INTRODUCTION

The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA or the Committee) agreed on 4 May 2017 to undertake a study of how the government can support vulnerable seniors today while preparing for the diverse and growing seniors’ population of tomorrow.

At that time, the Committee also agreed that the study would be divided into three major themes as follows:

• How the government can improve income security for vulnerable seniors;
• How the government can improve the overall quality of life and well-being for seniors including community programming, social inclusivity, and social determinants of health; and
• How the government can improve access to housing for seniors, including aging in place and affordable and accessible housing.

The inspiration for this study was Motion-106 which requested a study on seniors be undertaken by HUMA. The specific text of M-106, which was authored by Marc Serré (Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt), reads as follows:

That, in the opinion of the House, the government should: (a) recognize that seniors, namely Canadians aged 65 or older, make up a demographic that requires ongoing attention from the government as the proportion of seniors relative to the Canadian population continues to grow (15% in 2015, 25% by 2035); (b) point out that it is working hard to help improve the lives of seniors, from restoring the age of eligibility for Old Age Security, to increasing the Guaranteed Income Supplement for single seniors, to increasing benefits for couples living apart for reasons beyond their control and supporting affordable housing for seniors; (c) ask the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities to study and report back to the House on important issues such as increasing income security for vulnerable seniors and ensuring quality of life and equality for all seniors via the development of a National Seniors’ Strategy; and (d) broaden the mandate of the National Seniors Council to allow it to undertake reviews and analysis on their own initiative and allow for a better representation of the diversity of experience and expertise on seniors, as well as to encourage it, following the study by the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities referred to in (c), to provide advice on implementing a National Seniors’ Strategy.[1]

The Committee began its study with two meetings, held 6 June 2017 and 8 June 2017. At the first of these meetings, the Committee heard from the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, and from Marc Serré, MP, author of M-106. At its second meeting, officials from Employment and Social Development Canada and other federal departments and agencies provided an overview of their initiatives related to older Canadians. Starting on 3 October 2017, the Committee began a series of nine meetings, with three meetings focussed on each of the three major themes outlined above.

Over 50 organizations and individuals provided testimony and responded to questions from the Committee. Witnesses were volunteers with organizations serving seniors, professional associations, researchers, and civil society organizations. A list of officials and other witnesses is provided in Appendix A. In addition, through its website, social media and at its meetings, the Committee invited written submissions: briefs were submitted from four members of Parliament along with 35 submissions from individuals and a wide range of organizations, including several that had also appeared as witnesses; these submissions are listed in Appendix B.

The Committee is deeply appreciative of the expertise and time provided by all the witnesses who testified and made written submissions during the course of the study. Having attentively listened to and carefully read the testimony placed before it, the Committee now reports on its findings.