These are early days for the federal plan, so stay tuned for any changes. We’ve just recently been advised that people who opted out of an employer’s retiree health and dental benefit plan before December 11, 2023, and cannot opt back in under the plan rules, are eligible for the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). Anyone who chooses to opt out after this date will not be eligible.
The following is the eligibility criteria of the Canadian Dental Care Plan that was updated on March 4, 2024 on the Government of Canada website.
Eligibility criteria
To qualify for the CDCP, you must:
You need to meet all the eligibility criteria to qualify for the CDCP.
If you have any questions about eligibility for the Canadian Dental Care Plan, please email benefits@united-church.ca or call the Benefits Centre at 1-855-647-8222.
With new biologics entering the market rapidly, the overall cost of biologic drugs continues to significantly impact the sustainability of drug plans, including ours. GreenShield’s evidence-based biosimilar strategy combines innovative programs and approaches to ensure the best value for treatment, while optimizing resources, supporting the uptake of biosimilars, and improving access to medications for all plan members.
The originator biologic, Humira (adalimumab), continues to be one of the world’s top-selling drugs for more than two decades, treating a range of inflammatory conditions. Currently, eight approved adalimumab biosimilars in the Canadian market have all demonstrated similar safety and efficacy profiles to the originator, Humira.
Effective January 15, 2024, the following biosimilar products will be split into two categories: preferred and non-preferred products, as outlined in the table below. This means, anyone starting adalimumab therapy, effective January 15, 2024, must use a Category 1 (preferred product) below.
The choice of preferred products was evaluated based on several criteria including the formulation and format of the product, the robustness of the manufacturer’s patient co-pay assistance program, the quality of the patient support program, and the manufacturer’s track record of drug shortages. All three preferred products demonstrated excellence in these areas and maintain the opportunity for plan member choice.
Category 1 (preferred products) Abrilada, Hyrimoz, and Hadlima
Category 2 (non-preferred products)* Amgevita, Hulio, Idacio, Simlandi, and Yuflyma
The preferential listing applies to all Health Canada approved indications including:**
If a member under this program chooses to transition to an adalimumab biosimilar, they must select a Category 1 (preferred product) unless an exception applies.*
* Products listed as Category 2 agents will be non-preferred products and will only be available to patients in exceptional circumstances (e.g., documented intolerance or adverse events to 2 preferred products).
** Preferential listing does not apply in Quebec and will only apply where GreenShield is the primary payor.
Good news! As announced in a recent letter from Pension Board Chair, Anne Soh, pension plan members will receive a pension increase effective January 1, 2024.
Pensioners and Deferred Members
Current pensioners and deferred members will receive a 4 percent* increase to their pension amount effective January 1, 2024.
* The Income Tax Act and regulations limit pension increases to the cumulative growth in Consumer Price Index since the pension commenced. For this reason, recently retired pensioners and deferred members who terminated membership recently will see a lesser increase.
Active Members
For active members, the accrual rate will stay at 1.85 percent in 2024 from the base rate of 1.4 percent. In 2025 the accrual rate is scheduled to return to 1.4 percent.
What Does “Accrual Rate” Mean?
The accrual rate is the rate at which you earn your pension. In 2024, you earn your pension at the rate of 1.85 percent of your pensionable earnings.
How Does This Work?
You earn a piece of pension every year that you work and contribute to the plan—like building blocks.
For example, let’s assume that a member’s pensionable earnings stayed constant at $60,000 every year, (for easy figuring). From 2019, that member would earn
|
Year |
Accrual Rate | Formula |
Pension Credit Earned |
|
2019 |
1.4% | 1.4% of $60,000 | $ 840 |
|
2020 |
1.85% | 1.85% of $60,000 | $ 1,110 |
|
2021 |
1.625% | 1.625% of $60,000 |
$ 975 |
| 2022 | 1.85% | 1.85% of $60,000 |
$ 1,110 |
| 2023 | 1.85% | 1.85% of $60,000 |
$ 1,110 |
| 2024 | 1.85% | 1.85% of $60,000 |
$ 1,110 |
| 2025 | 1.4% | 1.4% of $60,000 |
$ 840 |
At the end of your career, the annual pension amounts earned each year will add up to the total annual pension you will receive every year for the rest of your life. So, the higher amount earned in 2024 will continue to benefit you for the rest of your retired life.
What about Future Increases?
There is no automatic indexing of our plan. The Pension Board and Pension Plan Advisory Committee annually assess the resources available and determine whether there are surplus funds that can be used to increase benefits.
This publication will be provided electronically on a monthly basis to keep treasurers informed on important changes, key dates to support how we work together, and what we need your help with to deliver effective service. Please ensure the treasurer email of your community of faith / organization is up to date in ChurchHub. Reminder: If you change any contact information on ChurchHub, you must also provide this information directly to ADP/payroll and to The United Church of Canada Benefits Centre.
If you have any questions, please send them to employerservices@united-church.ca
Check back every month to read the newest edition!
Here are some links to other helpful resources:
Webinars for Church Treasurers
Amid widespread reporting about the risks of artificial general intelligence, Alphabet (formerly Google) shareholders voted on June 2 on a proposal, filed by SHARE on behalf of the Pension Plan of The United Church of Canada, requesting third-party scrutiny of the company’s targeted advertising system.
