Pensions in Canada - Terms and Surveys

The Income Statistic Division of Statistics Canada maintains records related to the terms and conditions of employer-sponsored registered pension plan (RPPs) and to the assets, revenues and expenditures of trusteed pension funds in Canada. It also provides information on the pension adjustment and registered retirement savings plan through RPPs and RRSPs, Retirement Compensation Arrangements (RCAs) and Group RRSPs.

Summary

Data and information related to pensions, retirement income programs and financial security can be found in the following products:

1. Publication: Canada's Retirement Income Programs: A statistical overview (No. 74-507-XPE/XIE ) published every five years.
2. CD-ROM: Canada's Retirement Income Programs (No. 74-507-XCB) published on an annual basis.

Pension Plans in Canada Survey - Terms and Conditions

The Pension Plans in Canada Survey is an annual census of all registered pension plans (RPPs) in Canada. It provides information on the terms and conditions of RPPs, membership in them and contributions made by and on behalf of the members. Of particular importance are:

• the number of plans and members;
• type of plan (defined benefit / defined contribution);
• coverage rates;
• public versus private sector plans;
• sizes of plan;
• funding instrument;
• employee and employer contribution rate;
• benefit rate.

The publications Pension Plans in Canada: Statistical Highlights and Key Tables (No. 74-401-SPB) and Pension Plans in Canada (No. 74-401-XPB) have been discontinued and replaced by the publication and the CD-ROM Canada's Retirement Income Programs (No. 74-507 ).

Pension Adjustment and Registered Retirement Savings Plan (PA/RRSP)

The Pension Adjustment / Registered Retirement Saving Plans (PA/RRSP) file provides information on the number of Canadians participating in registered pension plans (RPPs) and deferred profit shearing plans (DPSPs) and contributing to registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs) for the taxation year. The PA/RRSP file is a longitudinal and cross-sectional file constructed from the information provided annually to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) in individual tax returns (T1 forms).

It is used to provide a statistical portrait of individuals who contribute (or not) to these forms of retirement income savings.

The content of the PARRSP file for each tax filer includes:

• the pension adjustment (PA), and RRSP normal contributions;
• RRSP room, new room used and unused room;
• age;
• sex;
• total income;
• marital status;
• province of residence.

The publication Retirement Savings through RPPS and RRSPs (No. 74F0002XPB) has been discontinued and replaced by the publication and the CD-ROM Canada's Retirement Income Programs (No. 74-507) .

Trusteed Pension Funds

The survey on trusteed pension funds measures the asset value, revenue, expenditures and net income of employer-sponsored trusteed pension funds in Canada.

Two surveys are conducted:

• Quarterly Estimates of Trusteed Pension Funds;
• Census of trusteed pension funds (every even-numbered year).

The quarterly estimates are published on CANSIM, tables 280-0002, 280-0003, and 280-0004, approximately the third week of March, June, September and December. Each data release on CANSIM is accompanied by a one-page analytical release in The Daily.

Starting in May, 2005, the results of the biennial census of trusteed pension fund have been released on CANSIM, tables 280-0005, 280-0006, and 280-0007, for the year 1992, 1993, 1994 and every two years thereafter to 2002. Data for 2004 were released on CANSIM early January 2006. Each data release on CANSIM will is accompanied by an analytical article in The Daily.

Retirement Compensation Arrangements (RCAs) and Group RRSPs

The Income Statistics Divison has a copy of the Cnada Revenue Agency T3-R and T3-G databases. These are the trustee's returns for RCAs and group RRSPs. The first analysis of the RCA database was published in the CD-ROM Canada's Retirement Income Programs (No. 74-507). The analysis looked at key financial data for the years 1991 to 2001. This analysis will be updated with the release of the next CD-ROM. The first analysis of the group RRSPs database will also be included. Both RCAs and group RRSPs are supplementary retirement income programs which may be offered by employers in conjunction with or instead of a registered pension plan.

Costs

Costs may be applicable in obtaining these statistics. The online catalogue of products and services is available on the Statistics Canada's Web site.

New Brunswick Contact(s):
SERVING ATLANTIC CANADA
Advisory Services
Statistics Canada
1888 Brunswick Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia  B3J 2G7
Fax: 902-426-9538
Toll-free (information): 1-800-263-1136
Toll-free (publications): 1-800-267-6677
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-363-7629
E-mail: infostats@statcan.ca
Web site: http://www.statcan.ca/start.html

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National Contact(s):
National Capital Region
Statistical Reference Centre
Statistics Canada
Room 1500
Main Building
Holland Avenue
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0T6
Fax: 1-877-287-4369
Toll-free (information): 1-800-263-1136
Toll-free (publications): 1-800-267-6677
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-363-7629
E-mail: infostats@statcan.ca
Web site: http://www.statcan.ca/start.html