Human Resources Committee on Feb. 12th, 2024

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you so much.

My question now is for Ms. Tamblyn Watts.

I wanted to talk a bit about the cost of housing and the impacts you're seeing on the seniors you serve when it comes to housing. Can you share some anecdotes? You were talking about Mary earlier, but what has changed over the last few years with regard to housing for seniors?

[Laura Tamblyn Watts]

I think it's really important to remember that we are in a big intergenerational transfer of wealth, but there are older adults aging now who are very indebted. We have this idea that the greatest generation is whom we're serving, and it's not true. We're moving on to boomers right now, and the boomers owe on average about $1.76 for every $1 they earn.

This is a very different type of group that is aging. Conflated with that, not only are they retiring with mortgages; in some cases, we're seeing people retire with student debt and mortgages. On top of that, we're seeing escalations in many urban centres of a 40% increase in the cost of housing. In rural communities, where you might think it's cheaper to live, the reality of the circumstances is that many people cannot live in rural communities because the housing is too disaggregated from other community supports.

We are in a crisis situation right now, and even a small increase like the one that's being proposed can make the difference for many older adults between being able to be housed and being unhoused. We understand that the rates of homelessness for older adults in Canada are the highest they have ever been in the last couple of years.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

I know there are studies and news stories that say that Canadians pay their rent and their mortgage first. Those expenses leave less money for other budget items in the house.

What are seniors giving up?

[Laura Tamblyn Watts]

Every day, we hear from our members who say they have to make a decision. They have to keep the roof over their house and buy some food, and after that, everything at the basic level becomes optional. That's a horrible circumstance to be in: making a decision between whether to heat your house or to eat nutritionally, or between whether to take your medications or be able to get some social connectivity by affording a transportation cost or even a small community membership to be involved in an active aging centre.

These are decisions no Canadian seniors should have to make, and they are decisions that our members are facing every day.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Thank you for raising that. There was a witness before who—

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Ms. Zarrillo, I have three minutes left, if the committee wishes to use it. If it does, then we go to Mrs. Roberts for three minutes.

Mrs. Roberts, you have three minutes.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question is for Laura.

I recently visited and volunteered at a food bank, the Sai Dham Food Bank in Toronto, where in one month they delivered food to 3,000 seniors. The reason they deliver it is that, first of all, the seniors can't afford to go and pick it up—again, we go back to the carbon tax—so they phone in their order, and Vishal will have his volunteers drive the packages to the seniors.

One of the other things that I found out by volunteering there was that the seniors who are able to go there try to go only once a week because they have to make sure that they have enough fuel in the tank to get to work as well. They're working. They're going to food banks. They can't afford their housing costs. It's all related to the lack of responsibility from this government, and their inflationary spending.

How can you help us help seniors? What suggestions would you make to this government so that we can control the cost of living and so that seniors can live out their retirement days?

[Laura Tamblyn Watts]

Certainly, we've heard from our members that funds that came from the grocery benefit were important, and that actual cash in hand is critically important to older people.

I would also say, on the caregiver benefit that we're talking about, moving to a refundable benefit would be of significant assistance.

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

Isn't it sad that we have to force our seniors to go to food banks after working all these years because the cost of living is so out of control? This particular food bank in one month serves 3.17 million meals. How embarrassing is that for a country like Canada? It's just unheard of.

We're short about two million homes. People can't afford it. What are we doing wrong?

I'll tell you what we're doing wrong. We're spending more money. The government expects us to live on a budget, yet they can blow money like it's candy, and we have to pay for it.

Seniors are fed up, and I'll tell you, I'm hearing from my seniors that they've had enough. They have had enough of this country, and changes have to come or they're moving out, and that's really sad for me to hear.

[Laura Tamblyn Watts]

We are hearing that members have never been more concerned and that financial well-being tied to social well-being, food, supports, community engagement.... We're at a tipping point. We need to make sure that our governments in Canada are responsive to an age-inclusive country and that we don't just think about benefits as a one-off—things like the Canada caregiver benefit—as we move forward. We need to actually start thinking about how our Canada is aging, and putting things in place to make sure we're not running into crises but doing it with a view to our aging population.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

Thank you, Mrs. Roberts and Ms. Tamblyn. Our time has concluded. We're a little bit over.

Thank you, witnesses, for appearing today, and thank you, committee members, for participating.

Is it the will of the committee to adjourn?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bobby Morrissey]

The meeting is adjourned.