Frequently Asked Questions

The CBC Pensioners National Association is federally incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act.

Structurally, the Association comprises eight geographically defined Regions which, in turn, currently support some 17 smaller divisions called Chapters.

The regions are Newfoundland & Labrador; the Maritimes; Quebec; the National Capital Region & Nunavut; Ontario, Manitoba; Alberta, Saskatchewan & the Northwest Territories; British Columbia & Yukon.

The Chapters are: Western Newfoundland; Moncton, Fredericton/Saint John; Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton; Quebec City; Matane; Rimouski; Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean; South-Western Ontario, Golden Horseshoe, Durham-Trent and North-Central Ontario; Calgary; Saskatchewan; Vancouver Island and Southern Interior BC.

The PNA is governed by four Executive officers, the President, the Vice-President, Anglophone, the Vice-President, Francophone, the Treasurer, as well as the Presidents of each Region (plus one additional member for Ontario and two for Quebec, the most populous regions). The Association’s representatives on the CCSB and the Pension Board of Trustees sit as advisory members of the board but do not vote.

The regional presidents are elected by and serve terms defined by the members of their respective Regions, who also elect their own directors and other officers. Chapters are typically represented on regional boards by their President.

The national Officers are elected to three-year terms.

The national Board of Directors is charged with overseeing the day-to-day operations of the CBC PNA, assisted by a small,
part-time staff in the Association’s head office, located in Ottawa.

All national, regional and chapter-level officers and directors are volunteers, serving without remuneration.

There are over 6075 members from among the roughly 10,300 CBC pensioners and survivors.

The PNA is funded by the dues paid by its members. When you complete your membership application, you authorize the CBC to deduct Association dues from your pension cheque. The current rate of dues is 0.32% of gross pension – less than 1/3 of one percent. On an average pension of $21,000 per annum this works out to about $5.60 per month; on a smaller pension, say $1,000.00 per month, the dues would be $3.20 per month.

The Canada Revenue Agency imposes a maximum annual pension payable from a Defined Benefit pension plan.  So employees retiring from senior positions and who may be receiving supplementary pensions from the CBC are charged dues based only on the CRA-determined maximum, not the total of their basic and supplementary amounts.

The dues are received from the CBC by the National office. Each region then receives 25% of the dues for the members in that region to allow it to conduct activities.  A similar formula determines funding for chapters, guaranteeing a minimum operating amount.

Yes – but not to the same degree our members do.  The CBC PNA is the only organized voice of CBC pensioners and, as such, is regularly consulted by the CBC/Radio-Canada on matters of importance to all pensioners, such as the Supplementary Health Care Plan and the Employee Assistance Plan.  Through our representation on the Consultative Committee on Staff Benefits, we play a key role in managing the Special Assistance Fund.   And, because we nominate a pensioners’ representative to the CBC Pension Plan Board of Trustees, we have direct input to the governance of the Plan.  As an Association, we receive an annual, formal briefing on the Pension Plan’s performance, allowing us to provide insights unique to the members of the PNA.  All of these connections give CBC PNA members a degree of influence on their plans and services that non-members do not enjoy.

In addition, the CBC PNA continues to negotiate affinity agreements available only to our members, including access to hotel and car rental programs, consumer purchasing discounts and privileged rates for travel medical, trip cancellation, automobile and home insurance.  (Click the Programs tab for more details.)