Toronto has a diverse and aging population. By 2031, approximately 1 out of 5 Toronto residents are expected to be seniors aged 65 years and over, numbering about 642,000 individuals.

Co-created by municipal staff and community partners, the City of Toronto released its second Seniors Strategy (Seniors Strategy 2.0) in 2018 to drive age-friendly initiatives through the 2018-2022 City Council term. It was informed by an extensive and inclusive community engagement process that reached 10,000 older Torontonians and caregivers.

The Seniors Strategy 2.0 contains 27 high-impact recommendations across five action areas: health, housing, transportation, employment/income and access to services. These recommendations built upon the success of the first Seniors Strategy, 2013-2018 (which implemented 90 of its 91 recommendations). Together, the City and its partners have advanced all 27 recommendations of the Toronto Seniors Strategy Version 2.0. As of December 2022, 24 of the 27 recommendations were fully implemented, with substantial progress made on the remaining three.

The Toronto Seniors Strategy 2.0 is closely monitored by the Toronto Seniors Strategy Accountability Table, the City’s multi-sector stakeholder group focused on seniors and ageing. The Accountability Table is comprised of service providers, seniors and caregivers, healthcare providers, non-profits, researchers, provincial and federal partners, advocacy groups, City/agency staff, and many others. Additionally, each year, the City of Toronto has publicly reported on the progress of each recommendation.

Completion of the Toronto Seniors Strategy 2.0 marks an important milestone in the City’s efforts to do even better, moving Toronto from a city that is not only age-inclusive, but a city that is age-equitable. For the City, age-equity means fairness and justice for a diverse group of older adults, recognizing that age is not the only factor that might limit a senior’s access to the services and supports they need. Ageism is compounded by other intersecting systemic barriers, including but not limited to ableism, racism, sexism, heterosexism and colonialism. These systems of oppression are palpable determinants of health and well-being for seniors and must be addressed as Toronto works towards becoming an age-equitable city.

The City of Toronto is committed to building on the important concept of age-friendly cities and communities and working toward age-inclusivity, with an ultimate goal to become a city where people of all ages can age equitably with dignity and respect.

Toronto Seniors Strategy 2.0