Two local groups are calling on the province to add a Seniors’ Advocate for Ontario.
The Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW), which has a chapter that covers Owen Sound and the surrounding area, has undertaken a campaign to make that idea a reality.
They’re working along with the United Senior Citizens of Ontario (USCO) Zone 9, which includes part of Grey and Bruce.
The CFUW says that an independent Seniors’ Advocate would look to the public for input on issues related to aging, as well as monitor the effects of provincial policy and legal changes on the experience of aging in Ontario.
Independent Seniors’ Advocate positions are created by governments across Canada.
For example, the position exists in both British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador, and those advocates have been able to improve living conditions for seniors thanks to information that they were able to gather from public consultation.
This is especially important for addressing the needs of vulnerable seniors, including those living on a low income, and newcomers.
In a position independent of government, the Seniors’ Advocate’s recommendations would be based on research and data.
Both the provincial CFUW and the USCO approved resolutions last year to call on the Ontario government to create the role within the provincial government.
Representatives of CFUW Owen Sound and USCO Zone 9 recently met with Grey-Bruce-Owen Sound MPP Paul Vickers about the need for an independent Seniors’ Advocate.