The Problem
Seniors are being priced out of care at home.
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In British Columbia, seniors who need home support — help with bathing, meals, medication, and daily tasks that allow them to live safely at home — are required to pay income-tested fees for that care. For many, those fees are unaffordable.
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Over 65% of BC seniors live on less than $35,000 per year
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Some seniors pay over $9,000 annually for minimal home support
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Alberta and Ontario provide equivalent services at no cost
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When seniors can't afford home support, the consequences are serious: more emergency room visits, more hospitalizations, premature entry into long-term care, and greater strain on family caregivers
The current co-payment model is outdated and inequitable. It penalizes seniors on fixed incomes, and it shifts costs to the most expensive parts of the health system — costs that home support would have prevented.
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Home support doesn't just help seniors. It saves the system money.
The Reality
Strong, accessible home support keeps people healthier, supports caregivers, and reduces pressure across the entire healthcare system. It prevents avoidable crises, delays institutional care, and improves quality of life.
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We must move home support from the margins of our healthcare system and recognize it as a foundational part of seniors care by removing the co-pay, which is a barrier for lower-income seniors, and investing in a fully resourced home support system.
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Average seniors stay in the hospital (24 days) @$1000 / day = $24,000 vs. $1200 for 24 days home support
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Hospitalized seniors waiting for alternative level care (ALC) costs in BC are approximately $500 to $800 million a year
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Unlike Ontario and Alberta, where home care is free, B.C. charges $10,000 a year for a senior making $31,000 a year to get only one hour of care a day.
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61 per cent of residents entering long-term care received no home support in the 90 days before admission
The Solution
Eliminate home support co-payments for all BC seniors.
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British Columbia must move to a system where access to home care is based on need — not income. Home and community care should be treated as a core part of our public health system, not an optional service seniors have to pay their way into.
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The evidence is clear: supporting seniors at home improves quality of life, protects mental well-being, and reduces pressure on hospitals and long-term care facilities. Eliminating co-payments is a practical, immediate reform with benefits for seniors, families, and the health system as a whole.
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No one should be forced into long-term care simply because they cannot afford to stay home.
Act Now!
The Government of British Columbia must act now to remove financial barriers to home support. You can help make that happen.
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Send a letter to your MLA
Use the Health Care Needs Home Care Email Your MLA Today button to contact your MLA directly. It takes less than two minutes to let them know this is a health care priority for you.
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Share your story
Have you or someone you love been affected by limited access to home support as a result of government mandated co-payments? Personal stories are powerful.
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Spread the word
Share this campaign with your networks and help us reach more British Columbians who want to make an impact in improving seniors' care.
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BC seniors cannot wait. Add your voice.
Take Action
About This Campaign
Health Care Needs Home Care is a province-wide advocacy campaign led by a coalition of partner agencies, calling on the Government of British Columbia to eliminate home support co-payments (fees) for all seniors. As BC's population ages and demand for care grows, more seniors are being pushed onto long-term care waitlists without services because they cannot afford support in their own homes. This campaign brings together seniors' organizations, community advocates, and caregivers to push for a more equitable and sustainable approach — one that puts dignity, prevention, and independence first.