Seniors

Personnes âgées

Updated August 8, 2010
Page révisée le 8 août 2010

[ Go to Canadian Social Research Links Home Page ]

Links to international sites (jump directly to the bottom of this page)

Quicklinks to seniors' websites:

* Canada's Retirement Income System
(Old Age Security, Canada Pension Plan, private pensions/savings)

*Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security
--- Old Age Security (OAS) Program
- incl. information about benefits, payments and taxation
--- Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
- incl. information about benefits, payments and taxation

Source:
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada:

---

* Seniors Canada Online (Govt. of Canada)
* Division of Aging and Seniors (Public Health Agency of Canada)
* CARP (Canada) - formerly the Canadian Association of Retired Persons
* Fifty-Plus.com

[ ADVERTISEMENT ]

Senior Residence Rideau
240 Friel Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1H6
Tel.: 613.789.7137

Rideau Gardens Senior Housing offers a stimulating and secure environment in which respect for each resident's personal autonomy and careful attention to their personal needs and interests are skillfully balanced. A devoted team of professionals ensures that residents receive excellent care together with the services that contribute to their comfort and provide a sense of well-being. [June 1, 2010]
Français:
Les Jardins Rideau - Résidence pour retraités

For links to information on Canadian retirement pension reforms,
see the Retirement Pension Reforms page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/pensions.htm

Selected content from
The Daily [Statistics Canada]:

July 29, 2010
Replacing Family Income During the
Retirement Years: How Are Canadians Doing?
By S. LaRochelle-Côté, J. Myles and G. Picot
Analytical Studies Branch
1. Abstract
2. Executive summary
3. Main article
4. Tables
5. Charts
6. Appendices
7. User information
8. PDF version (538K, 23 pages)

[ earlier studies by the Analytical Studies Branch ]

---

July 26, 2010
Study: Impact of home equity on
incomes of retirement-age households, 2006
The equity that homeowners have built up through a lifetime of investment in their homes makes an important contribution to household finances as they enter retirement.

---

May 25, 2010
Pension plans in Canada, as of January 1, 2009
Membership in registered pension plans (RPPs) increased 1.7% in 2008 to just over 6.0 million, the first time the number of active participants has surpassed that level. The number of registered pension plans as of January 1, 2009 remained virtually unchanged at 19,200.
- incl. table: Registered pension plan membership by sector and type of plan.

---

March 26, 2010
Participation in private retirement savings plans, 2008
Just over 8.9 million employed Canadian tax filers participated in a private retirement savings plan in 2008, about 50% of all tax filers. This proportion was down from 54% in 1997. There was a decrease in the share of employed tax filers who contributed to a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) during the decade. In 1997, 41% of employed tax filers participated in an RRSP; by 2008, this proportion had declined to 34%.

The report:

Participation in private retirement savings plans, 1997 - 2008
March 2010
HTML version - table of contents (links are in the left-hand margin) + Abstract, Intro and Highlights
PDF version (285K, 35 pages)

Source:
The Daily
[Statistics Canada]

---

Public consultation on ensuring the ongoing
strength of Canada's retirement income system
March 24 - May 14, 2010

Ensuring the Ongoing Strength
of Canada’s Retirement Income System*
- provides background information on Canada's retirement income system;
- provides an overview of research on retirement income adequacy;
- describes a variety of proposals in the public domain relating to Canada's retirement income system; and
- solicits views of Canadians on Canada's retirement income system and how to ensure its ongoing strength.

* NOTE: Recommended reading - includes over a dozen links to related and contextual information in areas such as:
- Canada's Government Supported Retirement Income System
- Research on Retirement Income Adequacy
- Considerations for Evaluating Retirement Income System Issues
- Range of Proposals in the Public Domain
- Summary of Questions

This public consultation took place from March 24 to May 14, 2010.

Related link:

News Release
March 24, 2010
The federal government today announced the launch of online consultations and a series of cross-country roundtable discussions, speaking engagements and town hall meetings to gather input from Canadians on ensuring the ongoing strength of Canada’s retirement income system. The consultations will inform discussions at the next meeting of federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Finance in May, where the retirement income system will be a key agenda item.
Source:
Department of Finance Canada

The Care Guide (BC - Alberta - Ontario - Nova Scotia only so far...)
http://www.thecareguide.com/home.aspx

* World Population Ageing 2009 (PDF - 894K, 82 pages) - February 2010
This report provides a description of global trends in population ageing and includes a series of indicators of the ageing process by development regions, major areas, regions and countries. This new edition includes new features on ageing in rural and urban areas, the coverage of pension systems and the impact of the 2007-2008 financial crisis on pension systems. The report is intended to provide a solid demographic foundation for the follow-up activities of the Second World Assembly on Ageing.

Source:
United Nations Department
of Economic and Social Affairs - DESA
The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs provides support services to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the principal body coordinating the economic and social work of the United Nations and its operational arms.

[ UN Economic and Social Council - ECOSOC
ECOSOC was established under the United Nations Charter as the principal organ to coordinate economic, social, and related work of the 14 UN specialized agencies, functional commissions and five regional commissions.]

CARP E-VOICE:
One Très Cool Advocacy Tool!

Want to send an email message to your federal or provincial elected officials?
Click the link above to access the complete list of federal Members of Parliament by name, by province/territory or by riding.
Click "Switch to Provincial Representatives (MPP's)" near the bottom of that page for the complete list of provincial/territorial elected officials.
Clicking on the name of an MP or an MPP opens a new page with a form that's pre-addressed from you to that individual and a text box where you can record your message.
Then hit the SEND button and your email is on its way.
Simple.
Powerful.
NOTE: the blurb on the CARP E-VOICE page suggests that you can use CARP E-VOICE to support CARP initiatives, but I'm sure the nice folks at CARP wouldn't mind if Canadian social justice groups used this excellent tool for communicating with their elected officials...
Source:
CARP

Old Age Security system needs strengthening: report
Press Release
November 25, 2009
OTTAWA—Canada’s Old Age Security system needs improvement in order to help ensure the economic security and dignity of Canadians in retirement, says a new report released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The report, by pension expert and CCPA Research Associate Monica Townson, reviews OAS and its associated programs of the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and the Allowance and discusses measures that could be taken to strengthen this part of Canada’s pension system.

Complete report:

A Stronger Foundation: Pension Reform and Old Age Security (PDF - 146K, 7 pages)
By Monica Townson
November 2009

Source:
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA)
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social and economic justice. Founded in 1980, the CCPA is one of Canada’s leading progressive voices in public policy debates.

Also from CCPA:

Pension system needs urgent attention: report
Press Release
October 8, 2009
OTTAWA— Canada’s pension system needs urgent attention, says a new report released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The report, by CCPA Research Associate and pension expert Monica Townson, outlines some of the problems with Canada’s pension system and examines some of the options that have been proposed to deal with them.

Complete report:

What Can We Do About Pensions? (PDF - 147K, 9 pages)
By Monica Townson
October 2009

Minister of Finance Modernizes Federal Pension Framework
October 27, 2009
News Release
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today released an important reform plan for the federal private pension legislative and regulatory framework. (...) Today’s announcement comes out of extensive consultations with Canadians, beginning with the January release of a discussion paper, Strengthening the Legislative and Regulatory Framework for Private Pension Plans Subject to the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985, and including online consultations. (...)
The package includes measures to:
* Enhance protections for plan members.
* Reduce funding volatility for defined benefit plans.
* Make it easier for participants to negotiate changes to their pension arrangements.
* Improve the framework for defined contribution plans and for negotiated contribution plans.
* Modernize the rules for investments made by pension funds.

Backgrounder - detailed information on each of the five measures

Source:
Finance Canada

From The Globe and Mail:

Retirement Lost (seven-part series - October 16-24, 2009)
Canada's retirement dreams are under siege, weakened by underfunding and hobbled by the global recession.
It's a national crisis with no easy answers.

* Part one: The crisis
--- Retirement dreams under siege
By Jacquie McNish
October 16, 2009
- incl. links to: * Article * Video * Photos * Pension scenarios * Comments (198)
What you need to know:
--- 84% of public service workers have pensions.
--- 78% of these plans are gold plated defined benefit pensions
--- 25% of private sector workers have a pension plan
--- 16% of these plans are gold plated defined benefit pensions
--- 11 million workers, or 60 per cent, of Canada’s workers have no pension at all
--- 8 million or 45 per cent, have no pensions or registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs)

* Part Two: Manufacturing's wreckage
--- Bankrupt companies, pension promises destroyed
By Greg Keenan
October 18, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video * Photos * The history of pensions (recommended by Gilles!) * Comments (124)
What you need to know:
--- 17.6 million: Number of people in the Canadian work force.
--- 11 million: Number of Canadian workers without pension plans.
--- 4 million: Number of those workers with registered retirement savings plans.
--- 10,000: Number of pension plans in Canada.
---- 4.5 million: Workers with pension plans who have defined benefit plans that guarantee the pension income of retirees until they die.
--- 55 per cent: Amount of those plans held by public sector employees.
--- $25,000: Average pension per year.

* Part three: Death of the traditional plan
--- Hybrid pension plans: a hard sell
By Janet McFarland
October 19, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video * Photos * The history of pensions * Comments (36)
As companies weigh alternatives for the future, a crucial choice comes down to a pair of innocuously simple-looking bits of shorthand: Will the future be DB (Defined Benefit) or DC (Defined Contribution)? Traditional pension plans are DB, defined benefit. A retiree covered by the plan is guaranteed a given level of income. If the plan falls short, the employer is on the hook. The new model, increasingly favoured by employers, is DC, defined contribution. In this approach, the employer’s responsibility is limited to making a certain (“defined”) contribution to the employees’ pension plan. Contributions made by both the employer and employee go into an individual account for the employee, who makes his or her own investment choices. If the plan falls short, the employee is on the hook.

* Part four: Conflicts of interest
--- Financial planning: Whom should you trust?
By Rob Carrick
October 20, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video * Photos * The history of pensions * Comments (78)
As pensions become unreliable, more Canadians are being forced to plan for retirement themselves. But whom do you turn to for help? The experience of one couple who relied on a financial adviser is a cautionary tale.

