A total of $100,000 in new senior programming funding has been announced for Kingsville and Amherstburg.
The Minister of Seniors and Accessibility of Ontario, Raymond Cho, was in Kingsville Wednesday morning and Amherstburg Wednesday afternoon to announce the funds which will add a new local Seniors Active Living Centre Program in each community.
Each municipality will receive $50,000 for the program to provide older adults a dedicated place to host additional activities.
Amherstburg and Kingsville are part of Ontario's Seniors Active Living Centre expansion to serve the needs of seniors.
Cho says he's so happy to announce this funding for the region.
"Ontario government will be responsible for 80 per cent of a budget, and 20 per cent of the operating budget coming from the municipal government. But the important part is the seniors are the ones who run the program."
Anthony Leardi, Essex MPP, says these funds will assist the Seniors Active Living Centre programs.
"That money goes to a facility such as the one we're in today in Kingsville, to assist them in delivering programming for seniors in particular, and that's the great announcement that Minister Cho has for us today."
Leardi says this funding will help with programs and services such as Tai Chi classes.
"There are activities, the one I always like to site is Tai Chi. So the Tai Chi group here at the Kingsville Community Centre started out with only 12 people, and is now attracting over 100 people for every Tai Chi session, which is a wonderful activity for seniors."
There are now 316 Seniors Active Living Centre programs across Ontario.
-with files from AM800's Rob Hindi