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Our Story

Multgenerational family enjoying a barbecue with a grandfather in the foreground

A new chapter for older Canadians

CanAge was born out of urgent need—a need for a powerful national voice to protect the rights and well-being of aging Canadians.

Advocacy isn’t easy. Creating real and lasting change is about more than making noise. 

It takes a truly collaborative, evidence-based and principled approach—one that represents the diverse lived experiences of every older person and caregiver across the country with empathy and understanding.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, older Canadians were calling out for a united national advocate to make their fears and voices heard by policymakers at all levels of government, and to hold them accountable in taking swift action.

We listened, and CanAge was born.

Turning words into action

The landscape of seniors’ advocacy in Canada is a busy one.

There are countless organizations and experts doing incredible work across the country to better understand the needs of older adults. Every day they’re researching, writing policy, creating innovative products and services and working on the front lines to support the needs of our aging population.

Our job is to translate all of this work into action.

As Canada’s National Seniors’ Advocacy Organization, our power lies in packaging and channeling all of these insights and knowledge (along with the voices of our members) into clear calls to action that are seen by the right people at the right time. That’s where the real change happens.

By playing to our strengths as an advocate, we become the podium that empowers older Canadians and their caregivers to loudly demand a better life for themselves and their loved ones. We don’t talk over or step on the perspectives of others—we listen and amplify.

This “lifting up” approach to advocacy is what makes CanAge so powerful, and is the unique gap we were born to fill.

Seniors have spoken: the launch of VOICES

In order to envision the future, you need to understand where you’ve been.

In late 2020, we undertook an exhaustive coast-to-coast consultation to get the full picture of challenges facing older Canadians. We asked questions, reviewed literature, studied best practices and, most importantly, we listened to the experiences of people living normal lives in communities across Canada.

All of this led to the creation of our policy book, VOICES, A Roadmap to an Age-Inclusive Canada

VOICES makes 135 evidence-based recommendations to improve and protect the lives of older adults in Canada. It is the foundation of all that we do, because it comes straight from the mouths of the people we represent—real Canadians, like you. 

This is just the beginning

Now in our second year, the future is only looking brighter for older Canadians.

  • More people every day are becoming free CanAge members, adding their voices to the thousands across Canada who have already joined the movement for better aging.
  • We’ve already scored major wins for older Canadians, with many of our policy recommendations making it into this year’s federal and provincial budgets.
  • Industry-leading experts across Canada are joining forces with us in the shared cause of future-proofing aging in our country.
  • We’re being invited to represent older adults on steering committees and consultations that are shaping the future of aging in our country, including the creation of national standards for long-term care.
  • We get calls from high-ranking government officials on a regular basis asking for our input on their policy decisions on issues ranging from vaccines for older people to affordable housing.
  • We have quickly become the go-to national media commentator for any and all breaking news affecting older people, including the ongoing tragedy in long-term care.
  • Forward-thinking companies across sector lines are knocking on our door, asking to support our advocacy and connect with our passionate members (including offering them exciting and exclusive benefits).

The needs of Canada’s seniors are changing quickly and keeping pace takes focus, a collaborative spirit and a dedication to truly representing their VOICES every day.

Luckily, we’re up to the challenge.

Join the movement for better aging

Canada’s National Seniors’ Advocacy Organization

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
University of Toronto

Join CanAge for FREE

®2020 CanAge Inc. All Rights Reserved

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By becoming a CanAge member, you’re adding your voice to our calls for change in protecting and improving the lives of older Canadians.

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