It’s been busy here at the NIA. 

• We launched the Pension Centre of Excellence, a national, membership-based platform with the ambitious goal of harnessing groundbreaking research to deliver better pensions for more Canadians. 

• We reached millions of Canadians with a national public education campaign on dementia prevention. The Small Steps Big Difference videos alone were watched more than 4 million times, sparking much-needed conversations from Fredericton to Edmonton. 

• Our research reached international audiences at the United Nations 2025 High-Level Political Forum and the International Federation on Ageing’s Global Conference in Cape Town and was delivered in person across nine provinces and two territories. 

• Last month, we released up-to-date information on vaccine availability across all 10 provinces and 3 territories, as immunizations against preventable diseases such as shingles and pneumonia are part of the bedrock of healthy ageing. 

And to top it off, we’ve just launched our new website, which is fully accessible and easy to navigate and presents our resources and information for older adults, caregivers, partner organizations and policymakers front and centre.

Looking Ahead

We’re not slowing down. In 2026, we’ll be celebrating the NIA’s 10^th anniversary, beginning with the launch of our 2025 Ageing in Canada Survey in January, followed by the 2^nd annual National Pension Awareness Week (February 17–24), during which we’ll unveil a new interactive tool to help Canadians make informed decisions about the true cost of ageing.

None of this would be possible without the tremendous support of our donors and partners, who have enabled us to build the truly incredible team at the heart of the NIA. 

Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a wonderful start to the new year.

With immense gratitude,

Mark Hazelden
Executive Director (Interim)
National Institute on Ageing

A New Digital Home for the NIA

We’re excited to unveil the new NIA website — redesigned to make it easier than ever to explore our research, events and policy insights. The updated site features a modern look, improved navigation and a curated library of content where users can quickly find reports, infographics and data from across our four policy pillars: Income Security, Healthy Ageing, Ageing in the Right Place and Social Inclusion.

Whether you’re a policymaker, researcher, practitioner, caregiver, older adult or advocate, our new website is your hub for trusted, evidence-informed information on ageing in Canada.

Visit us at www.niageing.ca and discover how we’re shaping the future of ageing together.

New and Existing Partnerships

This year, we deepened our partnerships with funders who share our commitment to advancing the well-being of older adults across Canada. We welcomed Manulife and CIRO as new supporters of our work, alongside renewed commitments from The Slaight Family Foundation, The Peterson Foundation and the Waltons Trust, plus our vaccine resource partners: GSK, Merck, Moderna, Pfizer and Sanofi. We also welcomed 35 Pension Centre of Excellence (PCE) partners, whose collaboration is essential to building Canada’s retirement research infrastructure. We are grateful for their steadfast support as we prepare for an ambitious year ahead.

A Growing Team and a Stronger NIA

The NIA continues to grow, welcoming talented new staff members, fellows and junior fellows. Their expertise and passion enhance our ability to pursue our mission with innovation and impact.

• 11 new members of the NIA team (Mark Hazelden, Sabrina Moella, Suzy Wilcox, Tara Kuhn, Hoda Herati, Zeen Qureshi, Anais Diaz Lozano, Emily Smith, Liz McGuire, Rizwan Khan, Rachel Tenn)

• 3 Senior Financial Security Researchers (He Chen, Doug Chandler, Alyssa Hodder)  

• 4 new Associate Fellows (Dr. Madison Brydges, Dr. Caroline Green, Gareth Gibbins, Danny Martin)

Small Steps Big Difference: A National Impact

This year, our Small Steps Big Difference campaign drove remarkable national engagement around dementia risk reduction—reaching 7.35 million Canadians, far surpassing our original goals. With more than 4.27 million full video views, 2.36 million radio and podcast listens and 51,700+ website visits, the campaign successfully brought evidence-based prevention messages directly to households across the country.

This powerful first-year campaign has laid a strong foundation for shaping national conversations on dementia prevention—and we look forward to building on this momentum in 2026.

NIA Team Gets Active

This month, the NIA team came together to reflect on our key accomplishments over the past year and to align on priorities for 2026. To mark the moment, we stepped outside the office and onto the curling rink.

Inspired by our Small Steps Big Difference campaign, we chose an activity that encouraged us to try something new, get moving and strengthen social connections—all in support of cognitive health.

NIA by the Numbers