Canada Pension Plan

The social services department provides information, advice and representation to members concerning matters related to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).

There are three different kinds of CPP benefits:

• Retirement pension,
• Disability benefits (for contributors with a disability and their dependent children), and
• Survivor benefits (including death benefit, the survivor’s pension, and the children’s benefit)

Click here to find out more detail in regards to the afore-bulleted CPP benefits.

Representation to eligible members with CPP disability claims is available right from the initial application stage, all the way through to the final level of appeal at the social security tribunal.

We are available to help with all stages of the process; however, the department typically begins assisting members after an application has been denied by Service Canada.

Note: If your CPP disability claim is denied, it is important to notify the social services department as soon as you receive the decision. Service Canada enforces strict time limits to appeal its decisions.

You must apply in writing for CPP benefits.  The application forms, consent forms, and all other related forms can be found by clicking here.

To find out how the social services department can help, call Local 793’s head office at 905-469-9299, or toll-free 1-877-793-4863, or contact the department via email at socialservices@iuoelocal793.org.

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) provides a monthly benefit to eligible Canadians.

To qualify, workers must have worked and made at least one valid contribution to the CPP in order to draw a CPP retirement pension.

The standard age to begin receiving the pension is 65. However, workers can take a permanently reduced CPP retirement pension as early as age 60 or take a permanently increased pension after age 65.

Prior to 2012, individuals who were receiving the CPP retirement benefit and later returned to work could no longer contribute to the CPP plan, regardless of their age.

Starting Jan. 1, 2012, and to reflect that Canadians are working longer, the Post-Retirement Benefit (PRB) was introduced. Contributions to the new PRB will produce a lifetime benefit that is separate from CPP retirement benefits and will be payable the year following the year a worker makes contributions.

The amount of PRB will be based on the worker’s age, level of earnings and the amount of contributions made during the previous year. If workers would like to get a rough estimate of how PRB contributions will impact their future retirement benefit payments the government of Canada has developed a PRB calculator on the Service Canada website.

Effective Jan 1, 2012, individuals between 60 and 64 who are working and receiving a CPP retirement benefit must now make mandatory contributions to the plan, with matching contributions from the employer.

Individuals age 65 but under 70 who are earning income and CPP retirement pension can choose to make CPP contributions resulting in a PRB or opt out of making these contributions by way of an election.

If a worker chooses to make the contributions, the worker’s employer must also contribute his or her share. Workers can elect to stop paying CPP premiums anytime after they turn age 65 by completing Form CPT30 – Election to Stop Contributing to the Canada Pension Plan, or Revocation of a Prior Election, and give a copy of the Election form to their current employer, then file the original form with the Canada Revenue Agency.

The election to stop contributing to the CPP takes effect on the first day of the month following the date the completed form is provided to the employer. It is important to note that once an election is made, either to opt out of paying CPP premiums or to revoke a previous election, you can not make another election until the next calendar year.

Your retirement pension does not start automatically. You must apply for it. Before you apply, you must: be at least a month past your 59th birthday; have contributed to the CPP; want your retirement pension payments to begin within 11 months.

The CPP provides disability benefits to workers who have made sufficient contributions to the plan and who can not work at any job on a regular basis because of a physical or mental disability.

To qualify for a CPP disability benefit, you must:

• be under age 65;
• meet the CPP contribution requirements; and
• have a severe and prolonged disability as defined by CPP legislation.

According to section 42(2) of the Canada Pension Plan Act, a disability is severe if it results in the person being “incapable regularly of pursuing any substantially gainful occupation.”  This means that you are so incapacitated that you cannot work full-time, part-time, or seasonally.

According to the legislation, a disability is prolonged if it is determined that the disability is “likely to be long continued and of indefinite duration or is likely to result in death.”

Both the severe and prolonged criteria must be met simultaneously at the time of application. There is no common definition of disability in Canada. Even if you qualify for a disability benefit under other government programs or from private insurers, you may not necessarily qualify for a CPP disability benefit.

