Person looks on over the ocean

Engaging and supporting the aging population: Older Persons Strategic Framework

February 5 2025 –

Today, Vancouver City Council approved the Older Persons Strategic Framework and 2025 Early Actions to ensure that aging Vancouverites are engaged in our community and to enhance their quality of life.

According to the 2021 Census, 17% of Vancouver's population is 65 years of age and older, and this age group is growing five times faster than those under 65. This framework addresses the needs of this population with a collaborative effort so that older persons can remain connected, active and healthy in their communities. 

“On behalf of the City of Vancouver, we are proud to approve the Older Persons Strategic Framework, which supports our City's growing aging population,” said Mayor Ken Sim. “This Council is dedicated to engaging seniors in meaningful ways, ensuring they have access to excellent programs and affordable housing across the city to meet their needs. We look forward to collaborating with partners to make Vancouver a city where people of all ages can thrive.”

The goals of the framework align directly with the World Health Organization (WHO) Age-friendly Cities Framework, which guides cities to be more inclusive and supportive of older people.

To advance the framework’s goals, the City will take immediate action through the 2025 Early Actions. These include making it easier to build seniors' social housing through pre-zoning within Vancouver’s Social Housing Initiative, improving safety for older adults with new, wider sidewalks, curb ramps, and longer pedestrian walk times, supporting digital literacy for older adults, and partnering with organizations to run ageism awareness campaigns. The City will also assess services and programs for seniors to ensure they support their health and well-being.  
   
The City will work with senior levels of government and partners to support successful outcomes, aligning our actions with current City initiatives such as, the Accessibility Strategy and Multi-Year Action Plan (2.7 MB), the Seniors Housing Strategy (2024) (7.8 MB), and the Healthy City Strategy (151 KB).    

Next steps

Next, the City will carry out 2025 Early Actions as part of this framework, including applying to join the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities. The City will also set future annual actions to continue this work.

For more information on the framework and a detailed list of the 2025 Early Actions, read the council report: Older Persons Strategic Framework and 2025 Early Actions (291 KB).