Aging in British Columbia: Burden or Benefit?

Christine Hughes is a policy analyst at the Ontario Native Affairs
Secretariat.

This scholarly book by Herbert Northcott, a professor of sociology at
the University of Alberta, and Jane Milliken, an assistant professor in
the School of Nursing at the University of Victoria, examines population
aging in British Columbia and considers the degree to which seniors
constitute a burden and/or benefit to the province. The authors consider
the validity of two perceptions: (i) that British Columbia attracts a
relatively high concentration of seniors, and (ii) that this
concentration is burdensome rather than beneficial.

Following a short introduction, four chapters examine past, present,
and future trends in the concentration of seniors in British Columbia,
and, through an exhaustive review of current census data, show that the
province does not have the highest concentration of seniors in Canada.
By examining trends in fertility, mortality, and migration and the
impact of these trends on the population aging in B.C., the authors
present a comprehensive demographic profile of seniors in the province.
The last three chapters provide qualitative information to address the
concept of “senior burden” and the extent to which trends in public
policy are driven by allegations and perceptions of the increasing
burden of an aging population. An outline of social programs available
for seniors that apply to income security, employment, retirement,
healthcare, housing, and immigration is included. The book concludes
with a discussion of the emerging social issues that will affect seniors
and influence public policy in the 21st century.

In addition to the extensive array of statistics provided in table and
graph form, there are several maps and a detailed list of references.
Aging in British Columbia is the second monograph in a series focusing
on population aging in Canadian provinces. It would likely appeal to
sociologists, gerontologists, and demographers.