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Addressing the challenges and opportunities of ageing in Canada

Introduction

In April 2002, countries from around the world gathered at the United Nations (UN) Second World Assembly on Ageing to reflect on the "opportunities and challenges of population ageing in the 21st century and to promote the development of a society for all ages." Delegates unanimously adopted a Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing to help ensure that people everywhere can age with security and dignity, and continue to participate in their societies as citizens with full rights.

Now, five years later, countries have an opportunity to reflect on the Plan and to share and learn from their experiences and how they have responded to the needs of seniors (defined as persons aged 65 or over) and population ageing since 2002.

As a signatory to the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, Canada is committed to upholding the spirit and intent of the Action Plan. The five-year anniversary in 2007 is a timely reminder of the increasing importance that older persons play in our society and to ensure that we are prepared to manage this unprecedented demographic impact on Canadian society.

Over the last half-century, all sectors in Canada — public, private and not-for-profit — have developed a vast network of programs and services that help ensure the well-being and high quality of life for seniors. Most seniors in Canada are in good health, financially secure, safe, well-housed, active and contributing to their families and communities. The vast majority of seniors in Canada (89.0%) report that they are either very satisfied or satisfied with life.¹ Nonetheless, Canada cannot be complacent. The Government, in close collaboration with provinces and territories and through partnership, will continue to provide policies and programs that protect the well-being of seniors, including the most vulnerable, who have contributed enormously to the shaping of this country. Extending this protection to an increasingly large and diverse population of future seniors is an imperative that should be respected.

Population ageing in Canada is occuring amidst a changing social, economic and ethno-cultural landscape. A profound social development is the changing nature of family structures. Canadians live in a variety of family arrangements: lone-parent families, childless couples, dual-earner couples and a variety of non-traditional relationships. People tend to marry at later ages or not at all, more are living alone and at older ages. Many young adults remain in or return to the parental home and delay entry into the labour market. More women than ever before are in the labour force: 42.0% of all women aged 15 and over in 1976 and 58.0% in 2004.² Agriculture and industry have long driven Canada's economy. Globalization, powerful communication technologies, knowledge, and a growing demand for goods and services now spearhead Canada's economy. Individuals are adjusting their learning and employment paths. Employers are adjusting their workplaces to address potential skills and labour shortages.

Canada is a rich multicultural mosaic - one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world. Its ethno-cultural composition has been shaped by different waves of immigrants and each new wave has added to its diversity. The sources of immigrants to Canada have changed in recent decades, with increasing numbers coming from non-European countries.³ The Aboriginal people's share of Canada's total population is on the rise. Just over 1.3 million people report some Aboriginal ancestry, representing 4.4 % of the total population (2002), compared with 3.8% of the total population in 1996. There is also a trend toward ageing in the Aboriginal population, albeit slower than in the total Canadian population. (This ageing is in large part due to a gradually improving life expectancy and to the declining birth rate among Aboriginal peoples.)⁴ When developing policies and programs, the federal government considers how this evolving picture of Canada will affect future generations of seniors.

This report focuses on new and significant federal actions and those that build on existing programs around seniors and population ageing, recognizing that this provides only a partial spectrum of the vast network of programs and services available to seniors. Canada's ten provinces and three territories are largely responsible for direct service delivery to Canada's seniors and many seniors-related services, advocacy and educational activities are provided by the non-governmental and private sectors. In a similar vein, an enormous amount of research is underway in academia and through public-private partnerships. Since it is not possible to outline all the measures taken by each individual province and territory, the report emphasizes federal achievements, acknowledging that there is an abundance of programs and services available for seniors and a growing awareness of their respected place in Canadian society, in each province, and from coast to coast to coast. This report begins with some salient statistics of seniors in Canada and then highlights federal actions around seniors and population ageing, followed by a list of Canadian resources for additional information.

The Government of Canada is pleased to share this report with the UN Commission for Social Development as a contribution to the efforts of nations both individually and globally to address population ageing.

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Date Modified:

2007-07-19