United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing: What Canada is doing

An intergovernmental body, supported by Employment and Social Development Canada, established to share information, discuss new and emerging issues related to seniors, and work collaboratively on key projects.

Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors' Forum

Recent relevant reports from this forum include:

• A case study on ageism during the COVID-19 pandemic (2022)
• An examination of the social and economic impacts of ageism (2022)
• The Future of Aging in Canada Virtual Symposium: What we heard (2022)
• Report on policy options related to the topic of ageism targeting older Canadians (2025)
• Consultations on the social and economic impacts of ageism in Canada: What we heard report (2023)

The Public Health Agency of Canada supported the World Health Organization's Participatory Video VOICE project that engaged groups of diverse older adults in multiple regions, including Canada that can be viewed at:

• VOICE using participatory video
• Participatory video VOICE project
• Participatory video for meaningful engagement of older people: a toolkit

A working group led by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Aging that brings together diverse voices and issues on ageism and its impacts on the health of Canadians with the goal of combatting ageism.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) provides guidance on how Canadian communities can become more age friendly. To help communities with this process, PHAC developed the Pan-Canadian Age-Friendly Communities Milestones in collaboration with key partners. These milestones and the work across Canadian jurisdictions on age-friendly environments can be found on PHAC's Age-Friendly Communities webpage.

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• Age-friendly communities

The Public Health Agency of Canada supported the World Health Organization in the development of the National programmes for age-friendly cities and communities: A guide, intended to provide direction to those responsible for forming or sustaining national programmes for age-friendly cities and communities. It includes suggestions for meaningful engagement of older people in creating age-friendly environments, detailed examples of existing national age-friendly cities and communities programmes, and practical steps for creating or strengthening such a programme.

Learn more:

• National programmes for age-friendly cities and communities: A guide

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research Healthy Cities Research Initiative funds research around designing and implementing evidence-based interventions in urban contexts to improve population health and health equity. One of the research areas of this initiative is dedicated to healthy aging and finding evidence-based strategies to promote healthy aging in urban areas.

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• Healthy Cities Research Initiative

Aging in Place Challenge program

The National Research Council of Canada leads the Aging in Place Challenge program, an ambitious, multidisciplinary research and development initiative that aims to leverage technology and innovation to increase the number of older adults who are living in homes and communities of their choosing.

Learn more:

• Aging in Place Challenge program

AgeTech (EPIC-AT)

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research supports the Early Professionals, Inspired Careers in AgeTech (EPIC-AT) Health Research Training Program, a pillar of AGE-WELL technology and aging network, that prepares the next generation of research leaders in digital solutions for older adults with complex health needs with a focus on aging in place.

Learn more:

• AgeTech EPIC-AT

Canada's National Housing Strategy

Launched in 2017, Canada's National Housing Strategy sets a long-term vision that focuses on improving housing outcomes for those in greatest need. The Strategy is currently a 10+ year, $115+ billion plan to give more people in Canada a place to call home. Seniors are one of the priority populations within the Strategy.

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• Canada's National Housing Strategy

Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy

As part of the National Housing Strategy, approximately $5 billion from 2019-20 to 2027-28 has been allocated to Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy. Delivered by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, Reaching Home is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada. While Reaching Home is designed to support all individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness, the program allows communities to prioritize vulnerable populations such as older adults based on community priorities.

Learn more:

• Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy

Build Canada Homes

Launched in 2025, Build Canada Homes is Canada's new federal agency with a mandate to build affordable housing at scale. Older adults are one of several populations who may be served through this work.

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• Build Canada Homes

Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program

The Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program, delivered by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, provides funding to support green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades of existing community buildings and construction of new, publicly accessible net-zero community buildings in underserved communities across the country. The program specifically targets high-needs and underserved communities, including seniors, by financing green and accessible retrofits of existing structures or the construction of new ones. These investments ensure that public spaces are not only environmentally sustainable but also accessible to all members of the community.

Eligible projects that directly benefit seniors include a wide range of essential facilities, such as senior activity centers, libraries and community health and wellness hubs. The program also covers critical Indigenous infrastructure including elders' lodges and long-term care facilities. By supporting these community spaces, the GICB aims to enhance the overall quality of life and social connectivity for aging populations and underserved groups.

Learn more:

• Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program

Age Well at Home initiative

Employment and Social Development Canada's Age Well at Home Initiative is a $90 million time-limited initiative, that ended in early 2026. Funding was provided to seniors-serving organizations from the broader charitable/non-profit sector. Local projects tested the extent to which volunteers can be mobilized to provide practical supports to help low-income and otherwise vulnerable seniors age in place. National and regional projects expanded services that have already demonstrated positive results in helping seniors age at home.

