Latest news with #CanadaPensionPlan
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Majority of Albertans rejected provincial pension in 2023 survey
Nearly two-thirds of respondents to the Alberta government's pension engagement survey did not want to dump the Canada Pension Plan and switch to a plan run by the province. Numbers provided by the government showed 63 per cent of people who responded to the survey were opposed to an Alberta pension, 10 per cent were in favour and 12 per cent were undecided or unsure. The remaining 15 per cent was made up of people whose responses were incomplete, or contained questions or suggestions for "other alternatives." The survey results were released to the Edmonton Journal this week after a 21-month battle. The newspaper reported that it asked the province for the responses on multiple occasions only to be met with refusal or documents full of redactions. The data was finally posted to the government's open data site this week after the privacy and information commissioner became involved. In its response, the government cited two 2025 polls which suggested public opinion was shifting in favour of a provincial pension plan "While recent surveys on an APP show public opinion may be shifting, we will continue to engage with Albertans on this topic through the Alberta Next panel," Marisa Breeze, press secretary to finance minister Nate Horner, wrote. "The Alberta Pension Protection Act guarantees we won't replace the CPP with an Alberta Pension Plan unless Albertans approve it in a referendum." Responses in the document called the idea "reckless" and the survey "a farce." "I do not support this idea. I will move out of Alberta if this happens," one respondent said. "I am Canadian first and fully support the Canada Pension Plan. "Withdrawal from the CPP would be a horrendous miscalculation that will impact our province for generations to come," said another. WATCH | Why Alberta says it's entitled to half of the Canada Pension Plan: One respondent characterized the government's pension ambitions as "political posturing." "Stop playing games with my retirement to spite the rest of the country," another wrote. Supporters of a provincial pension said they wanted Alberta to be independent from Ottawa. "Alberta has paid dearly since Confederation," one respondent wrote. "We deserve independence financially." Edmonton-Decore MLA Sharif Haji, the NDP opposition critic for affordability and utilities, said the results prove that Albertans do not want a provincial pension. He criticized the government for trying to hide the survey answers. "It took close to two years," Haji said. "What it tells me is that they never wanted to share because the result was not the one that they wanted." Haji said an Alberta pension plan is part of Premier Danielle Smith's separation agenda, which includes the push for an Alberta provincial police service. In 2023, the province released a report from an independent third party called Lifeworks, that claimed Alberta would be entitled to 53 per cent or $344 billion of the CPP if it withdrew from the national plan in 2027. But Canada's chief actuary determined late last year that the amount was between 20 and 25 per cent of the $575 billion plan. Smith has said Albertans would have to approve an exit from the CPP via a referendum before her government made any move. An engagement panel led by former provincial treasurer Jim Dinning held town halls on the pension issue in the fall of 2023.
CTV News
4 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
Opposition, unions back up 63% of Albertans against provincial pension
Aerial shot of the Alberta legislature on Monday, May 26, 2025. (Cam Wiebe/CTV News Edmonton) Survey results on a provincial pension plan show many Albertans are dead-set against what Premier Danielle Smith has been pushing since stepping into office. On Wednesday, the province quietly released raw data from a survey done nearly two years ago showing only 10 per cent of respondents were for an Alberta Pension Plan (APP). But Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) president Gil McGowan said the results of the survey aren't what's surprising. 'What's really significant is that the UCP government seems determined to proceed with this crazy notion to pull Alberta out of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), despite clear opposition to this idea,' said McGowan. 'This poll is just the latest evidence that Albertans are dead-set against this idea. 'Albertans should be outraged by our premier's continued refusal to take no for an answer.' Premier Smith has touted an APP will be of benefit to Albertans, who she says are disproportionately represented in the CPP. A LifeWorks report from 2023 calculated that Alberta would be entitled to 53 per cent of the CPP — about $334 billion — if it leaves. Other economists, however, have estimated Alberta's share to be closer to 15 to 20 per cent. 'The CPP isn't perfect, but it is one of the best and most secure and stable pension systems in the entire world,' said McGowan, adding that he's spoken to thousands of AFL members who want the province to keep their hands off their pensions. 