Here are some more details from the articles in our December Newsletter.
Eventually, we all retire!
Saving for retirement is one of the most important financial steps you can take, and 2026 is the perfect time to build a solid budget that supports your long-term goals. A well-planned retirement strategy gives you freedom, security, and peace of mind, ensuring you can maintain your lifestyle even after you stop working.
Creating a realistic budget, tracking your spending, and contributing consistently to your savings or pension plan, gives your future self the gift of stability. Small, steady decisions made today can lead to meaningful growth tomorrow.
As Canadians age, we benefit from advances in healthcare, lifestyle and technology. As a result, we are living longer. Life expectancy is more than 82 years, with many Canadians living into their 90’s. This means that if Canadians are living longer, they have more years of retirement spending that they need to save for. Will you outlive your retirement savings?
Start saving now—your retirement depends on the choices you make in 2026.
Diabetes in First Nations Communities
Type 2 diabetes is a critical health concern among Indigenous peoples in Canada. Indigenous peoples are among the highest-risk populations for diabetes and related complications compared to non-Indigenous Canadians.
A range of social, economic, biological and environmental factors have contributed to increased rates of diabetes and its complications among Indigenous peoples in Canada. The legacy of Canada's historic colonial practices and policies, systemic racism, intergenerational trauma, disruption of cultural identity and self-determination, and restricted access to and control of traditional lands have all contributed to the inequities experienced by Indigenous peoples.
The Government of Canada is committed to reducing the prevalence of diabetes and its complications in First Nations and Inuit communities across Canada. Through the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative (ADI), Indigenous Services Canada funds and supports culturally appropriate, community-directed and designed health promotion and diabetes prevention programming and services in First Nations and Inuit communities.
Get more information on the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative.
How your eyes are affected by diabetes:
- Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of vision loss in Canada in working-age adults.
- The risk of blindness is 25 times higher in those with diabetes vs. the general population.
- 20% of diabetics had diabetic retinopathy prior to being diagnosed with diabetes.
- Poorly managed diabetes can also contribute to macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts and dry eye disease.
For more interesting eye facts, check out the Canadian Association of Optometrists.
