by a nearly $40 million government investment alongside $4.9 million contributed by the Town of Grenfell, the Grenfell and District Health Foundation, and surrounding rural municipalities. The facility will feature two spa tub rooms, a commercial kitchen, common living and dining areas, administrative spaces, a maintenance garage, and parking stalls, with substantial construction completion anticipated in 2027 to be owned and operated by the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Ontario Connects Over Half a Million More People to a Family Doctor or Primary Care Team

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Health
Date: 2026-10-26 14:30:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Healthcare, Seniors]

The Government of Ontario announced that its $3.4 billion Primary Care Action Plan, led by Dr. Jane Philpott, has connected over 511,000 more people to a family doctor or primary care team and cleared more than 470,000 people from the Health Care Connect waitlist since January 2025. The initiative, supported by funding expansions including an additional $325 million annually in the 2026 Ontario Budget, is on track to attach every resident in the province to primary care by 2029. Collaborating institutions such as Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Vibrant Community Health have implemented local multi-partner models to rapidly expand access for thousands of patients, including equity-deserving populations in North Toronto.

Ontario Providing Free Flu and COVID-19 Vaccines Across the Province

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Health
Date: 2026-10-26 13:30:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Healthcare, Seniors]

The Ontario Ministry of Health announced that free flu and COVID-19 vaccines are now available to the general public aged six months and older across participating pharmacies, public health units, and primary care offices. Administered under the province's 'Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care', the initiative recommends co-administration of the vaccines alongside respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunizations (Abrysvo® or Arexvy) for individuals 75 years and older, specific high-risk adults aged 60 to 74, infants up to eight months born on or after April 1, 2026, and pregnant individuals.

N.W.T. MLAs decry lengthy medical travel flights for seniors

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-23 17:34:19.0
Tags: [National, Healthcare, Seniors, Transportation, Governance]

Members of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, including Frame Lake MLA Julian Morse and Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins, decried the physical toll that lengthy, indirect medical travel flights lasting up to six hours to Edmonton take on seniors and elders. Lawmakers raised concerns that doctor-recommended requests for shorter flight exemptions are frequently denied by the Department of Health and Social Services, despite over 23,000 people utilizing the medical travel service annually at a significant taxpayer cost. Newly appointed Health Minister Denny Rodgers stated he is willing to review all aspects of the policy but declined to promise any immediate new exemptions as the government enters the final year of its term.

Saskatchewan Observes Breast Cancer Awareness Month to Highlight Available Screening Services and Program Improvements

Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
Date: 2026-10-21 22:00:00.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, Healthcare, Seniors, Infrastructure]

The Government of Saskatchewan, in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, highlighted ongoing investments and service expansions under its Patients First Health Care Plan during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Since 2023-24, the province has invested more than $15 million in breast health initiatives, including an additional $397,000 in the 2026-27 Provincial Budget for the Regina and Saskatoon Breast Health Centres. Key improvements include expanding routine screening mammography eligibility through BreastCheck to women aged 40 and older as of July 2026 (reaching approximately 76,000 more women), deploying two custom-built mobile mammography units to 42 rural and northern communities, opening the Regina Breast Health Centre in April 2025 (which has received nearly 2,700 referrals), and increasing diagnostic capacity and workforce recruitment across the province.

N.W.T. expands home heating subsidy for seniors

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-21 18:06:17.0
Tags: [National, Seniors, Affordability, Social Services, Energy]

The Government of the Northwest Territories announced modifications to the Senior Home Heating Subsidy by raising the household income threshold to $90,000 or less per year to expand financial assistance over the winter. The new policy replaces a previous three-zone system ranging from $66,000 to $87,000 with a uniform income cap while maintaining zone-based monthly subsidy rates of $530 for Zone 1, $685 for Zone 2, and $1,090 for Zone 3. Payments are distributed monthly between September and April, with previously denied applicants automatically reassessed and an application deadline set for March 15, 2027.

Ontario Enabling Access to Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Health
Date: 2026-10-20 14:00:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Healthcare, Technology, Seniors]

The Ontario government is advancing legislative and regulatory changes through the Health Innovation Pathway to enable the sale and use of Health Canada approved over-the-counter hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. Following a 30-day public consultation launched in April 2026, the updated regulations will allow manufacturers of in-ear headphones and earbuds with hearing aid capabilities to activate these features without requiring a prescription. The new measure operates alongside the existing model of care, meaning prescribed hearing aids will continue to be eligible for up to 75 per cent funding assistance (to a maximum of $500) under the Assistive Devices Program, while over-the-counter devices will not be covered.

New Heart Function Clinic in Yorkton Improves Access for Patients in East-Central Saskatchewan

Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
Date: 2026-10-19 22:00:00.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, Healthcare, Seniors, Infrastructure]

The Saskatchewan Health Authority has opened a new Heart Function Clinic in Yorkton to provide specialized outpatient cardiac care for patients living with heart failure and complex cardiac conditions across east-central Saskatchewan. Operated by a multidisciplinary team including family physicians, a registered nurse, a pharmacist, and an administrative assistant, the clinic offers appointments twice a month with coordination and follow-up support available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Access to the clinic requires referrals from physicians, nurse practitioners, or other healthcare providers, helping patients manage their conditions locally and reducing the need to travel to larger medical centres.

