When I was growing up, retirement at 65 seemed normal. People worked hard, retired, and often did not live many years beyond that point. Both employers and governments built policies around that idea.
But a lot has changed in the last 40 years or so.
Canadians are living longer. Many people in their late 60s, 70s, and even 80s are healthy, active, and fully able to work. Some want to work because they enjoy it. Others want or need the income. And many still have valuable knowledge and experience to offer.
Yet our attitudes toward older workers have not fully caught up.
Take mandatory retirement policies, for example. In Canada, many employers once required people to retire at 65 whether they wanted to or not. Most provinces have now removed mandatory retirement, but the mindset behind it still exists in many workplaces.
Or pension rules built around a “normal retirement age.” Most public and private pension plans were designed with the expectation that workers would leave full-time work around 65. Even today, many benefits and pension structures still quietly encourage people to exit the workforce.
Or workplace benefits that become more limited with age. In many organizations, health, disability, or life insurance coverage changes or ends at 65 years.
Life expectancy has changed too. In Canada, in 1985, you were expected to live to roughly 76 years overall. By 2025, it is about 83 years. That is a major social and economic shift in only 40 years.
Too often, we still treat aging as decline. We assume older workers are less adaptable, less comfortable with technology, or somehow “past their prime.” I have seen talented people pushed aside, overlooked for jobs, or quietly encouraged to retire simply because of their age.
That makes little sense to me.
At a time when Canada faces labour shortages in many sectors, why would we ignore people who bring judgment, reliability, and years of experience? Older workers often know how to manage conflict, deal with customers, mentor younger staff, and stay calm under pressure. Those things matter.
Maybe retirement should no longer be viewed as a hard stop. More people may want flexible work, part-time roles, project work, mentoring positions, or phased retirement. Employers who make room for those options could keep strong people longer and help younger workers learn from them.
Ageism does not just hurt older workers. It hurts workplaces, communities, and the Canadian economy too.