Jan 10, 2016

Toronto, ON: CARP’s budget submission calls on the government to restore the age for OAS to 65, expand GIS and CPP, create a supportive environment for caregivers and build functioning home care

CARP released its pre-budget submission today as CARP representatives attend the government’s consultation meetings across the country. CARP members across Canada call onthe newly elected federal government to take action on its election promises to restore the OAS eligibility age to 65, increase the GIS for single, low-income seniors, establish a Seniors’ Index, invest $3 billion in home care, and expand the EI compassionate care benefits for caregivers.

During the federal election campaign, CARP welcomed the government’s promises that addressed two major concerns of older Canadians: retirement security and healthcare. In addition to the election promises, CARP is calling on the government to eliminate senior poverty by increasing OAS/GIS for the 600,000 seniors currently living in poverty. CARP is also calling for a National Home Care Strategy complete with national standards of care and access, and a National Pharmacare Plan to provide access to affordable prescription medication to all Canadians across the country.

“In addition to voting in record numbers for the new government, CARP members also tell us through our regular polling that it is these core values the new government campaigned on that secured their votes. They recognize Canada is a fortunate country that can improve the lives and security of all its citizens as they age. ” Susan Eng, Executive VP of CARP

In its pre-budget submission, CARP calls on the federal government to:

1)      Create a clear pathway to retirement security with the goal of ensuring that no one faces poverty in old age

1. Reduce poverty for today’s seniors:
2. Restore OAS eligibility age back to 65 from 67
3. Increase the GIS especially for single, low-income seniors

iii.     Increase OAS/GIS to bridge the poverty gap

1. Establish the Senior’s Index for OAS, GIS tied to wage rates
2. Prevent retirement insecurity for future generations:
3. Modestly increase the CPP
4. Create a supplementary Universal Pension Plan

2)     Transform healthcare to meet the needs of all Canadians

1. Support family caregivers
2. Income support – immediately implement EI compassionate leave changes and make the caregiver tax credit refundable
3. Workplace protection, training and respite care
4. National Home Care Strategy
5. Sustainable funding – enact promised $ 3 Billion Investment
6. National standards of care and access
7. National Pharmacare Plan
8. To ensure that all Canadians can access needed medications regardless of income and postal code

Read the full submission here.

CARP is a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization committed to advocating for social change that will bring financial security, equitable access to health care and freedom from discrimination. CARP seeks to ensure that the marketplace serves the needs and expectations of our generation and provides value-added benefits, products and services to our members. Through our network of chapters across Canada, CARP is dedicated to building a sense of community and shared values among our members in support of CARP’s mission. CARP has 300,000 members nationwide.