Government of Canada to expand early retirement eligibility for frontline public service safety and security workers

Canada.ca

December 18, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Public servants in critical frontline safety and security roles work tirelessly to keep Canadians safe. Recognizing the demanding nature of their work, the Government of Canada is expanding early retirement eligibility under the public service pension plan. 

Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Transport, announced and confirmed the Government of Canada’s proposed legislative amendments to the Public Service Superannuation Act, as outlined in the Federal Economic Update. With these legislative changes, along with necessary regulatory amendments, the early retirement measures will allow eligible federal and territorial public servants in critical frontline safety and security roles to retire after 25 years of service without pension reductions.

This expansion will apply to the following public service roles:

• Firefighters (federal and territorial governments)
• Paramedics (territorial governments)
• Correctional service employees (territorial governments)
• Border services officers (federal government)
• Parliamentary protection officers (federal government)
• Search and rescue technicians (federal government)

The early retirement measures also recognize the mobility of public servants who serve in multiple frontline roles. Eligible years of service are transferable between roles included under these measures, ensuring workers can benefit fully from their careers, even if they transition between frontline positions. Public servants who also choose to move into non-frontline roles will still be eligible under the early retirement provisions, provided they first complete a minimum of 10 years of frontline service and pay an additional contribution rate.

The Government of Canada is grateful for the continued contributions of public servants entrusted with critical roles in promoting and protecting the safety and security of Canadians.

Quotes

“Public servants in critical frontline roles work hard every day to keep Canadians safe, while performing challenging and demanding roles. With early retirement measures, our government is making sure their service is recognized by allowing them to retire after 25 years without any pension reductions. This includes the flexibility to transfer frontline service years between multiple roles, and even transitions into other public service positions if eligibility conditions are met. This is about fairness and ensuring those who dedicate their careers to protecting Canadians can enjoy a well-earned and secure retirement.”

-        The Honourable Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Transport

Quick facts

• The public service pension plan, established through the Public Service Superannuation Act (PSSA), provides employees of the federal public service and more than 60 other participating organizations, including the 3  territorial governments, with an income payable upon retirement. Benefits are generally based on an employee’s salary, pensionable service, and age.

• In 2021, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat submitted a proposal on behalf of the Public Service Alliance of Canada to the Public Service Pension Advisory Committee (PSPAC) to review the possibility of expanding early retirement eligibility to additional occupational groups.

• The PSPAC is the legislated committee established pursuant to the PSSA to consult with representatives of employees, retirees, and the employer, and provide advice to the President of the Treasury Board on the administration, design and funding of the pension plan. 

• For most plan members, an unreduced pension continues to require a minimum age of 60 or 65 (depending on when they joined) or a lower age with 30 years of pensionable service.

• These proposed changes are in line with similar provisions for frontline employees of Correctional Service Canada and members of the Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police.