File photo of NDP Critic for Finance, Insurance and Pensions, and Lethbridge-West MLA, Shannon Phillips in Lethbridge. The Alberta NDP has launched a survey focused on pensions. (File photo: LNN)

By Justin Goulet/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Alberta NDP launches pension plan survey

Sep 25, 2023 | 3:36 PM

CALGARY – The Alberta NDP has launched a survey focused on pensions.

Last week, a report from LifeWorks was released and discussed by the UCP government.

The province said the report suggested that leaving the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) in favour of a new Alberta Pension Plan (APP) could save Albertans billions of dollars. The government launched a survey to gather feedback from residents on the idea of a new APP.

READ MORE: Province claims leaving Canada Pension Plan could save Albertans billions

On Friday, September 22, 2023, Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley claimed the figures listed in the report are not quite as rosy as they seem. The NDP has since launched its own survey on the topic, and claimed the UCP’s survey is biased and does not allow people to say no to the proposal of leaving the CPP.

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Shannon Phillips, NDP Critic for Finance, Insurance and Pensions said, “We are launching real public consultation that starts with a real survey.”

Phillips, who also serves as MLA for Lethbridge-West added, “We will let people express their views, including their opposition to Danielle Smith taking control of their retirements, their parents’ retirements and their grandparents’ retirements.”

The NDP said its survey asks Albertans if the province should leave the CPP, while the UCP survey does not ask residents that same question. Rather, the NDP said every question is about how Albertans would want to design an Alberta Pension Plan.

Phillips said, “This consultation, like the report, is not designed to accurately capture the views of Albertans. It’s designed to give Danielle Smith an excuse to impose on Alberta seniors and businesses the agenda she’s been pushing for two decades.”

She continued, “Your pension belongs to you. Not to Danielle Smith. Not to the UCP. We will not stop fighting to protect your retirement and economic security.”

The UCP survey is available at the Government of Alberta website, while the NDP survey can be accessed at the Alberta’s Future webpage.