The Guaranteed Income Supplement has been instrumental in reducing rates of poverty among the elderly in Canada over the past 35 years.Kevin Van Paassen
Older Canadians who depend on the federal social safety net for their basic needs are a little better off thanks to measures contained in Tuesday's budget.
The Conservative government, acting on the recommendation of the opposition parties, has increased the Guaranteed Income Supplement.
Starting this July, single seniors who make $2,000 a year or less, not counting Old Age Security and the GIS, will receive an additional $600 annually. Older couples who make a combined $4,000 or less will get $840 more a year.
The additional benefit is gradually reduced for those who earn more than the thresholds and is completely phased out for senior singles who make $4,400 and senior couples who make $7,360, not including the OAS and GIS.
The measure is expected to cost about $300-million annually and will help about 680,000 people.
And it is not the only budget initiative targeted at senior Canadians, a demographic that is both politically Conservative and more inclined to turn out to polling stations come election time.
Later Tuesday, the three federal opposition parties announced they will all vote against Mr. Flaherty's proposed budget, making it likely that a spring election will be called and that none of the budget's provisions will be enacted.
The government says it will eliminate the mandatory retirement age for all federally regulated employees. Not only will that reduce pressure on the Canada Pension Plan, which is building as people live longer, it will keep more taxpayers in the system.
Older workers will also have access to new training programs to keep them employed and to help them find new jobs when they have been displaced.
There is also an additional $5-million annually to support programs that help seniors participate more actively in their communities and to raise awareness of elder abuse and other issues affecting older Canadians.