Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Sunday more help is on the way for vulnerable Canadians struggling with staying at home and accessing critical services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said more help is on the way for Canadian youth and seniors struggling with staying at home and accessing critical services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his daily address on Sunday, the prime minister first delivered a message to youth across the country, acknowledging for many Canadians “home isn’t a safe place to be” and that for “many more, they have no place to go at all.”
“You’re watching the world … change radically. It’s a source of anxiety. It’s a source of tension. Maybe there’s extra tension in your family,” Trudeau said.
The federal government has pledged $7.5 million in funding to Kids Help Phone to provide mental health support to children and youth impacted by school closures and reduced access to social support and community resources.
The government will also boost aid for Canadian seniors, contributing $9 million through United Way Canada to help the country’s older population get groceries, medication and other critical items.
The aid will also go toward assessing seniors’ individual needs and connecting them to the necessary community resources.
When asked whether seniors could expect to see any direct financial support, Trudeau said that the government’s immediate priority is those who have lost sources of income entirely — but added that he was “looking carefully” at other measures to support Canada’s older population.
WATCH | Trudeau speaks directly to Canadian youth:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke directly to Canadian children and youth across the country Sunday,