Mr. Speaker, I would like to advise you that I will be splitting my time with my colleague, the hon. member for Niagara West—Glanbrook.
As the champion for seniors in this government, I am privileged to speak about how older Canadians will help fulfill the pledge in the Speech from the Throne to build a stronger Canada now and in the future.
Since coming to office, this government has taken a multifaceted approach to supporting older Canadians and it will continue to do so. It is no secret that Canada has an aging population. Indeed, one in seven Canadians today is over the age of 65, but in two short decades more than one in four Canadians will be a senior.
This demographic shift will have a profound effect on Canadian society and, thanks to our superior health care and quality of life, Canadians now enjoy one of the longest life expectancies in the world. The sheer numbers of new seniors, however, will pose a challenge to the sustainability of our social programs and economy. We must be ready to meet the needs of an aging population and harness the energy and expertise of this invaluable resource for the benefit of all Canadians. I assure the House that we are working hard to be ready.
Who are Canada's seniors? Are they people who spend most of their time travelling or on the golf course? Do they mostly stay at home, busy with family or perhaps caring for grand kids? Are they often engaged in their communities as volunteers or active in service organizations? Perhaps seniors simply change their work-life balance somewhat and are still engaged in the workplace to some degree. Are they individuals who now spend more time mentoring and coaching others, sharing their life lessons in various ways? Of course, seniors are all of these things and many more.
We must be careful not to impose preconceived ideas about seniors. That is why, as one of our first steps, this government created the National Seniors Council to help us understand both the concerns and aspirations of Canadian seniors.
Last year, the council held round tables across the country to gather evidence from seniors about two key issues: volunteering and positive aging. The council's report will increase our understanding of how seniors stay healthy, active, and engaged and continue contributing to society.
Certainly we already know that many seniors stay active through volunteer activities. In fact, studies show that seniors who volunteer put in more hours per year than any other age group. With the replacement value of all volunteer work in Canada priced at about $14 billion, the financial impact of seniors in our communities is very evident.
However, the value of their contribution goes beyond dollars and cents. Seniors benefit from building social networks and staying physically and mentally active, and others in society benefit, gaining fresh perspectives and the intangible wisdom that can only come from a lifetime of experience.
To encourage positive aging, the Government of Canada provides $35 million each year to enable seniors to engage with each other and mentor younger Canadians. I am pleased to note that budget 2010 provides an additional $5 million per year for the new horizons for seniors program, bringing the total to $40 million.
The Government of Canada has also undertaken several initiatives to enhance the financial security of seniors. Each year, more than four million seniors receive old age security benefits and three million receive a cheque from the Canada pension plan. In addition, the guaranteed income supplement provides extra support to seniors with little or no other income.
We are proud that poverty among seniors in Canada has fallen from a rate of 21% in 1980 to less than 5% in 2007. That is one of the lowest rates in the world. To assist the lowest income seniors who want to increase their income level, we now allow them to earn up to $3,500 and still receive GIS. In addition, we have increased the age credit for more than two million modest income seniors in recent years. We also introduced tax free savings accounts and income splitting for Canada's pensioners. All told, we are providing over $2 billion in tax relief for seniors and pensioners, in addition to over $33 billion a year for OAS and GIS.
We are continuing to work with the provinces and territories to further strengthen Canada's retirement income system.
One of the biggest expenses for seniors is the upkeep of their homes, yet many seniors want to stay in their own homes for as long as they can. The Government of Canada, through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's renovation programs, offers financial assistance for low-income households, including seniors. These programs assist with home modifications and adaptations to allow seniors and persons with disabilities to live independently in their own homes.
Under the affordable housing initiative, the federal government has committed almost $2 billion over five years to improve and build affordable housing and help the homeless. These programs benefit low-income Canadians, including seniors. The federal government also provides close to another $2 billion each year to support social housing, approximately one-third of which is occupied by seniors.
In Canada's economic action plan, we injected another $400 million over two years for the construction of housing units specifically for low-income seniors. New handrails in the bathroom may increase seniors' comfort levels in their homes, but safety issues go far beyond nuts and bolts. It is another hard truth that between 4% and 10% of seniors in Canada experience abuse of some kind, whether physical, financial or emotional.
Our government has dedicated $13 million over three years to help seniors and others recognize the signs and symptoms of elder abuse and to know how to get help. In addition to a national awareness campaign, we are also developing tools and resources to help front line professionals in the health, financial and justice sectors to deal with this issue. In this fiscal year, we have also invested in 16 different elder abuse awareness projects across the country through the new horizons for seniors program.
The Speech from the Throne also commits the government to create Seniors Day. This would become an annual occasion to honour the contributions of older Canadians and underscore how they continue to shape the fabric of our nation. Seniors Day would be a natural symbolic step for a government that has such a solid track record on seniors issues. It would allow us to celebrate the value that Canadian seniors add to our society and the respect and honour we want to give back to them.
In closing, let me emphasize that seniors have helped build this country. They not only have our thanks and gratitude, but also our support. Their government is committed to working with them.