Realizing the Need – The need for a planning and coordinating body to deal with the concerns of senior citizens, particularly in the health field, had been growing in Ottawa since the 1950s. The Social Planning Council (SPC) and the Senior Citizens Council (SCC) believed strongly in the need for such an organization and, in collaboration with key stakeholders, planned for its creation. An initial meeting in 1971 discussed « the need for a connecting link in health services for older people. » This resulted in the commitment of three men to design a Council on Aging over the next four years, supported by other individuals and groups, with the SPC providing the staff.
Funding – Funding was secured in 1974 from the province through a temporary Elderly Persons Centre Grant of $15,000. Although significant, this was insufficient to meet even the very conservative budget for the COA’s first year of operation. A timely gift from the Kiwanis Club of Ottawa of $7,000 followed shortly thereafter and the COA was launched.
Initial Structure – The Council’s initial structure consisted of 25 members: leaders of senior citizens’ groups, consumers and interested senior citizens, representatives of health services, social services, religious institutions, housing agencies, funding bodies, recreational and educational groups and facilities. The Executive would all be senior citizens. The bi-cultural nature of the Ottawa-Carleton community was recognized, and it was recommended that at least five Council members be Francophone.
Close Relationships – It was agreed that to maintain the close and rather complex relationships of the COA with the SPC and SCC, their Presidents would be ex-officio Board members, and their Chief Officers and the consultant of the Ministry of Community and Social Services would participate, but as non-voting members.
Francophone Involvement – It was also agreed that the traditional cooperative relationship of the SCC with its Francophone member agencies and the policy of the SPC to include Francophone involvement and services in all planning, would be adopted by the new Council as an important guideline in establishing relationships in both English and French environments.
April 1, 1975 – Margery Boyce was the first Executive Director, a public health nurse who had been involved in studying the health needs of senior citizens. She started April 1, 1975. Her office was a small room in the Social Planning Council office
Many thanks to: The Social Planning Council, the Senior Citizens’ Council, the Glebe Centre, the Province of Ontario, the Kiwanis Club, Tom Knighton, Bernie Swanlund, and Bill Zimmerman.
