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Initiative builds on Manulife's established commitment to health, wealth, and financial wellbeing, exemplified by the recent launch of the Manulife Longevity Institute
Survey shows continued opportunity to address Canadians' optimism about ageing and retirement readiness
TORONTO, Jan. 20, 2026 /CNW/ - Manulife is proud to support the National Institute on Ageing's (NIA) Ageing in Canada Survey, as one of its first Manulife Longevity Institute initiatives in Canada. This national survey, released today, explores Canadians' perspectives on ageing, health, and financial security, providing critical insights to help shape policies and solutions for longer, healthier lives.
Conducted by the NIA with support from Manulife, this year's findings reveal continued opportunities to address a growing disconnect between how older Canadians want to age and the resources available to themi. The survey supports the need for further investment in longevity on the heels of Manulife's recent commitment to help people live longer, healthier, and more financially secure lives. The Manulife Longevity Institute, announced in November 2025, will work to champion research, innovation, and partnerships that will help people in Canada thrive at every age.
The NIA survey results show that positive feelings toward ageing fell sharply from 62 per cent in 2024 to 57 per cent in 2025 -- the steepest decline since the survey began in 2022. Social isolation and loneliness rates remain high and have shown no improvement, further underscoring the emotional and social strain many older adults continue to face. The full findings from Perspectives on Growing Older in Canada: The 2025 NIA Ageing in Canada Survey can be found here.
"Our collaboration with the National Institute on Ageing underscores our commitment to unlocking insights and action to help Canadians age well; physically, financially, and socially," said Naveed Irshad, President & CEO of Manulife Canada. "At Manulife, our focus is simple: helping Canadians live longer, healthier lives with trusted advice and intelligent solutions that keep them strong in health and secure in wealth. Health runs through everything we do, from advancing longevity and supporting care to protecting wealth and financial well-being, and we will use these survey findings to continue to innovate and reach more Canadians."
Building a longer health span starts early. Canadians aged 50–64 are the least connected to primary care and the least likely to access care when needed -- making preventive strategies essential. Through partnerships that support women, families, mental health and physical activity, Manulife is helping Canadians take proactive steps toward better health and ensuring timely access to care across life stages. According to the survey, access to care is highest among those with secure incomes and lowest among those who feel financially insecure. Expanding access to health resources is essential to ensure every Canadian can age well with confidence.
"One of the clearest messages from the Ageing in Canada Survey is that prevention can't be postponed until later in life," said Dr. Samir Sinha, Geriatrician and Director of Health Policy Research at the NIA. "Small, everyday choices -- from staying up to date on screenings to building movement and healthy routines into daily life -- add up over time and play a powerful role in helping Canadians maintain their health, independence, and quality of life as they age."
The survey also shows retirement feels out of reach for many. The proportion of those who can afford to retire at their desired time has dropped from 35 per cent in 2022 to 29 per cent in 2025. The results are in line with the findings of the Manulife Financial Resilience and Longevity Report, which showed that 48 per cent of Canadians are behind schedule on retirement savings. This report was released in November by Manulife Group Retirement, a company of Manulife Wealth & Asset Management, which provides global investment, financial advice, and retirement plan services.
"Financial security is fundamental to healthy aging and the insights from the NIA survey shows that proper financial and retirement planning is key to thriving in your senior years. With many Canadians now facing a potential 40-year retirement, they require more resources and support to not only build but also sustain their security for those extra years," said Paul Lorentz, President & CEO, Manulife Wealth & Asset Management. "For more than 75 years, we've helped our clients confidently save and invest for their retirement goals to better promote a strong financial foundation as they age and given the trends we're seeing in these findings, we're even more committed today to continuing our legacy as a trusted partner to help even more Canadians feel confident in their financial future."
As Canadians live longer than ever -- with life expectancy increasing by almost two years since 2023ii -- the retirement planning industry faces an urgent imperative to help people prepare for retirement potentially spanning four decades or more.