'It's not Danielle Smith's money. These are the retirement savings of literally millions of Albertans. People are relying on them and they don't want our provincial government to be playing political games with their retirement security.' The CPP is currently working on an enhancement that will increase the maximum pension by more than 50 per cent for those who make enhanced contributions for 40 years. The maximum level of earnings protected by the CPP was also increased by 14 per cent over 2024 and 2025. NPD leader Naheed Nenshi also wasn't taken aback by the results or the way they were released. 'This government held these results from Albertans for nearly two years … and this is just very typical of this government.' said Nenshi. 'They lie, they cheat, they hide information from the public to get their ideological work done.' Naheed Nenshi Leader of the Alberta NDP Naheed Nenshi speaks to media about the Alberta 2025 budget in Edmonton, on Thursday February 27, CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson (JASON FRANSON/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Nenshi said the UCP government spent some $9 million on advertising to convince Albertans the APP was the right thing to do, but when they were asked to release the results, they consistently refused. 'The Information Privacy Commissioner forced them to release the results, and this is what came out: everyone hates it,' said Nenshi. 'And that's obviously why the government didn't want to release this information, but taxpayers paid for it — they have the right to see it. The opposition leader said the real reason Smith wants an APP is to control investments and use pension funds to invest in things that align with her interests, not the interests of Albertans. 'I think the government needs to take the loss and move forward,' said Nenshi. CUPE Alberta President Raj Uppal said an Alberta plan would cost more and deliver weaker investment returns and smaller pensions. 'I know Smith likes to flirt with separatists, but the CPP is one of the strongest reasons for Alberta to remain in Canada,' said Uppal. 'The premier needs to abandon this idea and stop threatening the retirement security of Albertans.' Moshe Lander, a senior lecturer at Concordia University in Montreal, told CTV News Edmonton the issue of an APP is likely very low on the federal finance minister's to-do list. 'I don't think it's a priority at all until there's a clear sign that Alberta has voted for independence,' said Lander. 'They have so many other things to worry about that are now and that are legitimate. This is not one of them.' A statement from the federal department of finance said a separate provincial pension plan would mean Albertans would no longer enjoy the same economies of scale, pooling of risk and investment advantage that is currently available through the CPP. SUB: 10 per cent of Albertans are still on board with an APP One Alberta senior said she'd much rather go with Alberta than the federal government on a pension plan. 'You look at Quebec and the power they have and they have their own pension plan,' said Irene Moyer. 'I think Alberta would be way better off.' Moyer is skeptical of the federal government's spending and said Ottawa holds Alberta hostage. 'I'm going to be fine because of my age, but I look at people coming up and I wonder if there will even be a pension for them.' A respondent to the survey said Alberta deserves a better deal than what it's been given by the federal government. 'Alberta has always overcontributed to CPP … with no thanks from Canadians,' said another comment from a survey respondent. 'Enough. Leave CPP.' Results from the survey show 63 per cent of respondents were against the APP while 12 per cent were unsure. Fifteen per cent of the responses were incomplete. The province said it will continue to engage with Albertans on an APP through the Alberta Next panel despite the survey results. Premier of Alberta Danielle Smith speaks to media prior to the First Minister's Meeting in Saskatoon on Monday, June 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards Premier of Alberta Danielle Smith speaks to media prior to the First Minister's Meeting in Saskatoon on Monday, June 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards The Ministry of Treasury Board and Finance did not provide a new statement to CTV News Edmonton and reiterated comments made Wednesday. The Alberta Pension Protection Act guarantees the CPP won't be replaced with an APP unless Albertans approve it in a referendum. With files from CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson and Nicole Lampa
CBC
7 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
Majority of Albertans rejected provincial pension in 2023 survey
