A quiet revolution is unfolding in British Columbia’s senior care sector, where mounting demand is colliding with stagnant funding models. At the Silver Threads Service Centre in Victoria, the harsh reality of this crisis plays out daily as elderly residents find themselves on increasingly lengthy waitlists for essential services.
“We’ve seen a 300 percent increase in demand since the pandemic,” explains Tracy Ryan, the centre’s executive director, her voice reflecting the strain of managing overwhelming needs with limited resources. “Yet our core funding hasn’t changed in 18 years.”
This stark disparity between growing demand and frozen funding has created an unsustainable situation across BC’s network of seniors centres. The province’s rapidly aging demographic—projected to see seniors represent nearly 25 percent of the population by 2031—is intensifying pressure on these vital community hubs that provide everything from health services to crucial social connections.
Provincial funding for Silver Threads has remained fixed at $138,000 annually since 2006, an amount that fails to account for inflation, rising operational costs, or the explosion in service requests. When adjusted for inflation, this represents a functional decrease of approximately 40 percent in real-dollar support.
“We’re essentially being asked to do more with less every single year,” Ryan tells CO24, pointing to the centre’s packed calendar of activities and long list of seniors waiting for support. “Without sustainable funding, we’re facing impossible choices about which seniors receive help and which are left waiting.”
The consequences extend beyond mere inconvenience. A recent study from the University of British Columbia found that seniors with access to community support services experience 30 percent fewer hospitalizations and report significantly better mental health outcomes than those without such resources. As these centres struggle, the ripple effects reach throughout BC’s healthcare system.
Ministry of Health officials acknowledged the concerns when contacted by CO24, noting that “supporting seniors to age in place remains a priority.” However, specific commitments to address the funding gap remain elusive in recent provincial budget announcements.
For 83-year-old Margaret Philips, who visits Silver Threads three times weekly, the centre represents far more than just a place to pass time. “This is my lifeline,” she explains, gesturing to the friends she’s made. “When my husband died four years ago, this place saved me from complete isolation.”
The funding crisis has forced centres to rely increasingly on patchwork solutions—volunteer labor, municipal grants, and fundraising campaigns—creating a precarious foundation for essential services. In Victoria alone, three smaller seniors programs have closed in the past two years, further concentrating demand on remaining facilities.
Health policy experts warn that underfunding preventative community care ultimately leads to greater costs elsewhere in the system. “It’s fundamentally short-sighted,” explains Dr. Karen Kobayashi, a gerontology specialist at the University of Victoria. “When seniors lose access to community supports, they end up requiring more expensive acute care and residential services.”
As BC’s political landscape shifts following recent leadership changes, advocates hope renewed attention will focus on this growing crisis. The BC Seniors Advocacy Coalition has launched a campaign calling for funding increases that, at minimum, account for inflation and population growth—estimated to require an additional $15 million annually across the province’s network of seniors centres.
“These aren’t luxury services,” Ryan emphasizes as our interview concludes. “We’re talking about the basic dignity and independence of our parents and grandparents.”
As British Columbia navigates its demographic transformation, the question remains: will we invest in community-based solutions that enable dignified aging, or continue forcing seniors centres to do more with less until they inevitably break under the pressure?
