Current Publications: Social affairs and population

Contents

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Methods for Indexing both Programs
  
  • 2.1 Canada Pension Plan
  • 2.2 Old Age Security
  • 2.3 Comparison of Changes in Public Pension Program Benefits and the Consumer Price Index
  • 2.4 Possible Interaction in the Indexing of Both Plans
• 3 Does the Consumer Price Index Reflect Actual Spending by Seniors?
  
  • 3.1 Difference in Consumption Patterns Between Seniors and the Rest of the Population
  • 3.2 Price Variations by Province
• 4 Conclusion
• Notes

1 Introduction

The benefits provided by Canada’s public pension plans – the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and the Old Age Security (OAS) Program – follow Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index (CPI), which reflects variations in the price of a basket of goods and services that represents average spending in Canada.

The pension programs have different indexing frequencies and reference periods. As well, because of a link between the CPP and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) – a component of the OAS Program geared to low-income seniors – the indexing of CPP benefits may affect the amount of GIS benefits.

Pegging the public pension plan benefits to the CPI can give rise to some questions: Is the basket of goods and services used by the CPI actually representative of spending by seniors? Is indexing based on the CPI – a national figure – inequitable when the average rate of inflation is higher in certain provinces than in others?

This paper describes the methods used to index the two public pension plans and briefly analyzes the fairness of using the CPI to index benefits.

2 Methods for Indexing both Programs

CPP and OAS benefits are paid out in the last three banking days of each month.1 The first OAS benefit payment is issued the month after the recipient turns 65; otherwise, a recipient whose birthday falls late in the month could receive his or her first benefit payment at 64 years of age. Recipients who wish to begin receiving CPP benefits before the usual age of 65 may do so, with a penalty, as early as the month following their 60^th birthday.

All CPP and OAS benefits are indexed based on variations in the CPI, although using a slightly different method.2 The only exception is the CPP death benefit, paid in full at death, whose maximum amount of $2,500 is not indexed.

2.1 Canada Pension Plan

The initial amount of the CPP retirement benefit is determined largely by earnings beginning at 18 years of age.3 The year’s maximum pensionable earnings (YMPE) are calculated annually. This means that the premiums paid by a worker equal the contribution rate (4.95% in 2011) multiplied by the YMPE (less the basic exemption), when the worker’s earnings are equal to or above the YMPE. Otherwise, the contribution rate is simply multiplied by the worker’s earnings (less the basic exemption).

The YMPE is set each year based on average earnings growth in Canada, which is published by Statistics Canada. The result is rounded down to the nearest $100. If average earnings decline, the YMPE is frozen until average earnings grow beyond their pre-freeze level.

The initial pension benefit is determined by calculating the ratio between the individual’s earnings and the corresponding YMPE for almost every period of employment; this method excludes up to 15% of the periods where income was lowest compared to the YMPE. As a result, the initial benefit depends partly on the recipient’s earnings growth over the course of employment, and, when the individual’s earnings are higher than the average, partly on average earnings growth across the country.

After the initial benefit is determined, it increases based on variations in the CPI. At the end of each year, the rate at which CPP benefits will be increased as of 1 January the following year is announced. This rate is calculated by determining the average CPI for the period from November of the preceding year to October of the current year, subtracting the average CPI for the corresponding period of the year before that, and dividing the result by the latter average CPI. The result is rounded to three decimal places, then expressed as a percentage, by multiplying by 100.

For example, the average CPI was 116.1 from November 2009 to October 2010, and 114.2 from November 2008 to October 2009. The rounded result was 0.017, or 1.7%. Therefore, CPP benefits were increased by 1.7% on 1 January 2011.

If the average (in this case, 116.1) had instead been lower than for the preceding year (114.2), the result would have been less than 1. In this example, benefits would not have been decreased, but would instead have been frozen until the average from November to October exceeded the pre-freeze level (114.2).

The CPI for October is released during the second half of November so that the indexing rate for the following year may be calculated. Indexing is based on the all-items CPI, including all components.4 Raw data is used, meaning that the data is not seasonally adjusted.5

2.2 Old Age Security

OAS benefits (OAS pension, GIS, Allowance and Allowance for the Survivor) were indexed annually until 1973.6 At that time, inflation was very high (particularly for energy and food), so the government believed that quarterly indexation would provide better protection against unexpected sharp increases in prices over the year. This meant that administrative changes were needed to reduce the time required to produce CPI data and prepare benefits.7

As is the case for the CPP, the OAS indexing calculation is based on the all-items CPI.8 Table 1 shows the various months where the CPI is used to index OAS benefits for each quarter. For example, to calculate the 1 April 2011 rate of increase for benefits from April to June 2011, the difference between the average monthly CPI from November 2010 to January 2011 and the average CPI from August to October 2010 is divided by the latter average. The result is rounded to three decimal places, then expressed as a percentage, by multiplying by 100. On 1 April 2011, then, OAS benefits were increased by 0.5%, since the average CPI was 117.6 from November 2010 to January 2011, while it was 117.0 from August to October 2010, a ratio of 0.005, or 0.5%.

