From Geneva to Canada: Advancing the Rights of Older Adults

As Canada continues to navigate the opportunities and challenges of becoming a super-aged nation, it has never been more important to ensure that research and policy are shaping a future where every older person can age with dignity, security and confidence.

While Canada’s demographic transformation has been decades in the making, our systems have not kept pace. Too many older adults continue to face barriers to affordable housing, financial security, health care, community supports and social inclusion. At the NIA, we believe these challenges also present an opportunity—to build a Canada where people can age well, remain connected to their communities and continue contributing throughout later life. As we recently wrote in an op-ed in TheFutureEconomy.ca, the choices we make today will determine whether increased longevity becomes a story of greater opportunity or growing inequality.

This month, I had the privilege of representing Canadian civil society organizations, including the NIA, International Longevity Centre (ILC) Canada, HelpAge Canada and Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario, at the first session of the United Nations Intergovernmental Working Group on the Human Rights of Older Persons in Geneva. This historic milestone marks the beginning of the process to develop the world’s first international legally binding instrument dedicated to protecting the rights of older persons. It was an important opportunity to contribute Canadian perspectives to a global conversation on advancing the rights, dignity and inclusion of older adults.

We also released the first report in our three-part research series examining how gender shapes the experience of ageing in Canada. Experiences of Older Women in Canada: Findings from the NIA’s 2025 Ageing in Canada Survey explores how gender, income and race influence the experience of ageing, highlighting the persistent inequities faced by many older women.

In this month’s newsletter, you’ll also find updates on several important initiatives underway at the NIA, including:

• Our submission to the National Housing Council calling for greater investment in accessible housing to help Canadians age in the right place.
• Our new legal analysis examining Bill C-16 and the need for stronger protections for older adults experiencing coercive and controlling behaviour.