B.C. spends over $1.7 billion each year to subsidize the province's comprehensive residential care and assisted living services. This is up by over $600 million in the last 12 years. Residential care clients pay up to 80 per cent of their after-tax income for housing and hospitality.

Residents in B.C. are left with at least $325 a month for personal expenses and other allowable charges. This is one of the highest minimum retained incomes in Canada.

• Since residential care was introduced in British Columbia, the Province has covered the cost of care, while residents are expected to pay for their housing, cleaning, food, and entertainment costs. Client rates are assessed on a sliding scale based on income.
• Residential care is a person's home, and while the public health system covers the cost of medical and health-care needs, residents pay for the cost of their personal equipment and supplies, just as they would if they lived in the community. 
• In general, residents are responsible for arranging and paying for their own personal hygiene items, cable and telephone, as well as equipment, such as canes, hearing aids, walkers, wheelchairs etc.
• The fees reflect the additional costs operators must pay to provide and maintain equipment, helping to keep the residential care system sustainable in this province. 
• In 2010 and in 2012, the ministry updated its Home and Community Care Policy to clarify for operators, families and clients which services and supplies should be provided at no additional cost to seniors in care and which services may have a fee attached. This was done so that every person in residential care receives consistent and affordable care regardless of what health authority they live in or whether they are in a private, non-profit or publicly operated facility.
• The updated policy also requires operators to clearly explain the fees and make sure that clients are aware and agree in advance before they are charged. 
• All health authorities have hardship provisions in place for clients who would experience serious financial hardship as a result of their client rates. Medical equipment, wheelchairs and other similar expenses are considered when calculating a hardship rate.
• There are over 31,000 government-subsidized residential-care and assisted-living beds in B.C. 
• Almost one-sixth of B.C.'s population is over 65 years old. The number of seniors will almost double from an estimated 758,000 to an estimated 1,363,000 over the next 20 years. 

The full list of what can and cannot be charged can be found on in the Home and Community Care Policy on page 16 and 17 at this link: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/topic/D3E0B9FAB55484D135A5C5201D799D96/hcc_policy_manual/6_hcc_policy_manual_chapter_6.pdf  

Media contact:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (Media line)