NIA Celebrates National Seniors Day 2024

On October 1st, as we celebrate National Seniors Day and the International Day of Older Persons, we honour the invaluable contributions of older adults who have shaped our communities. At the same time, National Seniors Day is also a time to recognize the significant challenges many older adults face. 

In Canada, one in four Canadians aged 50 and older say they do not currently earn enough money to adequately cover household expenses and other financial priorities. Only 35% of Canadians over 50 who plan to retire report they are financially prepared to do so. Inadequate access to health care and affordable housing and financial insecurity continue to impact the quality of life for too many older adults. With 41% of older adults at risk of social isolation and 57% experiencing loneliness, National Seniors Day is a reminder that there is more work to be done. 

To meet these growing challenges, the NIA adopted a new strategic plan in 2024 with a bold vision: a Canada where older adults feel valued, included, supported, and better prepared to age with confidence.

Achieving this vision will require collective action. We are proud to share the five key shifts that we will be making in our work to advance our mission of improving the lives of older adults and the systems that support them:

The NIA’s guiding principles for our work—evidence-informed, non-partisan, relevant, pragmatic, user-friendly, and collaborative—will remain central as we foster a stronger national dialogue and deliver practical solutions for older adults across the country. On National Seniors Day, the NIA is not only reflecting on the past but looking to the future with renewed hope and resources to achieve its vision.

We are also excited to share that the NIA has received a transformational $4.17 million gift from Waltons Trust which, over the course of five years, will allow the NIA to deepen our focus on policy and collaboration with partners to advocate on behalf of the most pressing issues that impact the lives of older adults. 

We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to significantly scale up our efforts to drive national public conversations, shift public opinion, and ultimately implement new policies and practices that better meet the needs of older adults in Canada.

National Seniors Day allows us to pause and reflect and look to the future. We look forward to sharing more about our work and collaborating with you as we embark on this exciting journey.

Alyssa Brierley, 
Executive Director 
The National Institute on Ageing