55+/Seniors Planning and Strategy Development
The City of Richmond is committed to addressing the needs of the growing population of seniors by developing plans and strategies that build upon a solid foundation of structures and supports, enabling and empowering seniors to be healthy, active and connected to their communities. This includes continuing to focus on a variety of innovative, accessible and inclusive program and service delivery options available to seniors in Richmond through collaborative partnerships and shared responsibility for creating a community that enables residents to age well. The City has successfully adopted and implemented several plans and strategies to support seniors in Richmond. The information below provides an overview of the current strategies and plans as well as updates and highlights of achievements towards these plans.
Seniors Strategy (2022-2032)
On September 26, 2022, City Council adopted the 
City of Richmond Seniors Strategy (2022-2032), which will guide the work of the City and community partners in supporting seniors living in Richmond over the next ten years. By 2036, the seniors demographic is projected to make up almost 40 percent of the population in Richmond. The purpose of the Strategy is to address the needs of the growing population of seniors in Richmond by building upon a solid foundation of community supports and programs that enable and empower seniors to be healthy, active and connected to their communities. The vision for the Seniors Strategy is that seniors living in Richmond are safe, respected, healthy and engaged in their communities.
Seniors Services Highlights 2021
2021 remained an active year for furthering initiatives to support seniors in Richmond. The Seniors Services 2021 Highlights provides highlights of achievements in the delivery of seniors programs and services of the previous calendar year.
2021 Seniors Services Highlights
2015-2020 Seniors Services Plan - Active
and Healthy Living - Yearly Updates
With a vision to be a nurturing, connected community that promotes healthy and active aging, the City of Richmond, with public input, has created an updated Seniors Service Plan.
The Seniors Service Plan: Active and Healthy Living 2015-2020 represents a comprehensive update of the 2008-2012 Older Adults Service Plan and sets the goals and actions for services and programs for seniors in Richmond to the year 2020. The 2015-2020 Service Plan was adopted by Council on December 14, 2015.
The Seniors Service Plan updates summarize the progress made towards achieving the goals of the Seniors Service Plan and supports the Plan's vision for Richmond to be a nurturing connected community that promotes healthy and active aging.
2015-2020 Seniors Service Plan
2020 Seniors Service Plan Update
2019 Seniors Service Plan Update
2018 Seniors Service Plan Update
2017 Seniors Service Plan Update
2016 Seniors Service Plan Update
On September 23, 2019, City Council adopted the Dementia-Friendly Community Action Plan 2019 for Richmond. The Dementia-Friendly Community Action Plan is comprised of 25 actions categorized into four strategic directions to be implemented over the next five years.The actions outlined in the Plan will ensure Richmond residents living with dementia and their families and caregivers are included, supported and valued and will continue to be active and engaged with their community.
Age-Friendly Assessment and Action Plan
The Age-Friendly Cities initiative, started by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2006, was designed to optimize the health, participation and security of older adults throughout the course of aging by encouraging communities to adapt structures and services to increase accessibility and inclusion.
Since 2009, the BC Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Union of BC Municipalities, has funded Age-Friendly projects in over 120 communities across the province, including Richmond. The City of Richmond has many Age-Friendly policies and practices in place. The PDF Document Age-Friendly Assessment and Action Plan, approved by Richmond City Council on March 23, 2015, builds on this foundation, bringing a more deliberate age-friendly focus to the many strategies and activities currently being pursued. The Plan identifies priority actions requiring attention over the next five years (2015-2019) and presents an implementation plan to realize the Plan’s vision “for Richmond to be the best place to age, at all stages, for all residents”. In recognition of steps taken, as well as ongoing commitment, Richmond received "Age-Friendly BC Recognition" in 2015.
Engaging Seniors in Age-Friendly Planning
The goal of the Engaging Seniors in Age-Friendly Planning project was to provide the City of Richmond and other organizations with a framework to guide the engagement of seniors in age-friendly planning and conduct similar projects in other neighbourhoods.
Funded by a 2019 Age-Friendly Communities Grant from the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), this project builds on previous Age-Friendly activities completed in Richmond including a 2015-2020 Age-Friendly Assessment and Action Plan, Age Friendly City designation in 2015 and the creation of a Dementia-Friendly Community Action Plan in 2019.
The framework created through the Engaging Seniors in Age-Friendly planning project was based on project findings and information gathered from recruitment activities, participant surveys, and Stakeholder Committee and Neighbourhood Group meetings. This report includes an overview of project activities and outlines the steps taken to guide the engagement of seniors in age-friendly planning activities.