The bill enacts the Advocate for Older Adults Act, 2023, which establishes an advocate for older adults who is an independent officer of the Legislative Assembly. The functions of the advocate for older adults include advocating in the interests of older adults and family members of older adults who act as caregivers. In addition, the advocate for older adults is required to advise, in an independent manner, the minister, public officials and persons who fund or deliver services for older adults on systemic challenges faced by older adults, policies and practices to address existing systemic challenges and other matters that may come to the attention of the advocate for older adults.

Thank you for the comments from the member. I was particularly interested in your thoughts about housing and things that are missing and priorities that aren’t there, because we’ve had a lot of talk about housing. As people here know, since I was elected, I have been advocating for two shovel-ready projects of affordable housing, including rent-geared-to-income housing. And yet here we are nine months later and I’m still unable to find any kind of provincial support for this housing, so I’m wondering if the member has any thoughts on what’s here and what’s not here.