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Toronto, Canada - January 15, 2003 - The Vivat Group , a Canadian gay-owned and operated company, today announced a ground-breaking initiative that will foster the development of a gay and lesbian retirement living community in Ontario. "Whether we like it or not, we live in an aging society. The reality is that by 2021, 40% of our country's population will be 50 years or older," says Gordon F. Davies, co-founder and principal of The Vivat Group. "The need for Canada's gay and lesbian population to start thinking about retirement living is not an eventuality. Research has shown that on average, only 20% of elderly gays and lesbians have a life partner, and only 10% have children. By contrast, almost half of the general population enjoys retirement with a spouse, and 80% have children -- the primary caretakers in elder care. Research done by the Canadian Press with Leger Marketing (2001) shows that while attitudes and tolerance to homosexuality in general are rapidly improving, those who hold the most negative attitudes towards homosexuals and homosexuality are aged 65 and older, and retirees. One unfortunate result has been documented cases of elderly gays being shunned in general population retirement communities." "Our goal is to bring together members of the GLBT community 45 years or older, who live within the Toronto area, to begin a dialogue to assess the need and the workability of realizing a gay and lesbian retirement living community in this region. In doing so we will also begin to identify the fundamentals of such a environment in terms of size, cost, scope of services provided and other factors," Davies states. "To that end, we have retained the counsel and services of N. Barry Lyon Consultants (NBLC), a real estate consulting firm, to facilitate and administer a series of discussions and workshops in the Toronto area." Workshop participants will be targeted through a series of print ads running in Xtra and Now Magazine, online ads on GayGuideToronto.com, and through grassroots initiatives within Toronto's GLBT community, breaking January 16th, 2003. Those interested in participating in the workshops are invited to contact The The Vivat Group /NBLC at (416) 364-0012 or email info@nblc.com. About The Vivat Group The Vivat Group is a Canadian gay-owned and -operated company that is dedicated to providing options for accommodation in the senior GLBT community, offering a living environment where they and their friends can be themselves. The Vivat Group is pioneering research of GLBT retirement needs and awareness in Ontario. About N. Barry Lyon Consultants Ltd. Established in 1976, N. Barry Lyon Consultants Ltd. is a full service real estate consulting firm, specializing in the residential market. NBLC is best known for its market research services focused in particular on the condominium apartment and adult lifestyle markets, its development management services, and its development and financially-oriented services in order to determine the highest value and best use scenarios for its clients. NBLC has conducted numerous surveys and focus groups in its 26 year history and has established solid relationships with a large number of developers. Since 1981, NBLC has also co-published the Urbanation Condominium Market Survey, the most comprehensive source of data on the Toronto CMA condominium apartment market. Media Contact: Shane L Wagg Wilde Marketing (416)821-3074 swagg@wildemarketing.com |
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© 2003 Wilde Marketing - Gay Seniors Project Canada |