Canadian seniors will need more financial help from the federal government to weather the COVID-19 pandemic if their increased living costs continue for months longer, advocates say.
Organizations representing seniors across the country say they’re grateful the government is supporting older adults with a one-time public pension top-up but worry it won’t be enough — especially if the timing of a promised increase to the Old Age Security (OAS) benefit might be in flux.
2:16Federal Election 2019: Trudeau promises to boost old age security, CPP benefits if re-elected
Federal Election 2019: Trudeau promises to boost old age security, CPP benefits if re-elected
During the 2019 election campaign, the Liberals courted seniors’ and retirees’ votes by vowing to both boost the OAS program by 10 per cent for seniors once they turn 75 and the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) survivor’s benefit by 25 per cent. These increases would take effect in July 2020, the Liberals said in the fall.
However, in a recent interview on The West Block,