CANDIDATES POSITION ON SENIORS' ISSUES

By 2015 there will be more seniors than children in our city. We must plan for the challenges by truly becoming Canada’s best ‘age friendly’ city. We have begun in Burlington by appointing our first Age Friendly Burlington Task Force. As Mayor I will continue in my commitment to: • Implementing recommendations and Next Steps from the Seniors Roundtable Discussions: A Community’s Path to an Age-Friendly Community report and supporting the work of the community-based Task Force to lead the next phase • Lobby provincial government for education property tax relief • Better utilize limited public health funds at the Region to assist seniors to maintain independence in their home • Expand our social housing stock and provide better access to affordable housing options • Support Joseph Brant Hospital expansion to accommodate our changing and aging residents • Support the establishment of a geriatric specialty training program with McMaster Medical School Family Medicine Intern Program and Joseph Brant Hospital • Our Handi-Van service must be expanded to ensure greater access to medical visits and community events • Ensure seniors on fixed income have access to lower cost monthly bus passes • Implement recommendations of the Halton Housing Task Force report to increase access to affordable housing for seniors and persons with disabilities • Leverage public health dollars to augment caregiver or dependent care programs so seniors can age in place independently in their homes • Our Regional oral health programs for seniors should be expanded • Support a home retrofit program similar to our deferred property tax programs to enable seniors to live safely in homes that require accessibility upgrades

It has been my privilege to serve the community for over 27 years during which time the needs of seniors have been one of my most important commitments.