About pensions in Alberta, news and links

News

• The following documents have been updated to reflect the 2021 YMPE (Year’s Maximum Pensionable Earnings), and Financial Hardship Unlocking program updates (effective January 1, 2021; posted January 4, 2021):
  • Interest Rate Tables
  • Accessing Pension Funds
  • General program and process
  • Reasons to unlock
  • Application to Unlock Alberta Funds Due to Financial Hardship (Form 23) (fillable version) (PDF, 236 KB) - effective January 1, 2021
    Note: if you have trouble opening this form, you may use the non-fillable version (PDF, 163 KB), which you may print and complete by hand.
• Superintendent's List of Financial Institutions offering Locked-in Pension Products (December 31, 2020)
• 20-07: Electronic Beneficiary Designation (PDF, 255 KB) (December 10, 2020)
• 20-06: Online Filing of Documents (PDF, 260 KB) (September 30, 2020)
• Pension forms updated (September 29, 2020):
  • Application for Registration of a Pension Plan (PDF, 861 KB) (Form 18)
  • Annual Information Return (PDF, 752 KB) (Form 19)
• EPPA Update 20-05: Filing Fee for Pension Plans effective October 1, 2020 (PDF, 295 KB) (September 23, 2020)
• EPPA Update 20-04: Additional COVID-19 Relief Measures (PDF, 318 KB) (June 24, 2020)
• EPPA Update 20-03: Additional COVID-19 Relief Measures (PDF, 145 KB) (June 3, 2020)
• EPPA Update 20-02: Adoption of the 2020 Agreement Respecting Multi-Jurisdictional Pension Plans (PDF, 144 KB) (June 2, 2020)
  Alberta has signed the 2020 Agreement Respecting Multi-Jurisdictional Pension Plans.
• EPPA Update 20-01: COVID-19 Relief Measures (PDF, 144 KB) (April 1, 2020)
• EPPA Update 19-02: Employment Pension Plans Act and Regulation Amendments (PDF, 228 KB) (November 28, 2019)
  On November 22, 2019, Bill 22: Reform of Agencies, Boards and Commissions and Government Enterprises Act, 2019 received Royal Assent. Additionally, on that same day, Order in Council 235/2019 was signed in respect of the Budget Implementation (Pensions) Amendment Regulation. Finally, on November 26, 2019, Order in Council 258/2019 was signed in respect of the Pension Plans Regulations (Family Property) Amendment Regulation. This EPPA Update is designed to provide Plan Administrators and service providers with information regarding the changes. This Update is limited to changes made to the EPPA and the associated Regulation (EPPR).
• EPPA Update 19-01: Filing Fee for Pension Plans effective October 1, 2019 (PDF, 190 KB) (September 18, 2019)

Types of pensions in Alberta

There are several types of pensions for people in the province of Alberta. Most pension plans fall into one of 4 categories:

Private sector employment pensions

Private sector employment pensions are pension plans established by private sector employers (or groups of employers or unions) for their employees. For more information, see Pension plans registered under the Employment Pension Plans Act.

Public sector employment pensions

Public sector employment pensions are pension plans for employees working in the public sector, (provincial and municipal public service, health and education).

Retirement income programs administered by the federal government for Canadians

Further information on the following programs is available from the federal government. The provinces are joint stewards of the Canada Pension Plan along with the federal government, and help establish policy for the Canada Pension Plan.

• Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
• Old Age Security (OAS)
• Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)

Alberta Seniors Benefits Program

This program provides support in addition to the federal benefits received under Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement, Federal Allowance and the GST credit. It is based on income and provides monthly benefits to eligible seniors. For details, see Alberta Seniors Benefit Program.

For information on other benefits and programs, see: Quick Facts - Programs and Services for Seniors.

Federally regulated pension plans

Please note that pension plans established by companies in federally regulated industries (such as banks, airlines, and telecommunications companies) are governed by the federal pension standards legislation, the Pension Benefits Standards Act, (1985) (Canada).
 
The federal government's Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions is the primary regulator and supervisor of federally regulated private sector pension plans. The federal government also manages the pension plans for federal public service employees.

Accessing pension funds

For information on accessing pension funds, see Information for individuals - Unlocking pension funds.

Related websites

Private sector plans (current and former members)

• Federal - Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI)
• British Columbia Financial Services Authority (BCFSA)
• Manitoba Pension Commission
• New Brunswick Financial and Consumer Services Commission
• Newfoundland and Labrador Pensions Division
• Nova Scotia Pension Regulation Division
• Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO)
• Retrait Québec
• Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan

Alberta public sector pension plans

• Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo)
• Alberta Pensions Services Corporation (APS)
• Alberta Teachers' Retirement Fund Board (ATRF)
• Local Authorities Pension Plan (LAPP)
• Management Employees Pension Plan (MEPP)
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP)
• Special Forces Pension Plan (SFPP)

Government of Canada pension related sites

• Bank of Canada
• Canada Revenue Agency
• Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
• Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)
• Old Age Security Program (OAS)
• Statistics Canada

Other pension related sites

• Association of Canadian Pension Management
• Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities (CAPSA)
• Canadian Institute of Actuaries (CIA)
• Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta
• Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada
• Canadian Securities Administrators
• Financial Services Ombudsnetwork
• Money Mentors (Credit Counselling Services of Alberta Ltd.)
• Rotman International Centre for Pension Management

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Contact

Pension plans registered under the Employment Pension Plans Act (EPPA)

Connect with the Office of the Alberta Superintendent of Pensions:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-8322 
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]

Address:
Alberta Superintendent of Pensions
Alberta Treasury Board and Finance
Financial Sector Regulation and Policy
402 Terrace Building
9515 107 Street
Edmonton, Alberta  T5K 2C3

Public sector pensions

Contact the following for information on:

• Alberta Teachers’ Pension Plans: Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund Board
• Local Authorities Pension Plan: LAPP Contact
• Public Service Pension Plan: PSPP Contact
• Special Forces Pension Plan: SFPP Contact
• Universities Academic Pension Plan: UAPP Contact
• All other Alberta Public Sector Pension Plans: Alberta Pensions Services Corporation
• Federal pension plans: Canada Pension Plan or Old Age Security