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Even if the condos popping up in urban centres may seem a perfect fit for retirees, Canadians 65-and-over are increasingly going outside the city, according to a study from Concordia University.

Zachary Patterson, a professor in Concordia’s department of geography, planning and environment, said the findings could mean difficulties ahead.

“Seniors who live downtown will be able to access services that they need without having to use automobiles,” Patterson said in an interview.

“In the suburbs, if you lose your licence you may not be able to access the services you need. The challenge is to provide services to people in spread out areas — to people who haven’t got access to automobiles.”

The Concordia study, which was pulled from Statistics Canada census data between 1991 and 2006, tracks seniors’ moving habits in Canada’s six largest metropolitan areas: Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver.

Across the board, Patterson found the rate at which seniors are moving to the suburbs appears to be increasing faster than for all other age groups.

Montreal’s West Island in particular is expected get older, both due to an aging population and the arrival of new seniors. By 2018, the number of those 65 and older will climb to 42,000, up from 29,000 in 2012, presenting a host of new problems.

Helene McGregor, who heads a seniors’ advocacy program in the area, said transportation is a constant issue, especially for those who lose their driver’s licences.