Ottawa to expand early retirement eligibility for front-line safety, security workers

OTTAWA — The federal government is moving to expand early retirement eligibility for some kinds of front-line workers.

Treasury Board President Anita Anand says the Liberals are planning to introduce legislation this fall to make it happen.

Anand says the changes would allow some workers to retire after 25 years of service without a pension reduction.

The provision is already available to military members, RCMP officers and some correctional workers.

Federally employed border service officers, parliamentary protection officers, search and rescue technicians and firefighters are slated to become eligible.

Early retirement will also be newly available to correctional employees, firefighters and paramedics employed by territorial governments.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada says that will include wildland firefighters who work for Parks Canada as well as firefighters who work on military bases.

“These proposed changes would provide consistency to how the pension plan recognizes the demanding nature of the day-to-day duties for these occupational groups, who have a critical role in promoting and protecting the safety and security of Canadians,” Anand said in a statement.

Most members of the federal pension plan must reach the age of 60 or 65, or have completed 30 years worth of pensionable service, before they’re able to take a full pension.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada lauded the decision as a “significant victory” in a press release Thursday, saying thousands of front-line public-safety and law enforcement workers will benefit.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press