Improving the Labour Market Incentives of Canada's Public Pensions

This paper examines the incentives for retirement imposed by Canada's public pension system. A series of simulations clearly illustrate the various components of the pension system that create incentives and disincentives among older Canadians for continued work. We find the largest work disincentives are generated by the income-tested Guaranteed Income Supplement, as it interacts with the Canada/Quebec Pension Plan and with earned income to give the least well-off a reduced financial return to working. We then illustrate how various policy reforms would alleviate some aspects of the incentives problem and partially remove barriers to continued labour market participation among older Canadians.