My conversation with Dr. Haidong Liang, CEO of WE Seniors, offered a window into the mind of a leader who has spent more than a decade reshaping how our communities support older adults. Since 2011, he has guided WE Seniors through major growth, secured over $8-million in funding, and championed programs that celebrate inclusion, multicultural outreach, and meaningful connection. His impact has been recognized with honours such as Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40, the Minister’s Seniors Service Award, and both the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal and the King Charles III Coronation Medal. We spoke about his path into gerontology, the values that guide his work, and his hopeful vision for how Alberta can continue to transform the aging experience.

KL: Tell us about your background and what brought you into the seniors sector.

HL: I came to Canada in 2002 to study, and stayed because I fell in love with the landscape and the opportunities here. Influenced by my father’s wisdom and advice, I focused on leisure, recreation, and gerontology—areas that matter once people’s material needs are met, and they seek richer social and spiritual lives. I completed a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Recreation Management and Gerontology at the University of Manitoba and a PhD in Leisure, Recreation and Gerontology at the University of Alberta. Working in the seniors sector has been joyful and meaningful: every conversation with an older person reveals a life story that deserves respect.

KL: Why do you challenge common views about aging?

HL: I believe aging is not a disease. Too often, society treats getting older as something to fear or hide. My goal is to shift that narrative: aging is a normal, shared human process with its own dignity and unique joys. I want people to see that we can live our later years with health, elegance, and purpose.

KL: What is the biggest issue older adults face today?

HL: I see social isolation as the most pressing and universal challenge. Before the pandemic, one in four Canadian seniors already faced social isolation; COVID-19 made things worse, especially for racialized seniors who encounter language and economic barriers. Leisure, physical activity, and community programs can reconnect people and rebuild supportive networks.

KL: What does the WE Seniors concept mean?

HL: I coined WE Seniors to reframe how we think about aging. Biologically, aging is a shared journey. From a service perspective, a senior’s social network includes family, friends, neighbours, and caregivers. WE Seniors advocates equality, care, and opportunity by designing programs that actively engage those networks. The message is simple and inclusive: we are all connected to aging, and together we can make growing older a positive, joyful experience.

KL: How has WE Seniors grown, and what recognitions have you received?

HL: I am proud that WE Seniors, founded in 1978 in Edmonton, now serves over 2,000 members with 100+ programs and more than 150 volunteers contributing 10,000+ hours annually. In recent years, we expanded through the WESeniors platform, formed the Alberta Seniors Alliance, and extended services into community leagues, churches, schools and rural communities. The Alberta Seniors Alliance, under the WESeniors platform, is together serving over 10,000 seniors, broadening our reach across the province. In recognition of our efforts, WE Seniors received the 2019 Minister’s Seniors Service Award (one of only two Alberta recipients) and was the sole Alberta recipient of the 2025 Healthy Aging Impact Award — Heart of the Community Award for exceptional leadership in building collaborative community partnerships.

Ministers Senior Service Award 2019.JPEG

KL: How is technology, especially AI, part of the Centre’s strategy?

HL: I see technology as an enabler, not a replacement for human connection. Thoughtful use of tools such as AI lets us scale our reach and find isolated seniors more quickly while preserving the warmth of face-to-face relationships. Technology makes our work more efficient and effective, but people always remain at the center, so we will continue to prioritize and deepen in-person connections.

I believe the seniors or aging industry is an untapped gold mine, an economic engine that can drive growth for our city, province, and country. WE Seniors is a living example of a social enterprise reshaping the seniors-serving sector: combining compassion, smart program design, and technology to turn care into opportunity and social isolation into belonging. If we invest in this sector with imagination and heart, we won’t just improve lives, we’ll build a stronger, kinder economy for everyone.

Aging with Dignity: An Interview with Dr. Haidong Liang on Gerontology and the Future of the Seniors Sector