OMERS Releases Retire Ready Impact Report
June 2, 2025
With so much beyond our control, the ability to make a plan is within our control.
So begins OMERS recently released Retire Ready Impact Report, based on new research from Pollara Strategic Insights. This poll featured 1,500+ randomly selected Ontario residents; roughly a 50/50 split between retired and non-retired.
What it found was extremely interesting:
Retirement preparation
Only 4 in 10 non-retired Ontarians have started planning for retirement.
Retired women were less likely than retired men to have planned ahead for their retirement (34% vs. 44%).
The gap continues among those still working, with non-retired women also less likely than men to have started a plan.
More than half of retired respondents wish they had done more to prepare for physical health and fitness.
Views on Retirement
71% of retired Ontarians believe retirement planning should focus on both financial and non-financial planning.
Retirement in practice
More than 80% of Ontarians are happy with how their retirement is going.
When asked if they have achieved their “ideal” retirement (when they want, in good health and with sufficient financial resources) this drops to just over 60%.
Almost 40% of retirees had a solid holistic plan and reported greater happiness in retirement.
Retiring with a pension
Retirees with a pension plan were much more likely to be better prepared (85%), had a solid plan for retirement (43%) or had given it some thought (42%) versus those who don’t have a pension plan (66%; 30% solid plan; 35% thought about it).
Throughout the report, one theme continued to emerge: the importance of having a plan well before your retirement arrives.
Since its release, the report has received coverage in Benefits and Pensions Monitor, The Pension Pulse and Benefits Canada.
You can read the full report here.