April 28, TORONTO ON—CanAge, Canada\u2019s National Seniors\u2019 Advocacy Organization, is warning that the Government of Ontario has failed to make real change to help seniors in this election platform budget. The budget makes a long list of investments in economic growth such as highways, but only announces a handful of direct supports for seniors, including the previously announced $1 Billion for home care and a new Seniors Care Home Tax Credit that caps out at $1,500 per year for seniors making less than $65,000. Dementia care has been largely ignored and elder abuse, which has escalated an estimated 250% over the pandemic, is nowhere to be seen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\u2019s very little new here for older Ontarians,\u201d says Laura Tamblyn Watts, CEO of CanAge. \u201cThe new Ontario budget includes some previously announced investments mixed in with a few new additions which don\u2019t add up to much for seniors\u2013especially with new census data showing that 1:5 people are over 65 already. It\u2019s baffling to see so little focus on transforming the seniors\u2019 care system which is under desperate need of investment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Ontario 2022 budget follows on the heels of the 2021 census released yesterday, showing that seniors aged 85 and older are now one of the fastest-growing demographics in Canada, having increased 12% since 2016 to a population of over 861,000 nationally. There are over 2,637,710 people over 65 in Ontario alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe data shows that seniors are the fastest growing demographic in Canada,\u201d notes Tamblyn Watts. \u201cThat means older peoples\u2019 needs should be a top priority for the Government of Ontario. Unfortunately, that\u2019s not evident in this budget.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Announcements for seniors in the Ontario budget include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CanAge made a pre-budget submission to the Government of Ontario in February of this year, requesting key investments for older Ontarians, including:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n