Latest news with #BillVanGorder
CTV News
12-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
City of Kitchener amping up push to go paperless
The City of Kitchener wants cut down on unnecessary postage. CTV's Karis Mapp has more on their mail mission. The City of Kitchener wants cut down on unnecessary postage. CTV's Karis Mapp has more on their mail mission. The City of Kitchener is trying to cut down on the cost of postage by convincing more residents to switch to paperless billing. The city said it spent approximately $1,000,000 on postage last year. Eighty per cent of that cost was attributed to mailing out property tax and utility bills. 'There's also paper costs that are increasing significantly,' Saleh Saleh, Kitchener's revenue director, said. 'E-billing, or paper billing, helps reduce some of those costs and reduce some of those pressures on the city.' A staff report will be sent city council, suggesting three options to address the issue. Two of the options would include charging a $2 fee for mailing out paper statements. However, staff are recommending a third option which focuses on a marketing campaign and social media blitz. Fifty per cent of Kitchener's taxpayers are already enrolled in e-billing, but some still have reservations. 'My understanding is seniors are one group of residents that will have difficulties transitioning,' Saleh said. A seniors' advocate said many older adults are not used to doing business on their computers. 'They hear a lot about the scams and frauds that are perpetrated online,' Bill VanGorder, from the Canadian Association of Retired People, said. 'They're just not comfortable yet and don't want to learn or know about doing business online.' He said it may be a hard sell. 'If you're of an age and you've been doing the same thing for 70 or 80 years, then being forced to change, this just is not recognizing their dignity and what they've earned in terms of their contributions to society over the years.' City council will discuss the issue on Monday.
CBC
20-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Free shingles vaccines for N.S. seniors begin next week
Social Sharing Bill VanGorder says he and many people he knows didn't need convincing to get the shingles vaccine. "Because we were just so worried about getting it," he said. "We've seen our friends and our relatives get shingles. So people who were fortunate enough to be able to pay for [the vaccine] did, but there's still a lot of people who are hesitating." VanGorder, a member of the Nova Scotia chapter of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons, was on hand Tuesday as Premier Tim Houston made good on an election promise that should remove any hesitation among seniors related to cost. "The vaccine is often just out of reach financially for too many people," Houston said during a news conference in Clayton Park. "We really want to make sure that we remove the barriers to maintain opportunities for people to be vaccinated and to be healthy and thriving." Nova Scotians 65 and older can now book an appointment for a free shingles vaccine, with appointments beginning May 28. The vaccine, which comes in two doses, costs about $400. Appointments can be booked through a family doctor or the health authority's online vaccine booking service. The cost to the province of picking up the tab for seniors is estimated to be about $26 million this fiscal year. There are some provinces that cover the cost of the vaccine beginning at a younger age. Dr. Robert Strang, the province's chief medical officer of health, said the risk of a severe complication from shingles begins to increase at age 50, but it's age 65 where the rate of hospitalization as a result of those complications begins to increase. "It's really a balance of where do we get the greatest benefit from the vaccine, knowing there's lots and lots of other priorities in the health-care system," he told reporters. Removing barriers to accessing the vaccine helps prevent issues that can create added strain on the health-care system, said Strang. One in five seniors who get shingles also get post-traumatic neuralgia, a painful condition that targets nerves. It can lead to a loss of function and increased frailty. "The direct and indirect impacts of shingles can be quite significant in seniors," said Strang. VanGorder said seniors are feeling "all kinds of financial pressures" and Tuesday's announcement eases a burden while allowing them to address a health concern.
CBC
15-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Group calls on Ottawa to restore seniors minister position in cabinet
The Nova Scotia chapter of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons says a secretary of state for seniors doesn't fully represent the interest of seniors in Canada. Watch Vern Ramesar's interview with CARP spokesperson Bill VanGorder.
