Bulletin
2025 Elections | Retirement: at what price, at what age?

ARTICLE SUMMARY: Work your whole life… only to retire in poverty? A dignified retirement isn’t a luxury, it’s a right. A right we all deserve after years of early mornings and hard work. But with the cost of living going up and pension plans under threat, that right is becoming more and more fragile.

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We’re told we’re living longer.
That we have to work more.
That pensions cost too much.

But no one talks about the fact that many of our members spend their days on their feet, in demanding jobs, and can’t even afford to save.

How are you supposed to rest when there’s nothing left over? How do you plan for retirement when rent and groceries drain your account every month?

And yet, some parties want to raise the retirement age, cut public pensions, or deregulate the system.
Meanwhile, banks are making record profits off our savings.

The system is broken for low-wage workers 

• Many don’t have access to a workplace pension plan.
• Public pensions (like OAS and CPP/QPP) aren’t enough to live on.
• Private plans are unstable, underfunded, or out of reach. 
• And some want to hand even more power to the markets.

The result: people are forced to work longer or retire into poverty. 

What we expect from the next government: 

Because no one should grow old in poverty after a lifetime of work.
Because public pensions must be protected, improved, and made universal.

And because a fair retirement system lets people leave at the right time, opens up jobs for younger workers, and gives everyone the right to grow old with dignity.

Where the parties stand on this issue:

• Keeping the retirement age at 65 (no more!)
• Stronger public pension plans (CPP/QPP, Old Age Security)
• Group plans accessible in every workplace
• Protections against speculation and benefit cuts 
• A safety net for workers who couldn’t contribute regularly

Where the parties stand on this issue:

Legend:

You don’t work a lifetime to end up stressed, isolated, or in debt.
Retirement isn’t a prize, it’s a right.
And that right should be within reach for all workers, no matter their income.

Voting means being heard 

We often hear people say, “Voting doesn’t change anything.” But the truth is, government decisions have a real impact on our lives, on our wages, our public services, our pensions, our housing, our health… and our union rights.

Not voting means letting others choose for us.
Voting is saying: I want better for myself, my family, my workplace, and my community.

Make sure you’re registered

It’s quick, easy and essential if you want to vote.
Head to elections.ca to:

• Check your registration
• Find out where and when to vote
• See what ID you need to bring
• Register if you haven’t already

And if you know someone who isn’t registered or thinks they don’t have the right to vote, take a moment to share these resources. Every vote counts. Every voice matters.