Service Canada medical adjudicators will determine, based on your application and supporting documentation, whether your disability is both severe and prolonged.

Click here to see how disability benefits are assessed.

Benefits are paid monthly to eligible applicants and their dependent children.  Click here to find out more information about CPP disability benefits.

The CPP offers a survivor’s pension. It is paid to a survivor who, at the time of death, is the legal spouse or common-law partner of the deceased contributor.

If you are a separated legal spouse and the deceased had no cohabiting common-law partner, you may qualify for this benefit. The amount you receive as a surviving spouse or common-law partner will depend on:

• Whether you are also receiving a CPP disability benefit or retirement pension;
• Your age; and
• How much and for how long the deceased contributor has paid into the CPP.

Service Canada first calculates the amount that the CPP retirement pension is, or would have been if the deceased had been age 65 at the time of death. Then, a further calculation is done based on the survivor’s age at the time of the contributor’s death.

As the survivor, you are responsible for applying for your monthly pension. If you are incapable of applying, you may have a representative (such as a trustee) apply for you. Note: Survivors should apply as soon as possible after the contributor’s death. If you delay, you may lose benefits. The CPP can only make back payments for up to 12 months.

To apply, you must complete the Canada Pension Plan survivor’s pension and children’s benefits application form (ISP1300) and mail it to Service Canada.

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) provides a monthly retirement benefit to eligible Canadians.

To qualify, you must have worked and made at least one valid contribution to the CPP.

Full Pension – If you start receiving your pension at age 65, you will get the full pension amount you are entitled to receive, based on your earnings and contributions.  Your pension will start the month after your 65th birthday.

Reduced Pension – You can opt to take a permanently reduced CPP retirement pension from age 60 to age 65.

Please note your retirement pension is reduced by a set percentage for each month before age 65 that you choose to begin receiving it. From 2012 to 2016, the amount of this reduction will gradually increase from 0.52% to 0.6% per month.  Therefore, if you start receiving your retirement pension in 2016 at age 60, it will be 36% less than if you had taken it at 65.

Increased Pension – After the age of 65 your retirement pension is increased by a set percentage for each month after age 65 that you delay receiving it, until age 70.  This means that if you start receiving your CPP retirement pension in 2013 at age 70, it will be 42% more than if you had taken it at 65.

Post Retirement Benefit – Prior to 2012, individuals who were receiving the CPP retirement benefit and later returned to work could no longer contribute to the CPP plan, regardless of their age.

Starting Jan. 1, 2012, and to reflect that Canadians are working longer, the Post-Retirement Benefit (PRB) was introduced. Contributions to the new PRB will produce a lifetime benefit that is separate from CPP retirement benefits and will be payable the year following the year you made contributions.

The amount of PRB will be based on your age, level of earnings and the amount of contributions made during the previous year. If you would like to get a rough estimate of how PRB contributions will impact your future retirement benefit payments, the government of Canada has developed a PRB calculator.

Effective Jan 1, 2012, individuals between 60 and 64 who are working and receiving a CPP retirement benefit must now make mandatory contributions to the plan, with matching contributions from the employer.

Individuals age 65 but under 70 who are earning income and CPP retirement pension can choose to make CPP contributions resulting in a PRB, or opt out of making these contributions by way of an election.

Workers can elect to stop paying CPP premiums anytime after age 65 by completing a CPT30 Form. You must provide a copy of the completed form to your current employer and then file an original copy of the election form with the Canada Revenue Agency.

The election to stop contributing to the CPP takes effect on the first day of the month following the date the completed form is provided to the employer. It is important to note that once an election is made, either to opt out of paying CPP premiums or to revoke a previous election, you can not make another election until the next calendar year.

Your retirement pension does not start automatically.  You must apply for it and be at least a month past your 59th birthday, have contributed to the CPP, and want your retirement pension payments to begin within 11 months.