"Longevity isn't just about adding years to life -- it's about adding life to those years," said Mark Hazelden, Interim Executive Director of the National Institute on Ageing. "The Ageing in Canada Survey shows that too many Canadians are experiencing poor health or financial insecurity as they age. Improving health span means addressing those gaps early and creating practical, evidence-informed solutions that help people age with confidence, independence, and dignity."
Manulife is proud to support the NIA's landmark survey, one of Canada's most comprehensive annual snapshots of the experiences, perspectives, and expectations of Canadians aged 50 and older. This research initiative in Canada builds on work done globally across Manulife, including the annual Asia Care Survey which explores how people across the region are redefining longevity, and John Hancock's inaugural Longevity Preparedness Index -- developed with MIT AgeLab, which measures how ready U.S. adults are to thrive as they age.
For more information on the Longevity Institute, visit Manulife.com/Longevity. A comprehensive list of the Institute's work and partnerships to date can be found in this fact sheet.
About Manulife
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping our customers make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we operate as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, providing financial advice and insurance for individuals, groups and businesses. Through Manulife Wealth & Asset Management, we offer global investment, financial advice, and retirement plan services to individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2024, we had more than 37,000 employees, over 109,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 36 million customers. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under '945' in Hong Kong.
Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.
About Manulife Longevity Institute
The Manulife Longevity Institute is a global research, thought leadership, advocacy, and community investment platform to drive action that can help people live longer, healthier, and more financially secure lives. Underpinned by a $350 million signature commitment, its focus is on helping people extend their healthy years, promoting greater financial resilience for all. As a global insurer, retirement plan provider, and asset manager, Manulife is uniquely placed to help lead this change. The Institute's work will support Manulife's Impact Agenda strategy by investing in organizations that are growing the longevity economy, convening research collaborations with leading academic institutions and think tanks, and producing thought leadership to advance awareness and action on the issues impacting populations as they age. The Institute will be known as the John Hancock Longevity Institute in the United States. The actions of the Institute will be guided by a Steering Committee of members of Manulife's Executive and Global Leadership Teams and in partnership with a robust ecosystem of partners and experts who champion longevity across Canada, Asia, and the US. Canada, Asia, and the US.
For more information, please visit Manulife.com/Longevity.
About The National Institute on Ageing
Founded in 2016, the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) is celebrating a decade of impact in our mission to improve the lives of older adults and the systems that support them. Over the past 10 years, the NIA has become Canada's leading voice on ageing policy -- convening stakeholders, conducting research, advancing policy solutions and practice innovations, sharing information and shifting attitudes. Our vision remains clear: a Canada where older adults feel valued, included, supported and better prepared to age with confidence..
Media Contacts
Manulife:
Emily English
Emily_English@Manulife.ca
(647) 544-2800
NIA:
Magdalen Stiff
magdalen.stiff@torontomu.ca
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i The NIA's 2025 Ageing in Canada Survey was conducted online between June 27 and July 24, 2025, with a representative sample of 6,001 Canadians aged 50 years and older living in the country's 10 provinces and for the first time, the three territories. The fourth annual NIA survey was developed in partnership with Abacus Data, using consistent approaches to the previous surveys to ensure comparability. |
ii Financial Resilience and Retirement Longevity | Manulife Group Retirement |
Disclosure statement
The Longevity Institute is a strategic initiative of Manulife and does not represent a separate legal entity. The information presented reflects current priorities and is subject to change based on evolving market, regulatory, and operational conditions. This document is intended for informational purposes only, does not promote any business or business interest of Manulife, or a solicitation of services. The initiative's focus areas have been informed by stakeholder engagement, internal review, and alignment with Manulife's broader Impact Agenda. This document contains forward-looking statements with respect to outcomes or the intended impacts of the Longevity Institute. Such outcomes are not guaranteed and are based on a number of assumptions and factors that may cause actual results to be different from the results expressed or implied in such statements. The addresses or hyperlinks to third-party websites are provided for the recipient's convenience. Manulife takes no responsibility for such websites or their contents, or for any loss or damage that may arise from their use. If you decide to access any of the third-party websites linked on this page, you do so at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of such websites.
SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation
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