Retirement

Read more about when members can retire here:
When Can I Retire – Public Service Pension Plan (pspp.ca)

Member Resources

The following resources are available to members to help them make decisions about their retirement.

Initiating a Retirement Application

It is the member’s responsibility to initiate a retirement application. Members are strongly encouraged to complete their retirement application online in the PensionEase system through YPP. This process is substantially more efficient than the paper application process, but the paper application process must be used in special situations such as when a member is receiving benefits from a Disability Plan.

Members can contact the Member Services Centre (MSC) if they need any assistance with the retirement process.

When retirement documents are received, APS will calculate the member’s pension options and provide a Retirement Benefit Statement to the member.

Employer Responsibilities

Employers are responsible for:

  • Completing the online employer verification through the Employer Hub after receiving the electronic notification; or
  • If the member is completing the paper application process, completing the employer section of the Retirement Application and submitting a termination transaction in the employer portal no later than 30 days after the member ceases membership in the Plan.

Employers are encouraged to monitor the Pending Retirements Without Termination Date report, which lists members who have submitted a Retirement Application Form, but for whom termination details have not been submitted.

Cancelling the Retirement Application

If the member decides that they would like to cancel the Retirement Application, PSPP requires a message from the member through YPP secure messaging requesting the process be cancelled.

Alternatively, the member can send a signed and dated letter to PSPP requesting the process be cancelled. If a member uses mail and does not use secure messaging to notify PSPP, the receipt of the notice is not tracked and will take longer to be received.

This notice must be received prior to the expected commencement of the member’s pension. Members cannot change their pension option or nominee once regular pension payments begin so it is important that members be very sure about their choice.

Disability Pensions

A member who becomes incapable of working because of mental or physical impairment may be eligible for a disability pension even if not yet aged 55.

Depending on the severity of the impairment, the member may be entitled to a partial disability pension or a total disability pension that is determined by the medical evidence.

For information on how a member qualifies and applies for disability pension, please visit the Member Disability Pensions page.

Once the member submits their disability pension application to PSPP. PSPP will:

  1. forward the Confidential Medical Statement (and any accompanying diagnostic evidence) to a medical consultant, who will review the information and indicate if the member is partially or totally disabled for the purposes of the Plan. The medical consultant may also perform or request an additional examination of the member to evaluate the member’s condition;
  2. advise the member whether their application for a disability pension has been granted and provide the member with a pension options package; and
  3. have the member’s condition re-evaluated every two years as described below, assuming a disability pension was granted.