Songs of Experience: Mature Workers and Labour Market Transitions

Strategies for Mature and Retiring Workers moving in and out of employment

A mature worker is anyone in the labour force between the ages of 45-74. In 2006, workers aged 55 and older accounted for 15.3% of the total labour force, an increase of 11.7% from 2001. This is the result of the baby boom generation approaching retirement age and the increased tendency for older workers to participate in the labour force.

Census 2006 reported that there were 799,005 individuals between the age of 45 and 74 in Toronto. The total population for the City of Toronto in 2006 was 2,503,280. As a proportion of this, those aged 45 to 59 represented 20.4% and those aged 60 to 74 represented 11.5%.

These proportions are predicted to grow as the later and larger part of the baby-boom generation ages. The two principal forces behind these increases are an aging population and rising labour force participation rates among older workers. The issue of mature workers either remaining in or returning to, the workforce was identified in the Toronto Workforce Innovation Groups “Trends, Opportunities, and Priorities” (TOP) report, January 2008 and again in January 2009.

This project explores the various strategies mature and retiring workers are using to transition into and out of employment. The strategies used by employers in retaining the knowledge, skills and abilities of mature workers were also examined. The intent was to provide a snapshot of the state of the labour market for mature workers in Toronto.