01/20/2026
A brilliant Globe and Mail piece highlights what we often describe—only better—through real people and lived experience.
On a quiet Ottawa street, four retired professionals (two physicians, a nurse, and a teacher), aged 74 to 81, designed and built a shared home for their next chapter. Each woman has her own fully self-contained private unit (approximately 800–900 sq ft), alongside generous shared spaces—kitchen, dining room, living room, guest room, craft room, and garden. They call themselves the “soul sisters.”
Their goal was simple and powerful: “housing that allowed them to live on their own, alongside built-in support and companionship.” As one of the residents puts it, “It’s nice having company, and the independence that we all really cherish.”
This matters—especially in B.C.
According to Statistics Canada, 28% of Canadians aged 75+ live alone. While living alone doesn’t automatically mean isolation, research consistently shows that social isolation increases risks to well-being, mental health, and overall health as we age.
What this co-housing model gets right is balance:
✔️ Privacy and connection
✔️ Independence and mutual support
✔️ Aging in place without institutional living
As Concordia University researcher Dr. Meghan Joy notes in the article, “A sense of familiarity, closeness and care is crucial” to aging well. This model brings that right to the front door—allowing residents to see each other “as much—or as little—as we want.”
At CityState, this is exactly the kind of housing conversation we believe B.C. needs more of. As traditional family structures evolve and seniors seek alternatives to both isolation and formal retirement communities, friend-based co-housing, small-scale multi-unit housing, and flexible ownership models are becoming not just viable—but essential.
If you’re exploring ways to age in place, grow older together, or create innovative seniors-focused housing anywhere in B.C., we’d love to help you navigate the planning, zoning, and feasibility questions to make it real.
Because aging well shouldn’t mean aging alone.
SUPPLIED/AUDE URBANCIC
"While many seniors live alone, these four chose a shared home that combines companionship and independence. From left to right: Mary Alice Henry, Dona Bowers, Kathy Crowe and Norah McMahon."
