The majority of Canadians say even if they could afford to retire, they'd continue to punch the clock, according to an RBC poll released Thursday.

The survey, one of many to be released by the banks over the coming month as Canadians contemplate their RRSP contributions, also found that 56 per cent of respondents said they planned to work as long as possible.

RBC said this proportion fell to 43 per cent among people 55 and older.

With 82 per cent of Canadians saying they would work past retirement, the results reflect a shift in how Canadians view retirement, said RBC spokeswoman Lee Anne Davies.

"The definition of retirement is changing to include some form of work. Many Canadians may not feel that they are ready to make the transition into full retirement and continuing to work helps them to stay engaged and connected," she said in a release.

The survey, which included 1,200 Canadians polled from Oct. 23 to Nov. 5, 2007, also included the following statistics:

• Nearly four in 10 expect to work past the age of 65.
• Three in 10 Canadians who have an RRSP plan intend on maximizing their contribution.
• Seven in 10 Canadians say they think they could return to the workforce if they needed more income after retiring.

According to Canada's Urban Futures Institute, some 9.8 million Canadian baby boomers — people born between 1946 and 1964 — are approaching retirement. By 2020, the number of Canadians retiring each year will be 425,000.

Statistics Canada said in 2005 about 3.6 million workers were within 10 years of retirement age, composing 22.1 per cent of the total, up from 10.3 per cent in 1986.

Results of the RBC study are accurate within +/-2.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.