* Part five: Underfunded dreams
--- No pension safety net for self-employed
By Andrew Willis
October 21, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video * Photos * The history of pensions * Comments (59)
Meet the next generation of retirees: middle-class workers without pensions who are left to their own devices and facing an uncertain financial future. As formal pension plans become increasingly less common, many Canadians face a savings burden that many are unwilling – or unable – to shoulder.

* Part six: Steps to financial freedom
--- Freedom 55? Couple couldn’t wait that long for retirement
By John Heinzl
October 22, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video * Photos * The history of pensions * Comments (84)
In a society that encourages consumers to borrow and spend, in which the pressure to upgrade homes, cars and gadgets never stops, living within one’s means and staying out of debt is a challenge. But for people who make a middle-class salary, the “boring” approach may be the surest route to building wealth and achieving financial security, say those who have done it.

* Part seven: Reforming a broken system
--- Canada's gathering pension storm
By Konrad Yakabuski
October 23, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video * Photos * The history of pensions * Comments (36)
Italy may be one of the worst off, but all developed countries, along with China, will experience unprecedented economic and social pressure in coming decades as their populations grey. Few, if any, have prepared for the demographic tsunami that will hit them as the baby boom generation heads into its golden years. By comparison, Canadians have some reason to feel fiscally smug, with a public pension system considered one of the world’s most financially sustainable. There’s only one catch: That system pays among the least generous government-sponsored benefits in the developed world.

Source:
The Globe and Mail

For links to information on Canadian retirement pension reforms,
see the Retirement Pension Reforms page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/pensions.htm

The two following links will take you further down on this page:
* Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) Undersubscription

Seniors Canada Online
Great site for seniors - includes links to info about : HEALTH (Alternative Medicine, Nutrition, Women's Health) - MONEY (Pensions, Taxes, RRSP) - EMPLOYMENT (Education, Programs, Volunteer) - HOME AND HOUSING (Adaptation, Long-Term Care, Residences) - FAMILY (Injury, Medical History, Medication) - LEGAL (Advice for Seniors, Consumer Protection, Travel) - EDUCATION (Courses) - SAFETY AND SECURITY - TRAVEL
- includes a link to the Guide to Government of Canada Services for Seniors

National Seniors Council
The National Seniors Council was established to advise the Government of Canada on all matters related to the well-being and quality of life of seniors.

Federal, Provincial and Territorial Finance Ministers
to Discuss Economy and Retirement Income Adequacy at December Meeting
August 5, 2009
News Release
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced that he will meet with his provincial and territorial counterparts December 17-18, 2009, in Whitehorse, to discuss continuing progress in strengthening Canada’s economy and to receive the report of the Research Working Group on Retirement Income Adequacy. (...) At their last meeting on May 25, 2009, federal, provincial and territorial finance ministers agreed to create the Research Working Group on Retirement Income Adequacy to expand the knowledge base underpinning the subject of retirement income adequacy. This group, chaired by Ted Menzies, parliamentary secretary to Minister Flaherty, and supported by research director Jack Mintz and finance ministers from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia, is to report to finance ministers and ministers responsible for pensions by the end of 2009. The first meeting of this group was held on July 22, 2009, in Calgary and participants agreed to a work plan, which will culminate in a report to ministers.
Source:
Finance Canada

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

What's new in June 2009 from
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada:

* The Office for Disability Issues, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, is leading consultations with Canadians on the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. To participate in the online consultation, please visit the Public Consultations page.
This consultation ends July 31.

* A national Elder Abuse Awareness campaign and a federal Elder Abuse Initiative Call for Proposals under the New Horizons for Seniors program launched on June 15, 2009.

* The Office of Literacy and Essential Skills has developed a number of tools to help employers, learners and practitioners address Literacy and Essential Skills challenges.
Visit the Literacy and Essential Skills Toolkit to access 17 new tools and much more.

* New Horizons for Seniors Program — The calls for proposals for Community Participation and Leadership Funding and Capital Assistance Funding are now open in Quebec until September 11, 2009.
NOTE: this last item was actually in the May What's New update for HRSDC

May 2008
Investing in Seniors
- Highlights recent Government of Canada measures that benefit seniors
HTML version
PDF version (62K, 2 pages)
- incl. * Tax Relief * Improving Old Age Security * Investing In Canada's Future * Supporting Caregivers * Engaging Seniors, Strengthening Communities

Related link:

Seniors Canada
Seniors Info

Income Security Programs

Canada's Retirement Income System
- guide for people approaching retirement - includes info about the Old Age Security (OAS) program, the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Private Pension Plans

Reforming retirement-income systems : Lessons from recent experiences of OECD countries (PDF - 336K, 27 pages)
J. P. Martin and E. Whitehouse
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris
OECD social, employment and migration working papers, n° 66
June 2008
(INCLUDES CANADA)
Summary:
Reforming pensions looms large over the policy agenda of OECD countries. This is hardly surprising since public spending on pensions accounted on average for 7 per cent of OECD GDP in 2005; and this pension spending effort is set to increase significantly over the coming decades in response to population ageing. Pension policy is indeed challenging and controversial because it involves long-term decisions in the face of numerous short-term political pressures. However, the status quo does not always win out so far as pension reform in concerned: public finance crises and the looming threat of ageing populations have proved effective spurs for reform. As a result, much has been done since the early 1990s to make pension systems fit for the future. Nearly all the 30 OECD countries have made at least some changes to their pension systems in that period. In 16 of them, there have been major reforms that will significantly affect future benefits. However, the status quo does not always win out so far as pension reform in concerned: public finance crises and the looming threat of ageing populations have proved effective spurs for reform. As a result, much has been done since the early 1990s to make pension systems fit for the future. Nearly all the 30 OECD countries have made at least some changes to their pension systems in that period. In 16 of them, there have been major reforms that will significantly affect future benefits.
Found in:
CERC Bulletin N°158 - July 21, 2008
[NOTE: click the bulletin link to access more studies and reports]
From the Council for Employment, Income and Social Cohesion - Paris

Human Resources and Social Development Canada Public Consultations Website
"Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) is committed to consulting with Canadians on the issues that affect their daily lives. Through consultations, the department gains a greater understanding of the perspectives of a wide range of citizens, stakeholders and experts and therefore develops better, more informed and more effective policies and programs for Canadians.
Your opinion matters (bolding added). We invite you to visit this site regularly to learn more about our consultation activities and how you can get involved."
Source:
Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC)

<begin rant>

HEY, HRSDC - QUIT DELETING CONTENT FROM YOUR SITE!
If my opinion matters, as per the intro to your consultations website, at least you could have the decency to leave links to completed consultations on your website.
In the summer of 2005, Social Development Canada (as HRSDC was known at that time) launched a public consultations website [ http://sdc-dsc.dialoguecircles.com/ ].
During the course of that summer and fall, SDC also launched three separate consultations (see below) - for persons with disabilities, seniors and caregivers.
All three consultations have vanished from the HRSDC website. You can't even find them using the HRSDC site search.
I understand that (a) the consultation period is long past, (b) that Steve Harper's Tories (Canada's Old New Government) took over the reigns of power early in 2006, and (c) that new governments like to build new websites.
Oh wait - never mind.
That explains it : New Government, new website, dump the old stuff, eh...

Internet Archive to the rescue!
Click the link in the previous line, then copy and paste this URL [ http://sdc-dsc.dialoguecircles.com ] into the box called "The Wayback Machine" in the centre of the page.
The results page is a collection of a dozen links to snapshots of the complete SDC consultations website; the latest link (Feb. 2007) appears below.

Here's a link to the (HR)SDC Public Consultation site
as it existed in February of 2007
Click the link above; on the next page that appears, click the links in left-hand margin of the page to go to the main consultation page for any one of the three missing consultations.

HINT: the "Resource Area" for each consultation contains links to some excellent related online resources, including: General Documents - Outcome Documents from Roundtables - Information on Government of Canada Programs - Government of Canada Publications - Government of Canada Seniors-Related Web Sites

------------------------------------------------------------------

Persons with Disabilities Consultation Internet Archive version (02/07)
"In a world of 'full participation', persons with disabilities would have equal access to the physical environments in which we work, live and play. Media and information would be equally available to those with sight, hearing, dexterity or mental disabilities..."

Resource Area - Internet Archive version (02/07)

------------------------------------------------------------------

Seniors Consultation - Internet Archive version (02/07)
While Canadian seniors today enjoy more supports and services than ever before, many still face important challenges in areas such as health, financial security, public safety, housing, and social participation. Not surprisingly, the thought of living as a senior holds promise for some, and uncertainty for others. (...)

Resource Area - Internet Archive version (02/07)

------------------------------------------------------------------

Caregivers Consultation - Internet Archive version (02/07)
Across the country, Canadians are caring for members of their families, their neighbours and their friends. Each caregiving situation is unique, and each caregiving relationship is different.

