Seniors Active Living Fairs - OACAO

We were excited about the launch of the Seniors Active Living Fairs funding program, supported by the Government of Ontario, Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility! For questions please contact the OACAO at info@oacao.org or toll-free at 1-866-835-7693.

The 2024-2025 OACAO Seniors Active Living Fair Host Handbook, created by the OACAO, is a comprehensive guide designed to support organizations in hosting successful in-person and virtual fairs. It provides essential information on planning, marketing, and executing the fairs, including guidelines on accessibility, event programming, eligible expenses, and partnerships. The handbook also offers resources to help hosts create engaging, educational, and accessible events that promote healthy aging and connect seniors with valuable community services.
Download the 2024-2025 OACAO Seniors Active Living Fair Host Handbook

 

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility – Supports for seniors

A Guide to Programs and Services for Seniors 

The online Guide to Programs and Services for Seniors version (Fall 2022): https://www.ontario.ca/document/guide-programs-and-services-seniors

La version en ligne du Guide des programmes et services pour les aînés (Automne 2022): https://www.ontario.ca/fr/document/guide-des-programmes-et-services-pour-les-aines

October 30, 2024 Seniors Active Living Fair
Location: Ron Edwards Family YMCA
City/Township: Burlington
Address: 500 Drury Lane
Email contact for information
Phone: 905-632-5000
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November 1, 2024 Seniors Expo
Location: Batawa Community Centre
City/Township: Batawa
Address: 81 Plant Street
Email contact for information
Phone: 613-398-6111
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November 7, 2024 Seniors’ Fair
Location: Access Alliance Multicultural Health & Community Services
City/Township: Toronto
Address: 3079 Danforth Avenue
Email contact for information
Phone: 416-699-7920
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November 7, 2024 Aging Well Together & Active Living Fair
Location: Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex
City/Township: Pickering
Address: 1867 Valley Farm Road
Email contact for information
Phone: 905-420-4620
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November 13, 2024 Seniors Active Living Fair
Location: Unionville Commons
City/Township: Markham
Address: 4310 Highway 7
Email contact for information
Phone: 905-477-2822
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November 13, 2024 Aging Well In Wellesley Information & Active Living Fair
Location: Bill Gies Recreation Centre
City/Township: Wellesley
Address: 1401 Queens Bush Road
Email contact for information
Phone: 519-664-1900
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November 14, 2024 Senior’s Active Living Fair
Location: Nick Smith Centre
City/Township: Arnprior
Address: 77 James Street
Email contact for information
Phone: 613-623-7301
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November 14, 2024 Seniors’ Information & Active Living Fair
Location: Wellington and District Community Centre
City/Township: Wellington
Address: 111 Belleville Street
Email contact for information
Phone: 613-476-7493
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November 15, 2024 Seniors Active Living Fair
Location: Duke of Connaught Public School
City/Township: Toronto
Address: 60 Woodfield Road
Email contact for information
Phone: 647-548-8143
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November 19, 2024 Active Living Fair
Location: North York Seniors Centre
City/Township: Toronto
Address: 21 Hendon Avenue
Email contact for information
Phone: 416-733-4111
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November 19, 2024 Active Living Fair
Location: Makwa Centre
City/Township: Golden lake
Address: 83 Kagagimin Inamo
Email contact for information
Phone: 613-625-2259
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November 21, 2024 Senior Active Living Fair
Location: Wellesley Community Centre
City/Township: Toronto
Address: 495 Sherbourne Street
Email contact for information
Phone: 416-924-3979
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November 26, 2024 Seniors Active Living Fair
Location: Sault Ste. Marie YMCA
City/Township: Sault Ste. Marie
Address: 235 McNabb Street
Email contact for information
Phone: 705-254-6474
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November 26, 2024 Seniors Active Living Fair
Location: Eganville & District Seniors Centre
City/Township: Eganville
Address: 30 Bell Street
Email contact for information
Phone: 613-628-2354
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November 27, 2024 Seniors Information and Active Living Fair
Location: Town Park Recreation Centre
City/Township: Port Hope
Address: 62 McCaul Street
Email contact for information
Phone: 905-885-7908
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November 29, 2024 Information & Active Living Fair
Location: Rexdale Hub
City/Township: Rexdale
Address: 21 Panorama Court
Email contact for information
Phone: 416-744-6312
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Project Overview and Background

The Older Adult Centres’ Association of Ontario (OACAO) has been gratefully partnering with the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility (MSAA) on a contractual basis, for over eighteen years, to coordinate the development and operation of Seniors Active Living Fairs (hereafter referred to as “Fairs”) throughout Ontario. We are launching the 2024 – 2025 Seniors Active Living Fairs Funding Program and acknowledge funding from the Government of Ontario.

As we focus on reengaging seniors in their community, adaptability in programming approaches has become essential. Many centres have mastered the virtual program delivery model with strong participation from seniors in their communities; others have shifted towards safe in-person program delivery, or a hybrid model, incorporating necessary health measures as required. With this variety of program delivery in mind, and with funding support from MSAA, we are offering the Seniors Active Living Fairs Funding Program in three formats for 2024 – 2025:
• In-Person Single-Site Funding
• In-Person Multi-Site Funding
• Virtual Fairs Funding
There is limited funding available to fund a set number of projects in each funding formats.

In-person and Virtual Fairs, supported by MSAA and OACAO will provide a great public education forum to reintroduce and reconnect seniors to their Senior Active Living Centre, restoring them as vibrant community hubs. The fairs will showcase programs and service delivery models that the centres have planned to strengthen their communities. It is an opportunity to reconnect seniors to SALCs and get them excited about the next chapter in this journey. In-person Fairs will include a Trade Show as an educational component, highlighting local community services to support seniors as well as the government programs available to them.

Ontario’s seniors have made life-long contributions to Ontario. We know that most seniors want to live healthy, independent lives in their own homes and communities. Seniors also want to remain active and be safe and secure, no matter where they call home. In light of this, Fairs will provide opportunities to support the Government of Ontario’s cross-governmental priorities noted below that will improve the lives of seniors and provide the supports and resources to help them:
1. Continue to live at home and in communities
• Supporting seniors with services and care to enable them to continue to live at home and in their communities.
2. Remain healthy, active and socially engaged
• Remaining active and socially engaged is one of the most important things seniors can do to maintain their independence and quality of life as they age.
3. Be safe and secure
• Promoting the rights of seniors and helping them protect themselves from abuse, including scams (for example, telemarketing, Internet scams) and financial exploitation (for example, misuse of a Power of Attorney, fraud).
4. Participate in the labour market and in the economy as they wish
• Seniors have extensive knowledge, experience and skills, and seniors who are active in the labour force, or as a leader or who volunteers in their communities, make important contributions to the economy and society.

What are Seniors Active Living Fairs?

A Seniors Active Living Fair is a public education initiative, developed in partnership between the OACAO and MSAA. Its objective is to increase awareness about available programs and services for seniors and share knowledge about healthy aging and active lifestyles. This reduces seniors’ social isolation, improves their overall health and wellbeing and helps them maintain their independence. The funding provided by MSAA will help inform Ontario’s diverse seniors, their families and care partners, about the benefits of healthy living and the importance of exercise, nutrition, safety and security.