Seniors Platform

There are 62,100 seniors in Surrey, representing 12.6% of the population in 2011.
By 2021, Surrey will have 101,700 seniors, representing 17.1% of the population of 594,500.
In many census tracts of South Surrey, seniors represent over 30% of the population, compared to 13% of Metro Vancouver.
1% of seniors in Surrey live alone.
17% of seniors in Surrey cannot speak English.
Surrey/White Rock represent 18.8% of Greater Vancouver’s senior’s population, but only have 11.6% of the region’s seniors’ services (compared to 45% for Vancouver).
45% of seniors live with activity limitations, increasing to 66% for those over 75.

Seniors Advisory and Accessibility Committee developed the Age-Friendly Strategy for Surrey, based on the World Health Organization’s framework for Global Age-Friendly Cities.
Key pillars:
- Safety, health, wellness
- Transportation and mobility
- Home
- Building and outdoor spaces
Strategies include:
- A continuum of programs and services from prevention to intervention that will be available for all seniors, including at-risk and vulnerable seniors.
- Engaging seniors in a respectful way to play a role in achieving age-friendly outcomes.
- Collaboration with partners to offer programs and services that benefit seniors.
- Multi-lingual and multi-modal communication and promotion to seniors to raise awareness of issues and provide information about services and programs.
City of Surrey Seniors Advisory and Accessibility Council:
- Chaired by Barbara Steele
- Includes:
  - DIVERSEcity
  - Seniors Comeshare
  - Fraser Health Authority – Adult Abuse and Neglect
  - BC Securities Commission
  - Options Community Services Society
  - Sources Community Resource Society
  - BC Responsible Gaming
  - Council of Seniors Citizen Organizations
  - Surrey Seniors Planning Table
  - BC Centre for Elder Advocacy and Support
  - Surrey Fire Service
  - RCMP Crime Prevention
  - RCMP Community Safety
  - Surrey Parks, Recreation and Culture
  - Surrey Public Libraries
- Barbara Steele and her team have hosted 18 community forums across the city in English, Punjabi, Korean and Mandarin.

Hold a Seniors Summit in March 2015, that will bring seniors, city staff, aging experts and other stakeholders and community leaders together to map out a four-year plan that sets the benchmark that will make Surrey Canada’s most age-friendly city by 2018.
Appoint a Seniors Advocate within City Hall to work with Council and staff to ensure seniors issues and perspectives are a part of every decision.
Increase the print size of key city signs, making them easier to read.
Launch a multi-lingual elder abuse hotline and community awareness campaign.
Add more low-cost seniors programming to local community centres.
Include seniors in the planning and design of every new city building, park and community recreation centre.
Work with local developers to ensure an ongoing supply of seniors housing is included in new development neighbourhoods.
Create a seniors volunteer corps that will reach out to seniors with visits, outings and additional programs designed to keep them connected to their neighbourhood and community.
Ramp up existing RCMP and Surrey Fire Department programs that keep seniors safe, and ensure every Surrey senior has a working smoke detector in their house or apartment.

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