In Memoriam: Bob Baldwin

August 15, 2025 – The C.D. Howe Institute and its staff mourn the passing of Bob Baldwin, a long-time Institute contributor and renowned pension policy expert.

A leading voice in Canadian pension policy, Bob was the author of numerous Institute publications advising Canadians on their retirement savings and income, and a valued member of both the Institute’s National Council and Pension Policy Council. Notably, he joined the latter in 2010 and was involved in the Pension Policy Council’s leadership since 2017.

“Canada has lost a true champion of retirement security,” said William B.P. Robson, President and CEO of the C.D. Howe Institute. “Bob’s passion, wisdom and leadership shaped critical policy conversations for decades, and he will be deeply missed.”

Earlier this year, Bob became the Institute’s first Fellow Emeritus, a designation that recognized his outstanding contributions over the years and his embodiment of the Institute’s mission to promote policies that enhance Canadians’ prosperity and quality of life. He also recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Institute of Ageing at Toronto Metropolitan University.

“Bob consistently led with wisdom, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the people behind the pensions. The frameworks he has helped build, the policies he has influenced, and the discussions he has sparked will continue to benefit generations to come,” said Barbara Zvan, President and Chief Executive Officer of the University Pension Plan Ontario, Senior Fellow with the Institute and Co-Chair of the Pension Policy Council.

“Those of us who have had the privilege of working with Bob are better professionals because of him—more thoughtful, more informed, and more dedicated to the work that matters.”

Beyond the Institute, Bob’s contributions to the Canadian pension policy included serving as Chair of the Canada Pension Plan Advisory Committee, Trustee and Chair of the CWIPP and an advisor to the Ontario Expert Commission on Pensions. He was also a member of the Expert Panel on Income Security of the Ottawa Council on Aging and the panel to review assumptions from the OTPP.

The C.D. Howe Institute’s leadership and staff extend their heartfelt condolences to Bob’s family, friends and associates.