NIA Launches Pension Centre of Excellence (PCE) |
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Empowering Canadians with a Stronger, More Secure Retirement Future
The NIA is thrilled to celebrate the launch of the Pension Centre of Excellence (PCE) alongside the first-ever National Pension Awareness Week! This momentous occasion marks a major milestone in strengthening retirement security for Canadians, bringing together leading experts, policymakers, and industry champions in a shared mission to innovate and improve Canada’s pension system.
A Transformative Moment for Canada’s Retirement Financial Landscape
The PCE is a non-partisan, research-informed and action-oriented knowledge exchange platform dedicated to improving the retirement financial security of Canadians. It will serve as a beacon of research, collaboration, and action. Designed to unite diverse stakeholders, the Centre will tackle some of Canada’s most pressing pension challenges, ensuring retirement financial well-being for generations to come. |
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| Learn more about the Pension Centre of Excellence |
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Celebrating National Pension Awareness Week with our Partners
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The Association of Canadian Pension Management (ACPM)—Canada’s leading advocacy organization for retirement plan sponsors, administrators, and other stakeholders—hosted Pension Awareness Day on February 20th, as part of its commitment to improving retirement security through policy advocacy, best practices, and education.
As part of the event, Dr. Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, Director of Financial Security Research, delivered a live webinar on 7 Steps Toward Better CPP/QPP Claiming Decisions. She discussed strategies to better optimize retirement income and provided valuable guidance to individuals, plan sponsors, and policymakers, reinforcing the importance of informed decision-making for long-term financial security.
This event was one of many activities the NIA participated in with our partners during National Pension Awareness Week, helping to advance the conversation on sustainable retirement planning for Canadians. |
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NIA Fellow and Professor at Simon Fraser University, Barbara Sanders, moderated Building a Better Tomorrow: The Power of Pensions on Health and the Economy, a webinar hosted by The Pension Collective on February 20th in recognition of FSRA’s Pension Awareness Day. This expert panel explored the vital role pensions play in shaping financial security, economic stability, and health outcomes for Canadians. |
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On February 20th, the NIA joined the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) on Pension Awareness Day. Together with others across Ontario, the day helped shine a spotlight on the value of pension savings, the many benefits a workplace pension offers and the need to develop a retirement plan as early as possible.
Learn more about the value of a pension plan: fsrao.ca/pensionawareness |
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NIA PCE Lifetime Achievement Award: Honouring a Legacy in Pension Policy |
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On February 21st, the NIA’s Pension Centre of Excellence proudly presented its inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award to Bob Baldwin!
With a career dedicated to strengthening retirement income policies and practices in Canada, Bob Baldwin’s leadership at the C.D. Howe Institute, Canada Pension Plan Advisory Board, Ontario Expert Commission on Pensions, and more helped shape the future of financial security for Canadians. His research and leadership guided policymakers and industry leaders toward better retirement outcomes.
We were honoured to celebrate his remarkable contributions with this award. Please join us in recognizing his lasting impact!
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Canada’s Caregiving Crisis: The Urgent Need for Action |
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Half of all Canadians will be caregivers at some point in life. Today, nearly 8 million Canadians provide unpaid care—work valued at over $97 billion annually—but with little support.
The Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence (CCCE) has spent the last year working with caregivers, care providers, recipients of care, researchers, and leaders in every part of the country to develop a National Caregiving Strategy to address this problem. The NIA is proud to have been involved in this process from the beginning.
In the new strategy, CCCE warns that we’re already in a caregiving crisis. As our population ages and fewer people are available to provide care, demand is growing fast. Caregivers are essential—not just for their loved ones but also for keeping our health care system afloat.
It’s time for policy action to provide financial, social, and health supports to those who care for Canada.
