National Seniors Day: Spurring Prosperity With Ontario’s Aging Population

(Toronto – October 1, 2019) Today, over 100 attendees from the business community, public and non-profit sectors, and academia joined the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) for a conference entitled “Ontario’s Aging Population” to mark National Seniors Day.

“In Ontario, individuals aged 65 and over are the fastest-growing age group, and by 2030, it’s anticipated that 23 percent of Ontario’s population will be 65 years or older,” said Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “As the number of older adults in Ontario continues to grow, employers will be confronted with a number of issues – whether that’s succession planning, training older workers, or flexible workplaces to help caregivers.”

The full-day event explored three timely themes: how the growing number of older adults will impact the province’s health care system, long-term, community and home care, and the economy more broadly.

“Ontario’s aging population presents an exciting opportunity for Ontario,” added Rossi. “That is why we are here: to celebrate the contributions made by older adults to their communities and society, and raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges associated with this demographic shift.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• Remarks: Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility & the Hon. Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care
• Speakers included: Jennifer Chan, Merck Canada;  Samir Sinha, MD, DPhil, FRCPC, Sinai Health System, Dr. Amy Clements-Cortes, Ryerson University & Minal Upadyaya, Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC)
• Panelists included:  Ann Collins, Canadian Medical Association; Shirlee Sharkey, Saint Elizabeth Health Care;Michael Nicin, National Institute on Ageing, Scott Bowman, Futurpreneur Canada & Tyler Fleming, Ontario Securities Commission

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For more information please contact:

Media Contact
Ariel Benjamin
Communications Coordinator
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
arielbenjamin@occ.ca | 647-243-3561

About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan voice of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.