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Municipal Employee Pension Plans in Canada: An Overview

Author

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  • Bob Baldwin

    (University of Toronto)

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of municipal employee pension plans in Canada by drawing on Statistics Canada data, municipal employee pension plan publications, and municipalities’ financial statements. It provides information on the organizational structure, governance, and administration of plans; the benefits they provide; contributions to the plans; their funded status; and their impact on municipal finances. Although largely descriptive, the findings suggest that while municipal employee pension plans’ financial situation is satisfactory overall, these plans involve significant financial risks and in some cases have experienced financial difficulties that have caused problems for municipal finances. The paper also identifies a number of data limitations that can be overcome through coordinated action by municipalities and their pension plans.

Suggested Citation

  • Bob Baldwin, 2015. "Municipal Employee Pension Plans in Canada: An Overview," IMFG Papers 23, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
    • Handle: RePEc:mfg:wpaper:23
    as

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    File URL: https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/81217/1/imfg_paper_23_baldwin_dec_2_2015.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2015
    Download Restriction: no
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Richard M. Bird, 2011. "Are There Trends in Local Finance? A Cautionary Note on Comparative Studies and Normative Models of Local Government Finance," IMFG Papers 01, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
    2. Izabella Barati-Stec, 2012. "Hungary: An Unfinished Decentralization?," IMFG Papers 11, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
    3. Jorgen Lotz, 2012. "You Get What You Pay For: How Nordic Cities Are Financed," IMFG Papers 07, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
    4. Roy Bahl & Richard M. Bird, 2013. "Decentralization and Infrastructure in Developing Countries: Reconciling Principles and Practice," IMFG Papers 16, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
    5. Richard M. Bird, 2014. "A Better Local Business Tax: The BVT," IMFG Papers 18, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
    6. Michael Smart, 2012. "The Reform of Business Property Tax in Ontario: An Evaluation," IMFG Papers 10, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
    7. Zachary Spicer, 2015. "Cooperation and Capacity: Inter-Municipal Agreements in Canada," IMFG Papers 19, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
    8. Enid Slack & Richard M. Bird, 2015. "How to Reform the Property Tax: Lessons from around the World," IMFG Papers 21, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
    9. Enid Slack & Richard M. Bird, 2013. "Merging Municipalities: Is Bigger Better?," IMFG Papers 14, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
    10. Aaron A. Moore, 2013. "Trading Density for Benefits: Toronto and Vancouver Compared," IMFG Papers 13, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
    11. Almos Tassonyi & Richard M. Bird & Enid Slack, 2015. "Can GTA Municipalities Raise Property Taxes? An Analysis of Tax Competition and Revenue Hills," IMFG Papers 20, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel Henstra & Jason Thistlethwaite, 2017. "Climate Change, Floods, and Municipal Risk Sharing in Canada," IMFG Papers 30, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.
    2. Zack Taylor & Alec Dobson, 2020. "Power and Purpose:Canadian Municipal Law in Transition," IMFG Papers 47, University of Toronto, Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    municipal employee pensions; municipal finance; public employee pensions; Canadian pension data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • J32 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits; Retirement Plans; Private Pensions

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