Life Events

Financial and Support Services

Old Age Security Program (OAS)

The Old Age Security program is a federal program that includes the Old Age Security pension (OAS), the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), and The Allowance, which is a monthly pension available to Canadian citizens, landed immigrants, and their spouses/common-law partners who qualify.

• Old Age Security Program
• Old Age Security Application Form

CPP is a federal program that provides a monthly pension for those who qualify. You must have contributed to CPP in order to receive a retirement income from this program.

• Canada Pension Plan
• Canada Pension Plan Application Form

Employment pension plans provide an important source of retirement income for employees and their families.  Employers set up pension plans voluntarily. Once they do so, they must comply with pension law and the provisions of the pension plan, as well as federal tax law.

In Ontario, the Pension Benefits Act establishes minimum standards for administering and funding pension plans and pension benefits. Pension plans in federally-regulated industries, such as banking, inter-provincial transportation, and telecommunications, are regulated by federal pension legislation.

The information below explains the minimum standards that apply to all Ontario-registered pension plans. It is not a guide to the details of any particular pension plan, since some plans provide benefits that are more generous than the legal minimum standards. Contact your plan administrator for the details of your specific plan.

• Your Pension Rights: A Guide for members of Registered Pension Plans in Ontario
• A Guide to Applying for Special Access to Your Locked-in Retirement Account (LIRA), Life Income Fund (LIF), Locked-in Retirement Income Fund (LRIF)  
• Beware of Scams Involving Your Retirement Savings, Regulators Warn
• Financial Hardship Unlocking

If you have lived or worked in another country, or you are the surviving spouse or common-law partner of someone who has lived or worked in another country, you may be eligible for benefits from Canada and/or abroad.

• International Benefits
• Interim Application for Foreign Benefits

If you or your spouse served in the Canadian Armed Forces, you may be eligible for a veteran's pension.

• Veterans Services

You do not need to apply for GAINS. The Government of Ontario provides money to seniors who get the federal Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), so that they do not fall below the provincial guaranteed income level.

• Guaranteed Annual Income System

You do not need to apply for ODB. You only need to go to your pharmacy with your OHIP card and identification showing proof of age.

• Ontario Drug Benefits

Many communities have housing programs for seniors. You may contact your local municipal housing department or a Community Information Centre near you for more information.

• List of municipal Web sites
• List of Community Information Centres