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Several organizations met today around the Centennial Flame to tell elected officials here in Ottawa about the pressing needs among seniors aged 65 to 74. They have been forgotten. Remember, those who receive the Old Age Security pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement live on an income of $22,000 a year. That is below the poverty line, based on the market basket measure. That amount is based on a minimal basket of goods, which excludes medication and rent.
Furthermore, many seniors consult us about rent. They tell us that, at the end of the month, they cannot pay it all. They hold back part of the rent to buy groceries. That’s how important it is for seniors to access the 10% top-up to Old Age Security.
Seniors also want to live at home. We hear it daily: They do not want to leave their residence. Some rent rooms to students. Others transform their dwelling into an intergenerational home. People therefore do not necessarily want to move and change where they live.
As for the 10% increase to Old-Age Security granted to people aged 75 and up, seniors aged 65 to 74 have been waiting for it for quite some time. They hoped that MPs, who certainly hear complaints from people in their riding—