NDP Leader Tom Mulcair, right, and wife Catherine Pinhas give the thumbs up to supporters during a campaign stop in Toronto on Monday, August 24, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair took his campaign to downtown Toronto today to announce that he would boost an old-age benefit.
Mulcair says an NDP government would raise the guaranteed income supplement by $400 million, in addition to reversing a Conservative plan to raise the eligibility for old age security from 65 to 67.
Mulcair says the NDP would also consult with experts and stakeholders before bringing in the change, but he says he doesn't think there's a "single senior living in poverty" who will be against the plan.
The NDP wasn't able to say how much more money seniors would see under the plan because it will vary between regions, but those living under the poverty line will see an increase.
Mulcair is also proposing to bring the eligibility for old age security back to 65 from 67, saying the former parliamentary budget officer found the system had been sustainable before Stephen Harper introduced that change.
Mulcair has not yet released the details of how he will pay for his promises, but says he will release a fully costed platform.