Can you share how you first came up with the idea for the PCE? How did you take it from a concept to reality?
Over the last two decades, Bonnie-Jeanne had the opportunity to speak at major pension events around the world. Again and again, she saw how Canada was missing something many other countries already had: a dedicated academic-based centre with the mandate
to bring together stakeholders and build research infrastructure to improve retirement financial security across the country.
Too often, meaningful work on Canada’s retirement income system has depended on the goodwill of individuals working off the sides of their desks. Without a formal structure to bring together high-quality data, tools and trained research personnel,
Canada is missing opportunities to uncover critical information that can propel solutions forward. Given that our retirement income system represents trillions of dollars and touches every Canadian, this gap made no sense.
The idea of the PCE came from that recognition, and it has been a passion project for her ever since. With the vision and generosity of 36 member organizations (as of September 1, 2025), and the support of the NIA, we (Bonnie-Jeanne and Barbara) have
transformed that vision into a national platform—one built not for a single institution or sector, but for the system and the entirety of the Canadian population it serves. Together, we’ve taken something that once fell between mandates
and made it a shared mission: a financially secure and dignified retirement for all Canadians.
What role do member organizations, like HOOPP, play in the PCE?
Our member organizations are the lifeblood of the PCE. This is a grassroots achievement—it comes from a sense of shared purpose and only exists because of their leadership and commitment.
Members like HOOPP bring unparalleled expertise, practical knowledge, and thought leadership that shape our research agenda and dialogue. They ensure our work reflects the best of both industry research and real-world practice, while helping us focus
on advancing innovative, relevant and practical solutions. Members also play a key role in mobilizing and applying the research to serve their stakeholders, which collectively contributes to serving the entire population.
Can you share an example of a recent initiative that the PCE has led?
Our inaugural symposium in June showcased exactly what the PCE was created to do: bring together diverse stakeholders and thought leaders from across the country to share insights, identify challenges, and brainstorm opportunities to strengthen Canada’s
retirement income system.
Looking ahead, PCE members will continue to contribute to new insights, initiatives and tools launching this fall and winter. Among them is our Cost of Ageing Calculator, which, for the first time, will provide Canadians with meaningful insights into
the cost of retirement under different health conditions and across regions of the country. Understanding the cost of ageing is a critical step in planning for, and ultimately achieving, financial security.
What interests you most about your work with the PCE?
What excites us most is the collective spirit of this endeavour. The PCE didn’t come from a government mandate—it came from a community of champions who understood that no single person or entity can solve these challenges alone.
We’re motivated by the opportunity to leverage our academic and professional training, along with decades of experience, to create actionable, high-quality research. The PCE serves as a springboard to build the research infrastructure Canada badly
needs to advance retirement security for all Canadians.
Beyond our member organizations, we’re also inspired by the commitment of top researchers across Canada who are stepping beyond their academic responsibilities to support this initiative. That collective spirit is what makes the PCE so powerful
and unique.
Is there anything coming up from the PCE that you’re particularly excited about?
In the near term, we’re especially looking forward to our Fall Symposium and to hosting the second National Pension Awareness Week in February 2026.
We’re also advancing several important research projects, including the Cost of Ageing Calculator, which we are working to scale so it can reach and serve the widest possible number of Canadians. At the same time, we’re investing in the infrastructure
needed to convene diverse stakeholders and build sustained dialogue and research.
It’s a big job, but it’s one we are fully committed to—and we believe it will deliver tremendous value for Canadians both now and in the years ahead.
How do you envision the PCE evolving over the next 5-10 years?
We aspire to build Canada’s research infrastructure on pensions, becoming the trusted source for impartial analysis, informed solutions, and authoritative insight. Over the next decade, our goals are to deepen our membership, strengthen our research capacity and continue building bridges across academia,
industry, government and society in general—both within Canada and internationally.
We aim to expand our role in fostering high-quality, academically rigorous and practical research that identifies and evaluates innovative policy and practice solutions in the real world. In doing so, we hope to effectively help close Canada’s retirement
income adequacy gap, particularly for groups who have historically been left behind.
How do you think the PCE will impact the national dialogue on retirement security in Canada?
The PCE elevates the national dialogue by ensuring it is evidence-based, inclusive and non-partisan. We’re not here to advocate for a specific policy outcome, but rather to provide the research and clarity needed for more informed decision-making.
There has been a growing divide between Canada’s research community and its retirement income system. The PCE helps bridge that divide by strengthening Canada’s retirement research infrastructure with better data, better tools and more
people producing actionable insights.
Through our ongoing work, we look forward to keeping up momentum on issues of interest to our stakeholders. Whether through more research outputs, broader knowledge exchange or wider dissemination—or all of the above—we will continue to
support important solutions as they move from idea to implementation. This way, retirement security remains a top priority on Canada’s policy agenda.
What’s one thing you think all Canadians should know about retirement?
Canadians should know that while public programs like the Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement provide a solid foundation, most people will still need additional income sources to retire securely. Yet two-thirds
of Canadian workers lack access to a workplace pension.
With a quarter of Canada’s population—the baby boomers—entering retirement, solutions do exist to help protect their financial security and that of future generations. But planning ahead is critical. To ensure that public funds invested
in our retirement income system are used effectively, we need to identify where the gaps are and design targeted solutions to close them.
That’s why the PCE exists: to make sure we are asking the right questions and developing effective solutions to the right problems. By doing so, we can make retirement security more achievable for everyone, regardless of work or life circumstances.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with The Pension Collective?
Simply put, the PCE exists because of its members and supporters. This is a collective achievement, built on the leadership of organizations across Canada.
Together, we are building something that will shape retirement security for Canadians for generations to come.
We are deeply grateful to all who have contributed, and we look forward to continuing this shared mission.