P.E.I. is adding lots of new long-term care beds — but will they be enough?

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-09 23:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Healthcare, Seniors, Infrastructure]

The Prince Edward Island government is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to build and expand long-term care facilities, aiming to add a total of 1,700 beds by 2029 to meet rising demand. Recent capital commitments include over $100 million in provincial funding over a 30-year agreement to add 82 beds at the Whisperwood community care and nursing home in Charlottetown, alongside plans for 48 beds in Kings County, 80 private beds in Cornwall, and 60 beds in Summerside. As of September 1, 295 Islanders remain on a waitlist for a long-term care space, while the P.E.I. Nurses' Union has raised concerns that stretched-out staffing levels and a lack of detailed recruitment plans will lead to workforce shortages in the newly funded facilities.

Ontario Expanding Access to Dementia Care in Long-Term Care Homes

Source: Ontario - Ministry of Long-Term Care
Date: 2026-10-08 16:00:00.0
Tags: [Ontario, Healthcare, Seniors, Social Services]

The Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care is investing nearly $13 million to expand the Improving Dementia Care Program (IDCP) and increase Behavioural Specialized Unit (BSU) capacity. Specifically, $3 million will fund the IDCP expansion to 13 additional long-term care homes—including Villa St. Gabriel Villa in Sudbury, which receives $247,545—connecting up to 1,300 additional residents to emotion-based dementia care models by 2027-28. Additionally, the province is committing $9.82 million annually in 2026-27 to fund up to 153 new BSU beds across five long-term care facilities to provide person-centred therapies and divert dementia patients from acute care hospitals.

Beginning immunizations for viral respiratory season

Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-10-07 16:45:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, Healthcare, Seniors, Indigenous]

The Government of British Columbia, through the Ministry of Health, has launched its 2026-27 viral respiratory immunization campaign, securing nearly two million doses of influenza vaccine, 1.5 million doses of updated COVID-19 vaccines (Moderna Spikevax, Pfizer Comirnaty, and Sanofi Nuvaxovid), and introducing a targeted, free respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) program for seniors aged 75 and older and Indigenous individuals aged 60 and older. Notifications via the provincial Get Vaccinated system began on October 5, 2026, with appointments opening on October 13 across health authority clinics, over 1,400 participating pharmacies, and primary-care providers. The campaign aligns with the National Advisory Committee on Immunization guidelines to protect high-risk priority populations, including young children, seniors, pregnant individuals, and those with chronic health conditions.

82 new long-term care beds planned in expansion of Charlottetown nursing home

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-06 21:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Healthcare, Seniors, Infrastructure]

The Prince Edward Island government announced a 30-year agreement valued at over $100 million with Enhanced Living to add 82 new long-term care beds through an expansion of the Whisperwood community care and nursing home in Charlottetown. Once operational by 2029, the province will pay an estimated $10.1 million annually to help offset accommodation costs. This project forms part of a broader provincial initiative to increase total long-term care capacity to 1,595 beds across Prince Edward Island by 2029 to alleviate hospital pressures and support aging seniors.

Public Advisory: Residents Reminded of Expanded RSV Immunization for Babies and Adults 75 and Older

Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
Date: 2026-10-05 15:15:54.0
Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Healthcare, Seniors]

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, through a $3.9 million investment in Budget 2026, has expanded its publicly funded respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunization program to include all babies under six months born on or after May 1, 2026, and adults aged 75 years and older. Administered via NL Health Services, eligible adults can book appointments online at timefortheshot.ca or receive vaccines through participating pharmacists and physicians, with dedicated clinics running from October 13 to 18, 2026. Infants receive protection pre-discharge post-partum, while the program continues to cover high-risk children up to two years old and adults aged 60 and older in congregate living facilities in alignment with National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommendations.

P.E.I. gets $32M to keep prescription drugs more affordable for Islanders

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-02 13:45:09.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Healthcare, Affordability, Seniors]

The federal and Prince Edward Island governments are investing more than $32 million over three years to extend the Improving Affordable Access to Prescription Drugs Program (IAAPD). Operating since 2021—when it previously received $35 million—the program has expanded P.E.I.'s public drug formulary to include more than 100 new medications such as cancer and heart disease treatments. As of March 2025, the initiative has saved Islanders $13.8 million total, including over $9 million through reduced copayments on cardiovascular, diabetes, and mental health medications, with roughly 70 per cent of those savings benefiting seniors. Additionally, the funding supports substance-use treatment through the Substance Use and Harm Reduction Program and covers second-generation antipsychotic medications for long-term psychiatric patients.

Ottawa must renew mental health and home care funding, health ministers say

Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-02 12:23:46.0
Tags: [National, Manitoba, Healthcare, Social Services, Seniors, Finance]

Provincial and territorial health ministers from across Canada are raising concerns over the impending expiration of $1.2 billion in dedicated federal funding agreements for mental health, addictions, and home care set to sunset in March 2027. The funding stems from a broader $200 billion 10-year health care funding pledge made in the 2023 federal budget, which included $4.8 billion targeted specifically for home care, community care, and mental health services over four years. Officials, including Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara and Canadian Mental Health Association president Marion Cooper, warn that failing to renew these targeted agreements will result in a fiscal cliff, leading to reduced community services and job losses in the health sector.