Alberta Employment Pension Plans Act Changes Resulting From Bill 17

The Superintendent of Pensions issued Employment Pension Plans Act (EPPA) Update 26-02 providing key changes made to the EPPA by Bill 17: Fiscal Measures Statutes Amendment Act, 2026, which received Royal Assent on March 26, 2026. Amendments to the Employment Pension Plans Regulation (EPPR) are required to implement various changes.

Amendments permit a collectively bargained multiemployer plan to convert already accrued defined benefits to target benefits. 

Amendments provide a collectively bargained multiemployer plan more flexibility to determine when an employee is entitled to join a pension plan. The optional new condition is based on hours of work, whereas the existing condition is based on employee earnings. 

Bill 17 enables plan administrators to discharge liabilities through a transfer of assets to purchase annuities.