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Census data showed that the aging of Canada's labour force continued between 2001 and 2006. In 2006, workers aged 55 and older accounted for 15.3% of the total labour force, up from 11.7% five years earlier.
This was the result of the baby boom generation approaching retirement age, and the increased tendency for older workers to participate in the labour force.
As a result, the median age of the labour force surpassed the 40-year mark for the first time; it rose from 39.5 years in 2001 to 41.2 years in 2006. The median is the point where half are above and half below.
According to the census, just over 2 million individuals aged 55 to 64 were employed in 2006, 43.0% more than in 2001. At the same time, the overall labour force participation rate for this group increased from 54.0% to 59.7%.