An Older Canada Deserves Wiser Communities

The recently released 2021 census data reveals Canada’s population is not just aging; it’s already aged. Baby boomers, who make up almost a quarter of Canada’s population, are now hurtling toward their mid-70s. That’s not a problem, as it is often made out to be — unless we refuse to age wisely.

The census considers a baby boomer anyone aged 56 to 75, born between 1946 and 1965. Canada has more than 9.2 million boomers, making it our largest generation. Boomers make up the largest cohort both in our cities (24.7 per cent) and outside out of our urban centres (29.7 per cent).

So, are our health, home-care, community and social services ready for them? They are not. But instead of panicking about our status-quo shortcomings, what if we took this as an opportunity instead to rethink aging in Canada? After all, we are all aging.

What if we adapted our cities and towns into age-friendly communities with age-appropriate infrastructure? What if we promoted aging in place? What if we supported Canadians to age connected to community and with a robust quality of life?

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