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Report from the Legislature

Carl M. Benito

March 7, 2012

New property tax deferral program would help seniors stay in their homes

Alberta seniors would be able to stay in their homes longer, under proposed new legislation introduced by the Alberta government allowing them to take advantage of homeownership.

Bill 5, the Seniors’ Property Tax Deferral Act, would help seniors who own their homes pay their property tax through a home equity loan. The program would be available for the 2013 tax year, helping seniors free up funds by deferring all or part of their property tax until they sell their home.

Under the proposed legislation, to be eligible for the program, you must be a senior and a homeowner, residing in Alberta. Eligible seniors would enter into a loan agreement with the Government of Alberta, and the government would pay the property tax on behalf of the senior. The senior would repay the loan, plus interest, when they sell their home.

Currently, there are more than 170,000 senior households in Alberta eligible for the program.

To follow the debate online, visit the legislative assembly website: www.assembly.ab.ca.

Mental health and addiction services expand to help more Albertans

Expanded mental health and addictions programs will mean better outcomes for Albertans coping with mental illness and addiction.

As part of its investment in people and communities in Budget 2012, the Alberta government is:

expanding support for people with complex mental health and addiction needs in the community, including investing in outreach and wrap-around services in support of affordable housing initiatives;
providing more support for programs and services at Alberta Hospital Edmonton;
increasing access to psychology and other counselling services in primary health care settings; and
expanding the Mental Health Capacity Building in Schools Initiative to more schools and enhancing other school-based supports for children and youth.

In addition to the $25 million from Budget 2012, government will support an estimated $15 million renovation at Alberta Hospital Edmonton to create four specialized mental health inpatient units with 80 beds.

The Alberta government has earmarked $25 million in Budget 2012 to implement these first initiatives from the provincial addiction and mental health strategy. Sixteen government ministries worked with diverse stakeholders in the addiction and mental health community across Alberta to determine where programs are most needed.

Fort Saskatchewan area seniors benefit from improved housing

Seniors in the Fort Saskatchewan area will have greater access to comfortable, safe housing when Dr. Turner Lodge is replaced with a new building in the Sherridon area.

This $18 million investment will create an improved environment for lower-income seniors to enjoy an aging-in-place lifestyle.

Minister of Municipal Affairs Doug Griffiths and Ed Stelmach, MLA for Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville, were joined by representatives of the three local housing management bodies: Pioneer Housing Foundation, Fort Saskatchewan Foundation and Fort Lions Haven. These organizations operate more than 550 units in Fort Saskatchewan and Sherwood Park.

The Dr. Turner Lodge project will offer more integrated housing units for seniors, better use of available land and repurposing of the existing facility. The new development will include 90 units of independent and supportive living options including self-contained bachelor, one- and two-bedroom units. The project will help create a more vibrant community for seniors and their families in the Fort Saskatchewan area.

The project is one of several investments this year that will go towards updating and replacing aging government-owned housing across the province. In total, the Government of Alberta is investing $260 million over five years as part of the Long-term Real Estate Strategy for its social housing portfolio.

As the MLA for Edmonton Mill Woods, I am always available to assist constituents. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Senior’s Property Tax Deferral Act, investment in mental health and addiction services, seniors housing or any other matter, I can be reached in my constituency office at (780) 414-1000 or in my Legislature office at (780) 422-9299. Also, please subscribe to my e‑newsletter at http://benito.mypcmla.ca/.

Report from the Legislature

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