Canada has seen a significant increase in the number of seniors and the Department of Employment hired 18% more clerks this year to handle the processing of Old Age Security claims, as indicated by records..At a rate of more than 60,000 per week, new applications for benefits are being received, according to Blacklock’s Reporter..“For a significant number of these seniors, the Old Age Security benefits represent their only source of income,” said a department Briefing Binder. .“Not receiving these core benefits on time can cause serious financial hardship.”.In the 2022 budget, the Cabinet allocated $282.7 million in funding over three years to enhance and upgrade the pension payment systems..Briefing Binder blamed a “demographically-driven Old Age Security workload increase” for a backlog of 1,215,256 pension claims last year..The department stated that pension 1-800 call centres also faced significant challenges with an overwhelming volume of calls. .Callers experienced an average wait time of 50 minutes last year. In response to this demand, the department hired an additional 381 pension clerks, bringing the total to 2,499 clerks to deal with the increased call volume..“An aging population and rising life expectancy have increased the Old Age Security client base and resulted in an unprecedented growth in workload,” said the report. .“For instance, the number of Old Age Security beneficiaries has grown 67% over the last 18 years from 4.2 million to 6.9 million in 2022.”.Canada’s Chief Actuary has forecast the number of senior citizens in Canada will be 10.1 million by 2035. New claims for Old Age Security benefits are currently running at 62,000 a week, said the department..According to Chief Actuary Assia Billig's Actuarial Report on the Old Age Security Program, 2023 was the first year in Canadian history when seniors outnumbered children..“The retirement of baby boomers reaching age 65 over the next few decades is projected to increase the expenditure of the program,” wrote Billig..Statistics Canada, in a January 11 report, Annual Demographic Estimates, noted in many municipalities seniors represent more than a quarter of residents. Parksville, BC, was rated Canada’s greyest city with 44% of residents eligible for Old Age Security. Others were Elliot Lake, ON (39.5% of residents), Cobourg and Wasaga Beach, ON (34%) and Hawkesbury, ON (32%)..Other grey cities were Matane, Penticton, Powell River and Thetford Mines (31% of residents), Courtenay (30%), Bathurst, Collingwood, Salmon Arm and Tillsonburg (29%), Dolbeau-Mistassini, Que. (28.5%), Brockville, Cowansville, Edmunston, Joliette, Kawartha Lakes and Port Hope (28%), Campbellton, Duncan, Owen Sound, Rimouski, Vernon and Victoriaville (27%), Alma, Cape Breton, Lachute, Midland and Miramichi (26%)..Among capital cities, Victoria had the largest population of seniors (23%), followed by Québec City (22%), Fredericton and Charlottetown (18%), Ottawa, Halifax and St. John’s (17%), Winnipeg (16.5%), Toronto (16%), Regina (15%) and Edmonton (14.5%).
