Image credit: Pexels
SOUND OFF

SOUND OFF: Too many seniors living below the poverty line

Aug 10, 2023 | 10:30 AM

AFTER WORKING HARD and contributing to our communities throughout their lives, our seniors should be enjoying their golden years free of stress and worry. But I’m frequently hearing from seniors in Cariboo-Chilcotin and throughout B.C. who are really struggling financially and finding it hard to pay the bills.

Many British Columbians are facing the pressures of high inflation and rising costs for housing, fuel, groceries, utilities and more. The overlapping crises of the past few years — affordability, housing, health care and the pandemic — have disproportionately impacted seniors, and far too many of them are now living below the poverty line.

Last fall, B.C.’s Seniors Advocate released a troubling report that found 45 per cent of B.C. seniors had an income below minimum wage and 84 per cent of low-income seniors reported running out of money for groceries some of the time. Housing was an area of particular concern, with fewer seniors receiving Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) benefits from the NDP, while a majority are stuck in apartments they cannot afford.

Additionally, while rents have continued to rise, the average SAFER subsidy has decreased in the past four years. We are also witnessing the drastic consequences of David Eby’s failure to build supportive housing, with seniors facing incredibly long waitlists to access it.

With all this in mind, I’ve launched a petition on behalf of seniors in Cariboo-Chilcotin calling for immediate action to raise the income threshold for supports like SAFER and BC Income Assistance for Seniors to keep up with rising inflation. The petition also calls on the province to press the federal government to increase financial supports to B.C. seniors, ensuring they have the resources available to meet their needs. If you live in Cariboo-Chilcotin and want to sign it, you can do so at my constituency office at 383 Oliver St. in Williams Lake. Some community members are also circulating copies in outlying areas.

Seniors deserve to age with dignity, but the unfortunate reality is that they are falling through the cracks. We need action now to increase supports to ensure their needs are met, rather than neglected.

——

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.