“OAS is not a luxury — it’s a promise,” said Anthony Quinn, President of CARP. “Canadians worked their whole lives building this country with the understanding that in retirement, they would have some meagre but dependable support. It’s manageable for the government, and it’s essential for seniors. Splitting seniors into two groups and denying millions the 10% increase is unjust and ageist.”
Extend the OAS Boost to All Seniors
CARP is once again calling on Ottawa to end the unfair split in Old Age Security (OAS) benefits. The government’s 10% OAS increase currently applies only to those over 75, excluding millions of seniors aged 65–74 who face the same rising costs of food, housing, and healthcare.
Protect Seniors from Investor Exploitation
New to this year’s submission is a strong warning about retail investment practices in Canada’s banks. Seniors who invest through their local branch are too often steered into limited, in-house products that serve the institution’s bottom line rather than the client’s interests.
There is currently no fiduciary duty requiring bank staff to act in the best interests of customers, leaving older Canadians especially vulnerable.
“When seniors walk into their own bank, they shouldn’t have to worry about being taken advantage of.” — Anthony Quinn
CARP is urging the federal government to use the 2025 Bank Act Review to expand competition, enforce accountability, and introduce a duty for financial advisors and bank staff to act in the best interests of their clients.
Home Care: The Only Way to Prevent a Crisis Worse Than COVID
Canada’s healthcare system is already at its breaking point. Emergency rooms are overcrowded, long-term care waitlists stretch for years, and hospitals are filled with seniors who no longer need acute care but have nowhere else to go. These older Canadians are too often labelled “bed blockers” — a pejorative term that unfairly blames them when, in reality, it is the system that has failed to provide adequate home and community care.
“Without urgent investment in home and community care, Canada will face a crisis worse than COVID,” said Quinn. “Our hospitals and long-term care facilities will be overwhelmed, seniors will suffer, and the costs will spiral out of control.”
The only sustainable solution is to make home and community care the backbone of our system. Evidence shows home care not only costs less, but also keeps seniors healthier and more independent. CARP is urging the federal government to invest significantly in:
- Expanding frontline home care and respite services;
- Attracting and retaining qualified caregivers with fair wages and better conditions;
- Scaling up telehealth and virtual care; and
- Offering modest caregiver supports like tax relief and home adaptation incentives to help families manage costs.
This shift is not optional — it’s the only way to meet the needs of Canada’s rapidly growing senior population and avoid the collapse of our health system.
A History of Results
CARP members know the power of advocacy. From pension income splitting to the reversal of the OAS age hike to laying the groundwork for Canada’s national dental plan, CARP has been fighting and winning for older Canadians for 40 years.
Now, with inflation rising, investor protections lagging, and healthcare on the brink, the stakes could not be higher.
Read the full submission here: CARP’s Federal Pre-Budget Submission 2025 (PDF)
Add Your Voice
Change only happens when seniors stand together. With a large, united voice of seniors in Canada — CARP members united in a cause — we can demand fairness, protect retirement security, and fix Canada’s strained healthcare system.