Resource Area - Internet Archive version (02/07)

</end rant>

Related Links:

For a list of consultations currently underway in other federal departments, please visit the
Government of Canada’s Consulting with Canadians website
* Consultations in progress

Canada Pension Plan
General information - Did You Know? * Canada's Retirement Income System - "What's in it for you?" * Your CPP Statement of Contributions o Request a CPP Statement of Contributions * General Information About the Canada Pension Plan * 1998 Changes to the Canada Pension Plan * Important Information for Common-law Partners * CPP Annual Reports * Quebec Pension Plan
Benefit information - Retirement Pension * Disability Benefits * Survivor Benefits (death, survivor & children's benefits) * Children's Benefits for Students aged 18 to 25 * Forms Payment information - Canada Pension Plan Payment Rates * Payment Dates * Direct Deposit * OAS and CPP T4/NR4 Income Statements o Obtain your Tax Information Slips online
o File your taxes by phone or online using Telefile service for seniors or Netfile * Canceling benefits following the death of a pensioner / beneficiary
Fact sheets - Sharing your pension for possible tax savings * Credit Splitting Upon Divorce or Separation * Facts about the Child Rearing Drop-out Provision * Reassessing Eligibility for Disability Benefits * Disability Vocational Rehabilitation Program * Non-Resident Tax on Canadian Pensions * Facts about Changes to CPP Disability * Avoid owing tax on filing - CPP/EI voluntary deductions at source

[See also pension consultations/reforms - further down on this page]

A Tale of Two Pension Plans: The Differing Fortunes of the Canada and Quebec Pension Plans (PDF file - 192K, 46 pages)
Ed Tamagno
January 2008
The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) are headed towards an historical crossroads. The most recent actuarial valuation of the CPP shows that the federal scheme is sound in its financing and should remain financially sound for the foreseeable future, without the need for any increase in its contribution rate over the next 75 years. Not entirely so, however, for the QPP. Although the Quebec plan is in no imminent financial difficulty, its most recent actuarial valuation indicates that changes to the QPP’s financing or benefits must be made well before 2050 or the scheme will be unable to meet its commitments fully after that year. This paper examines the reasons for the divergence in the financial projections of the Canada and the Quebec Pension Plans and proposes ways in which the parallelism of the two schemes, which has been a mainstay of federal and provincial policy for over four decades, can be maintained.
Source:
Caledon Institute of Social Policy

Related link:

Sustaining Public Pensions in Canada: A Tale of Two Reforms
Ken Battle, July 2003
- analysis of two recent public pension reform projects in Canada - the Seniors Benefit and the reform of Canada Pension Plan financing.
Complete report (PDF file - 468K 53 pages)
Source:
Caledon Institute of Social Policy

Federal-Provincial Review of The Canada Pension Plan
News Release
January 9, 2003
"The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is financially sound and is on track to provide retirement pensions in the future, federal and provincial ministers of finance announced today following the conclusion of their financial review of the CPP."
Backgrounder
Source : Finance Canada

Hidden agenda behind the attack on the CPP: study
Press Release
February 14, 2001
Critics of Canada's public pension system are engaging in scare tactics, a prominent pension expert charges. In a new study Pensions Under Attack: What's behind the push to privatize public pensions, released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, independent economist Monica Townson says talk of a "demographic time bomb" and inter-generational warfare over pensions are deliberate attempts to undermine public confidence in the Canada Pension Plan.
Study Summary (PDF file, 76K, 8 pages)
Order the complete study
Source : Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Old Age Security
General information * Overview of the Old Age Security Program * Important Information for Common-law Partners * Canada's Retirement Income System - "What's in it for you?"
Benefit information * Old Age Security Pension * Guaranteed Income Supplement * Allowance * Allowance for the survivor * Forms
Payment information * Old Age Security Payment Rates * Payment Dates * Direct Deposit * OAS and CPP T4/NR4 Income Statements o Obtain your Tax Information Slips online
o File your taxes by phone or online using Telefile service for seniors or Netfile* Canceling benefits following the death of a pensioner / beneficiary
Fact sheets * The Repayment of Old Age Security Pension Benefits (Deductions for higher-income seniors) * The Old Age Security Recovery Tax * Non-Resident Tax on Canadian Pensions * The Old Age Security Appeals Process

Current Old Age Security Payment Rates
- incl. maximum and average monthly rates for Old Age Security (OAS), Guaranteed Income Supplement and the Allowance, as well as the maximum annual income to be eligible for these benefits.
Source:
Public Pensions and Retirement

---

Canada Pension Plan (CPP) rates for January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 and Old Age Security (OAS) program rates for January 1, 2007 to March 31, 2007
CPP payment rates
--- More info on CPP

OAS payment rates
--- More info on OAS

Income Security Programs (ISP) Information Card
- includes both OAS and CPP rates and other info

Source:
Income Security Programs (HRSDC)

--------------------------------------------------------------

Strengthening the Foundations of Canada’s Pension System:
A Review of the Old Age Security Program
By Ed Tamagno
November 2007
Abstract
Complete report (PDF file - 424K, 38 pages)
The Old Age Security (OAS) program, which is the cornerstone of Canada’s pension system, is fundamentally sound. However, some changes need to be made to the program to improve its fairness and to strengthen the income security of Canadian seniors. This study examines five aspects of the OAS program and makes recommendations on each:
· The OAS clawback and persons living outside Canada.
· The clawback and couples.
· The Guaranteed Income Supplement and immigrants to Canada.
· The Allowance and single persons aged 60-64.
· Work incentives.
(Excerpt from the Absract)

Source:
Caledon Institute of Social Policy

Guaranteed Income Supplement - "The Guaranteed Income Supplement provides additional money, on top of the Old Age Security pension, to low-income seniors living in Canada. To be eligible for the GIS benefit, you must be receiving the Old Age Security pension and meet the income requirements"
- incl. links to : About the Guaranteed Income Supplement * Applying for the Guaranteed Income Supplement * Renewing your benefits * Eligibility Requirements
* Receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement * Filing your income tax return * Appealing a decision * Protecting information about you * Other public retirement benefits * More Information * Important Information for Common-law Partners * Questions and answers about the application forms sent to potential clients - 2003

International Benefits
* Infosheets (info on international social security agreements Canada has signed with other countries) * Status of Canada's Social Security Agreements* Social Security Web Sites Around the World * Statistics on Canadian Benefits Paid

Income Security Statistics
Includes links to the following Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan stats:
- ISP Information Card (Rate Card) - updated quarterly,gives the maximum monthly rates for Canada Pension Plan, Quebec Pension Plan and Old Age Security benefits, as well as other selected figures.
- Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security Statistical Bulletin - a monthly publication that provides detailed information such as the number of benefits in pay, the amounts paid, and the distribution of various benefits by age and sex.
- Canada Pension Plan Contributors Report - an annual publication with detailed statistics on the number of contributors and the amount of contributions to the Canada Pension Plan. Although the publication is annual, the data are 2 years in arrears.
- Canada Pension Plan Benefit Rates - maximum monthly rates for new CPP benefits from 1967 to date, as well as historical data related to the calculation of CPP contributions and benefits. This publication also contains historical tables on pension index and escalation factors.
- ISP Stats Book - annual publication, serves as a reference for Income Security Programs. It contains historical data on CPP and OAS monthly averages of benefits, new benefits and net payments in calendar years or fiscal years. Other data included in this publication are QPP, Average Weekly Wages and Consumer Prince Index data Average Weekly Wages and Statistics Canada's Low Income Cut-off levels.
- Social Security Agreements: Canadian Benefits Paid - data on Canadian Benefits paid (under Social Security Agreements) to people who have lived or worked in another country
- Tables of Rates for Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement and the Allowance

Old Age Security Tribunal Summaries Online
The Office of the Commissioner of Review Tribunals (CPP/OAS) has added a database Old Age Security case summaries, conditions of personal information disclosure, general public information on legal assistance and links to recent publications.
OAS Decision Summaries Database

Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI)
"The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) is the primary regulator of federally chartered financial institutions and federally administered pension plans."
Actuarial Reports - read actuarial reports on the following subjects: Canada Pension Plan - Old Age Security - Canada Student Loans Program - Canadian Forces - Federally Appointed Judges - Members of Parliament - Public Service of Canada.

2006 November Report of the Auditor General of Canada
Matters of Special Importance—2006
An Overview of the Federal Government's Expenditure Management System
Chapter 1—Expenditure Management System at the Government Centre
Chapter 2—Expenditure Management System in Departments
Chapter 3—Large Information Technology Projects
Chapter 4—Proper Conduct of Public Business—Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Agencies
Chapter 5—Relocating Members of the Canadian Forces, RCMP, and Federal Public Service
Chapter 6 : Old Age Security - Human Resources and Social Development Canada and Service Canada
"(...)Human Resources and Social Development Canada and Service Canada have improved seniors' access to program benefits by simplifying the application process and by implementing initiatives to increase the take-up of GIS. However, the organizations lack adequate information on these and other aspects of their service to clients, and do not give Parliament a complete picture of program performance.

Source:
Office of the Auditor-General of Canada

New Horizons for Seniors Program
Across Canada, the New Horizons for Seniors Program helps to ensure that seniors are able to benefit from and contribute to the quality of life in their community through their social participation and active living.

The Program offers three types of funding to non-profit organizations:
* Capital Assistance Funding * Elder Abuse Awareness Funding * Community Participation and Leadership Funding

Addressing the challenges and opportunities of aging in Canada - July 2007
This report, prepared for the UN Commission for Social Development, focuses on new federal action taken and the further development of existing programs around seniors and population ageing.

Source:
Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC)

What's new on the Human Resources and Social Development Canada website in July 2008:

Supporting and Engaging Older Workers in the New Economy
This report by the Expert Panel on Older Workers is undated.
(Posted to the HRSDC site in July 2008;
PDF file created February 12, 2008)
Executive Summary (see excerpt below)
Complete report:
HTML version - table of contents and links to each chapter and appendix in the report
PDF version (874K, 110 pages)
Excerpt from the executive summary:
"(...) The Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Canada established the Expert Panel on Older Workers on January 23, 2007. The Panel members were selected for their experience in studying policy issues. (...)The Panel's task was to consider the current situation and future prospects of older workers, and to make recommendations to the government."

Source:
Human Resources and Social Development Canada

HRSDC Minister Monte Solberg's response
to the report by the Expert Panel on Older Workers:

New Approaches and Partnerships to Meet the Labour Market Challenges of Today and Tomorrow
Speaking Notes for The Honourable Monte Solberg
Minister of Human Resources and Social Development
at
The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER)
18th Annual Summit
“New approaches to meet the labour market challenges of today and tomorrow”
Vancouver, British Columbia
July 23, 2008

Related links:

Expert Panel on Older Workers (the Panel's own website)
- incl. links to : * About the Panel * Consultations * Submissions * Research * FAQs * Links * Contact us

Older Workers : Challenges and Policy Issues
Background and Issues Paper
March 2007
This discussion paper was part of a broad consultation process in 2007 that included provincial and territorial governments, the academic community, employers, labour groups and other organizations.

