About half-way from East Coast to West Coast, you’ll find Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The biggest city and capital of Manitoba, Winnipeg is also one of Canada’s top retirement destinations. Whether you’re looking for great culture, sports, food, recreation, an affordable cost of living, or great senior housing options, Winnipeg is worth checking out. Here are the top reasons you should consider the city on the Red River when you’re thinking about your retirement options.
1 Great Senior Housing Options
As a city with over 800,000 residents, many of them seniors, there are plenty of senior housing options ranging from independent senior living communities to assisted living. As a family, if you’re looking for assisted living options for your loved ones, there are a few things you want to look for:
Availability of memory care, including care staff who are trained to work with adults suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Transportation assistance to medical appointments and services.
Private suites and a family-friendly environment.
Therapeutic group exercises offered at the residence.
A safe, warm, and comfortable environment.
Don’t be afraid to take your time and do research. The move into assisted living for seniors is a big one and should be made as a family,
2 Outdoor Activities in All Seasons
If you live here, you already know: Winnipeg is a winter city. That doesn’t just mean winters are long, cold, and snowy. A lot of seniors worry about the severity of the season if they haven’t lived here before. But Winnipeg also happens to be one of the sunniest places in Canada, cold or not. There is plenty to do on a bright winter day, including skating trails complete with warming huts and winter festivals that can rival the best of the city’s summer entertainment.
There are plenty of ways to get involved with sports and recreation in the city, including golf, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and more.
On top of all that, the city is home to huge amounts of green space that are great for walking, tai chi, and fitness clubs for seniors that can help you stay active and limber. While Vancouver may get all the credit as a hub for outdoor lovers, with the banks of the Red River and a wealth of natural assets, Winnipeg offers plenty of all-season activities – and a much lower cost of living.
3 A Rich Cultural Life
Winnipeg offers a rich cultural scene with a wealth of museums, concert halls, and theatre. Some of Winnipeg’s top cultural destinations include the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Centennial Concert Hall, Seven Oaks Museum, the Museum of Human Civilization, the Royal Manitoba Museum, and many, many more. There’s always something to do in Winnipeg.
In addition to the arts, there’s also plenty to eat. The culinary scene punches above its weight, according to food critic Dan Clapson, and experiments with both regional ingredients (like Birch syrup) and lesser-known international ingredients. Markets like The Forks are one-of-a-kind in the country.
Get to know Winnipeg. Learn more about your retirement options in one of Canada’s top retirement destinations.
Ontario is helping thousands of people fulfill their dreams of starting or growing a family with the Ontario Fertility Program.
Today, Premier Kathleen Wynne celebrated the success of the Ontario Fertility Program alongside families who have participated in the program over the past year. Since the government launched the program in December 2015, Ontario has provided more than 6,500 people with funding for in vitro fertilization and related services.
In vitro fertilization, or IVF, is a medical procedure in which an egg is retrieved, fertilized by sperm outside the body, and the resulting embryo is then implanted in the uterus. One cycle of IVF can cost more than $10,000 if paid for privately, in addition to the cost of drugs, making it unaffordable for many of the roughly one in six Ontario couples experiencing infertility. The Ontario Fertility Program helps to reduce the cost of IVF, making it more affordable for people with all forms of infertility, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation or family status.
Improving affordability and access to reproductive health care is part of the government’s plan to build a better Ontario through its Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care.
QUOTES
” Infertility can be an emotionally and financially draining experience. With this program, we are helping ease the financial burden for thousands of people and making it easier for people to start or grow a family. I look forward to seeing more happy and healthy families as the program continues.” – Kathleen Wynne Premier of Ontario
” Nearly one in six Ontario couples is affected by infertility, and we are pleased to see so many people embracing the Ontario Fertility Program in its first year. Children are our future and by creating a more reasonable and accessible fertility program, Ontario is supporting family building for those who need the assistance of IVF.” – Dr. Eric Hoskins Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
” I am proud Ontario is supporting families and has taken such positive steps towards strengthening our adoption system, and we remain committed to keeping the process as smooth and successful as possible. All children and youth in Ontario deserve supportive, loving homes, and I’m thrilled to say that many families are one step closer to making this a reality.” – Michael Coteau Minister of Children and Youth Services
” Ontario has shown great leadership with the Ontario Fertility Program and is a successful model for other Canadian provinces when it comes to providing equitable access to IVF. We congratulate all the families who have had a positive experience with the program to date — from those who have welcomed a new addition to their family to those who have gained a renewed sense of hope for the future.” – Danielle Xavier President of the IVF advocacy group, Conceivable Dreams
QUICK FACTS
In its first year, the Ontario Fertility Program has provided almost 4,800 patients with funded egg retrieval, embryology and fresh embryo transfer services, and over 1,700 IVF patients with funded frozen embryo transfer services.
There are 18 clinics in Ontario where patients can receive a funded IVF cycle.
