August 12, 2025 • 22 mins
*This episode was filmed during Minister Kahlon’s tenure as Minister of Housing.
In this episode of Let’s Talk Housing, we take a closer look at two programs that are helping British Columbians stay housed—the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) and the Rental Assistance Program (RAP).
These impactful supports provide monthly rent subsidies to seniors and low-income families, easing financial pressure and creating more room for stability, health, and dignity. We’ll explore how these programs work, who they’re designed for, and why they matter, especially in today’s housing landscape. We’ll also highlight the recent changes to the programs that allow more people to qualify for these benefits, as well as increased subsidies to keep up with inflation.
At a time when affordability remains a major concern, this episode highlights how targeted government support can create meaningful, measurable change—helping people not just stay afloat but move forward.
Guests:
· Ravi Kahlon, Former Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, British Columbia
· Alison Silgardo, CEO, Seniors Services Society of B.C.
About:
To learn more about BC Housing’s RAP and SAFER programs, visit:
Shelter Aid For Elderly Renters (SAFER) | BC Housing
RAP/SAFER Clients: Annual Reapplication and Updates | BC Housing
Learn more about the Seniors Services Society of B.C. here: Supporting vulnerable adults 60 years+ | Seniors Services Society
#podcast #home
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:05):
A home.
It's something we all need.
But for too many, having a safe placeto make a home is out of reach.
The challenges can seem insurmountable.
And yet, each and every day,people are coming together
to provide safe, quality and affordablehousing for those in need.
Welcome to Let's Talk Housing.
(00:26):
I'm your host, Mita Naidu.
Join us as we listen toand learn from people in British
Columbia who are creating strong,inclusive communities
where everyone can thrive.
where everyone can thrive.
(00:51):
Hi and welcome to Let's Talk Housing.
I'm your host, Mita Naidu.
Joining me today is the Ministerof Housing and Municipal Affairs,
Ravi Kahlon and Alison SilgardoCEO of Senior Services Society of B.C..
Today, we'll be discussing
two important programs that are helpingBritish Columbians stay housed.
The Rental Assistance Program, or RAP
(01:13):
and the Shelter Aidfor Elderly Renters or SAFER.
We will also chat about how
recent government changes allowmore people to qualify for these benefits.
As we begin,I'd like to respectfully acknowledge
that I'm recording from the territoriesof the Musqueam,
Squamish,and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
For transparency, this episode is being recordedin June 2025
(01:37):
and reflects the issuesand priorities of that time.
Minister and Alison,welcome to Let's Talk Housing.
Thank you.
Thank you for having us.
Let's start with the conversationwith you, Minister Kahlon.
And the basics.
What are RAP and SAFER programs?
Who are they forand why were they created?
(01:58):
Well, RAP and SAFER programs actually play
a really critical, important role in ourhousing space.
We know that there's often families,
lower income familieswho struggle to be able to afford
housing in this crazy environmentthat we're living in.
And we know seniorsalso are having significant impacts.
(02:19):
Fixed incomes, rising costs.
So these two programs were designedto support people and families and seniors
to ensure that they can either get housingor maintain their housing
as they go forward.
And we've seen the needunfortunately, increase
not only here but across the country.
But we're fortunate in British Columbia
because this program, I think, iswell suited to help a lot of people.
(02:42):
It's quite amazing.
There are some stats herethat I just wanted to touch on quickly.
24,000 seniors are benefiting from SAFER
as of May,and 3000 families are benefiting from RAP.
But there were some important changes
made to both programs earlierthis year that have contributed to this.
Can you explain what changedand how these changes kind of been
(03:04):
helping people so far?
Well, the biggest changes are the factthat we've not only increased
the threshold of how much incomeyou can have to qualify,
which was somethingI think we've been hearing for some time.
But we also significantly increasedthe amount of dollars available for,
for seniors in particular,I think it's 30% increase
(03:24):
for folkswho already are getting SAFER dollars.
So that's a significant improvement,not only to ensure more people
get access to the program,
but also to ensure that thosethat are getting it are getting more,
because we had heard feedbackfrom people who said, yeah, we get SAFER.
It's great.
It's important, we need it.
But even with that, we're struggling.
(03:46):
So I think those two changes, hopefullywill go a long way to support seniors.
We know there's always more needed.
I'm fully aware of that.We're aware of that.
But this is definitely, I think, apositive step in the right direction.
I mean, these programs really do matterwhen you hear how they affect people's day
to day lives.
