General Information

Pension Statements

Each year, active participants who worked at least one hour in the two preceding years and all the retirees receive a pension statement that provides information on the plan and their personal file. These statements are sent to their last known address. It is therefore important to inform the CCQ of any change of address by contacting the CCQ’s Customer Services.

Application for Pension or Withdrawal Benefits

Employees who wish to obtain a pension or a withdrawal benefit must contact the CCQ’s Customer Services to apply for benefits.

Note that benefits received from a pension plan such as the construction industry’s may have an effect on Employment Insurance benefits. Employees should contact Service Canada for more information on this subject.

Notice of Death

The CCQ’s Customer Services must be notified of the death of an non-retired participant, a retiree, or a surviving spouse in order to determine if a benefit is payable.

Demande de réexamen

A person who disagrees with a decision by the CCQ regarding a pension benefit may contest it by using the form Demande de réexamen.

MÉDIC Construction

The number of hours worked recorded in the pension plan serves to determine an insured’s eligibility for certain coverage under the MÉDIC Construction insurance plan – for example, salary insurance coverage, retirees’ insurance plan.

Maximum pensionable earnings under the Act Respecting the Québec Pension Plan

In 2011, the maximum pensionable earnings (MPE) under the Act Respecting the Québec Pension Plan is $48,300; 20% of the MPE is thus $9,660. The MPE is normally indexed each year.

The 2002 Deficit

Sums accumulated in the construction industry’s pension fund are invested in different types of investments (for example, Canadian, American, and foreign shares, bonds, immovables). In 2001 and 2002, the financial markets had significant difficulties. The pension plan was affected by this situation. At the end of 2002, the pension fund had a major deficit.

In the wake of this deficit, a number of measures were taken to correct the plan’s financial situation.

One of the major modifications made involved the structure of the pension plan. Since 2005:

Employees no longer accumulate pension credits in the defined benefits account.
All contributions accumulating sums that will be used to form a pension guaranteed by the plan are paid into the defined contribution account.

Given this modification, the calculation of the pension and the age of eligibility for retirement are different for participants who began contributing to the plan before 2005 and those who began contributing to the plan after 2004.

It is important to note that specific conditions, limitations, or exclusions may apply to the payment of certain benefits; only the Règlement sur les régimes complémentaires d’avantages sociaux dans l’industrie de la construction has legal standing. This regulation is modified regularly in order to comply with federal and provincial statutes. The provisions that apply are those in force at the time of each event.

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