When completing their 2010 income tax returns, people whose incomes exceeded $66,733 were required to repay 15% of the difference between their income and this threshold, up to the full amount of the benefits paid during the year. This meant that a person whose income was higher than $108,214 was required to repay all of the OAS pension received. The threshold is also indexed, based on the fiscal indexation system, which itself is based on the average increase in the CPI from October to September over the same period the preceding year. In 2011, the threshold was increased to $67,668.

The GIS is an additional amount provided to OAS recipients whose incomes are beneath a certain threshold. In June 2011, this threshold was $15,960. Excluded from the calculation are OAS benefits, CPP and Quebec Pension Plan death benefits, social assistance benefits and the first $3,500 of employment earnings.

The maximum GIS amount is reached when an individual’s or a couple’s income is zero. For each $24 of annual income for a single individual or $48 for a couple, $1 is deducted from the maximum monthly benefit. This benefit is indexed based on variations in the CPI, just like the OAS pension. Therefore, the maximum amount increased from $661.69 for the period between January and March 2011 to $665 for the period between April and June 2011, an increase of 0.5%. However, anyone receiving an amount less than the maximum received an additional $3.31. The rate of increase was therefore highest for those receiving the lowest benefits, namely those with the highest incomes.

In addition to being increased through indexing, the GIS amount may also be increased exceptionally by the government. In 2005, the decision was made to increase the maximum monthly amount in 2006 and 2007 by $18 for single individuals and by $29 for couples. In July 2011, the maximum monthly amount was increased by $50 for single individuals and by $70 for couples. This increase applied only to people with very low incomes (different thresholds were set for eligibility for this increase).

The Allowance and Allowance for the Survivor are benefits provided to people between the ages of 60 and 64 whose spouse is an OAS recipient or is deceased. Like the GIS, these benefits are income tested. The monthly benefit decreases by $3 against the maximum benefit for each $48 in annual income. The maximum amount is also indexed, meaning that all recipients receive the same dollars increase, but not the same percentage increase.

2.3 Comparison of Changes in Public Pension Program Benefits and the Consumer Price Index

Figure 1 shows changes in the CPI and indexing of the CPP and OAS, using values set at 100 in April 2001 as the starting point. Ten years later, the CPI and CPP benefits rose 22.5%, and OAS benefits rose 22.1%. Over the long term, benefits and the CPI rose at the same rate, despite localized variations.

Figure 1 – Consumer Price Index and Indexed Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security Benefits (April 2001 = 100)

Note: OAS = Old Age Security, CPP = Canada Pension Plan, CPI = Consumer Price Index.
Source: Figure prepared by the author using Statistics Canada data.

2.4 Possible Interaction in the Indexing of Both Plans

The annual income used to calculate GIS benefits changes on 1 July. From January to June, the income used is from the year before the preceding year. From July to December, the amount is calculated based on the preceding year’s income tax return. Consequently, if the CPP is indexed on 1 January, GIS benefits will not be affected for another 18 months. Indexing the CPP and the GIS during this period generally offsets this decrease.

However, since both plans are not indexed at the same time or at the same rate, occasionally the GIS benefit amount may temporarily be lower because of CPP indexing. The Allowance and Allowance for the Survivor may be similarly affected.

Table 2 illustrates the phenomenon using the fictitious example of a single recipient whose only sources of income in 2007 were the OAS, the GIS and a monthly $400 CPP benefit. In January 2008, CPP benefits rose 2%. The OAS pension and GIS benefits did not increase in 2009 because of a drop in prices in late 2008. In July 2009, the recipient received $4 less in GIS benefits because of the $8 increase in the CPP benefits in January 2008.

As can be seen, the combined CPP and GIS amount decreased from June to July 2009, which may appear unfair since benefits are not supposed to decrease when the CPI drops. It should be noted that the CPP increase on 1 January 2008 reflected rises in the CPI that had been occurring since late 2006, which had already led to OAS and GIS increases in 2007 and 2008. The recipient had therefore already benefited from these increases. In fact, not until July 2009 did it become apparent that the GIS amount was too high, since it was based on the $400 monthly CPP benefit. The decrease was therefore due to the 18-month delay and the different methods used to index both plans.

3 Does the Consumer Price Index Reflect Actual Spending by Seniors?

3.1 Difference in Consumption Patterns Between Seniors and the Rest of the Population

The consumption patterns of seniors are probably not the same as those for the rest of the population. Statistics Canada studied spending by seniors based on the Survey of Household Spending, which is used to weight the CPI’s various components (goods and services).9

Table 3 shows the spending breakdown for seniors’ households and other households in 2001, as well as the price changes for the various types of goods and services between January 1992 and February 2004.

