Here’s what federal parties are promising seniors in the election campaign

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre poses for photos with seniors at the Happy Gang Centre during a campaign stop in Terrace, B.C., on Monday, April 7, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Whitfield

OTTAWA — So far, Canada’s federal election conversation has focused largely on tense relations with the United States and U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war with much of the world.

But party leaders have also pitched policies on other topics, like the cost of living and the state of health care. And since older people usually can be relied on to vote, all three main parties have been reaching out to seniors.

Here’s what the Conservatives, Liberals and NDP have promised to help support seniors.

The Conservative party

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is vowing to protect older voters from fraud by punishing banks and telecoms that don’t do enough to prevent it. Poilievre has promised to fine companies up to $5 million if they don’t implement the “latest technology to stop scams” and accused the Liberals of taking no action.

The Conservative plan would require automatic flagging and blocks on suspicious activity -- like robocalling and unusual transactions -- and would impose a 24-hour hold on high-risk transactions for seniors. It also would require that companies report statistics on fraud prevention -- how many scams are being blocked and how many customers are being reimbursed.

Poilievre said in late March that a Conservative government would maintain the retirement age at 65.

He said Conservatives would allow seniors to keep their savings in an RRSP until age 73, up from 71.

“After working hard and investing their savings, Canada’s seniors should not have to worry about the effect of Donald Trump’s economic vandalism on their retirement,” the Conservatives said in a news release. “After the stock market roller-coaster over the last several days, this two-year delay will save many seniors from being forced to realize losses unnecessarily.”

The Conservatives also pledged to allow working seniors to earn up to $34,000 tax-free.

The party did not say how much the measures would cost the government.

Poilievre has promised a 2.25 percentage point income tax cut and to allow Canadians to contribute another $5,000 -- for a total of $12,000 a year -- into tax-free savings accounts, provided they invest that extra money in Canadian companies.

The Liberal party

Liberal Leader Mark Carney has promised temporary supports to help retirees cope with U.S. tariffs that are punishing markets around the globe.

He says he would lower the minimum amount that must be withdrawn from a Registered Retirement Income Fund by 25 per cent for one year.

Carney says he also would increase the guaranteed income supplement by five per cent for one year, providing up to $652 more to low-income seniors, tax-free.

Carney has promised a one-point cut to the middle class tax rate. He says more than 22 million Canadians would benefit from the tax cut and middle- and low-income Canadians would stand to benefit the most.

The NDP

Early in the campaign, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced affordability measures for Canadians and said his party would lift all seniors out of poverty by increasing the guaranteed income supplement.

Singh also has announced other policies that would affect all Canadians, including seniors.

He said the NDP would expand pharmacare to cover all medications and would connect everyone with a family doctor by 2030. He made that announcement alongside seniors who spoke about how losing their family doctors caused them turn to hospital emergency rooms for help.

What the experts are saying

Rudy Buttignol, president of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons, said he’s most impressed with the Conservatives’ platform so far -- especially with their promises to keep the retirement age at 65 and to allow working seniors to earn up to $34,000 tax-free.

He said that’s a “good move” because many seniors have no option but to keep working, given the rise in the cost of living.

“Seniors’ biggest fear is outliving their savings,” Buttignol said.

Buttignol said the Conservative policy promise to allow seniors to keep their savings in an RRSP until age 73 doesn’t go far enough and that his organization has been calling for the elimination of mandatory withdrawals.

“It should be in the hands of seniors to decide when they need to withdraw their retirement savings,” he said.

Buttignol said his group was surprised by how thin and temporary the Liberals’ promises are.

“For instance, the promise to address the guaranteed income supplement for low-income seniors, while it’s a good move, they’re only proposing a five per cent increase for one year,” he said. “And that’s basically $1.74 a day and I don’t think that’s going to make much of a difference in people’s lives. That was disappointing.”

He said the NDP’s promise to lift seniors out of poverty lacks specifics.

“Right now, as it stands, the Conservatives seem to have the more detailed (platform) in the right direction,” Buttignol said, adding that many seniors are worried that the next government will attack the old age security program.

He said his association is also calling for a “massive investment” in home care to deal with an aging population.

Cathy Hecimovich, chair of the Canadian Senior Living Association, said the organization supports initiatives that address affordability for seniors.

“We are pleased to see proposals from major parties that would bring a small measure of relief to Canada’s seniors,” she said. “However, CSLA would like to see a continuing program designed to provide seniors with stable, predictable support which allows them to make decisions that are best for their circumstances.”

Hecimovich said the organization is calling for a refundable tax credit for home support services.

“Housing policies and programs must include purpose-built senior living residences,” she said. “Seniors who choose to downsize should have access to incentives such as moving grants or tax credits to assist with their transition and to free up underutilized housing stock.”

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press