By Michael Joel-Hansen

Municipal Affairs

Seniors group welcomes SUMA resolution

Feb 5, 2019 | 5:46 PM

Members of a Prince Albert seniors group hope a resolution passed at the Saskatchewan Association of Urban Municipalities (SUMA) convention will lead to a change in policy from the provincial government.

At their convention in Saskatoon Monday, SUMA endorsed a provincial seniors strategy and having a minister or advocate for seniors.

John Fryters, with the Prince Albert Seniors Advocacy Centre told paNOW he thinks the resolution will help make a difference.

“I assume it’s going to have some impact on the thinking of the current government we have, because the current government we have is the Saskatchewan Party government, have been bucking this,” he said.

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In the past Fryters said representatives from the current government told him seniors’ interests are managed by individual MLA’s.

Fryters explained an umbrella organization representing seniors has been travelling around the province getting feedback about the issue. This organization has made a stop in P.A. and heard from seniors.

“We’re not just backing the development of a seniors strategy for the province. We are actually participating in it,” he said. “They need to do it, because by the year 2031 the overall population of the province of Saskatchewan over the age 65 is going to increase to about 25 per cent.”

Specifically, Fryters said having a senior strategy is important given older citizens have specific concerns ranging from access and mobility issues, to navigating bureaucratic hurdles.

Fryters added the provincial government is not the only body which needs to start thinking about accommodating older citizens.

“Are we as a municipality set to deal with the influx of seniors?” he said.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn