"Once it's past 18, they feel the pressure," [Cloutier] said. "That's the danger."

"You've got a situation where there's more need for hospital and long-term care beds," Cloutier said.

Manitoba's population of baby boomers will hit age 75 in 2021 and 85 in 2031, a so-called "tipping point" for the provincial health-care system. Cloutier said they've been beefing up community care and establishing programs like PRIME, where seniors can visit doctors and pharmacists on a weekly basis, and investing in 24-hour care through supportive housing projects.