Helping people conceive and adopt children builds on a number of recent steps Ontario has taken to better support growing families, including increasing the number of newborn screenings, increasing the number of birth options and creating two out of hospital birthing centres, funding well-baby visits through primary care, opening the province’s first ever breast milk bank and recognizing the legal status of all parents, whether they are LGBTQ2+ or straight, and whether their children were conceived with or without assistance.
L’Ontario aide les gens à fonder ou à agrandir leur famille
Le Programme de procréation assistée est offert depuis un an
10 janvier 2017 09h30
L’Ontario aide des milliers de personnes à réaliser leur rêve de fonder ou d’agrandir leur famille grâce à son Programme de procréation assistée.
La première ministre Kathleen Wynne a souligné aujourd’hui le succès du Programme de procréation assistée de l’Ontario, en compagnie de familles qui ont participé au programme au cours de l’année écoulée. Depuis que le gouvernement a institué le programme en décembre 2015, l’Ontario a fourni du soutien financier à plus de 6 500 personnes pour leur permettre d’accéder à la fécondation in vitro (FIV) et aux services connexes.
La FIV est un acte médical qui consiste à prélever un ovule et à le féconder à l’aide de sperme en dehors du corps de la patiente. L’embryon qui en résulte est ensuite transplanté dans son utérus. Lorsqu’il est payé par des particuliers, un cycle de FIV peut coûter jusqu’à 10 000 $, en plus du coût des médicaments, ce qui est trop onéreux pour de nombreux couples ontariens qui ont un problème de fertilité. On évalue qu’environ un couple sur six éprouve un tel problème. Le Programme de procréation assistée de l’Ontario aide à réduire le coût de la FIV et à rendre ce traitement plus abordable pour les personnes ayant une forme ou l’autre d’infertilité, sans égard à leur sexe, à leur orientation sexuelle ou à leur situation familiale.
Rendre les soins de santé reproductive plus abordables et plus accessibles, cela fait partie des objectifs du gouvernement visant à bâtir un meilleur Ontario grâce à son Plan d’action en matière de soins de santé, qui donne la priorité aux patients.
CITATIONS
« L’infertilité peut causer des difficultés émotionnelles et financières. Grâce à ce programme, nous contribuons à alléger le fardeau financier de milliers de personnes et les aidons à fonder ou à agrandir leur famille. Nous anticipons le plaisir de voir de plus en plus de familles heureuses et en bonne santé au fur et à mesure que se poursuit le déploiement du programme.» – Kathleen Wynne première ministre de l’Ontario
« En Ontario, près d’un couple sur six éprouve un problème de fertilité, et nous sommes enchantés de constater qu’un si grand nombre de gens aient fait appel au Programme de procréation assistée de l’Ontario dès sa première année. Les enfants sont notre avenir et en instaurant un programme de fertilité plus raisonnable et plus accessible, l’Ontario aide les personnes qui ont besoin de la FIV pour agrandir leur famille.» – Dr Eric Hoskins ministre de la Santé et des Soins de longue durée
« Je suis fier que l’Ontario soutienne les familles et que nous prenions des mesures propices, par exemple renforcer notre système d’adoption. Nous restons déterminés à ce que le processus demeure aussi souple et fructueux que possible. Tous les enfants et les jeunes de l’Ontario méritent de vivre dans un foyer où ils sont bien traités et aimés, et je suis ravi de pouvoir dire que de nombreuses familles sont encore plus proches de réaliser leur objectif à cet égard.» – Michael Coteau ministre des Services à l’enfance et à la jeunesse
« L’Ontario a joué un rôle d’avant-garde avec son Programme de procréation assistée, qui est devenu un exemple de réussite dont s’inspirent d’autres provinces canadiennes lorsqu’il s’agit de fournir un accès équitable à la FIV. Nous félicitons toutes les familles qui ont vécu une expérience positive avec le programme — tant celles qui ont eu le bonheur de s’agrandir que celles qui nourrissent un nouvel espoir pour l’avenir.» – Danielle Xavier présidente du groupe de revendication de la FIV, Conceivable Dreams
FAITS EN BREF
Au cours de sa première année, le Programme de procréation assistée de l’Ontario a accordé du soutien financier à près de 4 800 patients qui ont bénéficié de services de prélèvement d’ovules, d’embryologie et de transplantation d’un embryon frais. En outre, plus de 1 700 patients de la FIV ont obtenu des services de transplantation d’embryons congelés.
Les patients de l’Ontario peuvent obtenir un cycle de FIV financé dans 18 cliniques.
L’aide offerte aux personnes qui veulent concevoir et adopter des enfants fait fond sur des mesures récentes que l’Ontario a appliquées en vue de mieux soutenir les familles en croissance, y compris une hausse du nombre de tests de dépistage des maladies chez les nouveau-nés, l’augmentation du nombre d’options pour la naissance, la création de deux centres de naissance hors hôpital, le financement de visites de santé du bébé dans le cadre des soins primaires, la mise sur pied de la toute première banque de lait maternel de la province ainsi que la reconnaissance du statut juridique de tous les parents, qu’ils soient LGBTA2+ ou hétérosexuels, que leurs enfants aient été conçus avec ou sans aide.
