Dear friends,

It's been a busy fall at the NIA, as we continue to advance research, inform public policy and bring together diverse perspectives to improve the lives of older Canadians.

Over the past month, we've contributed to important conversations at home and abroad, from exploring the future of generative AI in health care at our annual Health Partnership Summit to sharing research at the Canadian Association on Gerontology's annual conference. We also had the opportunity to engage directly with Canada's Health Ministers on how we can strengthen health and community-based care to better meet the needs of our ageing population. This week, I'm also representing the NIA in Geneva at United Nations discussions on strengthening the human rights of older persons.

In this month's newsletter, we're pleased to share:

• New research and policy insights, including our latest publications on Old Age Security and the launch of the new Canadian Ageing Policy Map.

• A new direction for pensions and financial security at the NIA, as we welcome Gareth Gibbins as Head of Pensions & Financial Security.

• Our latest engagement and advocacy, including work on digital safety, volunteering and healthy ageing.

• Upcoming webinars and events exploring vaccination, workplace inclusion, technology and the future of care.

Thank you for your interest in and support of the NIA. We look forward to continuing this important work together.

Alyssa Brierley
Executive Director
National Institute on Ageing

NIA Announces New Direction for Pensions & Financial Security Program

The NIA is broadening its approach to pensions and financial security, with a renewed focus on advancing public policy and practical solutions to strengthen Canada's retirement income system.

Launching in January 2027, the Pensions & Financial Security (PFS) program will build on nearly a decade of research, policy leadership and collaboration through the Pension Centre of Excellence (PCE). The new program will bring together expertise from across the pension and financial security sectors to turn evidence into meaningful policy and action.

The NIA is pleased to announce Gareth Gibbins as Head of Pensions & Financial Security. Previously an NIA Fellow and PCE Lab Lead, Gareth brings more than 20 years of experience in pension law, governance, policy and implementation.

The program will advance its work through two complementary approaches:

• PFS Lab: A membership community focused on collaboration, practical tools and guidance, and piloting new approaches to improve retirement outcomes.

• PFS Initiatives: Targeted projects addressing key challenges, including expanding pension coverage and strengthening Canadians' financial capabilities.

2026 Health Partnership Summit Explores the Future of AI in Canadian Health Care

The NIA, in partnership with the C.D. Howe Institute, brought together leaders, policymakers, health system experts and innovators in Niagara-on-the-Lake for the 2026 Health Partnership Summit.

Under the theme Upgrade or Fall Behind: How Can Generative AI Catalyze Canada’s Race to Achieve the Quintuple Aim?, participants explored how generative AI could help transform Canada's health care system, including opportunities to improve patient outcomes, support health care providers, enhance system performance and advance more equitable, sustainable care.

The three-day Summit provided an opportunity for candid discussions, knowledge sharing and collaboration on the responsible adoption of AI and its potential to address some of Canada's most pressing health care challenges.

Thank you to our participants and speakers for contributing to these important conversations and helping advance new thinking on the future of health care in Canada. A special thanks to our generous HPS sponsors: Deloitte, Extendicare, GE HealthCare, IQVIA, Manulife, Maple, PwC, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sienna Senior Living, Teladoc Health, WELL Health Technologies, and CSA Group.

NIA Contributes to Intergovernmental Working Group on the Rights of Older Persons

This week, NIA's Executive Director, Alyssa Brierley, joins Canadian civil society organizations in participating in the second session of the United Nations Intergovernmental Working Group on the Human Rights of Older Persons in Geneva, Switzerland.

The discussions represent an important step in global efforts to strengthen the protection and promotion of older persons’ human rights, including advancing work toward a legally binding international instrument.

As Canada’s population ages, ensuring that older adults can live with dignity, autonomy, security and respect is more important than ever. The NIA looks forward to contributing a Canadian perspective to these international discussions and helping advance policies that recognize and protect the rights of older persons, both at home and around the world.

Join the NIA in Advancing the Safe Social Media Act

Parliament is currently debating Bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act, which would create a Digital Safety Commission and impose a number of safety obligations on social media and chatbot companies. While it is framed around youth, there are significant benefits for all Canadians, including older adults.

