Bowden chief administrative officer James Mason and staff are researching a new provincial program designed to help seniors improve the safety and sustainability of their homes.
The province says more details on the program will be available on the Seniors and Housing ministry website by July.
Councillors learned of the new program in a letter to coun. Sheila Church from Seniors and Housing Minister Lori Sigurdson. During a May 24 meeting, council suggested putting information about the program in an upcoming town newsletter. Mason says that will be done.
In her letter to Church, Sigurdson wrote “our government has also proposed legislation for a new low-interest home equity loan program to help seniors improve the safety and sustainability of their homes.
“Under the proposed seniors home adaptation and repair program (SHARP), a maximum loan of $40,000 would be available to seniors with a qualifying income threshold of $75,000 and who have a minimum 25 per cent home equity.
“The program will include a grant component for low-income seniors who do not qualify for a loan, such as seniors with insufficient home equity or mobile home owners who do not own their own land.”
“Whatever your political stripe there's a program here to help seniors,” coun. Paul Webb said.
“Now mind you, the Fort McMurray fire will probably delay many, many things,” coun. Sheila Church warned.
Sigurdson's letter was one of two written to Church and Bowden mayor Robb Stuart. Church and Stuart had expressed concern about a provincial government decision to eliminate grants in place of taxes for provincially-owned housing in Alberta.
That decision meant the Town of Bowden lost about $17,000 it used to receive for 32 provincially-owned housing units.
In her replies, Sigurdson blamed elimination of grants in place of taxes on the previous government.
“We were unable to reverse every proposed cut the previous government made,” she wrote.
However, Sigurdson also said her government had to make “tough choices that are fiscally responsible while balancing the need to maintain sufficient programs and services for Albertans.”
“I got a letter, ‘thank you for your concern,'” Stuart said, sparking some laughter.
"Under the proposed seniors home adaptation and repair program (SHARP), a maximum loan of $40,000 would be available to seniors with a qualifying income threshold of $75,000 and who have a minimum 25 per cent home equity."LORI SIGURDSONSENIORS AND HOUSING MINISTER
