Seniors Active Living Centre Program – Canada

The SALC Program purpose “to promote active and healthy living, social engagement and learning for persons who are primarily seniors by providing them with activities and services”.

SALC programs help build healthier and safer communities and address the long-term growth and needs of an aging population by:

• Helping reduce health care costs associated with physical inactivity and falls;
• Reducing social isolation, a risk factor for abuse and linked to negative physical and mental health outcomes; and
• Providing seniors with services they need and improving service access.

Program Priorities

• Connect older adults with community programs and services
  • Examples:
    • A SALC program operates as a community hub, a centralized point that provides access to a diverse range of resources, referrals, supports, services and activities for older adults and seniors that improve their quality of life and support their safety, health and overall well-being.
    • A SALC program takes steps to reach older adults who are new to SALC programing or are isolated in places where they are already living or congregating, such as in seniors’ apartments, naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) or faith-based communities (e.g., though partnerships, satellite programing, etc.)
• Provide programing opportunities for seniors in underserved communities or to underserved populations
  • Example:
    • A SALC program provides unique or specialized program offerings (including in languages other than English or French) that are designed to meet the needs and interests of local diverse, multicultural, new immigrant, Indigenous, or remote older adult populations (e.g., Mandarin-language book club, Indigenous beading group). Marketing and advertising of these programs are designed to reach these audiences.
• Promote the inclusion of all seniors, including those with disabilities, by reducing accessibility barriers to programs and services
  • Example:
    • A SALC program offers programing that meets needs of seniors with disabilities to help seniors overcome participation barriers (e.g., large-print program materials, use of microphones at activities, installation of accessibility ramps or automatic door openers, chair yoga class).

Program Categories

• SALC operators will be expected to provide funding support to programming that addresses at least one or more of the following project categories:
  • Health and Wellness
    • Diabetes management, foot care clinics, falls prevention, nutrition and meal planning, reflexology, hearing clinics, Alzheimer’s awareness.
  • Physical Activities and Sports
    • Dance, yoga, tai chi, Zumba, chair fitness, polewalking, cross-country skiing, gardening.
  • Arts and Crafts
    • Knitting, sewing, woodworking.
  • Cards and Games
    • Euchre, bridge, bingo, board games (e.g., Scrabble).
  • Educational Activities
    • Online or in-person language classes, virtual writing workshops, webinars on financial empowerment (budgeting, tax clinics), technology classes (smart phones, tablets, email, apps), teleconference guest speakers, music classes (piano, guitar), drivers’ ed refresher.
  • Dining Activities
    • Congregate dining, contactless meal pick-up, delivery of food purchased by isolated seniors       .
  • Social Activities
    • Other social activities such as group movies, teleconference social clubs, holiday events, day trips, library, 1×1 phone calls to seniors isolated at home.
  • Transportation Services
    • Free or subsidized bus tickets, taxi fare, car or special bus services

Funding Information

• In 2024-25, the maximum amount available for a 12-month period is up to 80 per cent of the net annual operating costs of maintaining and operating the program, to a maximum of $50,000.

Roles and Responsibilities

• The delivery of SALC programs and services to older adults and seniors is made possible through the coordination of a variety of partners, each playing an important role.
• MSAA is responsible for the overall management, stewardship and oversight of SALC funding and program delivery.
• Regional Development Advisors serve as MSAA’s first point of contact for operators and support program delivery throughout the year. Regional Development Advisors provide operators with important program information and monitor program delivery for compliance.
• SALC operators are expected to comply with the SALCA and all other applicable legislation, including laws governing provincial labour, employment standards, and accessibility for people with disabilities.
• SALC programs must promote active and healthy living, social engagement, and learning for persons who are primarily seniors and older adults by providing them with safe activities and services.

For more information, visit Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility.