The municipality has been selected by the Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility as a successful applicant for the 2024-2025 Inclusive Community Grant and will receive $34,000 in grant funds to obtain a consultant to create an Age-Friendly Community and Accessibility Action Plan. An RFP for a consultant was circulated in February 2025 and K.A Community Consulting has been selected to start work on the plan.
Age-Friendly Community & Accessibility Planning
Communities across Canada—and around the world—are seeing a big demographic shift: more and more people are over the age of 60. This growing population of older adults brings new opportunities and new needs.
To help everyone continue living active, healthy, and connected lives as they age, municipalities like Sables-Spanish Rivers are taking a closer look at how our services, facilities, programs, and spaces can support residents of all ages and abilities. This includes ensuring our community is safe, accessible, and inclusive for everyone.
What is an Age-Friendly Community?
An Age-Friendly Community is one where policies, programs, services, and physical spaces are designed to help older adults age with dignity, independence, and good health. The concept comes from the World Health Organization’s Global Age-Friendly Cities Guide, which outlines eight key areas that make a community age-friendly:
- Outdoor Spaces and Buildings
- Transportation
- Housing
- Social Participation
- Respect and Social Inclusion
- Civic Participation and Employment
- Communication and Information
- Community Support and Health Services
In an age-friendly community, people of all ages feel welcome, supported, and involved. For example, an age-friendly community might have:
- Well-maintained, accessible sidewalks and parks
- Health services that are easy to reach and navigate
- Opportunities for seniors to volunteer or stay employed
- Social activities and events that bring people together
- Clear, easy to understand information about services and programs
Why it matters in Sables-Spanish Rivers
Seniors already make up a significant portion of our community—and that number is expected to grow.
| % Residents 65+ | % Residents 85+ | |
| Sables-Spanish Rivers | 24.4% | 1.2% |
| Ontario | 18.5% | 2.4% |
| Canada | 19.0% | 2.3% |
We want to make sure that older adults in our Township can continue to live independently, stay connected, and access the services they need. That’s why we’re developing a local Age-Friendly and Accessibility Action Plan.
What’s happening now?!
The planning process will take place over two phases in 2025.
Phase 1: Learning from the Community
We’ll start by reviewing current programs, services, spaces, and experiences in the Township. This will include:
- Reviewing existing Township plans and documents
- One-on-one interviews with community members and stakeholders
Focus group sessions
- Site visits and facility assessments
- Program and service reviews
- Budget and administration reviews
- A community-wide survey
The results will be shared in a report to Council in June 2025.
Phase 2: Building the Action Plan
Using what we’ve learned, we’ll begin developing the Age-Friendly and Accessibility Action Plan. This will include:
- Identifying practical solutions and priority actions
- Determining resource needs and possible partners
- Setting timelines
- Creating tools for tracking progress
- Sharing the plan for community feedback
The final Action Plan will be presented to Council in September 2025.
How to get involved
COMING SOON-We want to hear from you!
- Community Survey: A survey will be available to all residents—your ideas and feedback will help shape the plan.
- Interviews & Focus Groups: We’ll be inviting a variety of local stakeholders, organizations, and residents to take part in more in-depth conversations.
Whether you’re a senior, caregiver, service provider, business owner, or simply interested in making the Township a better place for everyone—you have a role to play.