^^^^That and as Canadian residents (I presume they're here legally), both of them are at least old enough to qualify for whatever Canada Pension she is entitled to (based on years of contributions). Canada also has a program for seniors over 65 which is called Old Age Security. One has to be qualified for it but given the number of years that the older woman has lived here she should be qualified, if not for 100% then at least a portion of it. In addition the OAS payment, low income seniors ie, those without additional sources of income are also qualified to receive Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).
The 2017 payout of combined OAS and GIS is $874.48 per month in addition to whatever CPP she is receiving. The province also kicks in a very small supplement once you're on OAS. Mine will be something like $43. a month but still better than a kick in the butt.
The younger of the two is 62 so she can only collect whatever CPP she is entitled to until she turns 65.
BUT if she's not collecting very much, she can either collect provincial social assistance or provincial disability. Each works out to around $800 a month IIRC with a partial deduction for what she gets from CPP. Unless they have declared themselves to be a married or common law couple, they would each be seen as individuals.
If either or both of them were working and not reporting their income so that they weren't paying in to CPP, it might account for the lower income they are claiming they have. BUT they can still qualify for other programs.
Health care is free. There is housing assistance available and while there is a waiting list, if they had been on it from the start they would be in housing quite a while ago. Homeless get bumped up the list with priority rating.
Canada is a welfare state to the extreme. There is no need for these two to be living in a car if they do not choose to do so. The cafe they are eating at it is one of the most expensive around.
On the other hand, Vancouver housing is absolutely exorbitantly priced. I had to go 500 miles out from there to find something I could afford to buy for my son to live in while he is on disability for the next few years. It will be my retirement home....something I intended to buy some time, just not right now but so be it.
I can see where they could not afford anything in the greater Vancouver area but I'm not sure why they are tying themselves to it. There are lots of other communities and the social assistance is provincial not tied to that location.
While I feel sorry for them, it sounds like they haven't availed themselves of any of the assistance available. If after several years of living like this, it would appear to me that there are deeper problems than them living in a car.
