Ontario has banned mandatory retirement at the age of 65, allowing people in the province to continue working until later in life.

Ontario Labour Minister Steve Peters called it a historic step, saying the new law will provide greater fairness and choice for workers aged 65 and older.

"Ending mandatory retirement is the right thing to do. It provides choice

and removes discrimination in the workplace against older workers without

undermining existing rights to pensions, early retirement and benefits plans,"

said Peters.

The law will go into effect in about a year, allowing businesses to make whatever adjustments are necessary to comply with the legislation.

"We want to give Ontarians time to get ready for the change. Some employers, for instance, may need to adapt their human resources policies and practices to comply with the law," said Peters.

"People are healthier and living longer so it is unfair to insist that they stop working simply because they turn 65. Ending mandatory retirement allows workers to decide when to retire based on lifestyle, circumstance and priorities."

Not everyone welcomed the new law.

Wayne Samuelson, president of the Ontario Federation of Labour, warned that in years to come, employees can expect to work up to the age of 67 or beyond before they can access government benefits.

Samuelson also brushed aside assertions by the province that the law won’t undermine early retirement rights or existing pension plans.

“That’s crap,” Samuelson said. “I’ve been going to union meetings all my life . . . and I’ve never seen anybody stand up and demand that they work longer. People want to work less. They want to have a decent pension. That’s the debate we should be having.”

Other provinces and territories that have banned mandatory retirement include Manitoba, Quebec, Alberta, Prince Edward Island, the Yukon and Northwest Territories.