Retired Member Newsletter November 2025

• Reliability for Life
• Answering your questions: CAAT’s improved survivor benefits
• The CAAT Insights Panel is back
• One Year of GROWTHplus — Have you checked it out?

The value of a reliable pension payable for your lifetime is felt most strongly during challenging times. Each predictable payment helps retirees plan for their upcoming needs. That’s the strength of a sustainable, well-managed, defined benefit pension plan that delivers on its promise of income security and peace of mind. 

Global events can shake many Canadians’ confidence in their ability to save and spend in retirement. You can feel confident about CAAT’s financial strength. We have built sizeable reserves to keep the Plan’s funding health strong under a wide array of circumstances. We regularly test the Plan’s resilience by modelling different economic and demographic scenarios. In short, your CAAT pension is not impacted by market volatility. You can count on your monthly retirement income for life regardless of the changing conditions.   

Welcoming more members into the Plan makes the Plan even stronger. This makes it possible to make additional investments that benefit all members. 

This year, CAAT extended the payment guarantee for survivor benefits going forward from 60 to 180 times your original monthly payment (or from about five years of payment to 15 years). You can learn more about this in Answering your questions: CAAT’s improved survivor benefits.

We also marked one year since launching the GROWTHplus Investment Account. Members, including eligible retirees, can consolidate their tax-sheltered savings with CAAT. This provides members the flexibility to save with the Plan they trust. We are exploring developments to open the ability of retirees over the age of 71 to continue to contribute. Learn more about GROWTHplus and stay tuned for updates.  

Reliable income doesn’t just benefit members; it also strengthens the Canadian economy and supports Canadian jobs. Research from the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis found that every $10 of pension spent translates to nearly $17 in local economic activity.  

By spending your CAAT pension (especially locally), you create positive economic impacts for Canada. Together, we’re helping more Canadians benefit from the value of reliable income for life. This is good for them, their employers, the Plan, and for Canada and something we can all take pride in. 

Security in retirement is not just about a predictable pension, it is knowing your loved ones are looked after. Earlier this summer, we shared an important enhancement to your pension – the extension of the minimum payment guarantee from 60 months to 180 months.

We’ve heard many thoughtful questions following the announcement. Our goal is to provide clear and informative responses so you can feel confident about what this means for you and your loved ones.  

Three essentials to remember:

1. Your pension is paid for life. You will continue to receive predictable monthly pension payments for as long as you live. This has not changed.
2. Survivor benefits are included. When you pass away in retirement, if you have an eligible spouse, they will receive a survivor pension – 60% pension by default, with options for 75%, or the new 100% benefit (the 100% option applies to those who retired on or after May 28, 2025). If you do not have a spouse, eligible children may also receive a survivor benefit.
3. The minimum payment guarantee adds protection. No matter how long you live, you will continue to receive predictable monthly payments. Also, your eligible spouse or children will receive a survivor pension when you pass away. The minimum payment guarantee is an additional safeguard. It is a guarantee that if you and your survivors pass away before receiving the equivalent of 180 months of your initial monthly pension, the remaining balance will be paid to the beneficiary or the estate of the last pension recipient (you or your spouse).

This enhancement reflects CAAT’s commitment to keep evolving in ways that serve you. With strong funding and a focus on long-term security, we strive to deliver improvements that help you retire with confidence.

Your questions answered

Q: I retired eight years ago. Do I qualify for the 180-Month Minimum Payment Guarantee?

Yes. If you began receiving your CAAT pension before the May 28, 2025 plan improvement, your minimum pension guarantee has already been extended from 60 months to 180 months. You don’t need to take any action. Once you have received the value of 180 months of payments (based on your initial pension payout), the minimum guarantee has been fulfilled and no longer applies.

Q: What if I don’t have a spouse or children?

If you pass away before receiving the minimum payment guarantee, your designated beneficiary may receive a payment for the remaining balance. If no beneficiary is named, this payment will go to your estate. This safeguard is automatic and does not require you to take any action.

Q: Why do I need to name a beneficiary?

Naming a beneficiary is an important way to protect those you care about. It helps avoid delays or complications during a difficult time where your loved ones may be entitled to survivor benefits.

Q: How can I update my beneficiary information?
You can update your information anytime through My Pension, CAAT’s member portal, at caatpension.ca or by completing a Member Change of Information form.

Your perspective matters and we want to know more about what’s working and what could be better. CAAT’s Insights Panel is a group of members who give feedback on new ideas, communications, and member services which helps us ensure that our work reflects your needs.

Why join?

• Make a real impact. Your input directly influences how we serve you. For example, feedback from past panel members helped guide the development of the GROWTHplus Investment Account!
• It’s simple and respectful of your time. We’ll send short surveys on a variety of topics to get your thoughts on tools, resources, communications, and special projects.

It’s been a year since CAAT launched the GROWTHplus Investment Account (GROWTHplus), a flexible, tax-sheltered way to grow your retirement savings alongside your CAAT lifetime pension. Whether this is new to you or you’ve been meaning to take a closer look — now is a great time to explore what GROWTHplus offers.

What is GROWTHplus?
GROWTHplus is an optional savings account that allows you to save additional funds with CAAT and benefit from our investment returns — all within a tax-sheltered environment.

Who can participate?
For tax purposes, if you live in Canada, you can initiate a deposit into GROWTHplus until the end of the year you turn 70. For those over that age, tax-sheltered deposits are expected to be available starting in 2026.

How does GROWTHplus work?

GROWTHplus is built for both saving and spending. You can transfer tax-sheltered funds (for example: RRSPs) into GROWTHplus and access your funds during an annual withdrawal window throughout your time as a CAAT member, whether you’re working towards your retirement or are already collecting your CAAT pension. This flexibility helps you manage your retirement income in a way that supports your goals.

For more details, see the GROWTHplus Member Handbook at growthplus.ca. You may also wish to speak with a financial advisor to see if GROWTHplus fits your overall goals. 

Want to learn more or get started?

• Call us at 1-866-350-2228
• Log into My Pension to use the GROWTHplus modeller
• Watch the explainer video on our YouTube channel