Merci, Madam Folco.
It is a privilege for me to appear as a witness before this committee. As you may know, I was a member of this committee for several years, and I have been personally and directly engaged in many of the social issues this committee has dealt with. Many of my constituency members and organizations continue to lead in much of the social field. Many of you are interested in this particular field, and I know that many in your ridings also continue to work with you to ensure that we move forward in social development.
I appear before you today with Minister Dryden representing a new department with a renewed mandate. Minister Dryden has just provided a solid overview of our department, including the government's commitment to renew and strengthen social partnerships at all levels throughout the country. While much of our department's areas of responsibility have been well established for many years, the creation of Social Development Canada provides the opportunity to improve upon our services and to be more responsive to the social needs of Canadians.
For my part, in keeping with the nature of my portfolio, I would like to reflect on the government's specific commitment to families and caregivers. By creating the portfolio of Minister of State for Families and Caregivers, the government has clearly signalled its commitment to the issues and needs of seniors and caregivers. I feel very excited and very privileged to be given the task of shaping the government's response to these vitally important components of our society.
Madam Chair, when I speak of a caregiver, I refer to someone who cares for an aging parent or a family member with a disability, or both. Caregivers are Canada's unsung heroes who need and deserve our support. Many of us know people in that situation. Unless one has been a caregiver, it is difficult to comprehend the mix of emotions that can accompany this role. On the one hand, a caregiver has a strong desire to provide love and support to a family member. On the other hand, the sheer scope of the demands can lead to emotional and physical exhaustion, financial difficulties, and increased stress at work and in the family.
Given these immense challenges, I am proud that the Government of Canada has recognized the need to increase support for caregivers and their families. The support takes several forms, addressing the needs of seniors, people with disabilities, and families that care for them. The federal government currently allocates about $7.5 billion a year for benefits and tax measures, as well as program services, for Canadians with disabilities. This allocation includes $50 million for approximately 40,000 low- or moderate-income families taking care of a disabled child.
As noted in the Speech from the Throne, the government will build on these previous tax measures by drawing on the upcoming recommendations of the technical advisory committee on tax measures for persons with disabilities. It will also provide tax relief to Canadians who care for those with severe disabilities.
The Speech from the Throne also made a commitment that Parliament would consult across the country on possible additional initiatives to ease the burden on caregivers. I look forward to working with this committee in respect of this commitment, as our consultation with stakeholders and citizens will be a vital first step toward determining how the federal government can best act in this regard.
I also indicated at the recent federal-provincial-territorial meeting of ministers responsible for social services that the federal government would be pursuing a comprehensive strategy to recognize the growing role of caregivers in our society. I expressed to our provincial and territorial colleagues at the table our government's interest in working together across levels of government to achieve the best possible approach for these dedicated Canadians. Of course, I will work with you and our federal colleagues on this strategy. I welcome all of your input and look forward to working collaboratively with you in the ensuing months.
With respect to the needs of seniors, I'm pleased to note that Social Development Canada is taking action on several fronts that will directly and indirectly support caregivers. Last year our government created a task force on active living and dignity for seniors, which I was pleased to lead. In May we released our report creating the national seniors agenda. It examined current programming and community-based approaches and made 17 recommendations to improve the quality of life for seniors.
Madam Chair, those recommendations were driven by two imperatives: first, moving forward now to address the needs of today's most vulnerable seniors; and second, taking the steps needed to prepare for the growing number of seniors as our population ages. The Speech from the Throne outlined the government's desire to increase the guaranteed income supplement for low-income seniors, addressing the needs of Canada's poor seniors now. Work is also under way across all government departments as well as with our provincial and territorial partners to find ways to leverage our collective capacity as we work together to better align seniors-related policies, programs, and services.
Our department launched the new horizons program for seniors. This will support a wide range of community-based projects across Canada to encourage active living and participation among seniors. Through the new horizons program, seniors and their community partners can create projects that fit their unique needs. These projects may range from harnessing seniors' experience through mentorship to expanding volunteer activities for seniors and other vulnerable groups to strengthening relationships across generations. The new horizons program will receive $8 million in this fiscal year and $10 million a year thereafter. The program will directly help seniors who are in need and will allow seniors to help put their talents and energies to work in helping others in their communities. At the same time, it will directly ease the burden of caregivers by providing more opportunities for seniors to be active in the community.
Madam Chair, there will always be more that governments can do to support caregivers and families, but I believe this is a good start. We will continue to build on our strong social foundations to make them even more responsive to the needs of Canadians, improving their quality of life and maximizing their opportunities in this great country.
Thank you.
I would be pleased, with Minister Dryden, to answer your questions.