With millions of baby boomers knocking on the door, Canada’s seniors are poised to become an even more heterogeneous crowd than they are today, according to a new profile of people 65 years and over released by Statistics Canada.

The report suggests that over the coming years, what it means to be a “senior” could undergo an important re-assessment, especially as the baby boom generation turns 65.

For one thing, seniors are living longer. Near the beginning of the 20th Century, the average 65-year-old Canadian could expect to live another 13.3 years. In 2003, this individual could expect to live another 19.2 years.

Seniors themselves are changing. Financially, they are much better off than they were a quarter century ago. They are better educated, they are Internet savvy and they are active.

However, the report also points out that the characteristics of younger seniors aged 65 to 74 differ from those of their counterparts aged 85 and over, in many cases dramatically. This is especially true with respect to health, cultural origins, financial situations, living arrangements and so on.

Between 1981 and 2005, the number of seniors in Canada increased from 2.4 million to 4.2 million. Their share of the total population jumped from 9.6% to 13.1%.

The aging of the population will accelerate over the next two decades, particularly as baby boomers begin turning 65. Between 2006 and 2026, the number of seniors is projected to increase from 4.3 million to 9.8 million. Their share of the population is expected to increase from 13.2% to 21.2%.

Demographic trends will continue to vary considerably across age groups in the years ahead. Over the next two decades, the number of individuals aged 65 to 74 will almost double, from 2.3 million to about 4.5 million. The share of the total population comprised of these “young seniors” will increase from 7.0% to 11.9%.

The number of Canadians aged 85 plus will nearly double as well, rising from about 500,000 in 2006 to about 900,000 in 2026.

The financial situation of seniors has improved over the past quarter century. Between 1980 and 2003, the average total income (after tax) received by senior couples increased by 18%, from $36,300 to $42,800.

Increasing income levels have benefited seniors in lower income categories and have contributed to a decline in the incidence of low-income among this group. Even so, among seniors the incidence of low-income remains highest among women who live alone.

From the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s there was a steady decline in the share of older men participating in the paid labour force. But between 1996 and 2005 that share increased from 58.4% to 66.7% among men aged 55 to 64 and from 16.5% to 23.0% among men aged 65 to 69. Increases have been evident among older women as well.

According to the Labour Force Survey, just under 320,000 Canadians aged 65 and older participated in the labour force in 2005. The vast majority, about 308,000 were employed, while another 11,000 were actively looking for work. Altogether, this group accounted for 1.8% of the total labour force.

As more and more individuals in the baby boom generation slide into their 60s, the share of the labour force comprised of older workers will increase.