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• Age Well at Home initiative

Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program

Through Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada's Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), the federal government is investing more than $33 billion in public transit projects, green infrastructure, community, culture and recreation infrastructure, and infrastructure in Canada's rural and northern communities. The program was also adapted to respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling investment in quick-start, short-term projects to build pandemic-resilient infrastructure to support economic recovery efforts across Canada. Infrastructure investments under the ICIP contribute to stronger, more inclusive communities for seniors. Modern, accessible public spaces and reliable transit help older Canadians stay connected, maintain independence, and enjoy improved quality of life within their neighbourhoods.

Learn more:

• Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program

Active Transportation Fund and Rural Transit Solutions Fund

Canada's National Active Transportation Strategy is the country's first strategic approach for promoting active transportation and its benefits. It uses data-driven and evidence-based investments to build new and expanded active transportation networks, while supporting equitable and sustainable travel options. The strategy is supported by funding from the Active Transportation Fund (ATF). The ATF supports projects that build new and expanded networks of pathways, sidewalks, bike lanes and trails to support affordable, greener and healthier options for Canadians to access their communities.

The Rural Transit Solutions Fund (RTSF) supports locally driven transit options that help residents of rural, remote, Indigenous, and Northern communities access essential services, commute to work or school, attend medical appointments, and stay connected with loved ones. By improving transportation options, this fund enables seniors in these communities to maintain their independence and quality of life, allowing them to age comfortably in their homes or communities.

The ATF and RTSF are part of the larger Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) which supports local transit needs, including rural and active transportation.

Learn more:

• Active Transportation Fund
• Canada Public Transit Fund
• National Active Transportation Strategy

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police produced a Seniors Guidebook to Safety and Security for older adults, their family members, caregivers, and friends. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) has a national level mandate to help reduce the impact of fraud on Canadians. Over the past two years, older Canadians have accounted for nearly $360 million in reported losses and about 30% of all reports received by the CAFC. The CAFC fraud awareness program plays a key role in public education and in the prevention of fraud and cybercrime related offences. This includes co-chairing the Fraud Prevention Forum, collaborating closely with the media, other government agencies and law enforcement partners to ensure impactful and timely awareness messaging with a focus on Fraud Prevention Month (March). The CAFC also conducts numerous fraud awareness presentations for various senior and community groups, responds to senior victims of fraud, and mails out fraud awareness packages and materials to victims, including seniors.

Learn more:

• Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
• Seniors Guidebook to Safety and Security

The Canadian Institute of Health Research's (CIHR) Transforming Health with Integrated Care (THINC) initiative aims to advance evidence-informed integrated care policies and programs that enhance patient and provider experiences, improve population health, ensure value for money, and promote health equity. Through the THINC initiative CIHR funds research projects to improve integrated care for older adults, including to support aging in place.

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• Transforming Health with Integrated Care (THINC) initiative

Primary care, also known as family health services, is often the first contact with the health care system and serves to coordinate care over time, including throughout the lifetime, and across the system. The Government of Canada's Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians Plan commits nearly $200 billion to strengthen the health and wellbeing of Canadians, including $25 billion in targeted funding over 10 years—with a core focus on improving access to family health services.

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• Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians Plan

Framework on Palliative Care in Canada

The 2018 Framework on Palliative Care in Canada sets out an approach under which all governments, communities, and Canadians can work together to advance palliative and end-of-life care.

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• Framework on Palliative Care in Canada

Report on the State of Palliative Care in Canada

The Minister of Health tabled the Report on the State of Palliative Care in Canada in Parliament on December 4, 2023. This report takes stock of the landscape of palliative care in Canada, assesses improvements in access to palliative care since the release of the framework, and proposes recommendations on next steps for continued action.

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• Report on the State of Palliative Care in Canada

Action Plan on Palliative Care

Health Canada's (2019) Action Plan on Palliative Care identifies key federal supports to improve palliative care including increasing awareness of palliative care and grief; increasing the uptake of advance care planning; improving access to training, education, and tools for palliative care providers; improving access to supports for caregivers and providers; enhancing research and data; and improving mechanisms to facilitate equitable access to palliative care for underserved populations. Since 2019, the federal government has committed more than $50 million to fund stakeholders and community organizations for projects that focus on these priorities.

