I retired at officially at age 60. I worked or unretired for
another 8 years and finally retired at age 68,

So,  I was curious as to hat the Retirement age was in 2025. The numbers surprised
me. As of 2025, the average retirement age in Canada hit a record high of 65.4
years . The most recent data from Statistics Canada places the average at 65.1
years as of 2023, up from a low of 60.9 in 1998 .

Here is how the numbers break down:

 Over the past two decades, the average retirement age has risen
by over four years. In 2003, the average Canadian retired at 61.7; today, they work
until well past 65 .

Three main factors are driving this shift:

1. Canadians Are Living and Working Longer
The labour force participation rate for seniors aged 65 and older reached 15.2%
in 2025, the highest since tracking began in 1976. That’s nearly 1.2 million seniors
still in the workforce . More older adults are choosing to work for pay, up from
just 6.6% in 1994 .

2. Financial Pressures Are Real
Many Canadians are delaying retirement because of inflation, higher living costs,
and concerns about having enough savings . The retirement period (the time between
stopping work and passing away) peaked in 2012 at 22.7 years. By 2025, that period
had shrunk to 20.5 years as people retire later .

3. The Rise of “Unretirement”
Many older adults who thought they had retired have returned to the workforce, often
in part-time or contract roles. They stay connected to the labour market for financial
reasons, personal fulfillment, or both. This “unretirement” trend is contributing
significantly to the rising average age.

What This Means for You

If you are planning to retire early, you would be retiring earlier than the current average. This means:

• You
  will need more personal savings since you will not yet qualify for Old
  Age Security (age 65 minimum) and your Canada Pension Plan payments will be
  permanently reduced if taken early
• You
  are part of a minority but not alone, many Canadians do retire earlier
  due to Health reasons or personal choice

As one analysis notes, after falling to a low of 60.9 in the
late 1990s, “the average age at retirement then reversed course and has since
steadily increased to its current high” . The trend shows no sign of changing.

Originally Published on https://boomersnotsenior.blogspot.com/

Royce Shook Blogger

I served as a teacher, a teacher on Call, a Department Head, a District Curriculum, Specialist, a Program Coordinator, and a Provincial Curriculum Coordinator over a forty year career. In addition, I was the Department Head for Curriculum and Instruction, as well as a professor both online and in person at the University of Phoenix (Canada) from 2000-2010.

I also worked with Special Needs students. I gave workshops on curriculum development and staff training before I fully retired