Estimate for the entirety of Bill C-221: An act to amend certain Acts in relation to survivor pension benefits

This analysis provides the estimated gross expenditure for the entirety of Bill C-221, including the aspects pertaining to veterans. Currently, in certain situations, the spouse of a deceased pensioner is not eligible for a survivor pension. This occurs if the pensioner and the spouse married or began cohabiting in a conjugal relationship after the pensioner retired (in the case of the federal Public Service, Federally Appointed Judges, members of the House of Commons and Senators) or retired and was at least 60 years old (in the case of veterans and the RCMP). Under Bill C-221, all of these spouses would become eligible for survivor pensions.

The PBO estimates the expenditure from the Bill with an effective date of January 1, 2023. The PBO estimates Bill C-221 will result in a gross expenditure from pension plans of $68 million in 2022-23 for a total expenditure of $1.3 billion over the next 5 years.