Yesterday’s Public Accounts meeting revealed that 2,800 low-income seniors are waiting for affordable housing under the Houston government.

Older Canadians are one of the fastest-growing populations in the country and with life becoming increasingly unaffordable these days, it’s incumbent on the government to ease the pressure where it can. But yesterday’s meeting also confirmed a bigger problem – the Houston government’s $35 million investment into affordable housing does nothing for older Nova Scotians.

“Not one red cent of the government’s housing plan has been earmarked for seniors on a fixed income,” says PAC committee member Brendan Maguire. “We have a perfect storm of a rapidly aging population and an affordability crisis and this government isn’t there to weather it.”

It’s estimated that by the end of this decade, one in four Nova Scotians will be over 65.

“Seniors are not mentioned once in the Houston government’s housing plan, which is a glaring oversight,” says Maguire. “The economic and social benefits of helping our seniors to age in place cannot be overstated.”