OTTAWA Look to your left and look to your right, Canada. Getused to what you see. More grey hair, and more Canadians living inretirement. Canada is slowly but surely becoming a nation of older people. The demographic trends were confirmed Tuesday, as Statistics Canadareleased the latest batch of data from its 2011 census. Back in 1971, eight per cent of us were 65 and older. Last year, as the first wave of baby boomers reached the milestone,the proportion was 14.8 per cent. That's nearly 5 million seniors(4,945,060, to be exact) out of 33.5 million Canadians. There were 5,825 Canadians who have reached their 100th birthday centenarians and the number is projected to steadily rise to awhopping 78,300 in the next 50 years. All the while and here's a surprise there's a mini-baby boomhappening in this country. The population of children aged four andunder increased 11 per cent between 2006 and 2011 the highestgrowth rate for this age group since the late 1950s and early1960s. But make no mistake even this development won't stop theinevitable change to the face of Canada where, within two decades,it's expected that 22.8 per cent of us will be 65 and older. Consider this: In 1961, when the baby boom hit its peak, 34 percent of the Canadian population was aged 14 and under. (Schoolconstruction was the order of the day). By last year, that sharedropped to 16.7 per cent. Another way of looking at the change? In 1961, the median age inCanada was 26.3. By last year, it had risen to 40.6. Finally, another set of numbers: After the First World War, in1921, Canada was a young country in both its history and people.Only 4.8 per cent of the population was 65 and older, compared to14.8 per cent last year. Indeed, the statistics show that as baby boomers (born between 1946and 1965) now enter their senior years, profound and oftencontroversial questions are being raised about whether Canada isready for the possible consequences to a declining labour force,and the increasing costs of the health care and pension systems. Demographic experts and researchers who have studied agingpopulations internationally agree that Canada must now confrontwhat lies ahead, although there is a lively debate over whether theaging population will, as some predict, lead to skyrocketing socialprogram costs. "I think some changes are going to be needed," saidElaine Gallagher, former director of the University of Victoria'sCentre on Aging. "But we have time to make those changes. It'snot a tsunami. It's not going to happen overnight. It will happenslowly over the next 30 years and we've got time to plan for it, toadjust." She said the changes are both practical and necessary: buildingcode changes to require reinforced walls behind the shower to builda handrail; wider doors for wheelchairs; better public transit forseniors; longer lights at crosswalks, where seniors on foot areincreasingly falling; and enhanced homecare programs, includingassistance to help seniors with their yard work and housecleaningso they can stay in their homes. "We really didn't design cities for the elderly," shesaid. "We designed them for able-bodied people, 35-year-oldengineers who bicycle to work. A good deal of retrofitting is goingto be needed." The census results come just months after Prime Minister StephenHarper declared that his government will make major"transformations" to prepare for the demographic changesthat he said threaten this country's economic future. Among the controversial policy changes now underway: future Old AgeSecurity pension system costs are being curtailed by making seniorswait until 67 to get their benefits; health-care transfers toprovinces are being cut back; immigration rules are being changedto get more skilled workers into the labour force. Staunchly against the plan to raise the age of OAS eligibility, theNDP pointed to the latest census data Tuesday to back its argumentthat clawing back OAS at a time when growing numbers of people relyon it is simply unfair. "Seniors have followed the rules their entire lives but todaythe Conservatives are stealing $10 billion to pay down the F-35deficit," finance critic Peggy Nash said during questionperiod, noting "expert after expert" agrees the system issustainable. "Why are the Conservatives making tomorrow's seniors pay fortheir mismanagement?" Meanwhile, Human Resources and Skills Development Minister DianeFinley retorted that the census data clearly supports thegovernment's claims and those of a number of other experts sherhymed off that Canada's population is "aging faster thanbefore" and that OAS is "not sustainable in the longrun." The latest census data ultimately shows a looming wave of Canadiansapproaching retirement. Among the "working-age" group, arecord 42.4 per cent were between 45 and 64, compared to 28.6 percent two decades ago. Also, for the first time, there were more people between 55 and 64,when people prepare to leave the workforce, than between 15 and 24,when people are typically about to enter the labour market. In the provinces, the proportion of seniors was the highest on theEast Coast, Quebec and British Columbia. It was the lowest inAlberta (11.1 per cent). David Foot, author of Boom Bust and Echo, said it's easy to predictone outcome from the aging population. "Slower economic growth is inevitable. And that means it getsincreasingly difficult for governments to get themselves out of thedeficits." Foot said governments that try to confront the issue just throughcutting costs are short-sighted. "If we're going to try and get rid of deficits by cuttingexpenditures, we're never going to make it. We've got to raisetaxes. You've got to be creative. You've got to have new taxsources." He said it's better for governments to use "all the rightpolicies" at their disposal now. "It takes a very brave politician to take on demographics as along-term issue because the paybacks are not going to be withintheir electoral cycle." Foot warned that signs of discontent among Canadians from differentgenerations are already showing. Boomers have seen theirstock-market savings plunge while low-interest rates make itdifficult for them to grow their investments. Workers in their 40sare stuck in their career paths because the boomers can't afford toretire. And younger Canadians, in their 20s, can't find entry-leveljobs to get started out. What happens if we don't prepare for this growing problem? "People are rising up here because of rising incomeinequality," said Foot, warning it will only get worse. Doug Norris, chief demographer at Environics Analytics, said thebusiness sector also needs to gear up for the change not just inthe workforce, but also in the evolving preferences among olderconsumers. "Older people might decide to spend their money travelling alot more. They may decide to downsize their house. There are bigimpacts potentially for the real estate industry." So what will Canada look like in two or three decades? Just look toEurope, said Norris, where the proportion of seniors is higher thanCanada's. "When I look at Europe today, it's vibrant, it's moving. It'snot as if everyone's in the rocking chair and nothing ishappening." Twitter.com/Mark_Kennedy. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as China Film Dewatering Machine , Plastic Agglomerator for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Plastic Granulating Machine.
Related Articles -
China Film Dewatering Machine, Plastic Agglomerator,
|