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• Action Plan on Palliative Care

Released in 2019, Canada's national dementia strategy has three objectives: prevent dementia; advance therapies and find a cure; and improve the quality of life of people living with dementia and caregivers. The strategy aims to create a Canada in which people living with dementia and caregivers are valued and supported; quality of life is optimized; and dementia is prevented, better understood, and effectively treated. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested over $600 million in funding that supports progress aligned with the objectives of the national dementia strategy, including investments made prior to the strategy's release. Annual Reports to Parliament track the strategy's implementation.

Learn more:

• Dementia: What Canada's doing
• A Dementia Strategy for Canada: Together we Aspire

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) gathers and shares information about chronic diseases and conditions, including those that affect older adults in Canada. This data helps shape policies and programs that support healthier aging. The Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System is a collaborative network of provincial and territorial surveillance systems, supported by PHAC. The system collects data on all residents who are eligible for provincial or territorial health insurance. It can generate national estimates and trends over time for over 20 chronic diseases and conditions, including those commonly linked with aging, such as dementia and osteoporosis.

Healthy living behaviours contribute to the health of people in Canada by helping prevent chronic diseases and by promoting physical and mental health. Staying active, including regular strength and balance training, supports mobility, independence, and overall healthy aging. PHAC systematically monitors population-level patterns in physical activity for Canadians of all ages, including adults aged 65 years and older, through its Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Sleep Indicators, and the Canadian Risk Factor Atlas.

In addition, in 2021, PHAC published a report on falls in older adults in Canada. This report presents data on the nature, severity and consequences of falls among people aged 65 or older. An update to the report was published in 2023 on Health Infobase.

Learn more:

• Falls among older adults in Canada
• Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System
• Surveillance report on falls among older adults in Canada

Health Canada provided funds to Healthcare Excellence Canada's Reimagining LTC program which supported long-term care homes to work together to build better care with and for people living and working in long-term care in Canada. The program helped participants address gaps in the safety and quality of care received in long-term care, including by providing more support to healthcare workers and building capacity to make care more person-centred.

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• Reimagining LTC program

The Government of Canada is providing $5.4 billion over five years to the provinces and territories through the Aging with Dignity agreements. This investment will improve the availability of high-quality long-term care services, support workforce stability and improve workplace conditions, and provide supports for better access to home and palliative care services, allowing individuals to age at home as long as possible.

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• Aging with Dignity agreements

Indigenous Services Canada funds healthcare service providers and territorial governments to support the planning and delivery of integrated and culturally responsive home and long-term care programs in First Nations communities and Inuit Nunangat. These programs are designed by communities to support their priorities and meet the unique health and social needs of older adults and other individuals, helping them receive care in the setting of their choice — most often in their own homes, close to family and kin. The goal is to enable individuals to live independently and with dignity for as long as possible, within the cultural and social environments that matter most to them.

Learn more:

• Assisted Living Program
• First Nations and Inuit home and community care
• Applying a Seven Generation Continuum of Care in First Nations Healthcare

The Public Health Agency of Canada invested $75 million in the HSPP between 2018-2025, which was an initiative to explore how various sectors can support older adults as they age. HSPP aimed to:

• foster healthy aging
• increase independence and quality of life for older adults
• enable older adults to live safely and securely in their homes and
• disseminate best practices to support healthy aging

A total of 66 pilot projects were implemented and completed.

Learn more:

• Healthy Seniors Pilot Projects

The NHSP is a federal grants and contributions program administered by Employment and Social Development Canada, whose goal is to enhance seniors' social inclusion and ensure they can benefit from, and contribute to, the quality of life in their communities.

The objectives of the NHSP are to:

• promote volunteerism among seniors and other generations
• engage seniors in the community through the mentoring of others
• expand awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse
• support the social participation and inclusion of seniors
• provide capital assistance for new and existing community projects and programs for seniors

Since 2004, the NHSP has funded over 43,000 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada, with the Government of Canada investing more than $970 million. Program funding supports community-based projects and pan-Canadian projects.

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• New Horizons for Seniors Program

In 2009, the Canadian Institute of Health Research established CLSA, a large, national, longitudinal research platform involving more than 250 researchers, trainees, and collaborators across 26 institutions. The CLSA is following over 50,000 Canadians between the ages of 45-85 for at least 20 years. This research platform generates high-quality data and evidence to understand the determinants of healthy aging and guide decision makers.

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• Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

The BHCIA Research Initiative, led by the Canadian Institute of Health Research Institute of Aging, supports research to promote brain health during aging while addressing the complex care needs of people living with dementia and their caregivers. One of its main goals is to improve care, programs and services for people living with dementia, including to promote social engagement, dementia-inclusive environments and improve access to care.

Learn more:

• Brain Health and Cognitive Impairment in Aging Research Initiative