B.C. Votes column: Bring seniors’ issues to Richmond candidates

Thank you for the encouragement I received for my previous article on the municipal election. By this time next week, the election will be over, and the work will begin for the newly elected officials. This time, I want to focus on the provincial election and issues that matter to seniors.

B.C. Election Day is Saturday, Oct. 24. A “Where to Vote” card will be mailed to registered voters before advance voting begins on Oct. 16. Bring it with you when you vote. More information is available on the Elections BC website at https://elections.bc.ca/2026-provincial-election/, or by calling 1-800-661-8683 for assistance. Your vote matters.

The provincial government is responsible for major areas including health, education, social services, transportation and housing. Older people have every right to demand improvements to these systems so we can live with dignity and respect in the community of our choice. The number of people aged 65 and older is rising in B.C.; they now make up almost 20 per cent of residents, or about 1.2 million people.

Improvements in health care over the years have helped us live longer and healthier lives than our parents and grandparents. However, many seniors have low incomes. About 600,000 live on $3,000 or less per month, including about 300,000 who live on less than $2,000 per month. And although some people think all seniors are wealthy homeowners, about 30 per cent of seniors are renters.

Here are some measures the provincial government could take to make life more manageable for seniors:

- Develop a seniors’ strategy and plan with accountability targets and timelines. - Create a seniors ministry so all services and programs can be accessed in one place. - Ensure communities are accessible and age-friendly through housing, mobility and local planning. - Fund seniors’ centres as a core community-based service. - Fund home support as a public service that also eases pressure on long-term care. - Fund and enable municipalities to build deeply affordable non-market housing. - Increase SAFER rent supplements so no senior ends up homeless. - Prevent extreme rent increases by implementing vacancy control. - Reverse changes to the property tax deferment program in the 2026 B.C. Budget. - Increase and index the seniors supplement, and raise the income threshold.

When voting at a polling place, all voters must prove their identity and residential address. Bring one of these pieces of identification: a BC Identification Card (BCID) or a BC Services Card with a photo; another government-issued card showing your name, photo and address; or a Certificate of Indian Status.

The candidate list is posted at https://elections.bc.ca/2026-provincial-election/candidate-list/, where you can see the names of your candidates and their parties.

De Whalen is a community busybody who was once advised to bring a camp cot to Richmond City Council meetings because she spent so much time there. She has lived in Richmond for more than 50 years and writes about seniors’ issues in this beautiful, expensive and complicated city.