WIN! BC Health Officers Council backs OAS reform

We’re excited to share a big win! BC’s public health physicians have endorsed our plan to modernize Old Age Security: reduce subsidies for the top 20% of financially secure retirees in order to improve affordability for young and old alike.

The BC Health Officers Council is formally calling on Ottawa to begin phasing out OAS subsidies at a threshold more consistent with other federal income-tested programs — and to use the savings to “significantly reduce seniors’ poverty” and “improve the social determinants of health for younger generations.”

We’re grateful to have this influential new voice joining the growing coalition for change. The Council has played key roles in every major public health achievement in British Columbia for more than fifty years – and continues to advise and advocate for public policies that improve population health. Now they are affirming that modernizing OAS is one such policy.

The Council’s support underscores that our plan to make OAS responsible, modern, and fair will do even more than lift seniors out of poverty and strengthen affordability for young and working-age Canadians. It will also improve their health and wellbeing. That’s because decades of health science is clear that poverty and income security matter for health, and that lifting people out of poverty can yield significant health improvements.

Over the coming months, we’ll be working hard to turn the rising tide of support for OAS reform into action on the national stage. The next key milestone is the November federal budget. At a time when the risks and costs of an escalating trade war are consuming attention in Ottawa, there’s more reason than ever to update OAS to immediately reduce cost pressures for the lowest income seniors and their kids and grandchildren.

If you haven’t yet added your voice to our call, now's the time!

 Let Ottawa know that it's time to improve affordability by fixing OAS

Therefore be it resolved that the Health Officers Council be of the position that:

The federal government should restructure OAS to ensure that it is optimized to improve population health outcomes.

and be it further resolved that:

The federal government considers phasing out OAS benefits at a threshold similar to other federal income tested benefits to better align funding distribution with population health benefit.

and be it further resolved that:

A portion of the savings from this restructuring be used to significantly reduce seniors’ poverty by increasing incomes for seniors below the official poverty measure;

and be it further resolved that:

The remaining savings be invested to improve the social determinants of health for younger generations, including through enhanced supports for housing, childcare, postsecondary education, and poverty reduction.

 Read the full Health Officers Council of BC Resolution here