The official description from the Government of Canada is that CETA “is by far the most ambitious trade initiative” image: canada-eu.gc.ca
Ontario Greens are calling for a public review on the EU trade deal before its final approval.
(Queen’s Park): GPO leader Mike Schreiner is demanding that Premier Wynne conduct a public review on CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) before Ontario approves the deal.
“The people of Ontario deserve the right to accept or reject CETA’s sweeping changes before the deal is finalized,” says Schreiner. “Ontario cannot let CETA sell out local decision making, local purchasing policies, and sovereignty over our natural resources and public services without
a public debate on costs and benefits.”
The GPO has raised concerns over CETA in the past. In a letter to then Premier McGuinty last year, the GPO asked to Premier to:
* exempt natural resources, local purchasing programs, public utilities and services such as education and health care, and municipalities from CETA;
* demand open and transparent negotiations, and
* insist the dispute mechanisms are open and fair.
In this excerpt: A look back at what NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Act from 20 years ago) proposals looked like and their predicted impacts. Essay by E.Bernard http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/lwp/nafta.pdf
“The Green Party supports free, fair trade with Europe, but NAFTA has taught us that we need to think these things through to prevent
expensive problems after the treaty is signed,” says Schreiner. “Ontarians need to be in control of fundamental decisions about their province and their economy.”
This would be the first trade deal that extends to provinces and municipalities. Over 50 municipalities and school boards have sought an exemption from CETA.
“Ontario must have a public review before approving such sweeping changes to our democratic institutions and local economies,” says Schreiner. “We can’t sell out our sovereignty to multi-national corporations without the people having a voice on the final details of this deal.” For the Silo, Becky Smit
In 2009 conspiracy reports of a Super NAFTA highway made headlines in the US. Here is a CNN brief:
Legislative Assembly Manitoba From 2007- Announcements of a Winnipeg ‘in land port’ with preclearance for international shipping , and a super NAFTA highway joining Manitoba with the US and Mexico via a mid continent trade corridor:
Amongst all the vital issues of provincial significance that get discussed at this time of year, there is no doubt that health care remains as the number one priority for people in Ontario.
Unfortunately, while health sector spending accounts for about 46 cents of every tax dollar allocated, the size and scope of our health system obscures the most important person: the patient.
All too often, care in Ontario is structured around forms, processes, long lines, and bureaucracy, when it should be built from the patient out.
Over the past eight years, money that should have gone to nurses, emergency rooms, and frontline patient care was instead diverted to salaries and expenses for fancy health care consultants. The lessons learned from the billion dollar e-health boondoggle should not be forgotten.
As Ontario’s Opposition we have watched too long as we pay more and get less in health care services. It’s time for patient-centred reforms that make the patient – not bureaucracies, not administrators – the focus of our health care system.
Tim Hudak has announced plans to grow our investments in health, while instilling the patient centred focus we deserve.
Specifically, we will increase annual investments in health-care by $6.1 billion by the end our first term. At the same time we will introduce a rigorous system of patient satisfaction and health outcome measures including the establishment of wait time guarantees for emergency room visits.
To accomplish our goals we will need to take aim at eliminating fraud and waste in health care and reducing administration.
The Ontario PC plan will target the costly health bureaucracies that take money from direct patient care. We will put a stop to scandals like eHealth and limit health care dollars towards ever-expanding salaries for administrators.
For example, the LHINs are unelected, unaccountable, faceless bureaucracies that the Dalton McGuinty Liberals hide behind whenever there are beds to close, emergency rooms to shut, or nurses to lay off. To date, $300 million health care dollars have been diverted from frontline care to pay for salaries and administration. We will close the LHINs and redirect those dollars to patients.
We continue to advocate bringing more doctors to communities that need them. We will do this by encouraging doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants to work collaboratively. We will increase residency placements for medical students from Ontario who have training outside Canada and want to return home to practice. Locally, the excitement surrounding plans for a new Port Dover Health Centre – ideally building on the success of the Delhi Community Health Centre – will go a long way to attracting and retaining physicians and other health professionals.
Our plan also includes improvements in health care for Ontario seniors with 40,000 long-term care beds – 5,000 new and 35,000 upgraded. And we will give homecare users more dignity, more flexibility and more say in determining where they acquire these important services.
For all we pay in taxes, we should receive the highest quality services in the country. In many cases, it’s not about more money but rather about rethinking and revitalizing the way our services work. We will work to ensure we receive the world class health care services we deserve.
” Nearly one in six Ontario couples is affected by infertility, and we are pleased to see so many people embracing the Ontario Fertility Program in its first year. Children are our future and by creating a more reasonable and accessible fertility program, Ontario is supporting family building for those who need the assistance of IVF.” – Dr. Eric Hoskins Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
” I am proud Ontario is supporting families and has taken such positive steps towards strengthening our adoption system, and we remain committed to keeping the process as smooth and successful as possible. All children and youth in Ontario deserve supportive, loving homes, and I’m thrilled to say that many families are one step closer to making this a reality.” – Michael Coteau Minister of Children and Youth Services
