Vernon city council (file photo/Liam Verster)

By Liam Verster

UBCM Resolutions

Vernon proposes changes to shelter aid for seniors, temporary warming shelters at UBCM

Sep 18, 2023 | 12:45 PM

The Union of British Columbia Municipalities is meeting this week, and the City of Vernon is bringing two resolutions to the table.

The UBCM convention runs from September 18 to 22 in Vancouver where municipal leaders from throughout the province will discuss pressing issues.

Over 200 resolutions, ranging from housing to economic development to environment to health and social development, will be discussed and voted on during the convention, two of which are being brought forward by Vernon.

Vernon’s first resolution is to undertake a review the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters program (SAFER).

The city stated in its argument the SAFER rent ceiling caps have not been increased since 2018 and range from $734 to $803, which “in no way reflect the reality of market rents paid by seniors.”

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Recipients of the SAFER subsidies cannot have income exceeding $30,6000 for a single renter in Vancouver or $29,352 for the rest of the province, which means seniors must be living on less than minimum wage in order to qualify for the program. However, the average income of a SAFER recipient is below that threshold at $23,660, and only about a third of seniors in B.C. receive any government subsidies, according to the city’s rationale.

Additionally, the resolution stated SAFER needs to be adjusted for inflation, as the current formula could see a senior’s subsidy decrease if their rent increase is greater than their income increases.

“Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province of BC to amend the formula used to calculate the SAFER subsidy to accurately reflect both the current incomes of low-income seniors and the average market rents throughout the province as calculated by CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation),” Vernon stated in the resolution.

“And be it further resolved that these amounts be reviewed and updated on an annual basis going forward.”

Vernon is also proposing an amendment to temporary warming shelters.

The resolution stated the current process where provincial funding for temporary warming shelters is provided through the local government for emergency warming shelters during cold weather “creates ineffective bureaucracy, places unreasonable pressure on local government resources and creates unnecessary financial and other liabilities on local government.”

Vernon’s resolution noted the province has responsibility and existing funding mechanisms to provide reliable and stable funding to shelter providers for emergency cold weather shelters through B.C. Housing.

The resolution requests UBCM contact the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs for increased funding, which be administered through existing mechanisms to social sector agencies.

The resolutions will be discussed and voted on at the UBCM convention.