And we'll get to Alisonto tell us a bit about that later.
But when it comesto rental assistance for families,
(04:09):
why is it important to supporthouseholds where different
generations or extendedfamilies live together?
Well, I'm fortunate that I grew upin an intergenerational family setting.
And I always tell people
that it's the best way to raise kidsand have families be together.
You know, I was raised by my grandparentsbecause my parents were too busy working
and couldn't really be hometo keep an eye on us troublemakers.
(04:33):
But because I was raised by mygrandparents, I was able to have that
connection to history.
The connection to language,that connection to
so many important things ofour culture and our communities
that I would never have had if I were justliterally doing it on my own.
And so I think having that kindof environment is actually a lovely thing.
And so when you look at the changeswe're making around housing, allowing for
(04:57):
multiple units
in a single family home,that actually leads to opportunities.
But for those that are renting,we know that it's really challenging
to be able to keep everybody in the houseneeding units that are bigger.
So you can have auntie, uncleor someone live with you.
And so I think having more flexibilityallows for that to happen.
(05:19):
And it's a beautiful thing,not to mention the food.
Well, it's nice to have food,although my mom's a fantastic cook,
it was nice to have my grandma'scooking because grandmas are
just a little bit extra.
Hopefully my mom's not listening to this
because that's a controversial statement.
I mean, I see it with my own momwho lives with us now.
Yeah, it's always the case.
And kidsare the beneficiaries of it.
(05:42):
Absolutely.
Alison, quickly, we know thatseniors are a big part of our communities,
as we're talking about, as grandparents,as volunteers, as neighbours.
How does helping seniors stay housed helpthe community as a whole?
That has been probably the biggest thing.
And not just seniorswho are directly family
(06:03):
because we've got a lot of firstgeneration Canadians, but seniors
who have an adopted familyin their new community.
It's tremendousthe impact of them staying housed.
But I think one often mistakeswho are seniors, who's
in that precarious position.
And I do have a couple of examplesto share if that would be helpful,
(06:24):
because when you think of homeless,you think of a very different...
People are stereotyping it.
So if I may,I wanted to share a story about Peter,
who is a 60 yearold gentleman who came to us.
He was an immigrant to Canada30 years ago,
and most of his adult lifehe worked in manufacturing,
steady work, modest but reliable income,and being first generation,
(06:49):
he felt very proud of beingself-sufficient and not asking for help.
He really benefited from being in Canadaand wanted to pride himself
on being independent.
And when the plant he worked atclosed, he lost his sole source of income
and before long, his modest savings were
dwindled, his rent kept
(07:10):
increasing,and he soon fell behind on payments.
For the first time,he actually contended with the idea
of being homeless, overwhelmed, ashamed,and really unsure.
He was directed to us by a communityhealth worker and through
our SHINE program,which is a navigation program for seniors
he was connected to SAFER.
(07:30):
With SAFER, Peter's applicationgot submitted, quickly approved.
He was able to get reliable monthlysupplemental income
and was able to stabilize his currenthousing without having an eviction,
and was able to continuewith part time employment
to ensurethat he had a good quality of life.
(07:51):
And his comment to us at the endwhen he sent us
a little note was, I didn't even knowprograms like SAFER existed, he said.
I was lost and just tell me, he says.
So what to do?
Walk with me step by step.
I might have lost my home.
So he's just one example
of the many people we see who benefit.
(08:11):
And they’re just the average person.
It could be you or me with one situationin your life creating that challenge,
and that'swho benefits quite often from SAFER.
That's who the senior is.
It's not somebody who we normally think ofand not somebody who would look
for resourcesand supports from government.
So being able to accessit is a huge win for them.
(08:34):
Absolutely.
And the ability to not write people offno matter their age.
I would love to ask youthe same question, Minister,
how does helping seniors stay housedhelp the community as a whole?
Well, I appreciate Alison's examplebecause
it's also an additional group of peoplewho are maybe too proud to ask for help.
(08:55):
Who struggle, and some of them,I've had them when...
before I became Minister of Housing,I had people in my constituency would say,
I'm struggling between this and some ofthe medicine that I need to buy.
And when you tell them about SAFER,then they're like, oh, my God,
I did not even know this existed.
So part of our challenge,I think, is getting that word out
(09:16):
to people, letting them know
this is available, getting itaccessible to more people.
But those examplesthat Alison highlighted,
or the example is actually,first off, heartwarming
because you want to see people that get the actual benefit from it,
but also a reminderthat we have still a lot of work
to make sure that people are awareof the program.