Public pension consultations/reforms
March/April 2009

A brief history of pensions.
Pay attention because you may be about to lose yours
August 1, 2009
By Thomas Walkom
The drive to dismantle the welfare state has a new target. Governments have already gutted unemployment insurance and social assistance. Out-of-date labour laws make it tough to organize unions in the new, decentralized, service-based economy. Now, thanks in large part to the dynamics of the recession, pensions are under attack. (...) Even before this recession hit, it was clear that pensions were under the gun. Good retirement benefits, like good wages, interfere with what economists call labour market flexibility – that is, the willingness of workers to take low-wage jobs.
Source:
The Toronto Star

---

From the
Toronto Star:

$7M bonus as CPP loses $24B
May 29, 2009
OTTAWA–Four top executives of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board pocketed nearly $7 million in bonuses this year despite losing $24 billion of taxpayers' money in bad investments, according to the board's annual report released yesterday.

---

Reform pensions now, expert says
Canada should admit millions of its citizens will never get the retirement
May 29, 2009

---

Patchy pensions leave too many exposed
May 27, 2009
By Carol Goar
(...) Today, Canada has a half-built pension system. It serves a fortunate minority relatively well, but leaves many workers facing a bleak retirement. No one is utterly destitute. All seniors are entitled to a monthly old age security payment. And those who belonged to the workforce receive a Canada Pension Plan. But these public programs are designed to provide a modest base on which to build a private retirement income. And millions of workers simply can't. The lucky ones – 38.5 per cent of working Canadians – have a company pension. But their luck is running out...
[ more columns by Carol Goar ]
Source:
Toronto Star

---

From Finance Canada:

Finance Ministers Indicate Canada Pension Plan is Financially Sound
May 25, 2009
Federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Finance, as joint stewards of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), today announced the results of the program's triennial review at the close of their annual spring meetings at Meech Lake. The review confirms that the CPP, a key pillar of Canada's retirement income system, remains on a sound financial footing. "The CPP is well positioned to weather the current market turbulence," said the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance. "Canadians can count on an affordable CPP today and for the future." The CPP provides over 3.6 million retired Canadians with benefits of up to $909 per month.

Related links:

Consultation on pensions in Canada
"Strengthening the Legislative and Regulatory Framework for Private Pension Plans
Subject to the Pension Benefit Standards Act, 1985"
- launched January 2009
- closing date for input: May 31, 2009
- incl. links to two consultation documents from the Department of Finance

Responses/Submissions from the public
- links to dozens of responses (to the consultations documents) submitted to the consultation
by union representatives, pension plan representatives and employer pension representatives.

---

Ottawa plans to ease pension rules
Revamp will let early pensioners keep their jobs
May 26, 2009
Source:
Calgary Herald

---

A real world solution for public pensions
By Mark Sutcliffe
March 7, 2009
"(...) What's good for the PS is good for Ottawa. But it's fair to ask whether a cherished benefit awarded to members of the public service should last forever. While the federal government begins looking at how to clean up the mess that has become of many private-sector pension funds, legislators at all levels may want to also consider this difficult question: Should we consider phasing out the defined-benefit, fully indexed pensions that are standard for government employees? (...) There's not much that can or should be done about existing public employees, who are contractually guaranteed their benefits. But could governments move toward establishing a defined-contribution plan, like those at most private-sector employers, for new public servants? Someday, should government workers carry as much of the burden for saving for their own retirement as everyone else? Thanks to union agreements, it won't be an easy process. But it's worth considering. Some may tremble at any element of uncertainty being introduced into public-sector pensions. Others would respond, welcome to the real world.
Source:
The Ottawa Citizen

---

Department of Finance Releases Schedule for Pension Consultations
News Release
March 4 2009
The Department of Finance announced further details on the public consultations across Canada on the legislative and regulatory framework for federally regulated private pension plans, which are scheduled to begin March 13. The Government released a discussion paper seeking views from Canadians on this issue on January 9. It followed up by announcing in Budget 2009: Canada's Economic Action Plan that the national consultations will be chaired by Ted Menzies, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance.
- click the news release link above to access the scheduled dates and locations for the consultations.
- consultations will be held in : Ottawa (March 13) - Halifax (March 17) - Montréal (March 18) - Toronto (March 20) - Vancouver (April 14) - Whitehorse (April 15) - Edmonton (April 16) - Winnipeg (April 17)

The federal government regulates private pension plans that are subject to the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985. These plans cover areas of employment under federal jurisdiction, including banking, telecommunications and interprovincial transportation. These plans currently represent 7 per cent of all private pension plans in Canada, accounting for approximately 12 per cent of pension assets. Canadians who wish to attend these consultations or send submissions on the discussion paper are invited to submit an e-mail to this address: pensions@fin.gc.ca

---

Minister of Finance Launches National Consultations on Private Pensions
February 23, 2009
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced the Government will begin scheduled public consultations across Canada on the legislative and regulatory framework for federally regulated private pension plans. (...) The Government released a discussion paper seeking views from Canadians on this issue on January 9. It followed up by announcing in Budget 2009: Canada’s Economic Action Plan that the national consultations will be chaired by Ted Menzies, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance.

The public consultations will run from March 13 to April 17; click the link above for the schedule of sessions in eight cities across Canada. Canadians who wish to attend these consultations or send submissions on the discussion paper are invited to submit an e-mail to this address: pensions@fin.gc.ca

Related links:

Minister of Finance Releases Discussion Paper on Private Pensions
News Release
January 9, 2009
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today released a discussion paper on improving the framework for federally regulated private pension plans. “The Government acted in the Economic and Fiscal Statement to provide temporary solvency relief to federally regulated pension plans that have been affected by the substantial declines in equity markets,” said Minister Flaherty. “The purpose of this paper is to get the views of Canadians on issues related to the legislative framework for federally regulated defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans with the objective of making permanent changes in 2009.”

The federal Government regulates private pension plans that are subject to the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985. These plans cover areas of employment under federal jurisdiction, including banking, telecommunications and inter-provincial transportation.

Complete discussion paper:

Strengthening the Legislative and Regulatory Framework
for Private Pension Plans Subject to the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985
[ PDF version - 107K, 23 pages ]
January 2009
These consultations are open to anybody interested in participating.
- incl. contact information for anyone wishing to submit any comments on the discussion paper

The closing date for these consultations was April 17.

Budget 2009: Canada's Economic Action Plan (January 27, 2009)

Source:
Department of Finance Canada

Improvements to Life Income Funds Give Canadians More Financial Flexibility
News Release
May 8, 2008
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced regulatory changes are now in effect allowing Canadians to take advantage of Budget 2008 improvements to the administration of Life Income Funds (LIFs).

- includes links to the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement, Regulatory Changes Related to Federally Regulated Life Income Funds and Locked-in Registered Retirement Savings Plans, Effective May 8,2008, Questions and Answers and Regulations Amending the Pension Benefits Standards Regulations, 1985.

October 4, 2006
More Flexibility to Seniors in the Management of Their Life Income Funds
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced that the regulations to immediately remove the requirement to convert federally regulated life income funds (LIFs) to life annuities at age 80 have now come into force. The regulations were published in the Canada Gazette. Seniors have asked for a greater degree of control over their retirement savings and this initiative will help give it to them," stated Minister Flaherty. A LIF is a special registered retirement income fund into which funds from pension plans or other locked-in retirement funds can be transferred.
Source:
Department of Finance Canada

Also from Finance Canada:

Tax Fairness Plan:
Information for Seniors
- incl. links to : Senior's Tax Savings Calculator * Pension-Splitting Assumptions * Caveats * Questions and Answers on the Tax Fairness Plan * Tax Relief for Canadian Seniors

National Conference on Caregiving promotes pan-Canadian dialogue
News Release
GATINEAU, QUEBEC - October 18, 2005
"Initiatives to better support unpaid caregivers were discussed at this week's National Conference on Caregiving. The conference was hosted by Minister of State Tony Ianno, with the support of the Canadian Caregiver Coalition. 'The Government of Canada recognizes the vital contributions unpaid caregivers are making to Canadian society,' said Minister of State (Families and Caregivers) the Honourable Tony Ianno. 'We also know about the challenges they face. That is why we decided to hold this conference. I am committed to sharing ideas with members of the caregiving community to identify the best ways to better support our caregivers.'"
- includes a backgrounder with more info on unpaid caregiving in Canada
Source:
Social Development Canada

Policy Research Initiative - PRI
The PRI conducts independent policy research projects. It is attached to the Privy Council Office through the Plans and Consultation Branch.

Population Aging and Life-Course Flexibility
Aging populations pose a central policy challenge in all developed countries. While perhaps not pointing to the crisis forecast at one time, the figures associated with the wide scale retirement of the baby-boom generation are still very large.

Publications

Encouraging Choice in Work and Retirement
Project Report (1.1MB, 57 pages)
October 2005
"This report evaluates the extent of the economic risk to society posed by population aging and specifically the baby boom retirement. It emphasizes the need to maintain a healthy economy and fiscal prudence, while still respecting the opportunity and need for people to exercise choice in the best interests of their families, society, and themselves."

Source:
Population Aging and Life-course Flexibility
[ Policy Research Initiative - PRI ]

Research Projects
The PRI is currently running five horizontal research projects:
* Population Aging and Life-Course Flexibility (bolding added)
* New Approaches for Addressing Poverty and Exclusion
* Social Capital as a Public Policy Tool
* North American Linkages, and
* Sustainable Development
NOTE: on the Research Projects page, you can click on each of the project names to read a brief description of the project and, in the small box right next to the title, a link to PRI publications for that particular project.

Views on Life-Course Flexibility and Canada’s Aging Population
Results of 10 focus groups held across Canada "to understand the preferences of Canadians regarding the timing of retirement, and the allocation of the time devoted to education, care giving, and leisure over the course of life."

