BC Greens announce seniors plan with higher renter aid thresholds and more public long-term care
The BC Green Party published a seniors platform on October 4 and says it would raise housing aid thresholds for senior renters, apply rent controls to assisted living, and increase publicly funded long-term care beds.
Announcement. A campaign, a party or the City chose to say this. voche.me reports it as their claim. Read the original report on bcgreens.ca.
The BC Green Party published a seniors platform on October 4 and says it would raise housing aid thresholds for senior renters, apply rent controls to assisted living fees, and increase the number of publicly funded long-term care beds.
The party's website states that 44 per cent of senior renters live in housing that costs more than 30 per cent of their income, and that the long-term care waitlist has tripled since 2016. These are the party's own stated figures. The BC NDP and the Conservative Party of BC have not responded to this plan.
The BC Greens say they would raise the income limit for the province's Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters program to $48,000 for single seniors and $53,000 for couples. The program, known as SAFER, provides monthly help with rent costs. The current threshold is below both of those levels, the party says, and a cost estimate for the change has not been published.
The party also says it would apply vacancy controls to assisted living facilities, limiting how much operators can raise service fees when a resident moves in or out. A long-term care bed costs $27,740 more per year than two hours of daily home support, the party states on its website, citing this figure as a reason to invest in home support alongside residential care. This is the party's own figure.
Greens leader Emily Lowan announced the plan. Lowan is a candidate for Saanich North and the Islands on October 24 and leads the BC Green Party.
The party says it would establish a dementia care pathway beginning with screening by a family doctor, improve respite care and day programs, and develop a strategy for seniors in rural and remote communities.
Voters who have a family member on a long-term care waitlist, or who rent in an assisted living facility, can read the full plan at the BC Green Party's website. The provincial election is October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs October 16 to 21. You can confirm your registration and find your voting place at elections.bc.ca.
Questions this story answers
What does the BC Green Party plan to do for seniors?
The BC Green Party says it would raise the income thresholds for the province's senior renter aid program to $48,000 for individuals and $53,000 for couples, apply vacancy controls to assisted living facility service fees, increase publicly funded long-term care beds, establish a dementia care pathway, improve respite care and day programs, and develop a strategy for seniors in rural communities. These are the party's stated commitments as published on its website on October 4, 2026.
What is the SAFER program and what does the BC Greens plan propose for it?
SAFER, which stands for Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters, is a provincial program that provides monthly help with rent costs to eligible seniors. The BC Green Party says it would raise the income threshold to qualify from the current level to $48,000 for single seniors and $53,000 for senior couples. The party cites its own figure that 44 per cent of senior renters live in housing that costs more than 30 per cent of their income. These figures are the party's own and have not been independently verified.
What does the BC Greens plan say about long-term care?
The BC Green Party says on its website that the long-term care waitlist has tripled since 2016 and that a long-term care bed costs $27,740 more per year than two hours of daily home support. The party says it would increase the number of publicly funded long-term care beds and establish a dementia care pathway that begins with screening by a family doctor. These figures and this plan are the party's own. No independent cost estimate has been published.
Who announced the BC Greens seniors plan?
BC Greens leader Emily Lowan announced the plan. Lowan is a candidate for Saanich North and the Islands in the October 24, 2026 provincial election. Her campaign profile is on this site at the BC Greens party page.
What does the BC Greens plan say about assisted living?
The BC Green Party says it would apply vacancy control to assisted living facilities and their service fees, which would limit how much operators could raise charges when a resident moves in or out. This extends the same type of rent control that applies to standard rentals. The party has not published a cost estimate for this change.
When did the BC Greens publish this seniors plan?
The BC Green Party published the seniors plan on its website on October 4, 2026. The provincial election is October 24, 2026, and advance voting runs October 16 to 21 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day. You can find your voting location and check your registration at elections.bc.ca.
What share of food bank visits does the BC Greens attribute to seniors?
The BC Green Party's website states that 11 per cent of food bank visits in 2025 were by seniors over 65. This figure appears on the party's website and voche.me has not verified it against an independent source. If accurate, it would mean 1 in 9 food bank visits was by a senior last year.
What is the BC Greens party's overall platform for the BC election?
The BC Greens have published platform items including vacancy control for renters, farmland protection, AI regulation, a Fair Share Act wealth tax, and forestry reform, in addition to this seniors plan. You can read about all BC Green Party candidates and their positions at the party's page on this site.
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