cost-of-living-pushing-seniors-back-into-workforce,-bc.-non-profit-says
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Cost of living pushing seniors back into workforce, B.C.

Posted November 19, 2024 7:32 pm Updated November 19, 2024 8:35 pm 1 min read 2:06 Surge in B.C. seniors wanting back into workforce Another sign of more and more people having trouble making ends meet. A Vancouver non-profit group says it’s seeing a surge in seniors asking for help to get back into the workforce. Travis Prasad reports. Vancouver’s surging cost of living is having yet another unintended consequence — a growing number of seniors looking to get back into the workforce. Vancouver non-profit Mission Possible, which helps connect people in precarious life situations with stable employment, says it’s seen a 55-per cent jump in the number of seniors looking for work compared to last year. The organization says some are coming out of retirement, while others are putting off retirement because they can’t make ends meet without a paycheque. 2:07 Red-hot inflation leaves working Montreal senior with ‘nothing to save’ Edward Boe, 66, told Global News he’s working 20 hours a week at Mission Possible to keep a roof over his head. Story continues below advertisement “I’m making $1,540 on my pensions, old age and CPP. I’ve got rent of $800, expenses of $400. That would’ve left me with $200 a month,” he explained. Trending Now Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. “I’d probably be living down here in the Downtown Eastside in an SRO, which thank God I’m not.” Matthew Smedley, Mission Possible’s executive director and CEO, said that while many seniors are looking to work, they often find fewer opportunities than other job seekers. “It can be extremely difficult for seniors to find work, there can be technological barriers, health barriers, maybe some extra flexibility needed for some folks and that can be challenging to make them feel like they’re able to get back into work,” he said. Smedley said seniors aren’t the only ones feeling the pressure. Mission Possible has seen a 165-per cent increase in people seeking help to get a job over last year. The organization is calling on the province to increase services that help people get back into the workforce. &copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Sponsored content