Seniors Active Living Fairs

What are Seniors Active Living Fairs?

Created in partnership between the OACAO and Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility, Seniors Active Living Fairs provide opportunities for older adults, their families, and care partners to learn about programs, services, and resources that support healthy aging, safety, and independence. Funded by MSAA, Fairs serve as a community access point where older adults can connect with local health care providers, government programs, and community organizations that support prevention, social inclusion, and aging well at home.

104 Seniors Active Living Fairs were hosted across Ontario in 2025-2026!

Fairs may be in-person (single-site or multi-site) or virtual. Through presentations, demonstrations, health clinics, and trade show exhibits (in-person Fairs), these events share practical information on topics such as physical activity, nutrition, chronic disease prevention, financial security, safety, and access to community and health services. Whether virtual or in-person, they showcase local community services and government programs, and provide an opportunity to reconnect older adults to Seniors’ Centres and get them excited about the next chapter in their journey.

Seniors Active Living Fair – Funding Guidelines

The 2026-2027 Guidelines provide an overview of funding supports and timelines, eligible expenses, and requirements. Funding provided by MSAA helps ensure that Ontario’s diverse seniors have access to reliable information on healthy living, community supports, and programs that promote active, engaged, and independent aging.

2026-2027 Seniors Active Living Fairs Guidelines – ENGLISH 

2026-2027 Seniors Active Living Fairs Guidelines – FRENCH

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Seniors Active Living Fair – Host Handbook

The 2025-2026 Handbook is a comprehensive resource designed to support organizations in planning and delivering successful in-person and virtual fairs. Developed by OACAO, the handbook provides practical guidance on all aspects of hosting, including planning, promotion, delivery, accessibility, programming, eligible expenses, and partnerships. It includes tools to help hosts create engaging, informative, and accessible events that promote healthy aging, strengthen community connections, and support older adults in accessing local programs and services.

2025-2026 Seniors Active Living Fair Host Handbook – ENGLISH

2025-2026 Seniors Active Living Fair Host Handbook – FRENCH

Questions?

Please contact Julie at julie@oacao.org or toll-free at 1-866-835-7693

Our Partnership with the Ministry

The OACAO has been gratefully partnering with the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility (MSAA) for twenty years to coordinate the development and operation of Seniors Active Living Fairs throughout Ontario. As we focus on engaging seniors in their community, Fairs are inclusive, prevention-focused community events that connect seniors to their communities across the province.

Purpose of the Fairs

Ontario’s seniors have made life-long contributions to our province. We know that most seniors want to live healthy, independent lives in their own homes and communities. They also want to remain active and be safe and secure, no matter where they call home.

Fairs support the Government of Ontario’s priorities of improving the lives of seniors and providing resources to help them:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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).
• 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.

The government also reiterated their commitment to seniors through the introduction of the Support for Seniors and Caregivers Act, 2024, including a three-year, $114-million suite of initiatives to enhance the quality of life and care for the province’s seniors. Fairs can play a key role in helping seniors across Ontario learn more about financial security and local health and social services and provide opportunities to stay engaged in their community.

Fair Applications

2026-27 Seniors Active Living Fairs Program – The Call for Applications is Now Closed

We thank everyone for their interest!