Thank you for your hard work, Ms. Fortier. You are one of the last people to join us, and we very much appreciate all the work you have done to date.
The seniors file has been very important over the past two years. As you know, we began by acknowledging that seniors, particularly the most vulnerable and those who live alone, are finding it hard to make ends meet. They often have to make choices whether to buy medication, pay their rent, buy good food, or take part in the life of their community. The cost of living is constantly rising for seniors, and we have acknowledged that fact from the outset.
We have invested funding and assisted 900,000 vulnerable seniors in Canada. I'm going to take advantage of the fact that my colleague Steven Blaney is here to tell him that 4,000 seniors in his riding have received an increase in the guaranteed income supplement. I will also point out to my colleague Mark Warawa that 1,300 seniors in his riding have received an increase of up to $950. That's a significant difference. For people who are better off, $950 a year may not seem like much, but it makes a significant difference for seniors who, every day, find it hard to make ends meet.
In addition, we have expanded the Canada pension plan and invested in the national housing strategy, which will increase seniors' ability to house themselves properly and safely.