Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo recognized as age-friendly community

RMWB and Advisory Committee on Aging receive Alberta Age-Friendly Recognition Award

Past and present members of the Advisory Committee on Aging (ACoA), community partners and volunteers came together May 13 to celebrate the region’s recent Alberta Age-Friendly Recognition Award.

CAO Henry Hunter and former ACoA vice-chair Luana Bussieres received the award on behalf of the RMWB in a provincial ceremony last month.

This award moves the region one step closer to receiving recognition as an age-friendly community by the World Health Organization (WHO).

What is an age-friendly community?

An age-friendly community adapts its structures and services to be accessible to and inclusive of older people with varying needs and abilities. It is widely acknowledged that a community that addresses its senior population’s needs is a community that is friendlier to all ages. 

Wood Buffalo Age-Friendly Work Plan

In 2022, the RMWB and ACoA launched the Wood Buffalo Age-Friendly Work Plan 2021-2024. The plan highlights the ACoA’s vision of aging with dignity in Wood Buffalo. To achieve this, the work plan provides goals, proposed actions, strategic partners and community stakeholders for priorities identified throughout the region.

The plan is based on the 2017 Wood Buffalo Age Friendly Needs Assessment and the eight domains of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Age Friendly communities’ framework, which includes housing, transportation and social participation.  

Putting the plan into action

Since the launch of the plan, many age-friendly milestones have been reached to move the plan forward, including:

• The Community Partnerships and Initiatives branch, in collaboration with community stakeholders, recently developed two accessibility checklists for buildings and events. This allows residents, businesses and RMWB staff to identify areas where accessibility can be improved to meet community needs. These checklists are available for use at rmwb.ca/accessibility. For assistance, please contact csdpulse@rmwb.ca.    
• The Snow Angels program celebrated the end of the 2023/24 winter season with a volunteer appreciation supper at the Golden Years Society. This season, 78 homes of older adults and people with physical challenges were supported with snow shoveling.
• More than 800 individuals participated in Seniors’ and Elders’ Week events and activities in 2023. Planning is well underway for this year’s celebration with events offered through both the RMWB and community organizations that serve older adults.
• The ACoA has created a working group to develop criteria for an age-friendly business recognition program with the Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce.

“We continue to focus efforts on implementing the age-friendly work plan in the region,” said Deanne Bergey, director of Community Services. “By working closely with the ACoA and community partners, we can build a community that is accessible to everyone.”

To learn more about the Wood Buffalo Age-Friendly Work Plan 2021-2024, visit rmwb.ca.