Complete report:

Views on Life-Course Flexibility and
Canada’s Aging Population (PDF file - 532K, 51 pages)
July 2004
PRI Project
Population Aging and Life-Course Flexibility

Related Publications

Source:
Population Aging and Life-Course Flexibility
[ Policy Research Initiative ]

Liberal Caucus Task Force on Seniors
- incl. links to : About the Task Force - Task Force Report - Members - Press Releases - Schedule - Photos - Submissions - Workbook for Members of Parliament and Senators - Feedback - Contact Info

Federal task force on seniors releases its report
February 12, 2004
"The Prime Minister's Caucus Task Force on Seniors, created in September 2003 at the request of former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, has released a report that includes recommendations aimed at improving the quality of life of senior citizens."

Liberal Task Force Report (PDF file - 1.6MB, 42 pages)
February 2004

NOTE:
The work of the Task Force focused on four themes:
Poverty alleviation, including issues related to income support and housing;
Eldercare, including issues related to home care, independent living, and elder abuse;
Disabilities, including issues related to access and disability supports;
Work force issues, including questions of retraining, structural changes to the workplace, and volunteer work.

Prime Minister Announces the Creation of a Caucus Task force on Seniors
Press Release
September 17, 2003
"Prime Minister Jean Chrétien announced today the creation of a Caucus Task Force on Seniors. The Task Force will examine a number of social and economic issues relating to Canada's aging population, and identify the challenges policy-makers must face to help achieve quality of life for Canadian seniors."

Statistics Canada

What's New from The Daily - Statistics Canada :

[Selected content concerning seniors]

Pathways into the GIS
August 2009
* Highlights
* Full article: HTML | PDF (212K, 10 pages)
The article Pathways into the GIS examines the strong correlation of Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) receipt with people's income levels at younger ages, particularly one's 40s. Negative labour market and health occurrences, having a low income and the receipt of social assistance benefits increased the probability of GIS receipt, while having an employer pension plan or a registered retirement savings plan decreased it.

Related link:
Income Security and Stability
During Retirement in Canada (PDF - 486K, 59 pages)
March 2008

March 12, 2009
Employer pension plans (trusteed pension funds), Third quarter 2008
The market value of assets held in employer-sponsored pension funds fell by 8.7% during the third quarter to $869.0 billion, the largest quarterly decline in a decade.The decline, equivalent to $82.7 billion, was the result of a significant drop in stock prices and foreign investments. The third-quarter level was well below the peak of $954.6 billion reached at the end of 2007.
- includes two tables :
* Trusteed pension funds, market value of assets by type
* Trusteed pension funds: Revenue and expenditures

April 25, 2008
Study: Retiring together, or not, 1986 to 2001
Rather than retiring together, men and women in dual-earner couples appeared to have approached retirement in a more independent fashion during the 1990s, a new study has found. The study, published today in Perspectives on Labour and Income, examined the extent to which spouses in dual-earner couples synchronized the timing of their retirements over the last two decades. It also looked at factors associated with taking different paths into retirement.

The article "Retiring together, or not" is now available in the
April 2008 online edition of Perspectives on Labour and Income.

March 10, 2008
Study: Income security in retirement among the working population, 1983 to 2004
On average, Canadian workers had family disposable incomes at age 75, when most are retired, that were 80% of their incomes at age 55, when they were working, according to a new study. However, the extent to which they maintained their income in retirement varied with their level of income.

Income Security and Stability During Retirement in Canada
by Sébastien LaRochelle-Côté, John Myles and Garnett Picot
Main page - includes a summary and related links
Complete report (PDF file - 480K, 59 pages)

February 22, 2008
Study: RRSP investments, 2005
Overall, 6 out of every 10 families in Canada held savings in registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs) in 2005, and these plans had a median value of $25,000, according to a new study. The study, published today in the February 2008 issue of Perspectives on Labour and Income, showed that, as expected, the prevalence of families with RRSPs and the value of the plans both increased with age.
* Highlights
* Full article:
HTML
PDF (149K, 7 pages)
NOTE : for related links, g to the Asset-Based Social Policies Links page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/assets.htm

February 21, 2008
Study: Chronic pain in Canadian seniors, 1996/1997 and 2005
Chronic pain affects more than one-quarter of seniors living in households and close to 4 out of every 10 seniors in institutions, and it can have a profound impact on their quality of life, according to a new study.
Chronic pain in Canadian seniors
by Pamela L. Ramage-Morin
Abstract
Findings

From Perspectives on Labour and Income (Statistics Canada)
- November 2007:
Pensions and retirement savings of families
By René Morissette and Yuri Ostrovsky
Prime-aged couples experienced a moderate decline in RPP coverage over the last two decades, as the substantial growth in wives’ labour market participation and the slight increase in their RPP coverage only partially offset a substantial decline in husbands’ coverage. On average, retirement savings of families rose over the last two decades, but the distribution became more unequal. To a large extent, the uneven growth in retirement savings mirrors the sharp increase in family earnings inequality since the early 1980s.

August 24, 2007
Study: Participation of older workers, 2006
Older workers are staying in the workforce longer and, as a result, may be dampening the threat of a sudden and severe labour shortage as baby boomers retire, a new study suggests.
An estimated 2.1 million individuals aged 55 to 64 were either employed or looking for work in 2006, more than double the total in 1976, according to the study "Participation of older workers," published today in Perspectives on Labour and Income.

Related links:

Participation of older workers
By Katherine Marshall and Vincent Ferrao
Highlights
Complete article:
HTML
PDF (340K, 7 pages)

August 24, 2007
Study: Public pensions and work, 1995 to 2003
The vast majority of workers take up Canada and Quebec Pension Plan (C/QPP) benefits before the age of 65, and an increasing proportion start them at age 60...

Public Pensions and Work
By Ted Wannell
Highlights
Complete article:
HTML
PDF (284K, 8 pages)

Source:
Perspectives on Labour and Income - August 2007
[ earlier editions of this report ]

June 21, 2007
Pension plans in Canada, as of January 1, 2006
After several years of growth, membership in Canada's 15,130 active registered pension plans remained virtually unchanged in 2005, according to new data from an annual census of these employer-sponsored plans.

May 30, 2007
Residential care facilities, 2004/2005
Only 1 out of every 30 seniors aged 65 and over lived in one of Canada's 1,952 homes for the aged in the fiscal year 2004/2005, according to new data from the Residential Care Facilities Survey. Data for all provinces and territories, except Quebec, show that nearly 151,000 seniors, 3.4% of the total, resided in a home for the aged in 2004/2005.

Complete report:
Residential Care Facilities, 2004/2005
- incl. links to : Highlights * Introduction * Analysis * Tables * Data quality, concepts and methodology * User information * Related products * PDF version

Other StatCan reports on residential care facilities

March 6, 2007
Seniors as victims of crime, 2004 and 2005
Canada's seniors (those aged 65 years and older) are less likely to be the victims of violent and property crimes than younger people, according to a new report. The report is based on results from the 2004 General Social Survey (GSS) on victimization and police-reported data from the 2005 Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Survey. It examines the nature and prevalence of violent and property crimes against seniors, as well as fear of crime among seniors.

Complete report:

Seniors as victims of crime, 2004 and 2005
By Lucie Ogrodnik, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
HTML version [ Highlights only ]
PDF version (287K, 21 pages)

February 27, 2007
A portrait of seniors, 2006
With millions of baby boomers knocking on the door, Canada's seniors are poised to become an even more heterogeneous crowd than they are today, according to a new statistical profile of people 65 years and over.

Related link:

A Portrait of Seniors in Canada
February 2007
By Martin Turcotte and Grant Schellenberg
HTML version - Introduction and links (in the left margin) to: Findings - Tables - Charts - More information
PDF version (1.2MB, 301 pages)
"...the goal of this report is to draw an up-to-date portrait of the general well-being of seniors, in absolute terms, in comparison with previous cohorts of seniors and in comparison with persons of younger ages."

Young pensioners
February 2007
By Ted Wannell
Since they entered the scene, baby boomers have been shaping social and economic structures. Now on the cusp of retirement, they may once again force change on the labour market. Many aspire and can afford to retire relatively young, raising concerns about labour supply and public pension programs. But increasing longevity in good health may persuade some to extend their working life. Trends in pension uptake between ages 50 and 60 and post-pension employment during the 1990s and the first part of this decade offer some clues as to the direction baby boomers may take.

Defining retirement
February 2007
By Geoff Bowlby
Even though the retirement wave will have significant labour market consequences over the next 20 years, no regular statistics are produced on retirement or the retired. Part of the problem stems from lack of clear definitions. For some, retirement means complete withdrawal from the labour force while for others it entails part- or even full-time work. The article examines the challenges faced by statistical organizations in measuring retirement and offers several recommendations to inform a discussion for arriving at international standards.

Back Issues of Perspectives on labour and income - back to October 2000
Subject index

Source: February 2007 issue of
Perspectives on Labour and Income:
(Released Feb. 21)

Seniors' access to transportation
December 15, 2006
In today’s society, it is more difficult for a person to be active and independent if their access to transportation is limited. One might think that older people are more vulnerable than other Canadians to limits on their mobility. But to what extent is this really the case? And to what degree are seniors with limited access to transportation affected in their daily lives? This article answers these questions and others using data from the 2005 General Social Survey (GSS) on time use.
HTML
PDF (97K, 8 pages)

September 26
Pension Coverage and Retirement Savings of Canadian Families, 1986 to 2003
"Previous Canadian studies documenting trends in private pension coverage have focused on individuals and thus have been unable to assess whether Canadian families are better-prepared for retirement now than their counterparts were in the past. This study fills this gap and examines how pension coverage and retirement savings of Canadian families have evolved since the mid-1980s. Families' preparedness for retirement is first assessed using wealth data from the Assets and Debt Survey of 1984 and the Survey of Financial Security of 1999. Then, families' pension coverage and retirement savings are examined over the 1986-to-2003 period, using data from Statistics Canada's Longitudinal Administrative Databank."

