• Legislation
• Reports
• International Agreements
• CPP Disability

• Ministers
• About Us
• What's New
• Newsroom
• Publications and Resources
• A to Z Index

The Canada Pension Plan Disability Adjudication Framework

• Printable version in PDF format (747 kb, 41 pages). To download and print PDF files, you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. 

The Adjudication Framework was developed to improve the clarity and transparency of the policy used to determine medical eligibility to the Canada Pension Plan Disability program. It consolidates the policy elements of disability adjudication into one comprehensive framework that provides Canada Pension Plan decision-makers with all of the information required to adjudicate Canada Pension Plan disability applications.

The basis of the adjudication framework resides in the Canada Pension Plan legislative definition of disability. The Adjudication Framework lays out in a simple format the relationship between the legislation and the various policy components.

The Adjudication Framework has a set of criteria against which the pertinent facts of each case is analyzed and evaluated. It is presented in a cascading order of criteria, components and factors and sub-factors.

The Canada Pension Plan criteria are "severe" and "prolonged." These criteria are broken down into the prime indicator (the medical condition) and a series of components which make up the "severe" and "prolonged" definition under paragraphs 42(2)(a) and 42(2)(b) of the Canada Pension Plan. These components are again broken down into factors and sub-factors. The factors and sub-factors represent the facts and legal principles determined over time by Pension Appeal Boards to be important to a determination of disability under the Canada Pension Plan.

The Adjudication Framework for Canada Pension Plan disability benefits consists of five components:

1. Severe Criterion for the Prime Indicator (Medical Condition)
2. Severe Criterion for "Incapable Regularly of Pursuing any Substantially Gainful Occupation"
3. Personal Characteristics and Socio-Economic Factors
4. The Prolonged Criterion
5. The Reasonably Satisfied Standard of Review for Determining Eligibility and/or Continuing Eligibility for Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits

A Glossary of Terms further explains terms presented in the Adjudication Framework.