I returned to the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) at the end of April following my maternity leave and it has been both energizing and inspiring. Returning with a fresh perspective, I’ve been reminded just how quickly the conversation on ageing in Canada is evolving and how important the work of the NIA continues to be in helping shape that conversation with evidence, collaboration and practical solutions.

This month, we welcomed leaders from across the retirement income sector at our Pension Centre of Excellence Spring Symposium, continued national conversations around ageing in the right place and dementia care, expanded regional insights from the Ageing in Canada Survey and contributed to important policy discussions on issues ranging from elder abuse to the future role of AI in healthcare.

What continues to stand out to me is the growing appetite for collaboration. Governments, researchers, community organizations, health care leaders, financial institutions and older adults are all asking important questions about how we can build a country where people can age with confidence, dignity and security. These are complex challenges, but they are also opportunities to rethink how we support one another across generations.

On a personal level, returning to this work after becoming a parent has also deepened my appreciation for the importance of systems that support care, connection and wellbeing across the lifespan. Ageing policy is not just about older adults, it is about families, communities and the future we are collectively building together.

Thank you for continuing to engage with the NIA’s work and for being part of this growing national conversation. 

Alyssa Brierley
Executive Director
National Institute on Ageing

The most powerful CPP reform is right under our noses – and it’s cost-efficient

In last month’s spring economic update, the federal government announced plans to reduce the base Canada Pension Plan contribution rate to 9.5% from 9.9%, acknowledging the cost-of-living pressures households face today.

But as stewards of the CPP, federal and provincial finance ministers must balance two questions: Are we collecting the right level of contributions to sustain the plan? And are we delivering the best retirement outcomes?

The rate cut is a welcome relief and answers the first question, but the second still needs an answer. With the largest cohort of workers in history entering retirement, getting the most out of CPP has never mattered more.

Pension Centre of Excellence Brings Together Leaders at Spring Symposium and Welcomes New Members

The NIA’s Pension Centre of Excellence (PCE) welcomed retirement sector leaders to its 3^rd Symposium, focused on strengthening retirement income security in Canada through better pension communication, research and collaboration. The event also marked the addition of four new PCE members: BlackRock, CAAT Pension Plan, Fidelity Canada Institutional and TTC Pension Plan.

As Canada is now a “super-aged” society, collaboration across sectors has never been more important to strengthening retirement income security. The theme of this Symposium was Pension Communication: From Strategy to Implementation. The Symposium explored practical, evidence-informed solutions to help Canadians make more informed retirement-planning decisions and improve long-term financial well-being, with a focus on translating pension communication strategies into real-world action. 

Pre-Budget Submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance

Advancing Conversations on Ageing in Canada and Beyond

This month, Dr. Samir Sinha travelled to Denmark with the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) to explore the country’s evolving health and eldercare reforms. The delegation was welcomed by Dr. Carolyn Bennett, Canada’s Ambassador to Denmark. As Canada becomes a super-aged society, Denmark’s approach offers valuable lessons for supporting older adults through coordinated national policies and systems. Stay tuned for a new instalment of the NIA’s Ageing Beyond Borders series in partnership with the CFNU. 

Dr. Samir Sinha travelled to Fredericton, New Brunswick to deliver the opening keynote "Appreciating the Implications of Canada’s Coming of Age," at the National Association of Public Trustees and Guardians conference on May 26^th, focusing on the implications of Canada becoming a super-aged society. He also delivered the banquet address at Government House, hosted by Lieutenant-Governor Louise Imbeault, with the Hon. Minister Lyne Chantal Boudreau, the Minister for Seniors, the Minister of Justice and AG and the Hon. Rob McKee in attendance.