Produced in partnership with the Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University, a new brief from the NIA highlights how older Canadians report being regularly exposed to online harms such as financial fraud, hate speech, and health misinformation. 

Older Canadians show the highest support of any demographic for government regulation of social media platforms, both to protect their own well-being and to safeguard younger generations. As Parliament debates Bill C-34, older adults and advocacy organizations have a pivotal opportunity to ensure their voices shape the future of digital safety.

Click the button below to explore the evidence and learn how you can get involved.

New NIA Reports Call for a Holistic Approach to Old Age Security Reform

As Canada approaches the 100th anniversary of its first old age pension, two new publications examine the past, present and future of Old Age Security (OAS).

The First 100 Years of Old Age Security and its companion policy brief, The Next 100 Years of Old Age Security: Policy Considerations, explore OAS's critical role in Canada’s retirement income system and caution against piecemeal reforms that could create unintended consequences for older Canadians.

Together with 19 partner organizations, the NIA is calling for a comprehensive analysis of Canada’s retirement income system to ensure it remains equitable, adequate and sustainable for current and future generations.

New NIA Tool Maps Government Action on Ageing Across Canada

How are governments across Canada responding to the needs of an ageing population?

The NIA has launched the Canadian Ageing Policy Map, a new interactive tool that provides a national snapshot of government policies, programs, strategies and initiatives supporting older Canadians.

Organized around the NIA's four policy pillars — Social Inclusion, Ageing in the Right Place, Healthy Ageing and Income Adequacy — the map allows users to explore and compare government action across federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions, identify emerging trends and highlights opportunities for future policy development.

Developed with input from 45 organizations and experts across Canada's ageing sector, the tool is designed to support policymakers, researchers, community organizations and advocates working to improve the lives of older Canadians.

Reimagining Volunteerism for an Ageing Canada

The NIA was pleased to co-host Volunteer Canada and HelpAge Canada at Toronto Metropolitan University to launch Volunteer Canada’s report Ready, Willing, and Needed: Renewing Older Adult Volunteering in Canada, which discusses the future of volunteerism among older Canadians, which discusses the future of volunteerism among older Canadians.

NIA Executive Director Alyssa Brierley delivered opening remarks and joined Kahir Lalji, CEO of HelpAge Canada and Megan Conway, CEO of Volunteer Canada to participate in a panel discussion exploring new research on the barriers older adults face in volunteering and opportunities to strengthen civic engagement and social connection.

With older Canadians contributing millions of volunteer hours each year, Alyssa emphasized the need to move beyond traditional approaches to volunteer recruitment by creating more flexible, accessible and meaningful opportunities that recognize the diverse skills, experiences and contributions of older adults.

The discussion reinforced the importance of removing barriers to participation and ensuring older Canadians can remain connected, engaged and valued in their communities as they age.

Sharing Research and Policy Insights at CAG2026

The National Institute on Ageing (NIA) joined researchers, policymakers and practitioners in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, from October 15–17 for the Canadian Association on Gerontology’s 2026 Annual Scientific and Educational Meeting. Under the theme Crossing Currents: Navigating Aging through Collaboration and Coordinated Action, the conference explored opportunities to improve the lives of older adults.

NIA staff shared research and policy insights through seven presentations and one pre-conference event:

• Alyssa Brierley, Executive Director, presented the 2025 Ageing in Canada Survey findings and co-presented with Zeen Qureshi, Survey Research Lead on the experiences of older women in Canada, and how to create inclusive workplaces for older adults. 

• Dr. Hoda Herati, Health Policy Researcher, presented two sessions exploring Danish approaches to ageing in the right place and the role of community-based seniors services in supporting older adults to remain in their homes and communities.

• Arushan Arulnamby, Policy Analyst, presented preliminary findings from three national surveys on technology access, use and digital inclusion among Canadians aged 50 and older.

• Dr. Tara Kuhn, Health Policy Researcher, presented insights on Canadian dementia care policy, practice and culture, highlighting opportunities to strengthen care across the continuum.

• Zeen Quereshi, Survey Research Lead presented on how older Canadians are engaging with virtual care.

