Federal government pledges $9 million to support seniors during pandemic

COVID-19/coronavirus update: March 30, 2020

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said more help is on the way for Canadian seniors struggling with staying at home and accessing critical services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government will boost aid for Canadian seniors, contributing $9 million through United Way Canada to help the country’s older population get groceries, medication and other critical items.

The aid will also go toward assessing seniors’ individual needs and connecting them to the necessary community resources.

When asked whether seniors could expect to see any direct financial support, Trudeau said that the government’s immediate priority is those who have lost sources of income entirely — but added that he was “looking carefully” at other measures to support Canada’s older population.

“Our focus right away has been figuring out how to ensure that we can replace sources of income and revenue that have been lost because of COVID-19, for so many Canadians … who were relying on their paycheques to get through from week to week until this actually hit,” Trudeau said.