r/CanadianRetirement

What is the best retirement life like? Are there any retired people who can share their experiences?

I’m retired and doing long-term care planning. And trying to understand how transitioning from private-pay to government-subsidized care works in Metro Vancouver.

My plan is to have an "untouchable" fund to pay out of pocket for about 3 years at maximum private rates (e.g., $15,000/month) at a dual-license nursing home that offers both private-pay and government-subsidized beds like Villa Cathay, Point Grey, or Weinberg. My rationale is that research shows the average stay in complex nursing care is roughly 3 years or less.

My specific question is: What happens if I outlive my money while living in a private-pay bed at one of these homes?

Do I get prioritized / put next in line for an internal conversion to one of that home’s government-subsidized beds?

Or does VCH put me in general waitlist for any available subsidized bed across the region?

If anyone has family experience into how VCH handles this exact scenario (private-pay to subsidized transition within the same facility), I would really appreciate input.

My husband retired at 60 we are fine financially and are living in our savings (I’m still working) and my pay. We are fine financially…so I’m not asking when to take these.

My question is, is his CPP going to go down because he’s not contributing to it for the next 5 years? Or will it be what they say it will be on the service Canada site

I'm looking to validate my diy plan with a financial planner. Does anyone have experience with the expected fee for service costs in BC?

I'm using mayretire and other diy tools, but I would like another set of eyes from a professional.

Cheers

I am almost 66 and still working full-time. Due to the economy and family circumstances I have decided to start collecting my CPP this year.

During 2025 I paid almost 4K into CPP, which doesnt include what my employer contributed on my behalf. I just found out that my PRB is only $4 per month, which feels like a kick in the teeth.

Does the PRB get any better or am I wasting my hard earned dollars to keep contributing? Does anyone have any experience with this? At this rate it would take a long time to regain the 4k yearly out of my paycheck, so I would appreciate your experiences. Thanks.

I’m 41M and my wife 40F. We own a $1.5 mil home in Ancaster(8 years old), Ontario.(Paid for.) We have zero debt. Two moderate cars. 3 children age 10, 8 and 4.
My non registered $145K
My tfsa $160K
My rrsp $545K
Kids resp $50K
My work gives scholarship $4K a year per child.
My wife’s non registered $55K
Wife’s tfsa $145K
Wife’s rrsp $50K
My income is $150+ per year
Wife’s $75 per year.
I hold like to retire by 55