Dear Editor,
I am writing on behalf of the Council on Aging Grey Bruce (COAGB) in response to the article, Grey County Receives Age-Friendly Community Recognition in the January 29, 2026 edition of The Meaford Independent.
Councils on aging across Ontario promote age-friendly community principles through actions such as education, advocacy, inclusion, and engagement. They are represented provincially by the Ontario Association of Councils on Aging (OACA). As a strong local voice for seniors, COAGB is encouraged by the Ontario Government’s recognition of Grey County as an age-friendly community. The COAGB was closely involved in a consultation process resulting in the launch of the Age-Friendly Communities Strategy and Action Plan in 2021, and it continues to champion the plan. However, five years have passed and this initiative warrants our renewed attention.
On September 25, 2025, the COAGB in collaboration with Entente Education Canada, formerly the Retired Teachers of Ontario, sponsored an event at the Meaford Public Library, Strategies for Aging Well. This event, a series of many across Grey Bruce, featured Angela Yenssen, a lawyer from the Grey Bruce Community Legal Clinic who informed participants on the legal structure of municipal, provincial, and federal governments as an example of seniors helping seniors. Much more needs to be done. Optimism and positivity about aging are declining. A 2025 survey by The National Institute on Aging found that 35% of respondents reported negative feelings toward aging compared to 34% in 2024. The same survey found that social engagement is declining. Just 33% of older adults joined weekly social, recreational or group activities – down from 39% the year before.
As of the 2021 Census, approximately 31.4% of Meaford’s population is aged 65 years and older. This represents over 3,600 residents in this age group within the municipality. This number is likely to increase. Grey County Warden Andrea Matrosovs’ comments, found in The Independent article, point to a county commitment to “a clear vision of being a safe, healthy, and supportive place for people of all ages”. I encourage Meaford residents of all ages to join in this commitment by uniting with the COAGB to form a “seniors helping seniors” initiative in the Municipality of Meaford.
Sincerely,
Frank Emptage, Meaford