And they know they can contactBC Housing to get access to it.
(09:40):
So what kind of impactdo you hope to see from these programs
over the next few years?
I'm hopingthat we are able to see more people
being more stable in their housing.
I'm hoping that we're ableto see more families
to be able to live togetherand have more security in their housing.
(10:02):
And quite frankly,I'm just hoping that we're able
to slow the challenge that we're seeing,which is, unfortunately,
more seniors finding themselvesinto homelessness situations.
We're seeing a rapid increase in seniorswho are just
finding themselves not able to keep upwith the cost of things.
And so this program is instrumental.
(10:24):
And hearing Alison's exampleand hearing the examples
I've heard from around the province, it'sshowing me that
this is the right directionwe need to be heading.
Absolutely.
And for seniors and familieswho might be unsure
if they qualify for support,what would you say to them?
Contact BC Housing.
Contact Alison and the amazing workthat they're doing.
(10:45):
Go to BC Housing website.
You can go to your local MLAs office.
You can go to most not for profits,because they'll know where
there's access to these programsand the dollars are available.
And our hope is peopleget access to them as quick as possible.
So programs like these are designedto make a real difference.
And Alison, you've seen that firsthand.
(11:07):
And we've heard that through your example.
From your experience as CEO of SeniorServices Society, can you point to more
feedback, more positive feedbackyou've heard from people?
For most of the seniorsthat have been able to access SAFER
that meet that criteria, it'sthe difference between being homeless
(11:28):
and it's the few hundred dollarsthat would make a difference
with them staying in the homethat they've known for 30, 40 years,
or being a homeless or relocating,
and we know for seniors or for anybody,
the home is not just the physical space,but it is connection
to community, the supports,the resources that are around them.
(11:49):
So being able to stay in a placethat you're familiar with
and the community supports,that is a huge plus.
And that's what SAFER offers at this time.
With a lot of non-profitsand affordable housing providers
exiting from their operating agreementsand moving into models
that have more lowend of market units.
(12:12):
And a blend with RGI, rent gearedto income
that allows a lot of seniorsto stay in their home
and allows the landlordsto be able to retain that
particular tenancyif they can access SAFER.
So it's a win for everybody, the landlord,the senior, as well as the system.
In newer purpose built rentalsthat are coming on the market,
(12:36):
where a developer would like to offerunits to a nonprofit
in the local community,
a senior would not otherwisebe able to access market rental,
but to be able to be part of that groupthat they can access SAFER with,
that's just one more opportunity,because the numbers of seniors
in this group that are at risk ofhomelessness is increasing exponentially.
(13:00):
They've increasedfive times in the last ten years.
So to be able to keep up with that,
housing options for them is critical.
When seniors have stable housing,it doesn't just help them, it helps
everyone around them.
As you're saying,there are systems that benefit.
There's community that benefits.
Alison, your organization helps seniorsthrough some pretty tough
(13:20):
housing situations.
I have a couple of questions.How do you make sure they feel supported,
not just with information,but emotionally too.
I think the work that our team doesis truly incredible.
They are able to come alongsidethe seniors in their time of crisis.
(13:41):
On average,we get about 12 to 14,000 calls a year,
that is of a senior in crisis.
So about 40 calls a day on average.
So our team are really equippedand we support them
to be able to meet the seniorwhere they're at and to be patient.
It's like peeling an onion becausethe person has to feel comfortable.
(14:03):
They don't want to ask for help.
They're really ashamed most of the time.
So it takes some level of comfortto be able
to disclose what the challengeand the need is.
They may be homeless, but the pathwaysto homelessness for seniors are so many,
and to be able to disclose that pathway
(14:24):
and to be able to get help for that,whether it's digital scams or emotional
or financial abuse from familyor just the cost of living,
there are so many ways that seniorsget into a precarious housing situation.
So having a team and a teamthat are well-trained and able
to support a seniorat that time of crisis is just critical.
(14:47):
You mentioned aging in place.
For people that don't know what that is,
talk to me about what that is exactly
and how it connects to dignityand confidence.
So aging in place.
It's such a broad topic and I don't think
we often realize the implications.
(15:08):
You can take it from the physical pieceof a rental unit
or a Strata that was purpose builtmaybe 30, 40, 50 years ago even.
Aging in place is just being ableas you age to be able to access every room
in your home, whether it is the washroomor whether it is the laundry room.
