Canada Pension Plan

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is a social insurance plan that is funded by the contributions of employees, employers and self-employed people as well as the revenue earned on CPP investments. The CPP covers virtually all employed and self-employed people in Canada, excluding Quebec, which operates its own comprehensive plan, the Quebec Pension Plan. The CPP is the second pillar of Canada’s retirement income system, which also includes the Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (the first pillar) and private savings (the third pillar). The CPP provides income replacement to contributors and their families in the event of retirement, disability or death. The CPP is a statutory program that is governed by the federal government and the provinces. It is enabled by the CPP legislation. Eligibility criteria must be met in order to receive benefits.