QUESTION PERIOD — Finance
Support for Seniors
October 1, 2025
Government leader, today is National Seniors Day, a day to pay tribute to older Canadians who helped shape this great country, yet a new report shows that many of them are struggling more than ever with rising living costs. One in three elderly people continue to have to support their daughters, sons and grandchildren. Seventy-six per cent are claiming their life savings are being eroded because of this, which is an 11% increase this year compared to last year. More than half of these Canadian hero senior citizens are claiming that they will not be able to survive retirement.
Government leader, on this National Seniors Day, can you assure Canadians and this chamber that your government is doing enough to ensure seniors can retire with dignity and security rather than continue to face this growing anxiety?
Thank you for the question. Senior citizens need to be reassured that the government is taking action to make sure that all Canadians remain safe and have what they need to lead a good life.
The government will be tabling a budget on November 4, and I am confident that these issues will be taken into consideration at that time. That being said, it is very important that the government be there for all Canadians — senior citizens in particular — because they are the ones who built our country, and we owe it to them to make them safe and secure.
Senator Moreau, when we have two thirds of senior citizens who are suffering in their retirement because they are obligated to support their children, it is because the government has failed them over the last few years. We all acknowledge that.
I’m hopeful, like you are, that in the next budget we will see action. You seem to be very hopeful, but can we have a guarantee that the budget will include action to secure and tackle the problem of the cost of living and particularly allow these Canadian senior citizens who have earned their retirement to be able to profit by enjoying a decent retirement rather than being obligated to support children and grandchildren?
You were referring to housing, for instance. The government has launched Build Canada Homes, a new federal agency that will build affordable housing at a scale of an initial $13 billion in capital to bolster industry, other orders of government, Indigenous communities and elderly persons as well. The government is committed to helping all Canadians, including the elderly. Elderly persons should be safe and secure, and the government is very aware of that.