As you age, you may need accessto a mobility vehicle or to a walker,
(15:33):
and some of the doors in older buildingsare not built to accommodate that.
So if you can't access the laundry room
in your building now, all of a suddenyou need home help.
Not because you can't do laundry, butbecause you can't get through the door.
And there are simple challenges.
Or if you lived in a co-op, co-op housingquite often is built in a certain form,
(15:56):
and it's built oftenfor a particular demographic.
Maybe it's a family demographicthat a person renting to.
And as they age in place,
there are no studios or one bedroomsin that building that allows a person
to be accommodated in a unit
that fits their family sizein their community.
(16:17):
So quite often a senior is asked to leavejust because there's no unit
in that buildingthat fits their size of family
because the kids have moved onand that can be quite disruptive.
The other piece is around access toand connection to health supports.
Health is governed by regions,
(16:37):
and while there are intentionsthat transition
between regions happen, that doesn't happenvery smoothly.
Quite often a senior can,when they move from one region,
say from Vancouver region tothe Fraser region because it's cheaper
maybe to live thereif their health support don’t transition
(16:57):
and they have a mental health issueor they have certain critical illnesses,
that becomes a barrierand we had a recent incident
where a person with income,with housing transitioned
regions, their mental supportsdid not transition with them.
So there's some really tragic consequencesof not being able to age in place
(17:19):
because of the supportsother than the physical home.
And those are juston the physical side, right?
And there are other supportswith community and connection.
The second example is the story of Mary,an Indigenous senior,
and she was 67 years oldwhen she reached out to us.
She had lived in theLower Mainland her whole life,
and after
(17:39):
years of caregiving for a family,Mary lived alone
in a modest rental apartmentand managed on a small pension.
But as rents climbed,she was beginning to fall behind.
She was very proud, private,and truly avoided asking
for help, believing there was very littlefor somebody like her.
(17:59):
When Mary confided in a friendat a local cultural centre,
they referred her to senior servicesand to our SHINE program.
During her first meetingwith our navigator,
Mary opened up about her financial strain.
The navigator quickly identifiedthat Mary had not heard of SHELTER,
aid for seniors and the rent supplement
(18:22):
that she had qualified for many yearspreviously.
When Mary applied for SAFER,she was able to get it approved
within a few weeks and was able to receive the much
needed monthly rent support.
Through SHINE, she was also able to accessseveral other financial entitlements
that helped her accessadditional income supports
(18:45):
that were availableparticularly to Indigenous seniors.
So she was able to stay housed, regain
her peace of mind, and more importantly,her sense of dignity.
SAFER helps tremendously with seniors.
Where we've been able to access
or support a senior with SAFERhas been able to walk alongside them
(19:09):
because quite oftenwhen a seniors in crisis,
they are a bit overwhelmedand they need that person
to be alongside filling in the forms,getting their documents together.
And that's where the program thatwe've been working with for six years,
our SHINE navigation program,actually has a navigator who's equipped
to navigate systems for seniorsworking with a senior
(19:33):
to be able to access the right supportsand where SAFER is the right support,
they're able to expedite thatand help them stabilize.
So it definitely issomething that has been hugely helpful.
Most of the seniors that we work withare not technology savvy,
so we cannot just give them a web linkand ask them to go and access it.
(19:55):
They need somebodyto help them through that process.
And that'swhere the SHINE program comes in.
That's an amazing pieceof this whole puzzle.
And that is ensuring that access tothese programs is made
easy and barrier free for seniors.
It's wonderful.
The current changes to the programare very helpful.
(20:18):
And I look forward, as the Ministersaid, to conversations
on how we may be able to bridge the gapsthat are there.
There always are ways to do better.
And so if there is a way to bridgesome of the gaps
that we've been experiencing,I look forward to that.
Yeah, I think the impacts are clear
(20:40):
of these two programs
and the amendments that have been madehave been even more helpful.
But like the Minister said,there's still work to do and we'll do it.
Thank you to our two guests for joining ustoday and sharing their insights.
It's clearthat programs like RAP and SAFER
play a vital role in helping BritishColumbians, whether it's families working
(21:01):
hard to make ends meet or seniorstrying to stay in their homes as they age.
Yeah, thank you for having mefor this important topic.
And I encourage people to
share this informationwith as many people as they can.
We want to seemore people on this program.
And thank you to Alisonand her team, the amazing work they do.
And lastly, a bigthank you to everyone at BC Housing
(21:23):
for the amazing workyou do every single day to help people
when they're in their hardest situationsin their lives.
