While Councillor Dennis Dugas joked that it may be a ‘conflict’, the District of Port Hardy council agreed to proclaim Oct. 1 International Day of Older Persons.
The request was sponsored by Councillor Pat Corbett-Labatt.
The theme of this year’s event is ‘Sustainability and Age Inclusiveness in the Urban Environment.’
On Dec. 14, 1990, the United Nations General Assembly designated Oct. 1 as the International Day of Older Persons.
Demographically, seniors are one of the fastest-growing segments of society. In the latest census in Canada (2011), shows that three out of 10 Canadians are so-called boomers, born after 1945. That makes almost five million Canadians over 65 and almost four-and-a-half million are the near-seniors, aged 55-64.
Seniors make up almost 15 per cent of the Canadian population, out of a population of approximately 35 million. Indeed, seven of the top 10 communities with the highest proportion of older persons are in British Columbia. Victoria exceeds the national average with 18.4 per cent, and Parksville is the oldest populated city in Canada with a median age of 58.2.
Councillor Jessie Hemphill, who is not an older person, made the motion that the district make the proclamation.