Near the end of a quiet street in southwest Calgary, residents are living their golden years at Manor Village.
The home has provided a life of care, community and convenience — but not complacency.
“People have a view of seniors as being complicit and compliant… I think they should change that,” said Pat Pitsel.
Pitsel has lived at the Manor Village at Garrison Woods for seven years.
She says for each election since she lived at the facility — federal, provincial or municipal — there has always been a polling station set up in the building for residents.
But the home says they weren’t offered one by Elections Calgary this year.
Staff tried to alleviate the concern by organizing mail-in ballots for residents, but due to the Canada Post strike, they didn’t make it in time.
While staff at the home say they will provide a bus for residents to head to the local polling station on Monday, for some, that opportunity just won’t be possible.
“For the people who live here who have mobility issues, it’s a big problem,” explained Karen Graham, a Manor Village resident.
“They’re limiting the number of people who would probably go to vote.”
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Graham maintains her independence — saying she’ll get in her car and wait in any line there might be on Monday.
But it will be a significant change compared to this spring’s federal election, and she feels for her neighbours who might not be as fortunate.
“The names were already here. We got our ballot and voted and put it in the box, and it was all done,” Graham said, estimating that process back in the spring took about 10 minutes.
After hearing the news last month, Pitsel started a petition, which has garnered support from dozens of residents.
“It exceeded my expectations… (residents) flocked to the petition sheet. The fact (Elections Calgary) would do that just absolutely amazed people, they couldn’t believe it.”
In a statement to Global News, Elections Calgary said, “for the 2025 General Election, the Alberta Health Services Directory of Continuing Care Facilities was referenced to help inform the list of care facilities defined as a supportive living facility by the Local Authorities Election Act.”
Elections Calgary says earlier this year, it reached out to 83 homes and advance voting stations were recently hosted at 58 facilities.
But the new provincial agency responsible for seniors housing, Assisted Living Alberta, says private homes like the Manor Village at Garrison Woods aren’t automatically included on that list.
“Supportive Living Accommodations (non-publicly funded sites) voluntarily provide their information to be included in the directory. Participation for these operators is optional,” the agency said.
“Assisted Living Alberta was not aware that the Continuing Care Facility Directory was being used for the purpose of identifying polling stations.”
Pitsel says she’s doubtful the petition will change anything in time for Monday’s election, but both she and Graham hope this doesn’t become the norm.
“There’s still lots of us that want to be part of the community and have our voices heard,” Graham said.
Whether they’ll be able to do that or not, Pitsel says her home is full of folks who bring a perspective to the ballot box that only years of experience can add.
“We neglect our history at our risk,” she said,
“Otherwise that means we have to keep learning the same lessons over and over again.”
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