Mr. Speaker, on April 10th of this year, I asked a question of the Minister of Social Development about seniors in dire need of proper housing. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives had published a report showing that 42% of B.C. seniors were experiencing core housing needs.
The Minister of Social Development answered by saying that the Liberals reduced the age of eligibility for OAS back to 65 years, and that was lifting them out of poverty. That really was not my question. The housing crisis is systematically impacting seniors, and I am hoping that today we can get these concerns addressed in a more candid fashion.
In that report, certain groups of senior renters face even higher rates of core housing needs than seniors as a whole. Senior renters living alone are more at risk than those living in families, 51% compared to 23%. Women are disproportionately affected. More than half of all senior women renters living alone experienced core housing needs at 54%, compared to 45% of senior men living alone. I have seen it time and time again.
In my riding of North Island—Powell River, in British Columbia, and across the country, where are the resources so desperately needed now? This is after report after report has demonstrated the need for support now. The minister was basically saying good luck, and that is unacceptable.
The CCPA information about core housing needs was reconfirmed this week by government sources. According to data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, CMHC, nearly 370,000 senior citizens living in British Columbia are going through a rental squeeze.
About two years ago, the vacancy rate for seniors across B.C. was at 6.3%, but this figure has seen a reduction by 10% this year, with the rental vacancy rate for seniors standing at 4.7%.
Canada's seniors worked hard to build our country, but rising costs mean that seniors cannot make ends meet. Unaffordable housing is one of the many factors making life more difficult for seniors. Today, more than a quarter million seniors live below the poverty line. In a country as prosperous as Canada, that is unacceptable.
In my riding of North Island—Powell River, we held 11 town hall meetings across the riding to discuss issues impacting seniors. Hundreds of constituents participated by attending those town hall meetings, emailing, or calling with their thoughts.
Earlier this summer, we organized and participated in round tables with local stakeholders on the issue of housing. Both issues are very important to me and my constituents. These are both local issues and national issues that require immediate action.
Whether it is seniors who cannot leave the hospital due to a lack of housing, who simply have nowhere to go, or partners living on 20% of a pension because the remainder is paying for a spouse's care facility, or seniors living in shelters, there is no doubt the time for action is now.
The time to turn a blind eye is over. I hope the minister understands that the government's own crown corporation is telling it there is a problem. He has to listen. Our country needs strong institutions that can effectively meet the challenges of Canada's aging population.
Canadian seniors deserve a solution now. Could the minister tell struggling seniors, who are having difficulty paying rent or difficulty finding appropriate housing, how this will be addressed?