Proposed Expansion of the Operational Service Early Retirement Program
The information below outlines proposals awaiting approval by Parliament under Budget 2025 and its related implementation legislation. Readers are encouraged to check back for future updates.
Government Commitment
The Government of Canada has confirmed its goal to broaden the operational service early retirement program. The expansion would cover additional groups of frontline employees whose work is essential to public safety and security. Achieving this goal will require new legislative and regulatory measures.
Program Overview
The operational service program enables qualified members to retire earlier with a full, unreduced pension once they complete 25 years of active operational service. Alternatively, retirement can occur at age 50 for members who have at least 10 years of active and 10 years of deemed operational service.
“Eligible plan members can retire earlier with an immediate unreduced pension after completing 25 years of operational service.”
Participants in the program, like all public service pension plan members, earn pensionable service at roughly 2% per year. In practical terms, this means a 25-year career within the program yields a pension amounting to about 50% of the participant’s salary.
Impact on Frontline Workers
The proposed amendment aims to extend benefits to frontline federal employees in several occupational categories, acknowledging their critical and demanding duties. The affected groups include:
- Border services officers
- Parliamentary protection officers
- Search and rescue personnel
- Federal and territorial firefighters
- Paramedics
- Correctional employees
Rationale
This expansion underscores the government’s recognition of the essential work carried out by these employees in protecting Canadians and maintaining national security.
Author’s summary: The Canadian government plans to extend early retirement benefits to more frontline groups, improving acknowledgment of their service and strengthening workforce protection.