So look forward to coming back,if you’ll have me.
We'll have you definitely.Thank you again.
Thank you.
To our listeners,
if you or someone you knowmight benefit from these programs, visit
bchousing.orgto learn more and see if you're eligible
(21:46):
to learn more about BC Housing,including how to apply for subsidized
housing in British Columbia, visit
www.bchousing.org
You can also find uson Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.
If you enjoyed this episode,give us a rating.
This will help others find
Let's TalkHousing and join the conversation.
(22:07):
You can subscribe to Let's TalkHousing on Apple, Spotify,
or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
A home.
It's something we all need.
But for too many, having a safe placeto make a home is out of reach.
The challenges can seem insurmountable.
And yet, each and every day,people are coming together
to provide safe, quality and affordablehousing for those in need.
Welcome to Let's Talk Housing.
(00:26):
I'm your host, Mita Naidu.
Join us as we listen toand learn from people in British
Columbia who are creating strong,inclusive communities
where everyone can thrive.
where everyone can thrive.
(00:51):
Hi and welcome to Let's Talk Housing.
I'm your host, Mita Naidu.
Joining me today is the Ministerof Housing and Municipal Affairs,
Ravi Kahlon and Alison SilgardoCEO of Senior Services Society of B.C..
Today, we'll be discussing
two important programs that are helpingBritish Columbians stay housed.
The Rental Assistance Program, or RAP
(01:13):
and the Shelter Aidfor Elderly Renters or SAFER.
We will also chat about how
recent government changes allowmore people to qualify for these benefits.
As we begin,I'd like to respectfully acknowledge
that I'm recording from the territoriesof the Musqueam,
Squamish,and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
For transparency, this episode is being recordedin June 2025
(01:37):
and reflects the issuesand priorities of that time.
Minister and Alison,welcome to Let's Talk Housing.
Thank you.
Thank you for having us.
Let's start with the conversationwith you, Minister Kahlon.
And the basics.
What are RAP and SAFER programs?
Who are they forand why were they created?
(01:58):
Well, RAP and SAFER programs actually play
a really critical, important role in ourhousing space.
We know that there's often families,
lower income familieswho struggle to be able to afford
housing in this crazy environmentthat we're living in.
And we know seniorsalso are having significant impacts.
(02:19):
Fixed incomes, rising costs.
So these two programs were designedto support people and families and seniors
to ensure that they can either get housingor maintain their housing
as they go forward.
And we've seen the needunfortunately, increase
not only here but across the country.
But we're fortunate in British Columbia
because this program, I think, iswell suited to help a lot of people.
(02:42):
It's quite amazing.
There are some stats herethat I just wanted to touch on quickly.
24,000 seniors are benefiting from SAFER
as of May,and 3000 families are benefiting from RAP.
But there were some important changes
made to both programs earlierthis year that have contributed to this.
Can you explain what changedand how these changes kind of been
(03:04):
helping people so far?
Well, the biggest changes are the factthat we've not only increased
the threshold of how much incomeyou can have to qualify,
which was somethingI think we've been hearing for some time.
But we also significantly increasedthe amount of dollars available for,
for seniors in particular,I think it's 30% increase
(03:24):
for folkswho already are getting SAFER dollars.
So that's a significant improvement,not only to ensure more people
get access to the program,
but also to ensure that thosethat are getting it are getting more,
because we had heard feedbackfrom people who said, yeah, we get SAFER.
It's great.
It's important, we need it.
But even with that, we're struggling.
(03:46):
So I think those two changes, hopefullywill go a long way to support seniors.
We know there's always more needed.
I'm fully aware of that.We're aware of that.
But this is definitely, I think, apositive step in the right direction.
I mean, these programs really do matterwhen you hear how they affect people's day
to day lives.
And we'll get to Alisonto tell us a bit about that later.
But when it comesto rental assistance for families,
(04:09):
why is it important to supporthouseholds where different
generations or extendedfamilies live together?
Well, I'm fortunate that I grew upin an intergenerational family setting.
And I always tell people
that it's the best way to raise kidsand have families be together.
You know, I was raised by my grandparentsbecause my parents were too busy working
and couldn't really be hometo keep an eye on us troublemakers.
(04:33):
But because I was raised by mygrandparents, I was able to have that
connection to history.
The connection to language,that connection to
so many important things ofour culture and our communities
that I would never have had if I were justliterally doing it on my own.
