​United Way of Bruce Grey and partners launch financial workshops for low-income seniors

United Way of Bruce Grey, the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force and community partners are expanding their commitment to senior well-being with a series of webinars designed to help older adults better understand and navigate retirement income.

Retiring on a Low Income for Seniors in Bruce Grey Webinars will deliver a series of accessible webinars for seniors living with low-income and the professionals who support them in community hubs in Bruce and Grey counties:
 

• Friday, May 8, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: What Seniors Get (Government Incomes)
• Friday, May 22, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Income Tax Systems
• Friday, June 5, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Parallel Universe (the financial reality for low-income seniors, when conventional financial wisdom does not apply)

These free webinars are designed for individuals, aged 45-65, particularly those with low or moderate incomes, as well as those navigating programs such as Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program.

Registration is requested to ensure space and availability at each location.

Thanks to funding from Community Foundation Grey Bruce, the sessions will bring to the screens, John Stapleton, founder of Open Policy Ontario, a leading expert in income security and social policy.

Stapleton has 28 years of experience with the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services and has held key advisory roles on national poverty reduction strategies, income security and social assistance policy reform. He is currently a Policy Fellow at the National Institute on Aging and has published extensively on financial security issues affecting seniors and low-income populations.

“His expertise ensures participants receive clear, practical guidance grounded in real-world policy and experience,” said Francesca Dobbyn, executive director of United Way of Bruce Grey.

With more than one-quarter (26.2 per cent) of the local population aged 65 and older and many households earning below $72,500 annually, financial insecurity remains a significant concern in Bruce-Grey.

Many seniors with low income rely on Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), yet barriers, such as program complexity, can prevent them from accessing available government supports.

“These webinars are about helping seniors understand financial strategies for retiring better when faced with no other option but to retire low-income,” said Jill Umbach of the Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force. “Join us to learn more, ask questions and access supports.”

Webinars will be hosted in-person at 11 community hubs:
 

• Bruce County Public Library (Kincardine and Port Elgin)
• South East Grey Community Health Centre (Dundalk and Markdale)
• Beaver Valley Outreach (Thornbury)
• Meaford Public Library (Meaford)
• YMCA of Owen Sound Grey Bruce (Owen Sound)
• M’Wikwedong Indigenous Friendship Centre (Owen Sound)
• Ontario Disability Support Program/Ontario Works (Owen Sound)
• The Salvation Army (Wiarton)
• Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce (Hanover)

To find the details for each location and registration visit: Government Incomes for Seniors - United Way of Bruce Grey.