Is B.C.’s rent subsidy working for seniors?
B.C.’s new seniors advocate, Dan Levitt has called on the provincial government to redesign a program that provides rent subsidies for low-income seniors, saying recent improvements don’t go far enough. In April, the provincial government announced a one-time $430 payment, plus increases in monthly benefits, income eligibility and rent ceilings that will allow about 4,800 […]
B.C. seniors face rent hikes that are illegal
Many residents of retirement homes in British Columbia are facing illegal rent increases, the province’s seniors’ advocate says. In a report released this summer, Dan Levitt called for increased protections for the 30,000 people in independent living facilities in the province. “Calls to my office from seniors who are facing unlawful rent increases have more than doubled in […]
Canadian seniors want cheaper housing options
When you’re living on a pension, it’s tough to keep up with inflation. That’s why so many seniors are demanding more affordable housing options, a key factor in upcoming provincial and federal elections. Some government agencies are working on the problem. For example, the Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood in east Vancouver will soon have 146 new affordable homes for […]
B.C. seniors get a little help paying the rent
The British Columbia government is granting a one-time $430 benefit to the roughly 20,000 seniors in its support program for elderly low-income renters. B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon says eligible seniors don’t need to apply for the payment, which will be sent out. Kahlon says changes to the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters program, known as SAFER, include increasing […]
