Opposition, unions back up 63% of Albertans against provincial pension

A quietly released UCP survey shows 63 per cent of respondents are against an Alberta Pension Plan. CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson reports.

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.

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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.”

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.

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 Nancy Dick. “I think Alberta would be way better off.”

Dick 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. A total of 127,879 Albertans completed the APP survey in 2023-24.

The province said it will continue to engage with Albertans on an APP through the Alberta Next panel despite the survey results.

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