From the outset, The Lake Report has been pleased to support and write about the research project led by Michael Ennamorato and Stephen Ferley to determine the housing needs of Niagara-on-the-Lake seniors as they move through the aging process. 

As we have documented in detail, the survey found that maintaining independence with their housing situation is a major fact of NOTL life for seniors.

It is noteworthy that 79 per cent of the town’s households are lodged in single detached dwellings and in 73 per cent of cases the primary household maintainer is 55 years or older. 

Asked about their future housing plans, many seniors intend to arrange additional services to help them maintain that independence in their day-to-day living.

And 60 per cent of our seniors report they are likely to move to a smaller, more manageable home to retain their independence. Importantly, they prefer the downsizing to be within NOTL.   

The survey ranked the importance of several factors for seniors in making any decisions on their future housing needs.

They make it quite clear that access to health care services (not necessarily a local hospital, but other established medical facilities or clinics) is a critical and overarching consideration.

It was ranked by 59 per cent as their first or second most important factor.

Also very high in importance — ranked first or second by 50 per cent of seniors — is the option of a single residence with access to a range of services over time.  

For NOTL specifically, there is another critical tier of needs: The distinct appeal of the local community.

One in every four of our seniors has an extremely local element in their future housing preferences: They want to stay even in their current community within the town. And a further one in five would like to stay somewhere in NOTL. 

The accompanying chart highlights some of the key statistics in this category.

Significant tension arises from the juxtaposition of these survey facts.

Our seniors appreciate their current independent way of life. They’re committed to NOTL. They want to stay here as they age.

But the existing housing stock may not be sufficiently diverse to accommodate their age-related needs. And this tension will only increase in the coming years.

Two short lines within the 44 pages of the survey report address the situation: “Future housing responsibilities fall across several levels of government — municipal, regional, provincial and federal as well. And the developer community as a whole will have a significant role to play in translating plans into action.”

The Lake Report and the researchers agree that many — or all — of those elements should be involved.

We’ll be speaking to Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa in-depth about the survey results and possible next steps for the town and others.

We’ll report back on how he and council plan to approach this opportunity to make what could literally be some life-changing decisions for the town’s senior population.

Meanwhile, we urge all members of council, our regional member Andrea Kaiser and our provincial and federal representatives to make sure they also read and study the survey report — and pay more than just lip service to these very real concerns about the future of life in NOTL.

Together with the private sector and others, they have the chance to do something innovative and ground-breaking right here in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Let’s make it happen.