Burns Lake has $10,500 from the province to do a senior’s housing assessment project.
It’s a study that will identify the needs and housing options for seniors in the area, says Mayor Chris Beach. He says a lot of seniors have difficulty finding adequate housing in the village.
“We’re an ageing population, and of course we want to make sure if people want to stay in our community they can….and maybe they can even come to our community if they’re cashing in from the lucrative real-estate down south,” says Beach.
20 per cent of the Lakes District population, including the surrounding six First Nations, are over the age of 55 – a percentage that’s expected to continue.
Beach says the study will consist of surveys and data collection along with consultation.
“We need more options in our community for people who would like to downsize that don’t need full care.”
He says the study could solve a lot of housing issues for the whole community considering some seniors are living in a four or five bedroom house with just two occupants.
“The housing supply is starting to really diminish – it’s not what it once was. It’s getting harder, basically, to find a suitable place to live whether you’re looking to buy or rent.”