Bill Detail
An Act to amend certain Acts in relation to survivor pension benefits
This enactment amends the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act, the Judges Act, the Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act, the Public Service Superannuation Act, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act, the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 and the Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act to allow the survivor of an eligible person to receive pension benefits after the death of the person even if the person and the survivor married or began cohabiting in a conjugal relationship after the person attained the age of 60 years or retired.
This bill, C-256, aims to update pension laws to ensure that a surviving spouse or common-law partner can receive pension benefits even if they married or began living together after the pension recipient turned 60 or retired. It amends several key pension acts, including those for the Canadian Forces, Judges, Members of Parliament, the Public Service, and the RCMP, as well as standards for pension benefits and pooled registered pension plans.
The changes affect individuals who are or were eligible for these pension benefits and their surviving partners. The goal is to remove a barrier that could prevent a spouse or partner from receiving benefits based solely on when the relationship began relative to the recipient's retirement or age.