Advocacy and program services work SCOA has engaged in to ensure “an age-friendly focus” is embedded in the way The City of Saskatoon does business

#1 Outdoor Spaces And Buildings
Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) provided recommendations to the City of Saskatoon regarding outdoor spaces and buildings in the Phase 2 report of the Saskatoon Council on Aging Age-friendly Saskatoon Initiative for the City of Saskatoon to:
• Assess needs and develop appropriate actions to ensure existing and planned outdoor spaces and buildings are age-friendly.
• Engage older adults in planning processes.
• Implement mandatory age-friendly education for police, firefighters and other emergency responders.
• Incorporate an age-friendly policy lens in the development and delivery of current and future community policies, programs and services.
• Implement a “universal design” standard to be applied to all new public and private buildings.
• Assess needs and develop appropriate actions to ensure existing buildings are age-friendly.
Outcomes of Advocacy and partnerships
• City of Saskatoon incorporated in its Strategic Plan 2013-2023 to develop age-friendly initiatives to enhance quality of life as people age
• City of Saskatoon is working in partnership with SCOA and other community-based organizations to develop more age-friendly services and programs •
• Saskatoon Police and Fire Services are working with SCOA on age friendly training and sensitivity and on Remembering When™: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults

#2 Transportation
Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) provided recommendations to the City of Saskatoon regarding transportation in the Phase 2 report of the Saskatoon Council on Aging Age-friendly Saskatoon Initiative for the City of Saskatoon to:
• Assess needs and develop policies and actions to provide age-friendly public transportation services including: discount bus passes for seniors, free access for attendants, talking buses, electronic signage, heated shelters, buses with lifts, buses with low floors, and snow and ice management at bus stops.
• Transit to review service standards, current and future system demand, client needs and eligibility criteria for Access Transit.
• Increase funding for Access Transit expansion.
• Research new, innovative and cost-effective transportation options.
• Implement an active transportation plan for the City of Saskatoon.
• Identify parking options for older adults such as passes, handicap zones and age-friendly meters.
• Implement alternative parking options at health care facilities to reduce barriers to access.
Outcomes of Advocacy and partnerships
• City of Saskatoon has engaged the Saskatoon Council of Aging in conversation on a number of transportation related issues with the aim of inclusion and prioritization of older adults in service provision
• City of Saskatoon has prioritized increasing the number of buses with low riding capacity
• City of Saskatoon approved an increase of five additional taxi licenses to make a total of 21 handicap licenses
• City of Saskatoon introduced automated announcements on city buses, visual and audio service advising transit riders of upcoming stops
• City of Saskatoon Transit demonstration project promoting use of public transit to older adults
• City of Saskatoon Transit and SCOA are working in partnership regarding operation curriculum and training, and embedding age-friendly policy and practices into their ongoing work.
• Older adults are more engaged in the planning of age-friendly transportation

#3 Housing
Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) provided recommendations to the City of Saskatoon regarding housing in the Phase 2 report of the Saskatoon Council on Aging Age-friendly Saskatoon Initiative for the City of Saskatoon to:
• Work across sectors to develop universally accessible and economically sustainable housing options.
• Develop programs and services that enable older adults to age in place in order to remain in their own homes and their communities.
• Collaborate to support development of a sufficient supply of social and affordable housing options for those with highest need.
• Engage older adults in the planning and development of housing options.
• Increase use of age-friendly, barrier free building design.
Outcomes of Advocacy and partnerships
• Increased understanding by the City of Saskatoon on the need for age-friendly housing in Saskatoon
• City of Saskatoon implemented a municipal property tax deferral option for low income seniors
• City of Saskatoon implemented a municipal property tax deferral option for low income seniors

#4 Social Participation
Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) provided recommendations to the City of Saskatoon regarding older adult social participation in the Phase 2 report of the Saskatoon Council on Aging Age-friendly Saskatoon Initiative for the City of Saskatoon to:
• Increase opportunities and accessibility for older adults to a wider variety of activities and events.
• Raise community awareness of older adult isolation.
• Create and support programs that reduce isolation.
• Increase civic programs and services that focus on integration of older adults in to the community.
• Support the recognition of older adults’ contributions to the community.
Outcomes of Advocacy and partnerships
• City of Saskatoon is a sponsor of SCOA Globe Walk a program aimed to improving their health and fitness of older adults in the winter months, and reduce social isolation. In 2016, more than 2400 older adults on 77 teams participated in the Globe Walk. In 2017, 2575 older adults on over 80 teams participated

#5 Respect and Social Isolation
Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) provided recommendations to the City of Saskatoon regarding respect and social isolation in the Phase 2 report of the Saskatoon Council on Aging Age-friendly Saskatoon Initiative for the City of Saskatoon to:
• Implement campaigns and programs that counter ageist attitudes and beliefs, and raise awareness of the contributions that older adults make in the community.
• Create better tools for lower income older adults to access information and the programs and services available to assist them.

Outcomes of Advocacy and partnerships
• The City of Saskatoon has incorporated an age-friendly lens into its planning and service provision

#6 Civic Participation and Employment
Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) provided recommendations to the City of Saskatoon regarding Civic participation and employment in the Phase 2 report of the Saskatoon Council on Aging Age-friendly Saskatoon Initiative for the City of Saskatoon to:
• Enhance existing programs/services that specifically connect older adults to volunteer opportunities.
• Help older adults (re) connect to the workforce through a strategic effort that:
o o Promotes/provides low cost (re) training and educational opportunities for older adult workers
o Assists employers understand needs and the impact of workplace policies on older adult workers o Raises awareness of the benefits of hiring older adults
o Assesses labour market needs to fully connect older adult workers
o Reviews government policies that impact older adult workers remaining in the labor market or in reconnecting to the workforce o Supports older adult entrepreneurship
• Develop resources that support a multigenerational workforce and age-friendly work environments.
• Support lifelong learning through enhanced training and educational opportunities for older adults.
Outcomes of Advocacy and partnerships
• Developed and delivered the “Seniors’ Bullying Seniors” presentation and training material to over 100 older adults and staff to date within Saskatoon Housing Authority residences, with more planned

#7 Communication and Information
• Develop innovative strategies to disseminate information about City of Saskatoon programs and services for older adults.
Outcomes of Advocacy and partnerships
• SCOA’s Coming of Age publication is distributed to over 5,000 members in the community in print and online format, and SCOA’s E-newsletter increases accessibility to information monthly keeping members up-to-date on SCOA and community activities and initiatives City of Saskatoon shares information, updates, and innovation to these publications on an as needed basis.
• Older adults have increased accessibility to information on City of Saskatoon programs and services
# 8 Community Support and Health Services