(Image Credit: CFJC News)

By Sydney Chisholm

KAMLOOPS SENIORS RALLY

‘Gen-X is next, so something has to change’: Seniors Tin Cup Rally pushing for pension reform

Jun 27, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — Dozens of people lined the 700-block of Fortune Drive Thursday (June 27) morning, as part of the second Seniors Tin Cup Rally in Kamloops.

The demonstration was meant to draw attention the growing rate of seniors falling below the poverty line, as well as to gather signatures to petition the Canadian government to change pension rates.

According to Celeste Fummerton, one of the rally’s organizers, seniors relying solely on the federal pension plan are making $7,000 below the $25,000 low-income threshold in Canada.

“I get $1830 a month. My rent is $1700 dollars here in Kamloops. That leaves me $130 to live on,” said Fummerton. “Luckily I do have savings, but I am burning through them at such an alarming rate that I will be out of money in six years. So if we can’t get this fixed, I’ll be homeless in the jeep with my dog.”

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Fummerton says she’s just one of many in the country facing this reality.

“We have been working I’ve been working since I was 18 for the country, building it up,” explained Sharon Loukianoff, a demonstrator present at the rally. “My parents were homesteading here and I think we’ve done our part and just to be excluded from having a good retirement– nobody’s asking for millions of dollars.”

Most demonstrators were seniors, but organizers say they have an increasing amount of support from younger generations, worried about their parents and their future.

“My mom is a senior and I see her struggle, it’s hard for her to pay rent and food and medication,” said Dana Burnell, who wanted to attend the rally to help raise awareness of the issues. “It’s just it’s tough. It’s tough all the way around, it doesn’t matter even if you’re a senior, you know, Gen-X is next, so something has to change.”

So far the group has gathered about 900 signatures on their petition but is looking to collect 750, 000 before handing it off to Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Frank Caputo to take to Ottawa.