Notice #722 – Additional information pertaining to the suspension of the Saskatchewan Advantage Grant for Education Savings (SAGES)

Information bulletin

Number:

CESP/PCEE-2017/18-002-722

Date:

June 12, 2017

Subject:

Additional information pertaining to the suspension of the Saskatchewan Advantage Grant for Education Savings (SAGES)

Previous Bulletin

This notice follows information bulletin #711, dated March 23, 2017, which informed promoters on Saskatchewan’s decision to temporarily suspend the SAGES.

Purpose

The purpose of this information bulletin is to provide additional information to Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) promoters regarding the suspension of the SAGES.

Background

On March 22, 2017, the Government of Saskatchewan announced that the SAGES will be suspended, effective January 1, 2018. Promoters and trustees that have a valid agreement with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to deliver the SAGES are required to comply with deadlines and other requirements that align with the suspension of the SAGES as outlined in this Information Bulletin.

Information contained in this document is subject to change based on legislative and/ or regulatory amendments. You are encouraged to consult our website for updates and information on the suspension of the SAGES.

Key dates

Q1. How long is the SAGES suspension period expected to be?

A1. The duration for the SAGES suspension remains undetermined. The province anticipates that SAGES will resume when the province’s financial situation improves.

Q2.When will SAGES payments on contributions be suspended?

A2. SAGES will not be paid on contributions made to an RESP after December 31, 2017. The last SAGES payments will be sent out in the January processing period for contributions made in December 2017. Note that the last business day in 2017 is December 29. RESP contributions must be dated before January 1, 2018, in order to receive SAGES.

Retroactive Payments (3 Year Rule)

Q3. Will the SAGES three year rules associated with refusal reason O (late SAGES request) and refusal reason D (late transaction) be changed?

A3. Yes, as of January 1, 2018, subscribers and promoters will no longer have up to three years to request SAGES on eligible contributions for the duration of the SAGES suspension. Retroactive SAGES requests must have a transaction date no later than December 31, 2017, and be submitted to the CESP system for processing by 17:00 Eastern Time on January 5, 2018.

SAGES Requests

Q4. Must promoters stop submitting SAGES requests after December 31, 2017?

A4. No, promoters may continue submitting SAGES requests even after January 1, 2018. The CESP system will continue to process the requests, but SAGES will not be paid. This will facilitate an efficient return to normal operations and minimize the impact on promoters once the suspension period has ended. Promoters may make their own business decisions to stop submitting SAGES requests if they wish.

Transaction Response

Q5. What error code or refusal reason will be sent to promoters on SAGES requests made after December 31, 2017?

A5. The existing refusal reason 9 (Other) will be used.

Manual Interventions

Q6. Will requests for SAGES on contributions that were transferred from a non-offering promoter to a SAGES offering promoter (manual interventions) continue to be accepted?

A6. The last day to submit requests for SAGES for transferred contributions from a non-offering promoter will be September 30, 2017. Any request received after September 30, 2017, will not be actioned.

SAGES Grant Room

Q7. Will beneficiaries accumulate SAGES room during the years in which SAGES is suspended?

A7. No, the $250/year in SAGES grant room will not accumulate during the suspension period. However, beneficiaries will not lose the accumulated SAGES room they had as of the start of the suspension period.

SAGES payments after the suspension period ends

Q8. Will subscribers be able to request SAGES on contributions made in the suspension period once the suspension is lifted?

A8. No, contributions made during the suspension period will not be eligible to receive SAGES once the suspension period ends.

Accepting SAGES Applications

Q9. Should promoters still accept SAGES application forms during the suspension period?

A9. It is up to the promoters to decide if they still want to accept and process SAGES applications. New subscribers may apply for SAGES in the suspension period, but no SAGES will be paid. The SAGES application form will continue to be available on the ESDC website.

SAGES Promoter Enrolment

Q10. Will new RESP promoters interested in offering SAGES continue to be accepted?

A10. New promoters interested in offering SAGES must have completed the entire enrolment process by December 31, 2017, which includes providing all legal documents, signing agreements, and passing Industry Testing. Promoters will not be able to enroll for SAGES after December 31, 2017, and until further notice.

Contact us

If you have any questions regarding this information bulletin, please contact us by e-mail at cesp-pcee@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca or call at 1-888-276-3624. Our hours of operation are from 8:00 to 17:00 Eastern Time.