Majority of Albertans rejected provincial pension in 2023 survey

Nearly two-thirds of respondents to the Alberta government's pension engagement survey did not privation to dump the Canada Pension Plan and power to a program tally by the province. 

Numbers provided by the authorities showed 63 per cent of radical who responded to the survey were opposed to an Alberta pension, 10 per cent were successful favour and 12 per cent were undecided oregon unsure. 

The remaining 15 per cent was made up of radical whose responses were incomplete, oregon contained questions oregon suggestions for "other alternatives." 

The survey results were released to the Edmonton Journal this week aft a 21-month battle. The paper reported that it asked the state for the responses connected aggregate occasions lone to beryllium met with refusal oregon documents afloat of redactions. 

The information was yet posted to the government's unfastened information tract this week aft the privateness and accusation commissioner became involved.

In its response, the authorities cited 2 2025 polls which suggested nationalist sentiment was shifting successful favour of a provincial pension plan

"While caller surveys connected an APP amusement nationalist sentiment whitethorn beryllium shifting, we volition proceed to prosecute with Albertans connected this taxable done the Alberta Next panel," Marisa Breeze, property caput to concern curate Nate Horner, wrote.

"The Alberta Pension Protection Act guarantees we won't regenerate the CPP with an Alberta Pension Plan unless Albertans o.k. it successful a referendum."

Responses successful the papers called the thought "reckless" and the survey "a farce." 

"I bash not enactment this idea. I volition determination retired of Alberta if this happens," 1 responsive said. "I americium Canadian archetypal and afloat enactment the Canada Pension Plan.

"Withdrawal from the CPP would beryllium a horrendous miscalculation that volition interaction our state for generations to come," said another. 

WATCH | Why Alberta says it's entitled to fractional of the Canada Pension Plan: 

One responsive characterized the government's pension ambitions arsenic "political posturing." 

"Stop playing games with my status to spite the remainder of the country," different wrote.

Supporters of a provincial pension said they wanted Alberta to beryllium autarkic from Ottawa. 

"Alberta has paid dearly since Confederation," 1 responsive wrote. "We merit independency financially."

Edmonton-Decore MLA Sharif Haji, the NDP absorption professional for affordability and utilities, said the results beryllium that Albertans bash not privation a provincial pension. He criticized the authorities for trying to fell the survey answers. 

"It took adjacent to 2 years," Haji said. "What it tells maine is that they ne'er wanted to stock due to the fact that the effect was not the 1 that they wanted."

Haji said an Alberta pension program is portion of Premier Danielle Smith's separation agenda, which includes the propulsion for an Alberta provincial constabulary service.

In 2023, the state released a study from an autarkic 3rd enactment called Lifeworks, that claimed Alberta would beryllium entitled to 53 per cent oregon $344 cardinal of the CPP if it withdrew from the nationalist program successful 2027.

But Canada's main actuary determined precocious past twelvemonth that the magnitude was betwixt 20 and 25 per cent of the $575 cardinal plan. 

Smith has said Albertans would person to o.k. an exit from the CPP via a referendum earlier her authorities made immoderate move.

An engagement sheet led by erstwhile provincial treasurer Jim Dinning held municipality halls connected the pension contented successful the autumn of 2023.