And so I think having that kindof environment is actually a lovely thing.
And so when you look at the changeswe're making around housing, allowing for
(04:57):
multiple units
in a single family home,that actually leads to opportunities.
But for those that are renting,we know that it's really challenging
to be able to keep everybody in the houseneeding units that are bigger.
So you can have auntie, uncleor someone live with you.
And so I think having more flexibilityallows for that to happen.
(05:19):
And it's a beautiful thing,not to mention the food.
Well, it's nice to have food,although my mom's a fantastic cook,
it was nice to have my grandma'scooking because grandmas are
just a little bit extra.
Hopefully my mom's not listening to this
because that's a controversial statement.
I mean, I see it with my own momwho lives with us now.
Yeah, it's always the case.
And kidsare the beneficiaries of it.
(05:42):
Absolutely.
Alison, quickly, we know thatseniors are a big part of our communities,
as we're talking about, as grandparents,as volunteers, as neighbours.
How does helping seniors stay housed helpthe community as a whole?
That has been probably the biggest thing.
And not just seniorswho are directly family
(06:03):
because we've got a lot of firstgeneration Canadians, but seniors
who have an adopted familyin their new community.
It's tremendousthe impact of them staying housed.
But I think one often mistakeswho are seniors, who's
in that precarious position.
And I do have a couple of examplesto share if that would be helpful,
(06:24):
because when you think of homeless,you think of a very different...
People are stereotyping it.
So if I may,I wanted to share a story about Peter,
who is a 60 yearold gentleman who came to us.
He was an immigrant to Canada30 years ago,
and most of his adult lifehe worked in manufacturing,
steady work, modest but reliable income,and being first generation,
(06:49):
he felt very proud of beingself-sufficient and not asking for help.
He really benefited from being in Canadaand wanted to pride himself
on being independent.
And when the plant he worked atclosed, he lost his sole source of income
and before long, his modest savings were
dwindled, his rent kept
(07:10):
increasing,and he soon fell behind on payments.
For the first time,he actually contended with the idea
of being homeless, overwhelmed, ashamed,and really unsure.
He was directed to us by a communityhealth worker and through
our SHINE program,which is a navigation program for seniors
he was connected to SAFER.
(07:30):
With SAFER, Peter's applicationgot submitted, quickly approved.
He was able to get reliable monthlysupplemental income
and was able to stabilize his currenthousing without having an eviction,
and was able to continuewith part time employment
to ensurethat he had a good quality of life.
(07:51):
And his comment to us at the endwhen he sent us
a little note was, I didn't even knowprograms like SAFER existed, he said.
I was lost and just tell me, he says.
So what to do?
Walk with me step by step.
I might have lost my home.
So he's just one example
of the many people we see who benefit.
(08:11):
And they’re just the average person.
It could be you or me with one situationin your life creating that challenge,
and that'swho benefits quite often from SAFER.
That's who the senior is.
It's not somebody who we normally think ofand not somebody who would look
for resourcesand supports from government.
So being able to accessit is a huge win for them.
(08:34):
Absolutely.
And the ability to not write people offno matter their age.
I would love to ask youthe same question, Minister,
how does helping seniors stay housedhelp the community as a whole?
Well, I appreciate Alison's examplebecause
it's also an additional group of peoplewho are maybe too proud to ask for help.
(08:55):
Who struggle, and some of them,I've had them when...
before I became Minister of Housing,I had people in my constituency would say,
I'm struggling between this and some ofthe medicine that I need to buy.
And when you tell them about SAFER,then they're like, oh, my God,
I did not even know this existed.
So part of our challenge,I think, is getting that word out
(09:16):
to people, letting them know
this is available, getting itaccessible to more people.
But those examplesthat Alison highlighted,
or the example is actually,first off, heartwarming
because you want to see people that get the actual benefit from it,
but also a reminderthat we have still a lot of work
to make sure that people are awareof the program.
And they know they can contactBC Housing to get access to it.
(09:40):
So what kind of impactdo you hope to see from these programs
over the next few years?
I'm hopingthat we are able to see more people
being more stable in their housing.
I'm hoping that we're ableto see more families
to be able to live togetherand have more security in their housing.
(10:02):
And quite frankly,I'm just hoping that we're able
to slow the challenge that we're seeing,which is, unfortunately,
more seniors finding themselvesinto homelessness situations.
We're seeing a rapid increase in seniorswho are just
finding themselves not able to keep upwith the cost of things.
