VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – For the first time, a report is looking into BC’s long-term rental needs and how to help people afford their housing.

The findings suggest we will need to do more to house seniors.

Jill Atkey with the BC Non-Profit Housing Association says the report is meant to be a wake up call.

“We need a well-articulated plan going forward, but it’s not solely the provincial government’s responsibility. It’s going to take the non-profit sector various levels of government and the private sector to make this happen,” she says.

The report projects rental housing needs across the province and for every individual regional district for the next 25 years.

While details of the report will be released on Friday, Atkey says demographic change will be the significant trend.

“What probably won’t be surprising is the growth among senior households, so seniors will really be driving demand for rental housing going forward,” she says.