A multi-jurisdictional pension plan (MJPP) is a pension plan that provides benefits for plan members (active, former or retired) in two or more Canadian jurisdictions.

Ontario joined the federal government and several of the provinces to harmonize pension regulation for MJPPs effective July 1, 2020, through the 2020 Agreement Respecting Multi-Jurisdictional Pension Plans (2020 Agreement). The 2020 Agreement has been amended effective July 1, 2023, and now covers the following jurisdictions:

  • Alberta
  • British Columbia
  • Manitoba
  • New Brunswick
  • Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Nova Scotia
  • Ontario
  • Quebec
  • Saskatchewan
  • Federally registered pension plans (Canada)

Overview of the 2020 Agreement

The 2020 Agreement establishes an efficient and transparent regulatory environment for MJPPs and specifies the rules for these plans. It allows for a single pension supervisory authority (the major authority) to exercise all of the supervisory and regulatory powers relevant to these pension plans.

The major authority is the pension regulator with which the MJPP is registered and for the jurisdiction with the most active members in the plan. If the MJPP has active members or other plan participants in the other jurisdictions, those pension regulators are minor authorities.

For more information, see the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities (CAPSA) to review materials on Agreements Respecting Multi-Jurisdictional Pension Plans.