Skip to main content
Search
Home / Where There’s a Will There’s a Way: Canadian Perspectives on Estate Planning

Where There’s a Will There’s a Way: Canadian Perspectives on Estate Planning

The vast majority of Canadians believe it’s important to prepare a will or appoint a power of attorney to manage their affairs if they die or become incapacitated, but less than half of them have actually done so — and many of them don’t even know where to start. A new report by the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) in collaboration with RBC Royal Trust finds that only 48 per cent of Canadians have a will; that number drops to 34 per cent for those aged 35-54. The report, titled Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way: Exploring Canadian Perspectives on Estate Planning,looks at how well Canadians understand the importance of estate planning, whether they have taken steps to create an estate plan, and what’s stopping them from doing so if they haven’t already. It is based on a survey of 2,001 Canadians conducted by Ipsos in April 2022. 

Where There’s a Will There’s a Way Report Cover
Report cover for Understanding and Communicating the Value of Workplace Retirement Plans
Reports
March 05, 2026
Understanding and Communicating the Value of Workplace Retirement Plans

A new report from the Pension Centre of Excellence at the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) tackles how to help Canadian workers better understand and appreciate one of the most important components of their long-term financial security: their workplace retirement plans. As Canada reflects on the conversations sparked during National Pension Awareness Week, Understanding and […]

More Info
Cover of submission on Bill C-16
Reports
February 25, 2026
National Institute on Ageing Submission to JUST for its Study of Bill C-16

Bill C-16, the Protecting Victims Act, proposes a standalone coercive control offence within intimate partner relationships. Coercive control is a pattern of gradual, escalating abuse that creates fear, anxiety, and dependency, eventually undermining an individual’s sense of autonomy and personhood. While this is an important step forward, in its written submission on Bill C-16, the […]

More Info
Cover of the NIA's 2026 Shingles report: The Overlooked Issue of Shingles Infections in Older Canadians, and How to Address It
Reports
February 24, 2026
The Overlooked Issue of Shingles Infections in Older Canadians and How to Address It. (2026)

As Canada marks National Shingles Awareness Week, the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) is releasing a new report warning that shingles remains a largely overlooked yet preventable health risk for older Canadians.  Shingles infections continue to cause unnecessary pain and long-term complications for individuals and avoidable strain on Canada’s health care system. Canada’s National Advisory […]

More Info