Nearly two-thirds of respondents to the Alberta government's pension engagement survey did not want to dump the Canada Pension Plan and switch to a plan run by the province. Numbers provided by the government showed 63 per cent of people who responded to the 2023 were opposed to an Alberta pension, 10 per cent were in favour and 12 per cent were undecided or unsure. The remaining 15 per cent was made up of people whose responses were incomplete, or contained questions or suggestions for "other alternatives." The survey results were released to the Edmonton Journal this week after a 21-month battle. The newspaper reported that it asked the province for the responses on multiple occasions only to be met with refusal or documents full of redactions. The data was finally posted to the government's open data site this week after the privacy and information commissioner became involved. In its response, the government cited two 2025 polls which suggested public opinion was shifting in favour of a provincial pension plan. "While recent surveys on an APP show public opinion may be shifting, we will continue to engage with Albertans on this topic through the Alberta Next panel," Marisa Breeze, press secretary to finance minister Nate Horner, wrote. "The Alberta Pension Protection Act guarantees we won't replace the CPP with an Alberta Pension Plan unless Albertans approve it in a referendum." Responses in the document called the idea "reckless" and the survey "a farce." "I do not support this idea. I will move out of Alberta if this happens," one respondent said. "I am Canadian first and fully support the Canada Pension Plan. "Withdrawal from the CPP would be a horrendous miscalculation that will impact our province for generations to come," said another. WATCH | Why Alberta says it's entitled to half of the Canada Pension Plan: Why Alberta says it's entitled to half of Canada's Pension Plan | About That 2 years ago Duration 12:14 The Alberta government wants out of the Canada Pension Plan — and the province wants to take more than half of the pot with it. Andrew Chang breaks down how Alberta arrived at its $334 billion take-home figure — and why some experts say the province needs to double check its math. One respondent characterized the government's pension ambitions as "political posturing." "Stop playing games with my retirement to spite the rest of the country. Supporters of a provincial pension said they wanted Alberta to be independent from Ottawa. "Alberta has paid dearly since Confederation," one respondent wrote. "We deserve independence financially." Edmonton-Decore MLA Sharif Haji, the NDP opposition critic for affordability and utilities, said the results prove that Albertans do not want a provincial pension. He criticized the government for trying to hide the survey answers. "It took close to two years," Haji said. "What it tells me is that they never wanted to share because the result was not the one that they wanted." Haji said an Alberta pension plan is part of Premier Danielle Smith's separation agenda, which includes the push for an Alberta provincial police service. In 2023, the province released a report from an independent third party called Lifeworks, that claimed Alberta would be entitled to 53 per cent or $344 billion of the CPP if it withdrew from the national plan in 2027. But Canada's chief actuary determined late last year that the amount was between 20 and 25 per cent of the $575 billion plan. Smith has said Albertans would have to approve an exit from the CPP via an referendum before her government made any move. An engagement panel led by former provincial treasurer Jim Dinning held town halls on the pension issue in the fall of 2023.
National Post
11 hours ago
- Politics
- National Post
UCP Needs to Listen to Albertans and Leave the Canada Pension Plan Alone: CUPE
Article content EDMONTON, Alberta — A survey of 93,000 Albertans conducted by the provincial government has a very clear message: don't touch the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). The results were released by the government after a lengthy request for information by the Edmonton Journal. Article content CUPE Alberta President Raj Uppal says she was not surprised the survey showed 63% opposition to leaving the CPP, and only 10% support for an Alberta plan. Article content Article content 'There is no case for leaving the CPP,' said Uppal. 'An Alberta plan would cost more, and deliver weaker investment returns and smaller pensions.' Article content Uppal called on the UCP government to abandon all plans to take Alberta out of the Canada Pension Plan. Article content 'I know Danielle Smith likes to flirt with separatists, but the Canada Pension Plan is one of the strongest reasons for Alberta to remain in Canada. The Premier needs to abandon this idea and stop threatening the retirement security of Albertans.' Article content Article content Article content
Business Wire
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Wire
UCP Needs to Listen to Albertans and Leave the Canada Pension Plan Alone: CUPE
EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A survey of 93,000 Albertans conducted by the provincial government has a very clear message: don't touch the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). The results were released by the government after a lengthy request for information by the Edmonton Journal. CUPE Alberta President Raj Uppal says she was not surprised the survey showed 63% opposition to leaving the CPP, and only 10% support for an Alberta plan. 'There is no case for leaving the CPP,' said Uppal. 'An Alberta plan would cost more, and deliver weaker investment returns and smaller pensions.' Uppal called on the UCP government to abandon all plans to take Alberta out of the Canada Pension Plan. 'I know Danielle Smith likes to flirt with separatists, but the Canada Pension Plan is one of the strongest reasons for Alberta to remain in Canada. The Premier needs to abandon this idea and stop threatening the retirement security of Albertans.' :clc/cope 491
