 | Insure Horizons Insuring a Promising Tomorrow | Issue #006 June 17, 2026 |
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| Retirement Special | On average, CPP pays just ~$804/month. Is that a retirement — or a reason to plan? |
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Weekly Wealth & Community Update Retirement Is Slipping Out of Reach.
Let's Pull It Back. My 11-year-old noticed older Canadians still working the floor at Walmart — and asked if he'd have to work that long too. Here's the honest answer, the real numbers, and why the people who plan early never end up living it. |
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The Walmart Moment
The Numbers
Tip of Week | | | What We're Seeing — On Our Own Streets |
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| | Walking Out of Walmart, My Son Asked a Question I Couldn't Shake Last week, my son Mehar and I walked out of a Walmart. He'd been quietly watching the people working the floor — and many were older. Much older than you'd expect. He looked up and asked: "Dad, am I going to have to work when I'm old too?" | "No," I told him. "Not if you learn one rule early — invest your money first, then spend what's left. Do that, and you'll be free long before then." |
It was an honest question. And the honest answer is this: those seniors aren't all working because they love it. Many are there out of necessity. Retirement used to be the reward at the end of a working life. Today, for a growing number of Canadians, it's a finish line that keeps moving away. That's not a reason to panic — it's a reason to plan. So we made a short video about it.
"Why Are So Many Older People Still Working?" Mehar, Age 11 · Watch on YouTube · Insure Horizons |
▶ Watch |
Even an 11-year-old sees it. Are you noticing the same thing? |
| | The Numbers — What's Actually Happening |
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Canada, By The Data It Started With One Worry.
The Data Shows It's Now the Majority. These aren't scare numbers — they're the current reality from Canada's most respected surveys. The good news: every one is a problem that early planning solves. | 76% | worry they won't have enough money in retirement — BMO, 2025 | | 43% | of Canadians 50+ say they can't afford to retire on schedule, up from 37% — NIA, 2025 | | 1 in 5 | Canadians 50+ can't afford at least two basic necessities — NIA, 2025 | | 22% | of working Canadians 50+ have saved $5,000 or less — NIA, 2025 | | 21% | of B.C.'s homeless population is now 55+, more than double since 2008 — Globe and Mail |
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| | In The Headlines — Real Stories, Real Canadians |
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This Isn't Theory. It's on Our Front Pages. Three recent reports from Canada's trusted outlets — tap any frame to read it.
● National News The Globe and Mail Opinion · 2025 Older Canadians: The Fastest-Growing Homeless Group Rising rents and lost pensions are pushing seniors onto the street — 42% for the first time after age 55. Read the full article ▸ |
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● British Columbia The Globe and Mail June 2025 Canada's Shelters Are Growing Older At one Alberta shelter, clients aged 55+ jumped from 12% to 29% in one year. Read the full article ▸ |
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● Canada CP24 News March 2026 1 in 5 Canadians Over 50 Now Live in Poverty A survey of 6,000 found 20% can't afford essentials like heat or a small emergency — as Canada turns "super-aged." Read the full article ▸ |
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| | The Hard Math — Why CPP & OAS Aren't Enough |
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| | "The Government Will Take Care of Me." Let's Look at the Actual Numbers. Many Canadians quietly assume CPP and OAS will carry them. Here's what those cheques really look like in 2026 — not the maximums you read about, but what the average Canadian receives: Average CPP $804 per month | Max OAS at 65 $742 per month | Combined ~$1,546 before tax |
Roughly $1,546 a month — before tax (both are taxable). Now compare that to the $1.54 million Canadians say they believe they'll need to retire comfortably. The gap is enormous. | ⚠️ A note for newcomers to Canada: Full OAS assumes 40 years of residency after age 18. Many immigrants — a large, growing share of Canadians — won't reach that, and receive a reduced amount. If you built part of your life abroad, your safety net may be thinner still. This is exactly the gap a personal strategy is built to close. |
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| | Tip of the Week — The One That Changes Everything |
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| 🎓 | Start Early — Retirement Is Just Financial Freedom With a Nicer Name. |
| Here's the truth we build everything around: retirement isn't about age — it's about financial freedom. It's the day a job becomes optional instead of mandatory. And the single biggest factor in reaching it isn't how much you earn. It's how early you start. Start at 30 ↓ Free at 50 A 20-year runway, even from zero | | Start at 40 ↓ Free at 60 Still very achievable | | Start at 55 ↓ Much harder The window narrows fast |
Whether you start with $1,000 or $0 today, a sound, consistent strategy can put financial freedom roughly 20 years out — from any starting point. The earlier the start, the gentler the climb. | And here's the part most people miss: if you haven't planned your own retirement, how will you teach your children to plan theirs? Financial freedom is generational. Start now, and your kids can retire on the same 20-year clock — because they'll have learned the golden rule from you: invest first, spend second. That's how we break the cycle of working into our 70s. |
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| 🧮 | Coming Next Week: Your Retirement Calculator Next issue, we hand you a tool. Plug in your numbers and see how soon you could reach financial freedom with the money you already have. This week — let's connect and map it together. |
Already on the Journey? Let's Make Your Path Crystal Clear. Whether you're starting from zero or already investing, a free 30-minute conversation shows you exactly where you stand — and the strategies that get you there faster. No pressure. Just clarity.
Book a Free Conversation
Send Us a Message |
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| Insure Horizons — Insuring a Promising Tomorrow. Jas Hans · Registered Retirement Consultant (RRC) · insurehorizons.ca
Proudly serving Canadians from Calgary, Alberta & coast to coast. You're receiving this because you're a valued client or prospect of Insure Horizons.
© 2026 Insure Horizons. All rights reserved.
For informational purposes only; not financial advice. CPP/OAS figures are 2026 averages/maximums and vary by individual. |
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