Analyzing the APP Claims - Is Grandma’s CPP Safe?

Jan 19

This is the start of a series that will examine what will happen if Alberta separates, one subject at a time. Today's subject is Grandma’s pension; the Owl is looking at CPP, OAS and GIS.

APP Poster by Allowance Avenue Overpass Medicine Hat

Photo - Alex McCuaig

The APP (Alberta Prosperity Project) claims that citizens of an Independent Alberta will have dual citizenship with Canada.

That status is not automatic, it must be negotiated. For the sake of argument, we are analyzing what happens in the worst case scenario - that people residing in an Independent Alberta will NOT be able to retain their Canadian citizenship.

Again, this is not certain, it must be negotiated with the Canadian government.

We’ve all heard the concerns about pensions if Alberta decides to separate from Canada -

Will Grandma’s CPP Be Safe?

Short answer - yes it will.

Information obtained by The Owl confirms that CPP is paid to pensioners living in other countries even if they are not Canadian citizens; Canada has reciprocal agreements in place with over 50 countries. It is reasonable to assume that Canada will negotiate a similar agreement with an Independent Alberta. However, an Independent Alberta will have to negotiate their own reciprocal agreements with countries other than Canada.

That Being Said…

CPP does not pay out a lot to most seniors.
There are also other benefits available to seniors that are not as safe as noted below.

A Closer Look at CPP, OAS and GIS

These details are provided for the sake of argument only.
For more information on programs and services, contact Service Canada.

CPP (Canada Pension Plan)

The Maximum Monthly CPP Benefit is just over $1500 (Jan 2026).

The Average Monthly CPP Benefit is just over $800 (Oct 2025).

Grandma will need more than just their CPP.

Those who made more money during their working years will obviously get a higher benefit. The Maximum Pensionable Earnings (MPE) for 2026 is $74,600. There are charts for previous years - if you started working in 1966, your MPE was $5000.

OAS (Old Age Security)

This is dependent on how long you live in Canada after your 18th birthday. The maximum amount is paid after you have lived in Canada for 40 years. You must live in Canada for at least 10 years to qualify for any benefits.

Maximum Monthly Benefit Amounts

Age 65-74 - $742.31

Over age 75 - $816.54

You can receive OAS payments while living abroad if:

You lived in Canada for at least 20 years after turning 18
You lived and worked in a country with a social security agreement with Canada, and your combined time in both countries is at least 20 years - Source Gov’t of Canada

However, if you do not meet the above qualifications, your OAS can be stopped if you live outside of Canada for more than 6 months. They do confirm your departure/arrival in Canada with the border agencies.

Grandma might not get the maximum OAS if Alberta separates. It’s prorated on the number of years you’ve lived in Canada - the clock stops as soon as Alberta is independent.

GIS (Guaranteed Income Supplement)

Herein lies the rub.

The GIS is NOT a pension, it is a supplementary income for low income seniors. It is NOT safe if the recipient lives in an Independent Alberta.

The Maximum Monthly Amount of the GIS is $1,108.74

To qualify for this supplement, you must be

Receiving the OAS, and
Living in Canada.
There are other qualifications as well, check with Service Canada to see if you are eligible.

You cannot receive the GIS if you live in another country. Full stop.

$1100 is a significant amount of money to Grandma.

The Owl reached out to the APP to see if they have a similar program in the works.

APP’s Response

Short answer, no.

Here is the Owl’s original question -
Question – What program will an independent Alberta bring in to replace the GIS and possibly top up the OAS (if Canada refuses to allow dual citizenship)?

Here is their response (you will notice that they changed the question).

Q: What program will an independent Alberta bring in to replace GIS, and what happens with CPP and OAS?

the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) would continue to remain intact. In a sovereign Alberta, individuals could continue to receive CPP and OAS, including if they live outside Canada.
APP states that Alberta could potentially establish its own Alberta Pension Plan and possibly an Alberta OAS-like program in addition to federal programs, but this would require setting up new systems.
There is no specific mention of Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) in the APP FAQs; the site focuses on OAS and CPP. The continuation of federal social programs is discussed in terms of federal plan retention and creation of Alberta alternatives for additional benefits.

They also sent a link - here is the info from that link.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO OLD AGE SECURITY (OAS); CANADA PENSION PLAN (CPP);

Other federal social programs?

OAS and CPP will remain intact. They will not be lost, and in a sovereign Alberta, one could also have dual citizenship. Further, for someone receiving OAS and CPP who then moves to France, that person will still receive OAS and CPP. However, for those who wish greater CPP and OAS payments, they may have the opportunity to further benefit from an Alberta OAS and CPP.

For other federal social programs, we would need to establish our own. Remember OAS and CPP are not designed as revenue replacement but augment retirement. Alberta could set up its own retirement plan with some of its revenue and make retirees prosperous, too.

Bottom Line

CPP is meant to supplement your retirement income. Most people will need to save their own money to maintain their lifestyle after retirement. As we saw above, the average CPP payment is only 53% of the maximum available, well under $1000/month.

If Grandma has money in the bank, she might be okay. The Grandmas with nothing, well that’s an issue. Even asking the APP directly is not enlightening, they seem to be sticking to their talking points.

They told the Owl -

”There is no specific mention of Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) in the APP FAQs;…”

We already knew that, which is why we reached out to them for more information. I have again reached out for more clarification, this article will be updated when we receive a response.

The question now is

Will the APP take these concerns seriously or will they continue to give us non responsive answers?

The Owl will keep you posted!