May 2025 Message from the Seniors Advocate

As we step into the month of May, I’m pleased to share updates on our work and developments in local and international efforts to improve the health and wellness of seniors.

April was a month of meaningful progress in the global movement to combat ageism. Notably, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the WHO Ageism Scale, a research tool to measure age discrimination to help inform initiatives to promote inclusion for people of all ages.

In addition, the United Nations Human Rights Council announced that it will create an open-ended working group to develop a legally binding international agreement on the human rights of older persons. This is an important milestone in the international protection of seniors’ rights.

For information on ageism in B.C., I encourage you to read OSA’s recent report Reframing Ageing: British Columbians’ Thoughts on Ageism. It offers insight into how age discrimination is experienced and perceived across our province and highlights where more work is needed.

In B.C., I was pleased to see the provincial government deliver on its election promise to improve the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) program. This is a welcome change, but more work is needed. My office will continue to monitor the program’s impact on low-income seniors and advocate for further improvements.

In April I had the privilege to meet with seniors, their families and seniors’ service providers across Vancouver Island and the Okanagan. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your stories, concerns, and successes—your voices continue to guide our work.

Looking ahead to the month of June, I encourage you to take part in the many events being planned across the province for B.C. Seniors’ Week, June 1–7. Watch for a special campaign being released by our office this month to honour the contributions of seniors across British Columbia.

Sincerely,

Dan Levitt
BC Seniors Advocate