The BC Seniors Advocate has released its 2025 Monitoring Seniors Services Report, showing that while the province’s senior population continues to grow and people are living longer, access to essential seniors’ services is increasingly falling behind. Demand continues to outpace capacity, and hospitals are even more strained.
Over the past six years, the number of people waiting for long‑term care has risen nearly 200%, reaching 7,029, while average wait times have doubled from 144 to 287 days. This situation is further worsened by construction delays for seven new long‑term care homes as outlined in B.C.’s 2026 budget.
Assisted living faces similar pressure. In 2025, 1,219 people were waiting for publicly subsidized assisted living, which is roughly the same as last year, but 37% higher than in 2020. These continued growth in wait‑lists adds strain on hospitals and family caregivers who are filling the gaps.
Given these escalating challenges and the growing gap between demand and capacity, BC Care Providers Association is calling for a continuous Request for Proposal (RFP) process. A year‑round RFP model would enable non‑profit and private providers to support the delivery of new long‑term care capacity more efficiently and at lower cost, helping the province respond more quickly to the needs of seniors who are waiting longer than ever for appropriate care. By allowing projects to move forward as soon as they are ready, this approach would reduce delays and ensure new care homes can be developed where they are needed most.
Home support services also reflect the growing gap between demand and capacity. Although home support clients have increased by 16% over the past six years, average hours per client have risen only 3% from the previous year, and the rate per 1,000 seniors aged 75+ has declined by 7% over the last six years.
Home support plays a crucial role in the care continuum, preventing premature admission to long-term care, reducing avoidable hospital visits, providing short‑term post‑hospital care and ongoing daily assistance. Private family-funded home health providers help fill persistent gaps, supporting seniors who don’t qualify for public services, want to remain at home, or are waiting for long‑term care placement.
Most seniors want to age in place but need the right supports to do so. A monthly Aging at Home Tax Credit would offer upfront funding for home care and supports, improving quality of life while easing pressure on hospitals and long‑term care systems. This program would have an immediate positive impact, providing financial supports to seniors and alleviate pressure on their families, while the province works to expand long‑term capacity.
Without meaningful and accelerated action to expand capacity across the seniors’ care sector, the gap between need and access will continue to widen. Ensuring seniors receive the right care at the right time is essential in not only for their well‑being, but for the sustainability of the entire health system at large.
Access the full report here.