To download a full copy of CCCE’s National Caregiving Strategy, please visit: canadiancaregiving.org/national-caregiving-strategy |
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Shingles Awareness Week: A Preventable Pain That Too Many Older Canadians Still Suffer
By: Alyssa Brierley, Gregor Sneddon |
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At 85 years old Barbara MacNevin, a retired teacher from PEI, can say with certainty that getting vaccinated against shingles “was one of the best health decisions” she’s made in recent years. Having suffered through shingles years ago, MacNevin knows firsthand how excruciating it can be. She can still remember the relentless, burning pain and weeks of discomfort. When she heard about the new shingles vaccine, she went to her local pharmacy and got both doses—she didn’t hesitate.
MacNevin knows she is fortunate to be able to receive the vaccine for free. Since 2022, PEI has covered the cost of the vaccine for adults 50 and older.
Each year, it is estimated that over 90,000 new shingles cases occur among Canadians aged 50 and over. This painful condition, caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (the same virus that causes chickenpox), disproportionately affects older adults and those with weakened immune systems. The most common complication—post-herpetic neuralgia—can leave individuals with debilitating nerve pain for months or even years. Other complications include scarring, chronic pain, and vision loss. |
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| Read The Full Commentary Here |
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The NIA is hiring for two key roles to help shape the future of ageing policy in Canada:
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Researcher – Lead and support survey-based research projects, collaborate with partners and develop knowledge mobilization products to inform policies on ageing.
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Legal Researcher & Analyst – Conduct legal and policy research, advocate for law reform, and advance the human rights of older adults through strategic litigation and advocacy.
If you're passionate about research, policy impact, and making a real difference in ageing and human rights, we want to hear from you! Apply today. |
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Challenging Dementia Stigma Through Dance: Screening & Discussion of Dancer Not Dementia
Monday, April 24, 12:00-1:00 PM EST |
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We all have a role to play in challenging the stigma surrounding dementia. On April 24th, 2025, join us for a screening of the documentary Dancer Not Dementia: A Short Film, followed by a Q&A with researchers Dr. Pia Kontos from the KITE Research Institute, University Health Network and Dr. Rachel Bar from Canada’s National Ballet School. This film showcases the transformative power of dance to bring joy, creativity, and social connectedness to the lives of dancers living with dementia. |
| Register Here |
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Innovation In Aging Symposium
Monday, March 3, 3:00 - 6:00 PM MST |
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Save the date for the Innovation in Aging Symposium on March 3, 2025 at Platform Calgary. Join The Dr. Barrie Strafford Centre for Learning, Innovation & Quality (CLIQ) for an afternoon filled with groundbreaking discussion and networking opportunities focused on innovation in ageing. |
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| Register Here |
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Sector Events: |
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The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) commissioned The Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) to conduct a global literature review identifying the health impacts of pensions and an industry-first online study investigating the impact of having a defined benefit (DB) pension on individuals’ financial stress and well-being pre-retirement. The research suggests having a pension improves individuals’ mental, physical and social health. For workers with a DB pension, just being reminded of their pension is enough to improve their sense of financial well-being.
Listen to Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario’s podcast series. In this episode, Dr. Gloria Gutman, a pioneer in the work of elder abuse prevention, provides a better understanding of elder abuse, how to look for warning signs, explains who is at risk and actions you can take to prevent and safeguard against abuse. Listen as she shares her insights on what is being done in Canada to raise awareness of this important health and social issue.
Defy Dementia: Brain Injury and Dementia Risk
In Baycrest’s Defy Dementia podcast series, learn how traumatic brain injuries like concussions may increase your dementia risk. Jane Enright shares her inspiring journey recovering from a traumatic brain injury that almost left her unable to speak. Then, Dr. Carmela Tartaglia (University Health Network, University of Toronto) dives into the latest research on brain injury and how it can affect brain health in the long term and one’s dementia risk. Tune in for an insightful discussion and practical tips to safeguard your brain health. |
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TMU National Institute on Ageing Fund |
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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. Donate now! |
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| DONATE TODAY! |
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