By Cheryl Jahn

Seniors population growing, and workforce falling

Jun 7, 2022 | 3:31 PM

PRINCE GEORGE =- According to a recent study by the Fraser Institute, the number of people 65 years and older has risen in the past dozen years, while the population of working-age people is shrinking.

For example, in 1966 there were 7.7 working-aged people for every senior. Currently, that ratio stands at 3.4 working-aged individual for every senior. According to StatsCan, that decline will continue, dropping to 3 working people per senior, dropping to 2.3 by 2068.

“When you shrink the number people who are going to be in the workforce, that are generating the revenue that support services for seniors, that is of course a big challenge,” says Shirley Bond, the Critic for Seniors Services and Long-Term Care.

At the Elder Citizen Recreation Centre, there’s obvious concern over their futures, given the current economic climate of inflation and rising costs, living on a seniors income, like Old Age Pension and CPP, it’s tough.

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“It’s a struggle,” says Doreen Kather. “You really have to think about what you’re purchasing and where you’re going because you never know.”

The report goes on to talk about the impacts of an aging population and dwindling tax base on things like health care, one of the costliest items for a federal government. And while many of the supports for seniors fall under federal jurisdiction, there are ways the Province can help.

“Well I think one of the most important things we need to do for seniors is think abourt the issue of affordability,” says Bond. “If you stop and look at where we are in British Columbia today, there are many low-income seniors. Affordability is one of the ways we have to think about caring for seniors.”

Bond says the other obvious option is to increase that tax-paying workforce.

The Fraser Institute report also points to the fact that, because of growing economic pressures, seniors are working longer.