Meaford council plans to apply for a $25,000 grant to set up its own age friendly program.
The age-friendly program is part of the province’s action plan for seniors that provides municipalities with funding to plan services and programs for seniors.
Council voted Monday to support efforts to apply for the grant and called for an exception to be made to its purchasing policy so that and outside company could be hired to draw up the application.
Council chose Cambium Incorporated because the company has drawn up similar applications before and can complete and submit it before the January 30 deadline.
If successful in getting the grant, Meaford it will then provide and extra $5,000 from its 2015 budget and use the $30,000 to hold meetings, conduct interviews and surveys and other methods to assess the needs of its senior citizens.
If Meaford fails to get the grant, however, it won’t go ahead with the age-friendly program.