And so this program is instrumental.
(10:24):
And hearing Alison's exampleand hearing the examples
I've heard from around the province, it'sshowing me that
this is the right directionwe need to be heading.
Absolutely.
And for seniors and familieswho might be unsure
if they qualify for support,what would you say to them?
Contact BC Housing.
Contact Alison and the amazing workthat they're doing.
(10:45):
Go to BC Housing website.
You can go to your local MLAs office.
You can go to most not for profits,because they'll know where
there's access to these programsand the dollars are available.
And our hope is peopleget access to them as quick as possible.
So programs like these are designedto make a real difference.
And Alison, you've seen that firsthand.
(11:07):
And we've heard that through your example.
From your experience as CEO of SeniorServices Society, can you point to more
feedback, more positive feedbackyou've heard from people?
For most of the seniorsthat have been able to access SAFER
that meet that criteria, it'sthe difference between being homeless
(11:28):
and it's the few hundred dollarsthat would make a difference
with them staying in the homethat they've known for 30, 40 years,
or being a homeless or relocating,
and we know for seniors or for anybody,
the home is not just the physical space,but it is connection
to community, the supports,the resources that are around them.
(11:49):
So being able to stay in a placethat you're familiar with
and the community supports,that is a huge plus.
And that's what SAFER offers at this time.
With a lot of non-profitsand affordable housing providers
exiting from their operating agreementsand moving into models
that have more lowend of market units.
(12:12):
And a blend with RGI, rent gearedto income
that allows a lot of seniorsto stay in their home
and allows the landlordsto be able to retain that
particular tenancyif they can access SAFER.
So it's a win for everybody, the landlord,the senior, as well as the system.
In newer purpose built rentalsthat are coming on the market,
(12:36):
where a developer would like to offerunits to a nonprofit
in the local community,
a senior would not otherwisebe able to access market rental,
but to be able to be part of that groupthat they can access SAFER with,
that's just one more opportunity,because the numbers of seniors
in this group that are at risk ofhomelessness is increasing exponentially.
(13:00):
They've increasedfive times in the last ten years.
So to be able to keep up with that,
housing options for them is critical.
When seniors have stable housing,it doesn't just help them, it helps
everyone around them.
As you're saying,there are systems that benefit.
There's community that benefits.
Alison, your organization helps seniorsthrough some pretty tough
(13:20):
housing situations.
I have a couple of questions.How do you make sure they feel supported,
not just with information,but emotionally too.
I think the work that our team doesis truly incredible.
They are able to come alongsidethe seniors in their time of crisis.
(13:41):
On average,we get about 12 to 14,000 calls a year,
that is of a senior in crisis.
So about 40 calls a day on average.
So our team are really equippedand we support them
to be able to meet the seniorwhere they're at and to be patient.
It's like peeling an onion becausethe person has to feel comfortable.
(14:03):
They don't want to ask for help.
They're really ashamed most of the time.
So it takes some level of comfortto be able
to disclose what the challengeand the need is.
They may be homeless, but the pathwaysto homelessness for seniors are so many,
and to be able to disclose that pathway
(14:24):
and to be able to get help for that,whether it's digital scams or emotional
or financial abuse from familyor just the cost of living,
there are so many ways that seniorsget into a precarious housing situation.
So having a team and a teamthat are well-trained and able
to support a seniorat that time of crisis is just critical.
(14:47):
You mentioned aging in place.
For people that don't know what that is,
talk to me about what that is exactly
and how it connects to dignityand confidence.
So aging in place.
It's such a broad topic and I don't think
we often realize the implications.
(15:08):
You can take it from the physical pieceof a rental unit
or a Strata that was purpose builtmaybe 30, 40, 50 years ago even.
Aging in place is just being ableas you age to be able to access every room
in your home, whether it is the washroomor whether it is the laundry room.
As you age, you may need accessto a mobility vehicle or to a walker,
(15:33):
and some of the doors in older buildingsare not built to accommodate that.
So if you can't access the laundry room
in your building now, all of a suddenyou need home help.
Not because you can't do laundry, butbecause you can't get through the door.
And there are simple challenges.
Or if you lived in a co-op, co-op housingquite often is built in a certain form,
(15:56):
and it's built oftenfor a particular demographic.
Maybe it's a family demographicthat a person renting to.
And as they age in place,
there are no studios or one bedroomsin that building that allows a person
to be accommodated in a unit
that fits their family sizein their community.
