Budget 2019: A secure and dignified retirement for Canadians

March 27, 2019 - Kelowna, British Columbia - Public Services and Procurement Canada

Over the course of their lives, seniors have made tremendous contributions to their communities right across Canada, and carry with them a wealth of knowledge, experience and skills they can continue to contribute going forward.

Today, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, was in Kelowna to highlight Budget 2019, Investing in the Middle Class. Budget 2019 details how the Government of Canada is making sure middle-class Canadians benefit from Canada’s economic growth for years to come. That includes helping more Canadians find an affordable home, prepare for well-paid jobs, retire with confidence and afford prescription drugs when they need them.

Speaking to tenants at the Society of Hope residence, Minister Qualtrough highlighted how investments in Budget 2019 will help support Canadian seniors’ active participation in society, and build on efforts to strengthen the retirement security of Canadians so they can enjoy a secure and dignified retirement after a lifetime of hard work.

Through Budget 2019, the government proposes to:

• Make retirement more financially secure for seniors who wish to work by enhancing the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) earnings exemption so they can keep more of their hard-earned income.
• Ensure Canadian workers receive the full value of their pension by proactively enrolling Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributors who are 70 years old or older and who have not yet applied to receive their retirement pension.
• Enhance the security of workplace pensions through new measures that better protect pensions in the event of corporate insolvency, giving Canadians greater peace of mind when it comes to their retirement.
• Promote the inclusion and full participation of vulnerable seniors in society by increasing funding to the New Horizons for Seniors Program, supporting projects that provide new equipment for seniors’ centres, offer financial literacy classes, create volunteer opportunities and more.
• Support the many Canadians facing health challenges by investing significantly in health research and health supports, including $50 million to support the implementation of a national dementia strategy.

With these new measures, Budget 2019 builds on the government’s record of strengthening the retirement security of Canadians so that they can worry less about making ends meet and enjoy the secure and dignified retirement they deserve.