Income security was the number one issue at a Seniors Town Hall in Belleville Tuesday featuring the federal Minister for Seniors.
More than 100 people packed the venue at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre to listen to, and question, Minister Filomena Tassi.
The event was sponsored by Hastings-Lennox and Addington MP Mike Bossio and Bay of Quinte MP Neil Ellis.
Tassi presented some statistics showing that by 2016 seniors will make up 25% of the population, and people aged 85-plus years are the fastest growing age group in Canada.
There are two women for every man in that 85-plus group.
Tassi said the federal government is strengthening the courts’ power to review executive bonuses and strengthening the power of corporate boards to protect the interest of employees and pensioners.
She indicated the government had made a number of changes to the Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan to better meet the needs of seniors, pointing to the roll back of the age of eligibility for the pension from 67 to 65.
Tassi tells Quinte News that recent government changes helped nearly a million seniors.
Member of the audience Steve Rogerson said the government hadn’t done anything in three years except the recent carbon tax which he says cost him extra gas money.
Seniors Town Hall, April 23, 2019 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
There were a number of questions on housing for seniors.
Bossio indicated applications can be made for federal government funding on affordable housing projects.
He pointed to the federal government’s New Horizon grant program saying there have been 13 grants this year in Hastings-Lennox and Addington riding, increasing every year the last three years. He says the accessibility part of it is vitally important for seniors.
Minister Tassi commended a member of the deaf community for raising the issue of the need for service for the deaf in long term care facilities.
Long Term Care is a provincial government service but federal government money is available as well.
A member of the audience, Betty Bannon, commented to Quinte News, “How can a person live on old age pension, and even with the supplement you can’t get an apartment, pay rent, buy food and live?”
Bannon was the Bay of Quinte New Democratic candidate in the last federal election.
