Seniors in Burnaby are twice as likely to be living in poverty compared to their counterparts elsewhere in B.C.
More than 16 per cent of locals 65-years-old and up are poor, measuring by the Low Income Measure — meaning they make less than 50 percent of the area’s median household income. Burnaby has the third highest rate in the province, behind Richmond (20.3 per cent) and Surrey (16.5 per cent).
The provincial average was 8.8 per cent.
The figures were released this week in the annual B.C. Seniors’ Poverty Report Card by the Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia (SPARC BC).
“The B.C. Seniors’ Poverty Report Card provides compelling evidence that seniors’ poverty is a growing challenge across our province,” said Scott Graham, SPARC BC’S associate executive director and manager of research, planning and consulting, in press release. “It provides clear evidence that specific poverty reduction strategies for seniors are necessary.”
The report found that B.C. has Canada’s highest rate of seniors’ poverty.