The proposal calls for the company to undertake a human rights impact assessment and states the growing concerns surrounding Alphabet’s advertising infrastructure’s heavy reliance on technology, including artificial intelligence, which has not been subject to a robust human rights due diligence process. This kind of assessment would identify, address, and prevent the potential adverse human rights impact of targeted advertising technologies.
“Alphabet’s targeted advertising business represents about 80% of the company’s revenue, which means that until a rigorous assessment is done, its shareholders are exposed to a litany of regulatory, legal and reputational risks,” said Sarah Couturier-Tanoh, Associate Director Corporate Engagement and Advocacy at SHARE. “Ultimately, the lack of clear oversight puts investors’ long-term value at risk.”
Proxy advisory firms Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services, and large U.S.-based pension funds CalPERS, CalSTRS, New York City pension funds, and Norges Bank all agreed with SHARE’s perspective on the matter.
The proposal received 47% support from independent shareholders and 18% overall. The sharp difference between these two figures is explained by the multi-class stock structure conferring 10 votes for 1 share held by Alphabet’s management. SHARE opposes multi-class stock structures as a general principle of good corporate governance.
While our shareholder proposal ultimately did not pass, the nearly 50% support of independent shareholders is a strong signal to Alphabet management that there is great concern about, and now scrutiny of, their targeted advertising system. Often corporate engagement is a process of incremental gains requiring persistence. Persistence is something that the Pension Fund of The United Church of Canada has in abundance when it comes to investing responsibly!
This reminder is a follow-up to notices shared late last year and earlier this year with community of faith treasurers and administrators, as well as ministry personnel, about changes to the regional cost of living group assignments. A copy of the letter shared with treasurers and administrators is in the Downloads section at the bottom of the Ministers’ Salary Schedule and Cost of Living Groups webpage.
These changes will be effective for the pay period beginning July 1, 2023, and apply to the balance of the year. You can find the revised cost of living group assignment data in the Downloads section as well.
If your regional COL group assignment has moved up, your ADP administrator will need to update the minister’s salary in TeamPay or inform ADP of the new salary amount for the pay period beginning July 1.
Salaries for ministry personnel serving in locations where the regional COL group assignment has been adjusted down will be maintained as per the terms of the appointment or call. This includes those whose appointments renew. This means that if the pastoral charge is in a lower cost of living group, the current minister’s salary may not be reduced. It will remain subject to the annual economic adjustment to minimum salaries or as defined in the terms of appointment or call.
There is no change to the COL group for 45 percent of communities of faith. Thirty-nine percent of communities of faith have stepped up one group. Sixteen percent have stepped down one group. These changes reflect regional differences in the costs of housing, property and provincial income taxes, utilities, and goods and services.
Connex is your newsletter that provides information about your pension, benefits, and payroll. If you were previously receiving an email about Connex and didn’t see it in your inbox, check your spam folder! If it’s still not there and you would like to receive Connex, please sign up for the latest news and updates by filling out the form below.
The accrual rate is the rate at which you earn your pension. In 2023, you will earn your pension at the rate of 1.85% of your pensionable earnings.
You earn a piece of pension every year that you work and contribute to the plan―like building blocks.
For example, let’s assume that a member’s pensionable earnings stayed constant at $60,000 every year (for easy figuring). From 2019 to 2024, that member would earn:
| Year | Accrual Rate | Formula | Pension Credit Earned |
| 2019 | 1.4% | 1.4% of $60,000 | $ 840 |
| 2020 | 1.85% | 1.85% of $60,000 | $ 1,110 |
| 2021 | 1.625% | 1.625% of $60,000 | $ 975 |
| 2022 | 1.85% | 1.85% of $60,000 | $ 1,110 |
| 2023 | 1.85% | 1.85% of $60,000 | $ 1,110 |
| 2024 | 1.4% | 1.4% of $60,000 | $ 840 |
At the end of your career, the annual pension amounts earned each year (pension credits) will add up to the total annual pension you will receive every year for the rest of your life. So, the higher amount earned in 2023 will continue to benefit you for the rest of your retired life.
There is no automatic indexing or increases in our pension plan. Each year, the Pension Board and Pension Plan Advisory Committee assess the resources available and determine whether there are surplus funds that can be used to increase benefits.
The Benefits Centre team is pleased to announce that we have made 17 lump sum payments and 4,768 regular pension payments following the transition from RBC Investor and Treasury Services to LifeWorks in May. All thanks to LifeWorks' Ariel payroll system that streamlined the payroll run and generated one payroll run instead of two for monthly pensions and lump sums. Check out more details below!
The first letter from the Benefits Centre informing pensioners about the change to the processing of pension payments - from RBC Investor and Treasury Services to LifeWorks.
The second mailing in June was divided into three letters depending on where you are currently residing:
The second communication from the Benefits Centre was mailed the week of June 15, with more information on T4As for the 2022 year, and about the Web portal - which will be available to all in October 2023 but will be optional. Just a reminder, there is nothing for you, as a pensioner, to do on your end.
Three versions of the letter were mailed - depending on your current location - and they are all posted on the Retirement page, under Communications. If you have not received this communication by the end of the month, please e-mail pension@united-church.ca or phone the Benefits Centre at 1-855-647-8222 to ensure they have the correct address on file.
First Mailing - First Letter
Second Mailing -
