Issue 57 – 25, June 29, 2025
Happy Canada Day!
A Wish for a Happy Canada from the Congress of Union Retirees of Canada
On this special occasion, we proudly celebrate our beloved Canada, the True North, Strong and Free. As reaffirmed in our recent convention, where we adopted as our first resolution, we stand united in our commitment to preserving the sovereignty and unique identity of our great nation.
We recognize the distinct values that define Canada—our social services, healthcare system, judicial independence, and multicultural fabric—which are fundamentally different from those of the United States of America. These differences are vital to ensuring that all Canadians, especially our seniors, can access affordable and comprehensive care without undue hardship. We believe that any move toward American-style healthcare or integration would threaten these core principles, impose additional costs on businesses, and compromise the well-being of our citizens.
We affirm our steadfast resolve, Canada will remain a sovereign nation, proud of its independence and identity.
On this day, we extend our heartfelt best wishes to all Canadians. May our country continue to thrive as a beacon of diversity, social justice, and freedom—forever the True North, Strong and Free.
Read more - History of Canada - Canada.ca
Fighting Agism
At our recent convention, the Congress of Union Retirees of Canada (CURC) discussed how to fight ageism, or discrimination based on age, in our society. With over seven million Canadians aged 65 and older, and more expected to live longer, we believe it’s crucial to change how society views aging. Experts say that soon, more than 20% of the country's population will be seniors. This means Canada is becoming a “super-aged” society, where many people are living longer than ever before. The number of Canadians aged 75 and older is expected to double in the next 20 years, and those aged 85 and older could almost triple by 2046.
Because of these changes, it is very important to think about how we treat older people. Ageism is when people are treated unfairly or judged just because they are older. Ageism can make older adults feel excluded, undervalued, and less respected, which can harm their health and independence. During the debate, we agreed that to build a better future, we need to promote respect, inclusion, and equal rights for all older Canadians.
We are halfway through the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030) a global collaboration, to improve the lives of older people, their families, and the communities in which they live. The World Health Organization was asked to lead the implementation of the Decade in collaboration with the other UN organizations and serves as the Decade Secretariat. Governments, international and regional organizations, civil society, the private sector, academia and the media are encouraged to actively contribute to achieving the Decade’s goals through direct action
Advocacy is a powerful tool for CURC, we can push governments to create policies that support seniors’ health, housing, and financial stability. We can champion a national aging strategy that recognizes the diverse experiences of all older Canadians and upholds their human rights. We can push for laws and policies that protect dignity, creating age-friendly communities, and educating people to see aging as a natural and valuable part of life.
Watch for more activity through our action program being developed based on the resolution passed by our affiliates to the convention.
Read more - WHO's work on the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030)
Pension Plans in Canada Grew in 2023
In 2023, more Canadians joined pension plans at work. The number of people with a registered pension plan (RPP) increased by about 293,500, reaching over 7.2 million members. This is a 4.2% increase from the year before. At the same time, employment in general grew by about 690,800 jobs (3.8%).
All provinces saw more members, except Manitoba, which lost a small number. The biggest growth was in Ontario, with 161,800 new members, followed by Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta.
More women than men joined pension plans. Women’s membership grew by 150,700, making over 3.7 million women members. Men added 142,800 new members, bringing their total to over 3.5 million. Women kept about half of the members, with their share steady at 51.3%.
As more women join pension plans, especially in public sector jobs, it helps ensure they will have more financial security when they retire. Since women tend to live longer, having good pension plans is very important for their long-term well-being. More women joining pension plans is very important, this trend supports a fairer, more secure future for everyone in Canada.
There are mainly two types of pension plans, Defined Benefit (DB) plans: These promise a specific retirement payment based on your salary and how long you worked. Employers fund these plans, and the benefits are guaranteed. Over 4.9 million people are in DB plans, making up about 68% of all pension members. Defined Contribution (DC) plans: These depend on how much is saved in a pension account and how investments perform. Employees control their savings and investments. About 18.6% of members are in DC plans, with most working in private companies.
Total contributions to pension plans from both workers and employers went up by $2.9 billion, reaching $79.3 billion in 2023. The money in pension plans also grew, with assets increasing by $56 billion, now worth nearly $2.4 trillion.
Public sector pension plans (government jobs) gained about 169,000 members, totaling over 3.9 million.
Private sector plans grew by nearly 125,000 members, reaching over 3.3 million. More women joined public sector plans than men, and many large public plans have more women members.
Interestingly, many large public sector pension plans (with 30,000 or more members) had more women than men in 2023. This shows that women are well-represented in many of Canada's biggest pension plans in the public sector.
Read more - The Daily — Pension plans in Canada, as of January 1, 2024