City of Vancouver approves first seniors' housing strategy

Advocates are applauding the City of Vancouver's first seniors' housing strategy, though some say there is still room for improvement. 

The city council unanimously approved a comprehensive strategy Tuesday that aims at ensuring that seniors can access affordable housing and support across Vancouver. 

In particular, the strategy outlines policies to establish more housing options for seniors, promote housing designs that meet the specific needs of older adults, and create more relocation protections for those living in community care and assisted living residences in case of redevelopment.

It also calls for more partnerships with the province to get additional funding and support. 

B.C.'s seniors' advocate, Dan Levitt, called the plan "well thought out."

He highlighted the focus on having seniors' housing in communities all around the city, which would allow older residents to age in the neighbourhood that they prefer. 

"No matter what postal code you're in, you'll have an equal chance of having a life as a senior where you're living life to the fullest as you wish to do," Levitt said. 

Michael Volker, executive director of 411 Seniors Centre Society, similarly welcomed the strategy. But he also said the city needs to be building more below-market rentals for seniors. 

"They have their estimation of how much new housing they need," he said. "We don't think that goes far enough."

Volker told CBC News that two-thirds of seniors seeking support from his organization have housing issues, which he says was not the case just one or two years ago. 

According to the city's homeless count for 2023, over 20 per cent of Vancouver's homeless population were seniors or individuals aged 55 and above. And almost half of them first experienced homelessness when they were already a senior, it says.

ABC Coun. Mike Klassen said the city's strategy has a roadmap for creating below-market units, but it also "depends upon the province to be able to provide funding for this type of housing."

He added that the city plans to advocate for such a partnership with the province as part of the strategy. 

Altogether, Klassen said being able to provide seniors with housing and support are top of mind for the City of Vancouver, especially as its population is aging. 

People who are 55 years or older currently make up 30 per cent of Vancouver's population, according to the council report on the strategy.

This figure is expected to grow significantly over the next two decades, the report says, and there will also be higher proportions of people who are 75 years and older. 

"To me, it's a huge priority," Klassen said Tuesday. "What I really heard from council today is that they also value the important message that we're sending to seniors in our city."