Key Poll Findings
Support for OAS Reform is Strong, Consistent, and Durable
Support for OAS reform isn’t new — and it isn’t fading.
Three quarters of Canadians supported reform in 2024, and three quarters still support it today — including 3 in 4 retirement age Canadians.
Support holds across regions, incomes, and political parties. Roughly 8 in 10 Liberal, Conservative and NDP voters are in favour of making OAS responsible, modern, and fair.
Stable, cross-partisan support over 18 months is rare in public opinion. Ottawa doesn’t need to wonder what Canadians think — it needs to act.
Canadians reject the status quo on OAS
Just 10% of Canadians think OAS should be left as is. The status quo is clearly the least popular option for Canadians.
Most Canadians Support Targeting OAS to Households with Incomes Below $100,000
Three quarters of Canadians agree that Canada should reduce OAS subsidies for retirees with six-figure incomes by lowering the household income eligibility threshold for OAS from $185,000 to $100,000 – so that the $7 billion annual savings can be used to eliminate seniors’ poverty and reduce living costs for younger Canadians.
Canadians understand that households with incomes of $185,000 don’t need more money from taxpayers to cope with rising living costs. We can tackle affordability pressures by better targeting cash subsidies where they will help the most.
Reducing the OAS threshold to $100,000 would ask just 20% of retirees to accept modestly smaller subsidies – about $3,000 after tax on average. For 80% of OAS recipients, benefits would be protected or improved, including for those living alone.
OAS reform isn’t about cuts — it’s about reining in the growth of Canada’s largest program so that we can make real progress on meeting other pressing national priorities. Every dollar sent to high-income retirees is a dollar not available to reduce seniors' poverty or ease cost pressures for young and working-age people.
Many Canadians Want Even Bolder Action
Most Canadians are ready to go even further to make OAS responsible, modern, and fair.
Six in ten agree that the OAS threshold should be the same or lower than the threshold for the Canada Child Benefit – currently set at $81,000. This bold move would increase annual savings from $7 billion to nearly $13 billion.
Clearly public opinion isn’t just supportive — it’s ambitious. Canadians from every region and income group support reducing the OAS threshold to $100,000, to better align eligibility for cash supports across the life course.
Canadians Back Fixing Ineffective Retirement Tax Credits
In addition to fixing OAS, Canadians want Ottawa to improve how other retirement supports are delivered.
63% support redirecting funds from two poorly designed tax shelters to offset rising OAS costs driven by population aging.
Despite costing taxpayers $7 billion a year, the Age and Pension Income Credits fail to benefit many low-income seniors – a design flaw most no longer want to tolerate. Seniors themselves are most likely to want a remedy from Ottawa: 69% agree that these funds could do more to reduce poverty and manage budget pressures if they were redirected into OAS.
