The Municipal Challenge of Creating ‘Space for Everyone’: A Call for Policies Attending to Immigrant and Racialized Older Adults

BACKGROUND: Immigrant and racialized Canadians constitute an increasing percentage of the older adult population. Attention is needed to the role of municipalities and their key partners in creating urban environments that are supportive of aging in place. OBJECTIVE/METHODS: We conducted a qualitative descriptive sub-study of policy partners' perceptions of age-friendly policies and initiatives as part of a larger community-based participatory project in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada). FINDINGS/DISCUSSION: Nineteen participants, including elected municipal representatives, city administrators, advisory committee volunteers and seniors-serving organization staff, took part in semi-structured interviews, which was followed with a reflexive thematic analysis of the data. Participants described high levels of awareness about inequities faced by immigrant and racialized older adults. Advocacy and policy efforts, however, were constrained by insufficient funding, lack of capacity for sustainable initiatives, unclear jurisdictional boundaries and competing priorities.