Indexing rate – Retired members – Pension

The indexing rate for 2024 is 4.8%.

The indexing of public service pension plan benefits is governed by two pieces of legislation; the Public Service Superannuation Act (PSSA) and the Supplementary Retirement Benefits Act (SRBA).

Pension increases for retired members and their survivors are calculated each year using Consumer Price Index (CPI) data published by Statistics Canada. In accordance with the SRBA, the increase is based on a comparison of the twelve-month average of the monthly CPI for the year just ended, to the twelve-month average of the monthly CPI for the previous year. The SRBA specifies that the twelve-month period from October 1 to September 30 is to be used to calculate the increase payable the following January. The index used for the calculation is the CPI for Canada for all items (not seasonally adjusted).

As an illustration, outlined below are the data used to calculate the 2024 pension increase.

Monthly evolution of the Consumer Price Index (CPI)
Month/Year CPISee table 1 note * % Month/Year CPISee table 1 note * %

Table 1 Notes

Table Note *

Statistics Canada. Table 18-10-0004-01 Consumer Price Index, monthly, not seasonally adjusted

Return to table note * referrer

October 2021 143.9 October 2022 153.8
November 2021 144.2 November 2022 154.0
December 2021 144.0 December 2022 153.1
January 2022 145.3 January 2023 153.9
February 2022 146.8 February 2023 154.5
March 2022 148.9 March 2023 155.3
April 2022 149.8 April 2023 156.4
May 2022 151.9 May 2023 157.0
June 2022 152.9 June 2023 157.2
July 2022 153.1 July 2023 158.1
August 2022 152.6 August 2023 158.7
September 2022 152.7 September 2023 158.5
Total 1,786.1 Total 1,870.5
Monthly Average 148.8 Monthly Average 155.9

The pension increase (indexing rate) for 2024 is the percentage increase in the monthly average CPI. This is calculated by subtracting the monthly average for the first period (October 2021 to September 2022) from the average for the second period (October 2022 to September 2023), then dividing this amount by the monthly average for the first period and finally multiplying it by 100, as follows:

155.9 − 148.8 = 7.1

(7.1 ÷ 148.8) × 100 = 4.8% (indexing rate for 2024)

It is important to note that the calculation of the increase payable each January does not include the monthly increases for the last three months of the previous year (October to December). These rates will be incorporated in the following year’s calculation.

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