Jun. 22: BEST OF THE BLOGOSPHERE

June 22, 2026

Canada slips to 20^th place in global retirement index

Canada has made a significant drop in the 2025 Natixis Global Retirement Index, coming it at 20^th spot among 44 developed nations. That’s seven places lower than the previous year’s index, reports MSN.

The article suggests “declines in material well-being and health indicators” are to blame for the change in ranking.

“Norway, Ireland, Switzerland, Iceland and Denmark lead the rankings, excelling in areas such as finances, quality of life and health outcomes. Experts point to rising unemployment, reduced life expectancy and growing healthcare demands as key challenges for Canada’s retirees,” the article continues, quoting an earlier report from Money Canada.

Higher unemployment, the article says, is the likely cause of the decline in the “material well-being” score. “Health scores also fell, reflecting lower life expectancy and a dip in insured health expenditure, alongside broader labour market challenges reported by Statistics Canada,” the article reports.

Both factors “may signal long-term pressures on retirement security,” the MSN article continues. “The National Institute on Ageing projects long-term care costs will rise from $22 billion to $71 billion by 2050, which could strain both public and private resources. These trends, coupled with the widening gap between healthy life expectancy and overall life expectancy, may limit the years Canadians can enjoy an active retirement,” the article adds, again citing a report from Money Canada.

“Global data from Natixis shows 66 per cent of people are saving less due to higher costs, and 38 per cent feel inflation is eroding their retirement dreams. In Canada, a Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) survey indicates that 59 per cent of unretired Canadians believe they may never retire, while experts urge diversification, dedicated healthcare savings, and attention to lifestyle factors such as social connection and purpose. Rising costs and uncertainty reinforce the need for proactive planning,” the article states, again quoting from Money Canada.

The article turns to a report from the Motley Fool blog to explain how the Natixis survey works.

“The Index assesses 18 indicators across four categories: finances in retirement, material wellbeing, health, and quality of life, each contributing to a maximum score of 100. Country scores reflect factors such as inflation control, employment, income per capita, environmental quality, and healthcare access,” the article states. “Canada’s strong performance in certain financial stability measures was outweighed by weaker results in employment and health, while top-ranked Norway and Ireland benefited from robust labour markets, high life expectancy and effective inflation management.”

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MSN

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