Table 3 – Spending Breakdown by Component According to Type of Household, 2001, and Price Changes from January 1992 to February 2004 (%)

Component	Spending Breakdown		Price Change January 1992 to February 2004
	Seniors’ Households	Other Households
Food and non-alcoholic beverages bought in stores	16.5	14.2	22.3
Food and non-alcoholic beverages bought in restaurants	3.2	3.7	27.8
Rent/tenants’ expenses	14.7	9.7	19.3
Mortgage, taxes and other homeowners’ expenses	14.7	12.7	24.2
Utilities (water, electricity)	7.1	4.7	43.6
Household goods and operation	10.4	11.3	13.8
Clothing and footwear	4.2	6.0	4.0
Private transportation (car, gas)	11.2	15.5	35.7
Public transportation	1.6	1.8	70.5
Health and personal care	7.1	4.7	18.9
Recreational/sports equipment and services	5.8	9.0	19.0
Tuition fees, reading and educational materials	1.0	2.8	78.7
Alcohol and tobacco	2.4	3.9	36.2
All items	100.0	100.0	24.4
Source: Radu Chiru, Is Inflation Higher for Seniors? (168 Kb, 14 pages), Cat. no. 11-621-MIE2005027, Statistics Canada, 2005, p. 2.

Seniors devote a smaller proportion of their spending to recreational/sports equipment and services and to clothing and footwear than the overall population. As a result, they were less able to benefit from lower inflation in these areas between 1992 and 2004. Utilities make up a greater portion of their spending, and inflation in this area was higher than average.

On the other hand, seniors commit a higher share of their spending to health and personal care, as well as to mortgages and property taxes. These areas were less affected by inflation, which helped ease the burden on seniors. In addition, sharp increases in tuition during this period, which pushed up the inflation rate, had little impact on seniors.

From 1992 to 2004, the average annual inflation rate was 1.95% for seniors-only households compared to 1.84% for all other households. The inflation rate was therefore slightly higher for seniors. However, the difference is minimal and could be offset by changes in consumption patterns.

Another Statistics Canada study shows identical inflation for the population as a whole and for low-income seniors between 1992 and 1997,10 whereas the CPI appears to have slightly underestimated inflation experienced by all seniors by for the same period.

3.2 Price Variations by Province

If the inflation rate in one province were higher than in the others, the indexing of benefits using a Canadian index would underestimate the price increases felt by seniors in that province, a situation that could appear inequitable. Table 4 shows the inflation rate by province.11

Over the last 30 years, the average annual inflation rate was 3.3% in Canada, ranging from 3.1% in Newfoundland and Labrador and in British Columbia to 3.5% in Alberta. Overall, these differences are minimal in the long term. Some provinces experience higher-than-average rates in one decade and then lower-than-average rates in the next. The fact remains that if benefits had been indexed using a provincial CPI, a $100 benefit paid in 1980 in Newfoundland and Labrador would have grown to roughly $250.33 by 2010; the same benefit would have grown to $278.25 in Alberta.

That said, provinces with higher inflation rates often enjoy stronger growth, lower unemployment and higher average incomes, which allows residents to better prepare for retirement. These factors could justify the gap between the pension indexing rates and the actual inflation rates in these provinces.

4 Conclusion

This paper has presented some observations about CPP and OAS benefits and the effects of basing their indexing on the CPI.

CPP benefits are indexed annually, while OAS benefits are indexed quarterly. Some interaction between the two programs leads, in very rare instances, to temporary decreases in GIS or Allowance benefits due to CPP indexing. However, this decrease is offset by prior increases in the GIS and the OAS pension.

Use of the CPI appears to have resulted in a very slight underestimation of the inflation experienced by seniors between 1992 and 2004, because seniors’ consumption patterns differ from those of other age groups.

Those consumption patterns are likely to change, which could help reduce the small gap between the inflation experienced by seniors and that felt by the rest of the population. For instance, seniors could become as great consumers of computers and electronics, whose prices are dropping, as younger people.

The gap in inflation experienced by seniors and others is smaller than the differences in inflation among the provinces. Despite this, interprovincial differences remain relatively minor in the long term. It would be important to monitor these trends to determine whether both types of gaps narrow or widen.

Notes

†  Library of Parliament Background Papers provide in-depth studies of policy issues. They feature historical background, current information and references, and many anticipate the emergence of the issues they examine. They are prepared by the Parliamentary Information and Research Service, which carries out research for and provides information and analysis to parliamentarians and Senate and House of Commons committees and parliamentary associations in an objective, impartial manner. [ Return to text ]