B.C.’s seniors are in a housing crisis, with a growing segment of people over the age of 55 sliding into homelessness for the first time in their lives.
“You know, seniors aren’t out there with picket signs or yelling at anybody,” says Ms. Konkin. “They’re very quiet … and they’re from a generation that doesn’t want to be a burden, that doesn’t often ask for help. And so, we’re trying to advocate on their behalf to say, ‘This isn’t okay. This is not appropriate.’ As a country, I feel embarrassed that we’re allowing seniors to become homeless. It’s a very scary state to see, when you’re watching it.
“This was a big shock,” she says of the setback. But there are more applicants than funding, including BC Housing programs such as the Community Housing Fund. A major developer who wanted to remain anonymous and another donor had contributed $3-million in private funding in partnership with Providence Living, to provide seniors housing at a site the developer owns. However, their project didn’t get accepted. They are hopeful it will get accepted in the future.
Often, seniors are represented in mainstream media as wealthy NIMBYs who are living in large houses. But according to a United Way report released last year, one in four B.C. seniors are barely making ends meet, with after-tax incomes of $21,800. The pandemic and the housing crisis have made the seniors’ situation worse, says Ms. Holden. They are living in independent housing longer than they were meant to because there isn’t the next level of suitable housing available to them. Ms. Holden is one of several CEOs from the non-profit sector who are working together to advocate for more government funding to help seniors maintain their homes with programs such as Whole Way House.
Victoria developer Ryan Jabs had wanted to bring the Whole Way House model to Victoria, so he contacted Ms. Holden at GVHS and offered temporary funding to bring the program to the 100-unit, low-income Campbell Lodge building for seniors, providing meals and other social supports to get people out of their rooms. Now that he’s got the program up and running, he’s hoping the province will eventually step in with continued funding.
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