$60bn Canadian financiers launch longevity institute

Canadian life insurer and asset manager Manulife has boosted its presence in the healthy ageing sector with the launch of a US$350m Longevity Institute.

Valued at US$60bn, Manulife has been active in the longevity space for some time and says the new institute will see it fund ‘innovative research, and key industry collaborations’.

Manulife’s chief sustainability officer Ariel Kangasniemi told Agetech World: “Our ambitions go beyond helping our customers to simply add more years to their lives; we’re investing in putting more life in the years.

“Because of this, we’re approaching longevity through different avenues; each one mindful of broader forces, seen and unseen, that influence better outcomes for health and wealth of people.

“The Longevity Institute is a time-bound commitment designed to drive action and insights to meet the trends impacting our industry, customers, and communities, and the challenges and opportunities presented by the growing gap between lifespans and health-spans.”

Manulife serves over 36 million customers, primarily in the North American and Asian markets. It is currently partnered with three key players in the longevity space.

Namely;

-The Canadian National Institute of Ageing

-Milken Institute, of California

-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) AgeLab

Ms Kangasniemi continued: “The gap between how long people live (lifespan) and their quality of life (healthspan) is widening.

“Backed by our US$350m commitment, the Longevity Institute will reflect both the legacy of our leading partnerships and build new momentum through 2030.

“It will help to unify and scale efforts across our global footprint. The Longevity Institute’s initiatives at launch include ongoing work with the MIT AgeLab, National Institute on Ageing, and Milken Institute.

Key collaborations

In the US Manulife’s creation will be known as the John Hancock Longevity Institute – named after the 19thC entrepreneur-philanthropist – and over the next four years it will deliver an annual ‘first-of-its-kind’ Longevity Preparedness Index.

This aims to measure the readiness of US adults for longer living by examining eight key domains: social connection, finance, daily activities, care, home, community, health, and life transitions.

Manulife is supporting Canada’s National Institute on Ageing’s annual ‘Ageing in Canada Survey in 2026’, in partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University.

This will explore the lived experiences of Canadians aged 50-plus to inform policies that promote healthy ageing.

In recent years Manulife has supported the California-based Milken Institute to advance thought leadership and research on the key issues shaping longevity and the future of health.

Ms Kangasniemi added: “Having started with our own research from around the world, we know it’s more likely than not that people think ‘Longevity’ equals lifespan.

‘Putting more life into our years’

“Our ambitions go beyond helping our customers to simply adding more years to their lives; we’re investing in putting more life in the years.

“Because of this, we approach longevity through different avenues – each one mindful of broader forces, seen and unseen, that influence better outcomes for health and wealth of people.

“The Longevity Institute is a time-bound commitment designed to drive action and insights to meet the trends impacting our industry, customers, and communities, and the challenges and opportunities presented by the growing gap between lifespans and healthspans.

“It reflects our commitment to empowering health, wealth, and longevity, which is a core focus of our refreshed enterprise strategy.”

Phil Witherington, president and CEO of Manulife, added: “Empowering health, wealth, and longevity is central to Manulife’s bold new ambition.

“It aligns with our values and our commitment to the communities we operate in, and we are uniquely placed to help individuals and families navigate the growing gap between lifespan and healthspan.

“For generations now, Manulife has supported customers at every stage of life, and we see a powerful opportunity to scale our expertise and help even more people live longer, healthier, better lives.

“Through the Longevity Institute, we will partner with organisations that share our purpose, unlock new insights, drive innovation, and create a future where everyone can thrive – at any age.”