• Liz McGuire, Senior Policy Analyst and Zeen Quereshi co-facilitated a pre-conference workshop with the International Longevity Centre on building community networks to confront ageism and advance shared national policy priorities. 

The NIA is grateful to the CAG organizers, fellow presenters and partners for the opportunity to share our research, exchange ideas and contribute to important national conversations on improving health, care and well-being for older Canadians.

Canadian Health Ministers Meeting Policy Breakfast

On October 16, Dr. Samir Sinha delivered the keynote address, How Canada Can Best Enable Healthy Ageing & Ageing in the Right Place, at the annual Canadian Health Ministers Meeting Policy Breakfast, hosted by the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU). With Canada now a super-aged nation, Dr. Sinha highlighted lessons from Denmark, where investments in home and community-based care are helping more older adults age in the right place. His remarks built on an ongoing NIA-CFNU collaboration exploring how Canada can strengthen person-centred care, address workforce challenges and better support older adults in their homes and communities.

Working Later in Life: Building a More Inclusive Workforce for an Ageing Canada

Join the NIA on November 17 at 12 p.m. ET for a webinar exploring findings from its new report, Working Later in Life: Insights on Canada’s Ageing Workforce. Talia Bronstein, NIA Director of Policy, will present key findings and lead a discussion with an expert panel on how governments and employers can address ageism, expand access to training and lifelong learning, and create more inclusive workplaces that support older workers.

Panelists include Lisa Taylor, NIA Associate Fellow and Founder & CEO of Challenge Factory; Dr. Wendy Cukier, Academic Director and Founder of the Diversity Institute at TMU; and Viet Vu, Manager of Economic Research at The Dais, TMU.

Vaccines for Older Canadians: What You Need to Know to Stay Healthy and Independent 

Join the NIA on November 19 at 12 p.m. ET for an informative webinar with Dr. Samir Sinha and Dr. Vivien Brown on recommended vaccines for older adults. Learn about the latest guidance on influenza, RSV, COVID-19, pneumococcal disease and routine immunizations, as well as vaccine coverage across Canada, to help you navigate the 2026–27 cold and flu season with confidence.

ICYMI: Improving Influenza Vaccination Uptake Among Older Canadians

How can Canada improve influenza vaccination rates among older adults? In this webinar, Professor Dame Jenny Harries and Dr. Samir Sinha discuss lessons from the UK, exploring strategies to strengthen vaccination programs, improve access and better protect older Canadians from serious illness.

AGE-WELL Annual Conference

From Innovation to Impact: Powering Canada’s AgeTech Ecosystem (November 2-4, 2026)

Older Persons, Rights & Law Reform

November 4 & 5, 2026 | 1–3 p.m. ET each day | Online (Zoom Webinar)

Join Dementia Justice Canada for a two-day law and policy forum examining current legal and policy questions affecting the rights of older persons.

Day one will focus on international rights and older persons, including the evolving movement toward a new human rights convention and lessons from the Disability Rights Convention. Day two will explore Canadian law reform, autonomy, protection and coercion, including perspectives on coercive control and vulnerable adults.

The forum is open to anyone interested in the rights of older persons.

Policy Pathways Conference: Shaping Healthy and Inclusive Workplaces

On November 3 in Toronto, the CSA Policy Pathways Conference: Shaping Healthy & Inclusive Workplaces will bring together perspectives from government, industry, workers and community to explore how we can build healthier, more inclusive workplaces better equipped for the future of work.

The conference will feature expert panel discussions and interactive exercises focused on topics including disability inclusion, mental health at work and translating policy ideas into meaningful outcomes. 

Accessible Skies National Survey

For people with cognitive disabilities, what makes a Canadian airport easier and more accessible? And what still needs to change?

The Accessible Skies national survey wants to hear about what works well, as well as the barriers people encounter.

Core partners: HelpAge Canada, Canadian Abilities Foundation
This research is funded by: Accessibility Standards Canada and Government of Canada 

• The Secrets to Aging Well | The Social 

• N.L.’s aging population is facing a growing crisis we can no longer pay lip service to

  
  

DID SOMEONE FORWARD THIS NEWSLETTER? 

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE!

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.