Complete report (PDF file - 184K, 48 pages)

Source:
Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series
- incl. links to free issues going back to June 1994

July 26, 2006
General Social Survey: Time use patterns of older Canadians, 2005
More individuals aged 55 to 64 were working later in life and spending less time in leisure activities in 2005. Both men and women were spending roughly an hour a day more in paid work than they were in 1998. In fact, during the past decade or so, time use patterns of these older Canadians have shifted, in some cases significantly. The study, based on data from the 2005 General Social Survey (GSS) on time use, showed that older men and women have adjusted their time patterns in different ways over time.

Complete study:

Aging Well: Time Use Patterns of Older Canadians, 2005 (PDF file - 271K, 30 pages)
General Social Survey on Time Use: Cycle 19

----------------------

Retirement (PDF file - 94K, 7 pages)
May 2006
Over the past three decades, the age of retirement has changed dramatically.
The median age was close to 65 in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but since the mid-1980s, it has declined considerably.
[Other StatCan content on the subject of retirement - StatCan site search result]

----------------------

February 22, 2006
Study: Aging, health and work, 2003
"The people in Canada's labour force who were within 10 years of retirement in 2003 were generally in good or excellent physical and mental health, according to a new study. However, nearly half a million (19%) individuals aged between 50 and 69 had already left the labour force because of health-related reasons. Their loss is important because of rising concerns over a labour shortage in coming years as the baby-boom generation nears retirement and the growth in Canada's population slows. In 2002, 20% of workers were within 10 years of the median retirement age, double the proportion 15 years earlier.
The article "Aging, health and work" is available in the February 2006 online edition of Perspectives on Labour and Income, Vol. 7, no. 2 (75-001-XIE, $6/$52)

How healthy are Canadians? Annual report 2005
February 9, 2006
Complete report (PDF file - 665K, 69 pages)

Table of contents (download individual articles):

Seniors' health care use [highlights - HTML] [full article - PDF]
Predictors of death in seniors [highlights - HTML] [full article - PDF]
Healthy living among seniors [highlights - HTML] [full article - PDF]
Dependency, chronic conditions and pain in seniors [highlights - HTML] [full article - PDF]
Successful aging in health care institutions [highlights - HTML] [full article - PDF]

Source:
Health Reports Supplement
Health Reports ($)
Health Reports is a peer-reviewed quarterly journal produced by the Health Statistics Division at Statistics Canada.

February 7, 2006
Canada's retirement income programs
The financial reserves in Canada's three principal retirement programs, essential to the future of many Canadians, have doubled since 1990, and they represent one of the largest pools of investment capital in the country.
Related link:
Pension savings of Canadians - table shows, for 1993 and 2003, total accumulated assets of Canadians including public plans, Registered pension plans, Registered retirement savings plans and supplementary retirement income programs.

October 21, 2005
Study: Who's missing out on the Guaranteed Income Supplement?, 1999 to 2001
- short summary only --- the full study report is available only in the October online edition of Perspectives on Labour and Income, Vol. 6, no. 10 (75-001-XIE, $6/$52).
"The vast majority of Canada's senior citizens who qualify for benefits under the federal Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) program receive them, according to a new study published today in Perspectives on Labour and Income. However, a significant portion of low-income seniors are missing out on benefits to which they are entitled, simply because they have not applied for them. The study, based on a variety of sources, found that 86% of seniors who were eligible for the GIS in 2000 received it. But about 206,800 eligible individuals missed out. The theoretical annual cost of payments for these people amounted to roughly $300 million."

Related Links:

The changing face of long-term care
Expression Bulletin, Issue 18-4*
Fall 2005
HTML version
PDF version (8 pages, 423 KB)
Table of contents: The changing face of long-term care - What is a long-term care facility? - Who resides in LTC facilities? - Trends for change - Beacons for the future - The best for all - For more information...- Insert: The National Advisory Council on Aging demands improvements to Canada’s long-term care institutions
[*Expression is published four times a year by the National Advisory Council on Aging. The bulletin is available on the NACA Web site.]

2005 Annual Meeting, Canadian Association on Gerontology
Halifax, October 20-22
- Program (PDF file - 625K, 37pages)

NACA Reports on Poverty Among Canadian Seniors on International Day of Older Persons
Press Release
October 3, 2005
"The National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA) urges governments and society to work toward eradicating seniors' poverty in Canada. The Council launched on October 1st, the International Day of Older Persons as declared by the United Nations, a new report called Seniors on the margins: Aging in poverty in Canada. 'The UN theme for this special day was 'Aging in the new millennium. Focus on poverty, older women and development.' It is fitting that NACA releases its findings on the economic vulnerability of Canadian seniors now,'claims Bubs Coleman, spokesperson for NACA. 'The prospect of a golden retirement simply does not exist for many seniors, particularly those living alone, women over age 80, visible minorities and immigrants.'"

Complete report:

Seniors on the margins:
Aging in poverty in Canada
October 2005
Table of contents: Preface - Introduction - Definitions - The economic situation of seniors - Issues and solutions - Conclusion - NACA recommendations - References - Bibliography
HTML version
PDF version (33 pages, 300 KB)

Hidden harm: the abuse of seniors
January 30, 2004
Bulletin of the National Advisory Council on Aging Expression
"Abuse of seniors is under-reported. Reasons for this are fear of retaliation or institutionalization, shame, desire to protect the abuser or incapacity to act. Ignorance, secrecy or complacency on the part of family, friends and professionals also come into play. What are the signs of abuse and who perpetrates it? How can it be prevented? What help is available?"
Complete Report:
HTML
PDF version (938K, 8 pages)
TIP: in the "Sources and Resources" section of this report, you'll find links to eight relevant online resources plus a list of toll-free 1-800 phone numbers for all Canadian jurisdictions where help is available for seniors experiencing abuse.

Interim Report Card Seniors in Canada 2003
- incl. How Healthy are Seniors? - How Well is the Health Care System Serving Seniors? - How Well are Seniors Faring Economically? - How Supportive, Enabling and Safe are Seniors' Living Conditions? - How Fully are Seniors Participating in Society? - The Last Word


Evaluation of the Maintenance and Preventive Function of Home Care
Hollander Analytical Services
Prepared for Health Canada
Cutting house cleaning help to elderly leads to higher health costs down the line
Press Release (May 26, 2001)
Full-text report (PDF file - 275K, 59 pages)
Source : Hollander Analytical Services

Canadian Senior Years
Canadian Senior Years is designed for all Canadian seniors over 50 with a special focus on the Grey Bruce area of Ontario. The site features up-to-date news feeds on subjects of interest to Canadian seniors, hundreds of mostly Canadian site links, games, discussion boards, email pals section, a memorial listing, articles and much more.

Alberta Council on Aging
Ontario Seniors Directorate
Home Page
News Releases
Links to Seniors' Organizations - Approx two dozen links to relevant sites : Ontario - National (Canadian) - International

For People 55 and Over
PDF file - 3.9MB, 68 pages
2005 Edition (Latest revision January 2005)
Excellent collection of information on programs and services for seniors - includes links to relevant websites for more information on eligibility, benefits, where and how to apply for assistance for each program, etc.

From the Ontario Seniors' Secretariat :

Senior Smart Ontario Web Site a Resource for Planning for Seniors
News Release
October 30, 2003

Senior Smart Ontario
"...designed to help gerontologists, municipal planners, seniors advocates and others become more responsive to the needs of Ontario’s growing seniors population. (...) Senior Smart Ontario features statistical information about Ontario and Canadian seniors, including data on seniors’ population, lifestyle, health and well-being. Also featured is a quiz to test attitudes about ageing, tips on how to communicate with seniors, academic resources and links to sites that address ageing around the world."

Guide to Programs and Services for Seniors in Ontario

Seniors' Guide to Services and Programs 2002 (PDF file - 380K, 67 pages)
Government of New Brunswick
- includes descriptions of services and contact information for federal, provincial and local government programs and services; also includes non-governmental organizations
Source:
Department of Family and Community Service

Manitoba Seniors' Guide 2008-2009 (PDF - 2.2MB, 100 pages)
Table of contents:
* Personal Information/Frequently Called Numbers * Information * Seniors Organizations * Community Resource Councils * Senior Centres * Finances * Housing * Health Services (Provincial, Community) * Community Living * Resources for Newcomers * Safety and Security * Index
Source:
Manitoba Seniors and Healthy Aging Secretariat
[ version française ]

Intergenerational Equity: Policies for all Generations
News Release
May 21, 2004
(Click on "Download" to open the news release)
"Terms like 'crisis'and 'unsustainability' dominate talk about our aging society today. A growing older generation, we are told, is consuming more than its fair share of resources. But aging baby boomers may not be the problem. The problem may be our frame of reference."

What's Fair? Ethical Decision-making in an Aging Society
Executive Summary (6 pages)
May 2004
(Click on "Download" to open the executive summary)

What's Fair? Ethical Decision-making in an Aging Society
Complete report (65 pages)
May 2004
by Nuala Kenny
(Click on "Download" to open the report)
"A joint report from CPRN's Family Network and The Change Foundation, with additional support from the Law Commission of Canada, proposes a new framework for policies that involve sharing scarce resources across generations. In What's Fair? Ethical Decision-making in an Aging Society, author Nuala Kenny applies what she calls the 'ethic of care' to the challenge of intergenerational equity."

Source:
Family Network
[ Canadian Policy Research Networks ]

Related Links:

The Change Foundation
(Founded by the Ontario Hospital Association)
"Our mandate is to promote, support and improve health and the delivery of health care through four activity areas: Applied Research and Analysis, Development Programs, Education Programs, Grants to Charities. We bring together researchers, health care providers, managers, and policy makers from Ontario and beyond to understand the impact of change on the health of consumers and the delivery of health services.

