Being a Member of the Teamsters Canadian Pension Plan

Did you know that not all members of the Teamsters Canada union are members of the Teamsters Canadian Pension Plan (TCPP)?

Teamsters Canada union members are covered by different pension plans across the country. Members may be part of the TCPP, another pension plan, and some may not currently be covered by any pension plan. Whether or not a member is covered by a pension plan depends on the collective agreement signed between their employer and their Local Union. Teamsters Canada is one of the oldest and largest unions in Canada. Therefore, some agreements predate the creation of the TCPP. Before TCPP was created, some Local Unions negotiated for a plan with a different design, and some employers wouldn’t or couldn’t contribute to any pension plan.

Members of the TCPP are Teamsters Canada union members whose employer and Local Union have entered into a collective agreement that outlines the contributions that will be made to the TCPP on their behalf. The amount of the contributions and the benefit formulas are not the same for all TCPP members and also vary depending on the collective agreement that was made between their employer and their Local Union.

You can find out what pension plan you are a member of by:

1. Checking the plan name as listed in the collective agreement between your employer and your Local Union.
2. Asking your Local Union or employer. They would know plan details, such as the name of the plan and the contact information of your plan administrator. If you are unsure of your Local Union, try searching here: https://teamsters.ca/en/local-unions/
3. Checking the plan name and registration number listed on your Annual Pension Statement.

Note that you should always keep your Annual Pension Statement in a safe place for future reference. It contains a record of your benefit entitlements and contact information for the plan administrator. If you do not receive an annual pension statement by the end of summer each year, contact the plan administrator to make sure they have a current address for you on file. In some jurisdictions, you may not receive an annual statement once you are no longer actively employed with the union.

1. If you are in receipt of a pension, you can check for the issuer of your T4A tax slips.

If you are a member of the Teamsters Canada union and you are not covered by the TCPP, you may speak to your union representative(s) to see if you are covered by another pension plan. If your brothers and sisters at your employer are interested in joining the TCPP, speak to your union representative. The next round of collective bargaining may warrant negotiation on the contributions that could be allocated to pension benefits under the TCPP.

Please note that this website was designed to provide information for those members specifically covered by the TCPP.