CANADA: Alberta Announces $ 140 Million For Seniors Housing

EDMONTON (Calgary Herald), November 17, 2005: The Alberta government has announced a major cash injection to help pay for thousands of affordable seniors housing units in rural communities. Premier Ralph Klein told a meeting of rural leaders that a one-time grant of $140 million will help ensure seniors can stay in their communities and remain close to their families and friends. Klein says the money from Alberta's surplus will be used to build or renovate more than 4,200 housing units, with specific projects to be announced in the coming weeks. He says a government study found a dire need for more affordable housing in rural areas for low-income seniors. The government is also preparing new standards for long-term care after a scathing report by the auditor general that found substandard care in many Alberta nursing homes. Opposition parties say the housing projects are much-needed, but the government needs to act quickly to improve staffing levels because of widespread neglect in nursing home. © Canadian Press 2005