Law Commission of Canada
"The Law Commission of Canada is an independent federal law reform agency that advises Parliament on how to improve and modernize Canada’s laws. The Commission's work is structured around the following four complementary themes: Personal Relationships * Social Relationships * Economic Relationships * Governance Relationships."
NOTE:
Law Commission of Canada abandoned by Conservative government
The Law Commission of Canada was informed on the 25th of September, 2006, of the federal government’s decision to eliminate the Commission’s funding.
(From the now-defunct LCC English homepage)
Try doing a Google search on the title of the report)


Seniors Losing Ground in Poverty Battle: A Stealth attack on Seniors (PDF) April 2000 Source : Daily Bread Food Bank (Toronto)

Federal-Provincial-Territorial Meeting of Ministers responsible for Seniors Victoria, British Columbia
- PLAN FOR CHALLENGES OF AN AGING SOCIETY (March 3, 1998 )

Poverty Among Seniors in Canada (PDF file - 94K, 2 pages)
by Chris Sarlo
"The claim that almost one in five seniors in Canada is currently impoverished has as much credibility as the latest sighting of Elvis."
Source:
Fraser Forum February 2004
[ The Fraser Institute ]

International Seniors' Websites

AARP (formerly called the American Association of Retired Persons)
"AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people 50 and over. We provide information and resources; advocate on legislative, consumer, and legal issues; assist members to serve their communities; and offer a wide range of unique benefits,special products, and services for our members. These benefits include AARP Webplace at www.aarp.org, Modern Maturity and My Generation magazines, and the monthly AARP Bulletin. Active in every U.S. state and territory, AARP celebrates the attitude that age isn't just a number -- it's about how you live your life."

Site review by The Scout Report:
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) covers aging and aging-related topics quite well, and this website is one of their many compelling initiatives. The databases, AgeSource and AgeStats, on AARP's international website are designed to "facilitate the international exchange of policy and program-relevant information in aging." Under the "Aging Everywhere" tab is an interactive map that allows the visitor to read "Country Profiles" as well as read articles about a region selected from the map. A "Comparative Data Search" can also be done by clicking on the link above the map. There are multiple ways to search the information in the databases. On the left hand menu visitors can explore by topic or by region. Some of the topics include "Aging & Society", "Economic Retirement & Security", "Livable Communities" and "Long-Term Care". Searching for a particular topic can be accomplished by using the keyword search box in the middle of the page. The search can be further limited by deciding which databases to search, and by information type, geographic coverage, and language.
Reviewed by:
The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2009.
http://scout.wisc.edu/

[U.S.] Alliance for Aging Research
http://www.agingresearch.org/

Founded in 1986, to "promote medical and behavioral research into the aging process", the Washington D.C.-based Alliance for Aging Research has a website that covers many different "Topics". Visitors can explore general topics, such as "Caregiving", "Longevity", "Medical Innovation", and "Policy", as well as "Focus Areas". The focus areas include "Access to Breakthroughs", "Drug Development", "Persistent Pain" and "Vision Loss". On the homepage visitors can take "Surveys & Quizzes", like "Understanding Persistent Pain" and "Valve Disease Quiz - How Much Do You Know?" Related to the valve disease quiz is the recent podcast of a valve surgery patient, who discusses the symptoms she felt that resulted in her recent visit to the doctor, how she was diagnosed, her growing knowledge of the surgical procedure, and how she felt after surgery. Visitors can find that podcast and others, at the "Media" link near the bottom of the homepage. Also in the "Media" link, visitors can find videos, such as "Will Science Cure Aging?", and a rich archive of videos and podcasts

------------

AgeSource/AgeStats Worldwide
http://www.aarpinternational.org/database/
AgeSource Worldwide identifies several hundred information resources in some 25 countries which are significant either in size or in their unique coverage of particular aging-related issues. The resources include, among others, clearinghouses, libraries, databases, training materials, major reports, and Web metasites.
AgeStats Worldwide provides access to statistical data that compare the situation of older adults across countries or regions around a variety of issues, such as demography, pensions, health and long-term care. The most recent data and projections as far ahead as 2050 are provided where available. You may search either or both databases at one time. Access is free-of-charge. AgeSource and AgeStats Worldwide have been created by AARP to facilitate the international exchange of policy and program-relevant information in aging.

Internet Resources Related to Aging (U.S.)
List of Contents - like a site map, incl. links to sites organized under the following headings : General Interest - Government - Health - Housing - Income - Law - Leisure - Libraries, Clearinghouses and Databases - Social Services - States and Communities - Statistics and Research - Listservs - Newsgroups - Electronic Magazines - Search Tools - Alphabetical Index
Other Internet Directories Related to Aging - links to 9 directories, most from the U.S. Administration on Aging, including state and even local links to resources for seniors
Source :

Links to AARP sites in all states

AARP Online U.S. Pension Calculator

---

The Social Security Debate in the U.S. - from Wikipedia
- incl. criticism of Social Security as a pyramid or Ponzi scheme...

---

Nearly 1 in 5 older Americans believed
to be in poverty --- almost double the official rate
September 4, 2009
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The poverty rate among older Americans could be nearly twice as high as the traditional 10 percent level, according to a revision of a half-century-old formula for calculating medical costs and geographic variations in the cost of living. The National Academy of Science's formula, which is gaining credibility with public officials including some in the Obama administration, would put the poverty rate for Americans 65 and over at 18.6 percent, or 6.8 million people, compared with 9.7 percent, or 3.6 million people, under the existing measure. The original government formula, created in 1955, doesn't take account of rising costs of medical care and other factors.
Source:
Associated Press

- Go to the Poverty Measures - International Resources page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/poverty2.htm

---

Pensions at a glance 2007
OECD
People in OECD countries will have to save more for their retirement as a result of the major pensions reforms carried out in recent years, according to this report. The average pension promise in 16 OECD countries studied was cut by 22 per cent. For women, the reduction was 25 per cent.
Posted June 8, 2007
Source:
Australian Policy Online

---

New Resources on Aging (bi-weekly e-letter) - U.S.
- latest issue: March 17
Table of Contents:
* Editorial Notes * On the WEB * New Publications * New Resources at the Center Library * Calendar of Events * Community Resources
- almost 100 links in the current issue!

Web Links on Aging
1,000+ links, organized alphabetically from Academic to Women, split into three pages for easier download
A - H
I - P
Q to Z

Source:
The University of California at Berkeley Resource Center on Aging

Confusions about Social Security (PDF file - 195K, 11 pages)
Paul Krugman (Princeton University)
January 2005
"There is a lot of confusion in the debate over Social Security privatization, much of it deliberate. This essay discusses the meaning of the trust fund, which privatizers declare either real or fictional at their convenience; the likely rate of return on private accounts, which has been greatly overstated; and the (ir)relevance of putative reductions in far future liabilities."
Source:
The Economists' Voice - U.S.
(Editor: Joseph E. Stiglitz)

Related Links:

Social Security Administration (U.S. Government)
"Visit the Social Security Administration Web site for publications and online resources to help you understand your Social Security benefits, how to apply for benefits, and the history of the Social Security program. You can also apply for benefits online."

AARP Social Security Center
[AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people over 50.]
"AARP maintains a special Social Security Center on its Web site. Visit the center to test your knowledge and find answers to some commonly asked questions about Social Security. You can also learn about issues and challenges facing Social Security, and you can tell your elected officials what you think about Social Security."

Four questions (and answers) from AARP
- Is Social Security Broke?
- Will Social Security be there for me when I retire?
- Couldn't I do better investing the money on my own?
- But aren't I paying a lot of money now to get a little money later?

For links to more info about the Bush administration's push to privatize Social Security in the U.S. in 2005 and about the Chilean pension model, go to the Pension Reforms Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/pensions.htm

FirstGov for Seniors (U.S.)
- incl. links to : Consumer Protection - Education & Training - Health - Legislation - Letters to the Editor - Other Links - Retirement Planner - Seniors & Computers - Services - Strategic Plan - Tax Assistance - Travel & Leisure- Work & Volunteer - State Websites for Seniors
Site Map

National Council on the Aging (U.S.)
"Organizations and professionals promoting the dignity, self-determination and well-being of older persons"

BenefitsCheckUp
"NCOA's latest innovation, BenefitsCheckUp, is a simple and confidential online service made for seniors and caregivers. The program searches more than 1,000 federal and state programs and finds those for which the senior may be eligible."

National Institute on Aging (NIA) - U.S.
The National Institute on Aging is a component of the National Institutes of Health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) that is devoted to improving the health of older people.

From the U.N.:

International Day of Older Persons
The General Assembly designated 1 October the International Day of Older Persons by resolution 45/106 of 14 December 1990, following up on initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing, adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing and endorsed later that year by the General Assembly.

The theme of the International Day for 2006 is
"Improving the Quality of Life for Older Persons: Advancing UN Global Strategies." (PDF file - 9K, 1 page)

Source:
U.N. Conferences and Events
[ United Nations ]

Sharing the nation's prosperity ? Pensioner poverty in Britain (PDF file - 513K, 61 pages)
March 2003
A. Goodman, M. Myck and A. Shephard,
Source : The Institute for Fiscal Studies, London (U.K.)

The Growth of Debt Among Older Americans (PDF file - 347K, 12 pages) - U.S.
by Tamara Draut and Heather C. Mcghee
Borrowing to Make Ends Meet Briefing Paper #1
February 2004
"In September 2003, De-mos released Borrowing to Make Ends Meet, a report on the growth of credit card debt among American families. The report documented a 53 percent average increase in self-reported household credit card debt between 1989 and 2001, based on data from the Survey of Consumer Finances. In examining debt increases by income, race, and age, the authors found that certain populations were hit harder than others. This paper is the first in a series of Borrowing to Make Ends Meet Briefing Papers, offering a closer look at the economic security of different populations as seen by examining their debt, assets, and major costs.

