Thank you for your question.
Temporary measures are welcome, but we also need meaningful long-term measures. What the most vulnerable seniors need is an increase to their GIS, which is meant to help people with the lowest fixed incomes in the country.
Bear in mind that, right now, for people 65 and older who rely solely on federal benefits, the most they get in a year is $21,339. That includes January's GIS increase for people 75 and older. Seniors can't afford a whole lot on an annual income of $21,339. They can't cover their basic needs, and sometimes they even have to choose between their medications, their groceries or their rent. That is a financially precarious situation. In Quebec, seniors make up 20% of the population, so 1,865,000 people, and 40% are living in precarious situations. I imagine the figure is about the same in the rest of Canada.