The BC Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) expressed cautious optimism about the introduction of Bill 16, the Community Care and Assisted Living Amendment Act, into the B.C. Legislature. 

The Bill is intended to increase flexibility for B.C. residents in assisted living facilities, allowing them to delay moving into complex care, as well as increasing protection for residents and staff.
 
"We applaud the Liberal government's decision to increase flexibility for clients to remain in assisted living facilities across the province, and we are pleased about the increased protection extended to those who speak up about elder abuse. The greater regulatory oversight foreseen in the bill is also a positive step," said Stephanie Smith, president of the BCGEU.
 
However, Smith cautioned, the Act still proposes nothing to address the need for increased assisted living spaces for seniors living in rural areas, or to ensure that low-income seniors anywhere will be able to find a subsidized space. 
 
The BCGEU calls on the provincial government to offer more substantive solutions by building additional assisted living facilities, especially in rural B.C., and ensuring that low-income seniors have access to appropriate care. 

To see the current Act, click here. 

To see the proposed changes, click here. 

For the provincial government's press release, click here.