Related Link:

Borrowing to Make Ends Meet:
The Growth of Credit Card Debt in the ’90s
"The mid and late 1990s will always be remembered as an era of unprecedented prosperity. But for most American families, the roaring ’90s had a dark underbelly—it was also the Decade of Debt. Between 1989 and 2001, credit card debt in America almost tripled, from $238 billion to $692 billion. The savings rate steadily declined, and the number of people filing for bankruptcy jumped 125 percent. How did the average family fare?"
Complete report (PDF file - 732K, 64 pages)
Executive Summary (PDF file - 232K, 12 pages)

Source:
De-mos - A Network for Ideas and Action
- non-partisan, non-profit public policy research and advocacy organization based in New York City
"De-mos -- 'people' in Greek -- is the root word of democracy. Our mission is to create a more vibrant, fair, and inclusive America for the 21st century. We strive to help everyone realize the promise of American life through sharing in the nation's economic prosperity and participating in our democracy."

Canadian Perspectives:

Study: Finances in the golden years - 1999
November 17, 2003
"The financial situation of Canadian seniors appears much more secure if the equation includes wealth and not just income, according to a new study. More than half of seniors own their homes mortgage free. Nearly half are still saving and only 1 in 10 are dipping into investment capital to make ends meet. Only a third of senior families feel the need to follow a budget compared with half of younger families."
Source:
Statistics Canada

An Aging World: 2001 (PDF file - 3973K, 190 pages) - U.S.
November 2001
This new 190-page release from the Census Bureau and the National Institute of Aging presents comparative data related to aging, including population and projected population internationally, life expectancy, retirement, health information, and social support. The report was, in part, inspired by a review from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) that argued for an international focus on aging as an aid to policymakers worldwide. The main body of the report is broken into eleven chapters, covering topics ranging from urban versus rural populations to marital status to income security. Appendices include detailed tables, references, an international comparison of urban versus rural definitions, and sources and limitations of the data.
Reviewed by : Scout Report
Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2001
- Go to the Census Bureau

SeniorSite (U.S. site, worth a visit to see hundreds of links to valuable information)

U.S. Administration on Aging
- Site Index - all on one page...
- Internet Information Notes: Links to major U.S. web resources on selected topics and issues in Aging.
Includes Adult Day Services - Ageism - Alcohol Abuse - Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias - Assisted Living - Caregiving for the Elderly - Disability and Aging - Consumer Protection & the Elderly - Diversity and Aging - Health and Long Term Care Costs - Health Maintenance Organizations - HIV, AIDs and Aging - Home Design - Hormone Replacement Therapy - Intergenerational Programs - International Aging Statistics - Life Expectancy - Long Term Care Insurance - Long-Term Care State Services - Mental Health and Aging - Nursing Homes - Nutrition - Prescription Drug Web Sites - Senior Centers - Senior Housing Sites and Directories - Suicide and the Elderly - Technology, Aging and Disabilities - Transportation and Mobility - Trends and Projections - Workforce & Aging

International Aging Statistics
U.S. Administration on Aging
The links to Internet sites on this page point to demographic data as well as reports addressing issues and emerging global developments created by the aging of their populations.
- includes links to over 90 recent statististical resources focusing on seniors from the following organizations : U.S. Bureau of the Census - United Nations - World Health Organization - Pan American Health Organization. Also includes web site directories of demographic resources and country demographics
See also : International Organizations and Activities

ElderWeb (U.S., with international links - incl. Canada)
- includes over 6,000 reviewed links to long term care information, as well as an expanding library of articles and reports, news, and events. This award-winning site is designed to be a research site for both professionals and family members looking for information on eldercare and long term care, and includes links to information on legal, financial, medical, and housing issues, as well as policy, research, and statistics.

Sliding into poverty ? Cross-national patterns of income source change and income decay in old age (pdf file - 44 p)
J. M. Williamson and T. M. Smeeding
November 2004
Source:
Center for Retirement Research

Center for Research on Pensions and Welfare Policies (CeRP)
CeRP Working Papers - links to ~30 papers in English from September 2000 to July 2003
Recent CeRP website content:
'Is Mandatory Retirement an Outdated Feature of Pension Systems?'
Fourth Annual Conference
September 16, 2003
Turin, Italy
- incl. links to 7 papers and presentations, including : Social Security Rules that Vary with Age - Public Pension programmes, Retirement Incentives and Employment in Europe - Retirement Choices of the Elderly in Italy - Patterns of Retirement in Germany and How to Change them - more...

United Kingdom:

Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods:
A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society
25 February 2008
The ageing of the population will be one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century for housing. This strategy sets out our response to this challenge, our plan to create Lifetime Homes in Lifetime Neighbourhoods. It outlines our plans for making sure that there is enough appropriate housing available in future to relieve the forecasted unsustainable pressures on homes, health and social care services.

Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods
A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society (PDF file - 5.7MB, 176 pages)
February 2008
Source:
Housing and Older People - includes links to several related documents
[ Communities and Local Government ]
Communities and Local Government is the government department that sets UK policy on local government, housing, urban regeneration, planning and fire and rescue

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Features and Challenges of Population Ageing:
The European Perspective - PDF file - 199K, 16 pages)
Author: Asghar Zaidi
Policy Brief
March 6, 2008
In this Policy Brief the issue of population ageing and its possible implications are sketched out.
It also discusses what public policy responses are required to deal with the challenges posed.
Source:
European Centre for Welfare Policy and Research

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Does informal care from children to their elderly parents substitute for formal care in Europe? (PDF file - 122K, 40 pages)
January 2008
Source:
Center of Research in Public Economics and Population Economics, Liège
Summary : This paper analyzes the impact of informal care by adult children on the use of long-term care among the elderly in Europe and the effect of the level of the parent’s disability on this relationship. We focus on two types of formal home care that are the most likely to interact with informal care: paid domestic help and nursing care.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Harmonisation of old-age security within the European Union (PDF file - 29 pages)
December 2003
Source:
Centre for Economic Studies (Munich)
" Summary : Not sufficiently harmonised national pension systems within the European Union distort the allocation of labour and endanger redistributive activities. This paper identifies the most decentralised level of harmonisation which guarantees efficient allocation and enables redistribution. For this, we build on theoretical results to evaluate the realised distribution of the legal power between the European Union and the Member States and the resulting level of harmonisation. We find that harmonisation is sub-optimally low. Binding rules guaranteed by the European Union are needed which means that the Member States have to concede more fundamental responsibilities to the European Union."

U.N. Second World Assembly on Ageing (2002)
Incl. information on the preparatory process, regional and international meetings, press releases, links to U.N., DESA, Gateway to Social Policy and Development, Ageing
Source : United Nations Program on Ageing

President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security (U.S)
On May 2(2001), President Bush announced establishment of a bipartisan, 16-member Commission "to study and report … specific recommendations to preserve Social Security for seniors while building wealth for younger Americans." (...) Public hearings began on June 11. An interim report, describing the challenges facing the Social Security system, will be followed by a final report this fall with specific reform recommendations.

AgingStats.Gov (U.S.) - Web Site of the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics
The Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics was established in the mid-1980s to encourage cooperation and collaboration among federal agencies to improve the quality and utility of data on the aging population. The Forum, made up of nine federal agencies that produce or use statistics on aging, provides these agencies with a venue to discuss data issues and concerns that cut across agency boundaries; facilitates in development of new databases; improves mechanisms currently used to disseminate information on aging-related data; invites researchers to report on cutting-edge analyses of data; and encourages international collaboration.
Older Americans 2000: Key Indicators of Well-Being
This report covers 31 key indicators carefully selected by the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics to portray aspects of the lives of older Americans and their families. The report is divided into five subject areas: population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors, and health.
Press Release - August 10, 2000
PDF version (127 pages, 944K)

United Nations Programme on Ageing
Creating a new "architecture" for ageing and transmitting it to the worldstage and into policy has been the focus of the United Nations Programme on Ageing since 1982, with the adoption of the International Plan of Action on Ageing at the World Assembly on Ageing in Vienna (also known as the Vienna Plan).
Includes links to: The Ageing of the World's Population: a demographic revolution Implications of an Ageing Society - Research Agenda on Ageing - Towards a Society for All Ages - World Assemby on Ageing 2002: Countdown to 2002 - Compendium of Community Programmes in Newly Ageing Countries - Selected Policy Documents on Ageing - Archive: International Year of Older Persons 1999 - Database of Policies and Programmes

International Reform Monitor (from the Bertelsmann Foundation [see below]- Europe)
This Bertelsmann Foundation website gives a wide range of well-selected information on social policy (health care, pensions provision, family policy, state welfare), labour market policy and industrial relations in 15 OECD countries: Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States of America.

International Reform Monitor Brochures
The three links below are PDF files with some excellent information on recent developments and trends in international social policy - labour market policy - industrial relations
Issue 3 - October 2000 (66 pages - 446K, Canadian content: the CPP Pension Fund, Parental Leave, the Canada Child Tax Benefit increase)
Issue 2 - April 2000 (47 pages - 501K, Canadian content: Pay Equity Settlement in the Public Sector)
Issue 1 - 1999 (43 pages, 492K, Canadian content: New child benefit)

The Bertelsmann Foundation (Europe)
"Following in the footsteps of its founder, Reinhard Mohn, the Bertelsmann Foundation is committed to the common good. Its charitable activities, transparently administered, are based on the conviction that competition is indispensable to social progress. The Bertelsmann Foundation considers itself an agent of social change for a sustainable society; its goal as an operating foundation is to develop, organize and implement exemplary solutions to societal problems."
- See the Bertelsmann Foundation sitemap for an overview of what you'll find on this large site.

CANADIAN SOCIAL RESEARCH LINKS HOME PAGE

PAGE D'ACCUEIL - SITES DE RECHERCHE SOCIALE AU CANADA

TIP:
How to Search for a Word or Expression on a Single Web Page
Open any web page in your browser, then hold down the Control ("Ctrl") key on your keyboard and type the letter F to open a "Find" window. Type or paste in a key word or expression and hit Enter - your browser will go directly to the first occurrence of that word (or those exact words, as the case may be). To continue searching using the same keyword(s) throughout the rest of the page, keep clicking on the FIND NEXT button.
Try it. It's a great time-saver!

Site created and maintained by:
Gilles Séguin (This link takes you to my personal page)

E-MAIL: gilseg@rogers.com