Introduction
Thank you, Ruth (Singer), for your kind introduction.

It’s a pleasure to be here this afternoon and I bring greetings from Premier Campbell and my cabinet colleagues.

I welcome this opportunity to speak with all of you here about a topic that is of such importance.

In fact, I am struck by your theme, “Barriers to Successful Aging – Myths & Realities.”

I like the implication that successful aging is something we can work on, and that, yes, we sometimes encounter barriers in that quest.

In my role as Minister of Community Services, and with my responsibility for seniors’ and women’s issues, I have the opportunity to speak to many diverse organizations. Many of them – like you – are eager to celebrate aging as a natural, positive growth process.

This is a healthy attitude for all of us to adopt, especially considering the changing demographics British Columbia is about to experience.

Council on Aging
In the 1970’s, fewer than one-in-10 British Columbians was 65, or older. Today, it’s one-in-seven.  Twenty-five years from now, nearly one-in-four British Columbians will be over 65.

The good news, of course, is we are living healthier, longer lives.

But as we face an aging British Columbia, it is our responsibility as a government to act now to prepare for this shift. That’s why we’ve made it one of our government’s goals to build the best system of support for seniors in Canada.

It is also why we’re taking a proactive approach to the needs of our senior population.

Out of the Throne Speech two years ago, the Premier’s Council on Aging and Seniors’ Issues was established.

Since then an incredible group of 18 British Columbians, with diverse backgrounds – led by Dr. Patricia Baird, a highly regarded expert in the field of medical genetics and one of North America’s leading authorities on health and public policy – came together to look at what we must do, not just as a government, but as a Province, to prepare for the changes that are coming.

After all, adapting successfully to an aging population requires cooperation from everyone – government, industry and the individual.

The Council met with hundreds of British Columbians — and received written input from hundreds more — before writing their final report, which was delivered to the Premier last December.

I know that Dr. (Gloria) Gutman spoke to the Council, and they appreciated her insight.

“Aging Well in British Columbia” is a wide-ranging report that provides a useful framework for our province to consider in our planning for our aging population.

As you may have heard, our government is moving quickly on the Council’s number one recommendation — ending mandatory retirement.

Over the next decade we anticipate that there will be a million job openings in British Columbia, and in that same period of time we will graduate from our school system in British Columbia just 650,000 people.

One way to reduce pressures -- to find new workers -- is to give skilled and experienced people the choice to remain in the workforce. This just makes good sense.

The Premier has said, for some time, we should not force anyone to stop working against their will.  The fact is, we need their help and we should be removing the barriers to getting it.

This is about providing seniors with meaningful choices, and ending discrimination – helping them to continue to participate in their communities and the workplace as they choose.

As I said, this was the first recommendation from the report that we’re acting on – but is not the only one. The “Aging Well in British Columbia” report contains 16 recommendations – and we are undertaking a comprehensive review of each and every one, and will be developing an action plan to respond.

This is important work.

And, I can tell you this is a topic that is of great interest to not only this government, but to British Columbians, generally.

Since the report’s release on December 1^st – little over three and half months ago – more than 50,000 copies of the report have been downloaded from our website.

If you want to read the report for yourselves, I encourage you to visit the website.

Changing Job Market
I just want to go back to a statistic I mentioned a few moments ago – about the number of job openings expected over the coming decade. I can tell you, our aging population is about to have a phenomenal impact on B.C.’s workforce.

I can give you one example that I know about first hand. One of the other hats I wear as Minister of Community Services is that of minister responsible for the B.C. public service – these are B.C. government employees.

The B.C. public service is the Province’s largest corporate workforce, employing 30,000 people who, everyday, help provide the public services each of us expects and relies on – from health-care to environmental protection and virtually everything in between.

With such a large workforce, it is important that we take serious the looming recruitment challenge that is facing virtually every employer in North America and many countries around the world.

Right now in British Columbia, we have a hot economy and the lowest unemployment rate in 30 years. This is great news, but we need a strong public service to continue to support our growing economy.

Because of declining birth rates and increased retirements, employer competition for skilled staff is heating up.

It has the potential to affect us, as a government too, with nearly half (45%) of public service managers and over one third (35%) of “bargaining unit” employees able to retire in the next eight years. It means we must compete with the private sector to attract, keep and train the very best staff.

We are taking action to address this challenge. We are building a competitive advantage by investing in staff training, rewarding high achievement and promoting innovation.

We are doing what good employers do – creating an organization which is an even more attractive place to build careers.

We are working to get the message out that there are many great and rewarding job opportunities with the B.C. government and working diligently to continue to attract the very best talent.

In fact, I’ll put in a “plug” here: if you have sons or daughters or grandchildren who are looking for an exciting, gratifying career, ask them to consider the B.C. public service!

Supports for Seniors
As I travel around the Province in my role as Minister, meeting with seniors, I can tell you most older British Columbians are vibrant, energetic people who want to keep contributing to their communities.

We are continuing to make great strides in many areas, to ensure this continues to be possible. We are strengthening and modernizing services to help seniors live independently with residential care beds, assisted living units, home support and improved social housing. [Read the Support for Seniors factsheet.]

We doubled our Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) program, to provide rental assistance for low-income seniors and expanded eligibility so more seniors qualify.

Our Seniors Supplement ensures a minimum income for approximately 45,000 lower-income seniors.

We are also working to better manage chronic diseases and the care of frail, elderly individuals.

And, we’ve ensured lower income seniors have access the prescription drugs they need through our Fair PharmaCare program.

Through ActNow BC, we are encouraging seniors to stay active and make healthy lifestyle choices.

With our support of transportation options – our bus pass program and funding for BCAA’s Mature Drivers program – seniors are able to participate more fully and safely in their communities.

And, in working with local governments, and offering a wide variety of resources, we’re creating more walkable, accessible neighbourhoods.

Balanced Budget 2007
Contained within the recent provincial budget are items that help to meet the unique needs of seniors – and which speak to some of the recent recommendations of the Premier’s Council on Aging and Seniors’ Issues.

For example, we are investing $45 million over four years to upgrade 750 social housing units helping older British Columbians continue to live comfortably at home.

Improvements to our HomeOwner Grant mean that low income seniors – whose homes have appreciated significantly in our economic upswing – will still be eligible for a Home Owner Grant regardless of their home’s assessed value.

We are also adjusting the age of eligibility for the Property Tax Deferment Program to age 55 from the current 60 – giving British Columbians more flexibility in planning their own budgets, as they prepare to retire.

Closing
B.C.’s aging population will have significant impacts on all of our lives over the next decade and beyond.

As a government, we want to meet the opportunities – and the challenges – that aging offers, and ensure that B.C. is a great place to be an older person.

Seniors built this province – so it’s essential we have supports in place to ensure they have access to the best possible quality of life.

I appreciate your invitation to be here this afternoon and I look forward to being able to address any questions you may have.

Thank you.