FOLLOWING the release of a report by the Office of the Seniors Advocate for British Columbia, BC United MLA Shirley Bond is calling on Premier David Eby and the NDP government to fulfill their responsibility to seniors in assisted living.

“David Eby and the NDP have poured more and more tax dollars into publicly subsidized assisted living for half a decade now, a 52 per cent increase over five years, but have seen absolutely no increase in either the number of units or the level of support provided. This is a stunning indictment of the NDP’s failure to respect and support B.C. seniors,” said Bond, BC United Critic for Health, Seniors Services, and Long Term Care.

“All the while, the waitlist for subsidized assisted living units is 50 per cent longer than long term care. For the independent Seniors Advocate to find that there has been no increase in service levels or increase in units is devastating news. Results and outcomes matter, and the NDP are failing to deliver.”

She noted that the report also highlighted significant confusion as to whether the Residential Tenancy Act applies to assisted living homes with many seniors fearing that they have no protection from rent increases and potential eviction. The Seniors Advocate also found that the current system does not have the clarity and transparency that is needed and is seriously lacking in key areas such as staffing requirements and reporting.

“It is absolutely shameful that the NDP has not committed to increase the number of subsidized assisted living units despite the long waitlists,” said Bond. “There is no excuse for inaction on this important report. David Eby and the NDP owe it to seniors in every corner of this province to ensure that older British Columbians have the resources and support they need to age with dignity and with compassionate care.”