Christian Whalen (Public Trustee for New Brunswick), Dr. Samir K. Sinha (NIA), Lyne Chantal Boudreau (Minister of Seniors; Minister responsible for Women and Gender Equity), Rob McKee (Minister of Justice; Attorney General; Minister responsible for Addictions and Mental Health Services)

Later that evening, he also participated in a public forum on the future of long-term care in New Brunswick, joining national leaders in ageing, health policy and human rights to discuss dignity, accountability and long-term care reform for older adults. Hosted by St. Thomas University, the Office of the New Brunswick Advocate and the Office of the Public Trustee, this public event featured presentations by experts in long-term care and ageing. The evening concluded with a panel discussion examining the future of long-term care in New Brunswick, including reflections on the province’s recently released long-term care plan and how communities can ensure dignity, safety and accountability for older adults.

Supporting a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons

NIA’s Executive Director Alyssa Brierley joined other ageing sector leaders, Senators and Members of Parliament on Parliament Hill on May 26 to advocate for a proposed UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons. The discussion highlighted the urgent need for Canada to support stronger international protections for older adults as populations age globally and at home.

Ageing in the Right Place: Why Technology Must Both Protect and Enable Dignity, Autonomy and Trust, Not Just Detect Risk

the MedicAlert Foundation, where Dr. Sinha and MedicAlert CEO Leslie McGill discussed the practical tools, supports and planning needed to help older adults age well at home, as well as the new research partnership between the NIA and the MedicAlert Foundation that will further explore this area.

Changing the Conversation Around Ageing in Canada

The NIA was pleased to participate in Manulife’s national online panel discussion, Turning Insights into Action: Changing the Conversation around Ageing in Canada. NIA Director of Policy Talia Bronstein joined moderator Rob Carrick alongside leaders from Manulife Canada and Manulife Private Wealth to discuss key issues shaping the ageing experience in Canada. Drawing on findings from the NIA’s 2025 Ageing in Canada Survey, supported by Manulife and Waltons Trust, Talia highlighted the importance and challenges of staying socially connected, ageing at home and working longer. 

Rob Carrick (Former Globe and Mail Staff Columnist), Talia Bronstein (NIA), Nicole Welbanks (Manulife Canada), Holly Brooks (Manulife Canada)

NEW Provincial and Regional Infographics

Welcoming Entente Education Canada Summer Scholars

The NIA is pleased to welcome Hannah Gans and Firoozeh Bairami as this year’s Entente Education Canada Summer Scholars. Hannah’s research focuses on ageism and intersectionality, while Firoozeh’s work explores ageing policy, health economics and retirement income security. We look forward to their contributions this summer.

The NIA Welcomes Six Additional Summer Students

In addition to our Entente Summer Scholars, the NIA is excited to welcome six summer students: Samin Barakati, Olivia Daley, Chloe Huang, Jenna Peters, Alina Zaidi and Almira Zhantuyakova. NIA summer students support research and policy initiatives across the organization. Bringing expertise in areas including gerontology, public policy, neuroscience, AI and healthy ageing, these students will contribute to projects focused on improving the lives of older adults and the systems that support them.

Too many people living with dementia and their primary unpaid caregivers continue to face barriers to culturally safe, inclusive and affirming care across Canada.

Taking place during Pride Month, this webinar will explore the systemic inequities affecting racialized, culturally diverse and 2SLGBTQI+ communities and discuss what equitable dementia care can look like for those navigating intersecting identities and systemic barriers.

Join us for a discussion on:

• Gaps in dementia care systems across Canada
  

• The barriers faced by people navigating intersecting identities
  

• What equitable and inclusive dementia care can look like
  

• How we can build systems that better support people living with dementia and their caregivers
  

Date: June 4, 2026
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET

• June 7-9: The CBSS Sector Summit

• October 26-28: CCNA Annual Conference 2026

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TMU National Institute on Ageing Fund

Help create a Canada where older adults feel valued, included, supported and better prepared to age with confidence by making a charitable gift to the TMU National Institute on Ageing Fund today. Gifts to the TMU National Institute on Ageing Fund make a tangible impact on the future of ageing in Canada. You choose the amount. You make the difference.