By: Caitlin Kingsmill, News Writer
On September 19, a resolution calling for provincial hearing healthcare funding was passed at a Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) meeting in Vancouver. The resolution was presented by the District of Saanich Council and reflects the work of Help BC Hear Better, a group that has advocated for provincial hearing healthcare since its formation in 2022.
The UBCM “provides an opportunity for local governments of all sizes and from all areas of the province to come together, share their experiences, and take a united position.” The group is “advocating for the creation of a formal provincial Hearing Health Program that includes the funding of hearing aids, particularly for the vulnerable populations of children and seniors.” Hearing loss can “lead to delayed speech and language development in children, and have an impact on social development.” It can also increase social isolation in seniors.
The Peak interviewed Lorienne Jenstad, audiologist and associate professor at UBC’s school of audiology and speech sciences. Jenstad provided research support for Help BC Hear Better since the group’s inception, with the group mostly consisting of hearing health professionals. “We have noticed that cost is a barrier to folks actually seeking hearing aids, seeking hearing healthcare,” she said. “People aren’t getting the best healthcare they could be getting and there’s something we can do about it.”
A pair of hearing aids generally costs between $3,000–8,000 in BC. However, hearing aids typically need to be replaced every four to five years — a significant financial barrier for those who need them. Jenstad also noted that the services of the hearing health professional are an expense.
BC only provides hearing aid funding for children ages zero to five through the BC Early Hearing Program. Meanwhile, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and PEI offer funding for all age groups.
“Having something pass at UBCM in this manner isn’t necessarily binding,” explained Jenstad. This is because provincial healthcare spending and funding allocation are outside the scope of what the UBCM can do. “But what it does is it really recognizes the importance of hearing health and the need for funding it.”
Jenstad said that part of the work Help BC Hear Better does is spread awareness about the discrepancy in hearing health coverage to Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) across the province. “It’s been interesting when we have met with some MLAs who don’t have health in their portfolio, they’ve actually been really surprised by this,” said Jenstad. “Maybe you have this assumption that hearing healthcare is covered, but it isn’t.”
Help BC Hear Better plans to continue to spread the word about this issue. Their website features an online petition and template letter people can send to MLAs to raise awareness about the importance of hearing healthcare.
While the recent resolution may not lead to immediate action in BC, it’s an important step to Jenstad and other advocates.
“To me, it’s really crucially important that they stepped forward and said this is an important issue,” explained Jenstad. “Even if we can’t make sure funding happens, we are spreading the message [that] this is something we care about and folks living in our cities care about as well.”
