Gilchrist Manor independent living facility for low-income seniors opens in Calgary

The ribbon has been cut on a new 61-unit independent living facility for low-income seniors in the community of Pineridge innortheast Calgary.

But advocates are calling affordable seniors' housing an urgent issue,saying the new facilitydoesn't make a dent in the number of units needed in the next couple of decades.

"We need our government to continue, we need more investors, we need more places like this," says seniorMaryKapitan. "Because the baby boomers are coming, they're on the list."

There are 515,000seniors in Alberta andthat number is expected to reach well over onemillion by 2030.

To ensure all seniors have an affordable place to live, officials say the province needs 3,000 new units a year for the next 15 years.

"That's not a small number, that's not a number that can be done alone by the not-for-profit," saysArleneAdamson, CEO ofSilvera,a registered charity that provides affordable housing to lower-income seniors across 26 communities in Calgary, including the newGilchristManor building unveiled on Friday.

"We need to make sure that we do that in a way that it is truly affordable for people to live on fixed incomes or no incomes, frankly, and to live as long as they do,"Adamson said.

Silvera will break ground in the fallon a new 116-unit lodge for seniors who need extra supports.

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