The International Longevity Centre Canada (ILC–Canada) has worked in partnership with the LIFE Research Institute and the University of Ottawa since 2016. It is an independent, non-partisan policy think tank focusing on advocating for the rights of older people in Canada and supporting the application of knowledge to positively impact our aging world so that older people can lead healthy, fulfilling and active lives. Part of a global alliance of 16 countries, their mission is to propose ideas and guidance for policies addressing population aging based on international and domestic research and practice with a view to bettering the lives of Canadians. ILC-Canada works with the LRI, the private sector, the civil society and the governments to inform and influence important decision-making processes. ILC-Canada is a strong advocate for a United Nations n Convention on the Rights of Older People.

Healthy living and healthy behavioural choices across the lifespan are key to preventing brain-heart illnesses. Nevertheless, millions of people have unhealthy lifestyles. Research examining the factors that hinder healthy living has focused on the individual’s behavioural choices without considering their social, cultural, and physical contexts. The LIFE Research Institute is collaborating with the Brain-Heart Interconnectome to examine the challenges to healthy living in individuals from various age groups, economic status, culture, and geographic locations, and living with various health conditions. We believe that individuals are more likely to adopt healthy living choices when these choices are socially supported, culturally relevant, and facilitated by the physical environment.