ObjectivesWe assess how different scenarios of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, aimed at meeting targets set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for 2025), may impact healthcare spending in Quebec, Canada over the 2050 horizon.MethodsWe provide long-term forecasts of healthcare use and costs at the Quebec population level using a novel dynamic microsimulation model. Using both survey and administrative data, we simulate the evolution of the Quebec population’s health status until death, through a series of dynamic transitions that accounts for social and demographic characteristics associated with CVD risk factors.ResultsA 25% reduction in CVD mortality between 2012 and 2025 achieved through decreased incidence could contain the pace of healthcare cost growth towards 2050 by nearly 7 percentage points for consultations with a physician, and by almost 9 percentage points for hospitalizations. Over the 2012–2050 period, the present value of cost savings is projected to amount to C$13.1 billion in 2012 dollars. The years of life saved due to improved life expectancy could be worth another C$38.2 billion. Addressing CVD mortality directly instead would bring about higher healthcare costs, but would generate more value in terms of years of life saved, at C$69.6 billion.ConclusionsPotential savings associated with plausible reductions in CVD, aimed at reaching a World Health Organization target over a 12-year period, are sizeable and may help address challenges associated with an aging population.

One of the most important socio-economic changes over the course of the last few decades has been the massive influx of women into the workforce. While men still maintain a higher participation rate in paid work, the gap has diminished over time. Women's headway in the workforce is closely linked to the remarkable progress they have made in education. But women's advantage in education does not translate into the wages they receive. While, on average, the gender pay gap has diminished over the last 25 years, women continue to earn less than men, even among younger and better-educated generations. Why is this the case? This synthesis examines the contribution of numerous statistical studies using Statistics Canada's microdata and shedding light on the relative merits of four hypotheses that have been posited to explain the presence and evolution of the gender wage gap.This synthesis is also available in English on the CRDCN website at www.rdc-cdr.ca.

Quebecers are living longer than ever before as a result of better health as well as improved educational attainment and economic well-being. Using a dynamic microsimulation model, we show that an aging workforce will not necessarily mean a decline in Quebec employment levels in the coming years. Because future experienced workers will be more educated and more of them will remain in employment for longer, we project that annual growth rates in employment will stay positive, averaging between 0.2 and 0.3 percent over the next two decades. Between 2035 and 2050, employment could contribute nearly 0.3 percentage points to annual economic growth in Quebec.

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