Review OAS and GIS adequacy

AI summary

Petitioners say many Canadian seniors who rely primarily on CPP, OAS and GIS face rising costs for housing, food, utilities, transportation and health-related expenses and may have little or no private pension savings. They ask the House of Commons to conduct a comprehensive review of whether OAS payments and GIS income eligibility thresholds are adequate in relation to the current cost of living and to consider increasing OAS and adjusting GIS thresholds based on the findings. The petitioners also request the establishment of a regular, publicly reported review process using relevant cost-of-living and seniors’ financial measures.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the House of Commons Canadian seniors who rely primarily on the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS), and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) are facing increasing financial pressures as the cost of basic necessities, including housing, food, utilities, transportation, and health related expenses, continue to rise; and Many seniors have little or no private pension or retirement savings. Significant changes to GIS were introduced in 2016, including an increase in benefits for the lowest-income single seniors. Since then, the cost of living has increased considerably, raising concerns about whether current OAS benefit levels and GIS income eligibility thresholds adequately reflect the financial circumstances of Canadian seniors. We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to: 1. Conduct a comprehensive review of the adequacy of OAS payments for seniors aged 65 and older in relation to the current cost of living, and assess whether GIS income eligibility thresholds provide adequate support to low - and modest income seniors; 1. Conduct a comprehensive review of the adequacy of OAS payments for seniors aged 65 and older in relation to the current cost of living, and assess whether GIS income eligibility thresholds provide adequate support to low - and modest income seniors; 2. Based on the findings, consider increasing OAS benefits and adjusting GIS income eligibility thresholds to provide greater support to low - and modest income seniors; and 3. Establish a regular review process for OAS benefit levels and GIS income eligibility thresholds using relevant measures of changes in the cost of living and the financial circumstances of Canadian Seniors, and report publicly on the findings.

Government response

No government response is available yet.