(16:17):
So quite often a senior is asked to leavejust because there's no unit
in that buildingthat fits their size of family
because the kids have moved onand that can be quite disruptive.
The other piece is around access toand connection to health supports.
Health is governed by regions,
(16:37):
and while there are intentionsthat transition
between regions happen, that doesn't happenvery smoothly.
Quite often a senior can,when they move from one region,
say from Vancouver region tothe Fraser region because it's cheaper
maybe to live thereif their health support don’t transition
(16:57):
and they have a mental health issueor they have certain critical illnesses,
that becomes a barrierand we had a recent incident
where a person with income,with housing transitioned
regions, their mental supportsdid not transition with them.
So there's some really tragic consequencesof not being able to age in place
(17:19):
because of the supportsother than the physical home.
And those are juston the physical side, right?
And there are other supportswith community and connection.
The second example is the story of Mary,an Indigenous senior,
and she was 67 years oldwhen she reached out to us.
She had lived in theLower Mainland her whole life,
and after
(17:39):
years of caregiving for a family,Mary lived alone
in a modest rental apartmentand managed on a small pension.
But as rents climbed,she was beginning to fall behind.
She was very proud, private,and truly avoided asking
for help, believing there was very littlefor somebody like her.
(17:59):
When Mary confided in a friendat a local cultural centre,
they referred her to senior servicesand to our SHINE program.
During her first meetingwith our navigator,
Mary opened up about her financial strain.
The navigator quickly identifiedthat Mary had not heard of SHELTER,
aid for seniors and the rent supplement
(18:22):
that she had qualified for many yearspreviously.
When Mary applied for SAFER,she was able to get it approved
within a few weeks and was able to receive the much
needed monthly rent support.
Through SHINE, she was also able to accessseveral other financial entitlements
that helped her accessadditional income supports
(18:45):
that were availableparticularly to Indigenous seniors.
So she was able to stay housed, regain
her peace of mind, and more importantly,her sense of dignity.
SAFER helps tremendously with seniors.
Where we've been able to access
or support a senior with SAFERhas been able to walk alongside them
(19:09):
because quite oftenwhen a seniors in crisis,
they are a bit overwhelmedand they need that person
to be alongside filling in the forms,getting their documents together.
And that's where the program thatwe've been working with for six years,
our SHINE navigation program,actually has a navigator who's equipped
to navigate systems for seniorsworking with a senior
(19:33):
to be able to access the right supportsand where SAFER is the right support,
they're able to expedite thatand help them stabilize.
So it definitely issomething that has been hugely helpful.
Most of the seniors that we work withare not technology savvy,
so we cannot just give them a web linkand ask them to go and access it.
(19:55):
They need somebodyto help them through that process.
And that'swhere the SHINE program comes in.
That's an amazing pieceof this whole puzzle.
And that is ensuring that access tothese programs is made
easy and barrier free for seniors.
It's wonderful.
The current changes to the programare very helpful.
(20:18):
And I look forward, as the Ministersaid, to conversations
on how we may be able to bridge the gapsthat are there.
There always are ways to do better.
And so if there is a way to bridgesome of the gaps
that we've been experiencing,I look forward to that.
Yeah, I think the impacts are clear
(20:40):
of these two programs
and the amendments that have been madehave been even more helpful.
But like the Minister said,there's still work to do and we'll do it.
Thank you to our two guests for joining ustoday and sharing their insights.
It's clearthat programs like RAP and SAFER
play a vital role in helping BritishColumbians, whether it's families working
(21:01):
hard to make ends meet or seniorstrying to stay in their homes as they age.
Yeah, thank you for having mefor this important topic.
And I encourage people to
share this informationwith as many people as they can.
We want to seemore people on this program.
And thank you to Alisonand her team, the amazing work they do.
And lastly, a bigthank you to everyone at BC Housing
(21:23):
for the amazing workyou do every single day to help people
when they're in their hardest situationsin their lives.
So look forward to coming back,if you’ll have me.
We'll have you definitely.Thank you again.
Thank you.
To our listeners,
if you or someone you knowmight benefit from these programs, visit
bchousing.orgto learn more and see if you're eligible
(21:46):
to learn more about BC Housing,including how to apply for subsidized
housing in British Columbia, visit
www.bchousing.org
You can also find uson Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.
If you enjoyed this episode,give us a rating.
This will help others find
Let's TalkHousing and join the conversation.
(22:07):
You can subscribe to Let's TalkHousing on Apple, Spotify,
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