Saskatchewan does away with mandatory retirement
Canadian Press

CTV.ca
November 6, 2006

REGINA -- Seniors groups and business people in Saskatchewan welcomed proposed legislation Monday that would do away with mandatory retirement at age 65.

The province hopes the change will help it deal with a growing labour shortage.

"This legislation recognizes that our older citizens can continue to make meaningful contributions in the workforce,'' said Justice Minister Frank Quennell.

"It also recognizes that senior, experienced employees are a valuable resource, especially in work environments where labour shortages are a current or future concern.''

Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba have already done away with mandatory retirement.

Saskatchewan's law would keep the current exemption for jobs such as firefighting, where age could relate to physical abilities.

It's not expected the bill would become law before December 2007.

The change would help business owners who are struggling to fill 16,000 vacant jobs, said Marilyn Braun-Pollon of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

"Business owners are scrambling for labour,'' she said. "The level of concern over the shortage of qualified labour is at its highest point ever in Saskatchewan and it's only expected to get worse.''

The Canadian Association of Retired Persons has long argued that mandatory retirement is discriminatory.

Bill Gleberzon, the association's co-director of government relations, noted that by 2030, one out of every four Canadians will be over the age of 65.

"There are not going to be enough young people ... to replace all of those that are retiring,'' he said from Toronto.

"Older people are going to be needed more as gaps are created in employment.''