Purchasing Periods of Part-Time Service for Child or Family Care Reasons

Members who worked in job-sharing arrangements or on a part-time basis in the past to care for their child or another family member may be eligible to purchase pension credit for such periods to establish the equivalent of full-time pensionable service. Please note that to apply, a member will need to complete the Child or Family Care Pension Purchase Application form. The deadline for active SFPP members to apply to purchase eligible periods from prior to January 1, 2022 on a contributions cost basis is December 31, 2022. The following are some common questions and answers relating to this matter.


1.   Why can I purchase service associated with previous periods of part-time employment or job-sharing?

In late 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in Fraser v. Canada (Attorney General) that federal government pension plan members could buy back full-time pension credit for periods of employment where they temporarily reduced their working hours to care for their children. With that ruling, SFPP Corporation has taken proactive steps to ensure that SFPP follows suit with this decision and that our approach benefits impacted members.


2.   Why would I want to purchase periods of eligible service?

There are several benefits to increasing pensionable service, but the two biggest benefits are:

  1. Increasing the amount of pensionable service means a member can retire earlier; and,
  2. Adding in service will increase the value of a member’s retirement benefit.

Plus, this is a unique window of time where active SFPP members with eligible periods from prior to January 1, 2022 will have access to a contribution-based purchase, so it is even more valuable (see question #4 to learn about this type of purchase).


3.   How do I know if I am eligible to purchase additional pensionable service?

4.   What is a contribution-based purchase of service?

In simple terms, the member will pay the outstanding balance of SFPP contributions that they would have paid during the applicable period of employment, had they been employed on a full-time basis. The employer will also pay their share of the SFPP contributions. In addition, there will be no interest applied historically to the member’s share of the contributions.

If a member is eligible but does not apply or make an election within the specified deadlines to purchase the service on a contributions cost basis, they may be eligible to purchase it at a later date, but the cost would be determined on an actuarial reserve basis. In general, an actuarial reserve-based cost will be higher because the cost is calculated by determining the amount of money required today to pay for a member’s future pension on the period of service they are purchasing.


5.   Is there a limit on how much service I can buy back on a contributions cost basis?

6.   What does it mean for my hours of work to have been temporarily reduced?

A member’s hours of work are considered to have been temporarily reduced if they returned to work/anticipate returning to work on a full-time basis following their employment in a job-sharing arrangement or on a part-time basis.


7.   If I am eligible, what is the process to buy back this service?

8.   I am already receiving my SFPP pension or I left my deferred pension with SFPP. Am I eligible to buy back additional service?

SFPP Corporation is working on a method to allow purchases of service for eligible retired members and for members who left their deferred pension with SFPP. At this time, only active members with a period of eligible employment in a job-sharing arrangement or on a part-time basis from prior to January 1, 2022 are eligible to apply. A future solution to address retired and deferred vested members will be shared soon.


9.   I am an active SFPP member and was employed in a job-sharing arrangement or on a part-time basis in 2022. Am I eligible to increase my pensionable service in 2022?

10.   What information will I need to provide in the SFPP Child/Family Care Pension Credit Purchase Form?

A member will need to confirm that they meet the stated eligibility conditions and provide the start and end dates associated with any eligible period(s) where they were employed in a job-sharing arrangement or on a part-time basis. A member will also need to indicate if the temporary reduction in hours was linked to child or family care. If it is linked to child care, the member will need to provide the date of birth or adoption of their child to allow for an assessment of whether the period qualifies as a period of parenting under the Income Tax Act. If the dates provided align with the information on a member’s SFPP file, they will be sent a Buyback Proposal within 30 days.

In the event the dates provided by the member do not align with the dates on file, SFPP Corporation will follow up with each applicable individual member to outline the remedy actions needing to be taken.


11.   How do I pay for my purchase of service?

12.   What happens if I do not apply before December 31, 2022 or do not make my election by the deadline outlined in my Buyback Proposal?

13.   If I apply for a Buyback Proposal, how long will I have to decide whether to proceed with the purchase?

A member will be sent a Buyback Proposal within 30 days of submitting their completed form and they will have 180 days from the date of the Buyback Proposal to make an election and payment(s). The election and payment deadlines will be clearly stated in the Buyback Proposal. Please note that if the total cost is more than $500, the first payment must be made by the stated deadline. If the total cost is $500 or less, all payments must be made by this deadline.


14.   Once I complete the Child or Family Care Pension Purchase Application form, what do I do with it?

Once completed, please return your application to SFPP by one of the following methods:

By mail to or in person at:
Special Forces Pension Plan
c/o Alberta Pensions Services Corporation
5103 Windermere Boulevard SW
Edmonton, AB T6W 0S9

By secure message:

  1. Log in to your online SFPP member portal
  2. Upload a copy of the completed form
  3. Click Submit to send it to the SFPP Member Services Centre

15.   If I still have specific questions about this matter, who do I contact?

For any queries related to any eligible period(s) of employment, a member should contact their employer’s pay and benefits department.

For any questions about completing the Child or Family Care Pension Purchase Application form, please contact the SFPP Member Services Centre at 1-877-809-7377 (SFPP).

All other inquiries on this matter can be directed to Ms. Tennille Willis, Chief Financial Officer with SFPP Corporation at tennille.willis@sfpp.ca. Please provide a contact phone number in your email if further discussion is needed. Upon receipt of your email, we will ensure a response within two business days.


16.   What are some examples of eligible periods to purchase previous pensionable service?

Example 1: A member enrolls with SFPP on January 1, 2015, and is employed on a full-time basis. The member moves into a part-time capacity at a 50% full-time equivalency (FTE) on January 1, 2017 in order to allow for them to take care of their young child. The member then returns to a full-time position on January 1, 2021. Subject to prescribed limits, this member would be eligible to purchase the balance of eligible service for the period from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020 (i.e., 1.5 years of eligible service), as the 36-month prior employment requirement was not met until January 1, 2018.

Example 2: A member was in a full-time position and changed to a part-time role on January 1, 2017. Their hours were temporarily reduced to a 50% FTE to allow for them to care for their elderly parent. The member then returned to a full-time position on January 1, 2020. Subject to prescribed limits, this member would be eligible to purchase additional service during the period of part-time employment.

Work Arrangement Start Date End Date Existing Pensionable Service Earned Percentage
Full-Time January 1, 2012 December 31, 2016 5 years 100% FTE
Part-Time January 1, 2017 December 31, 2019 1.5 years out of 3.0 eligible years 50% FTE
Full-Time January 1, 2020 Current Ongoing full service 100% FTE

Based on the above example, this member would be eligible to purchase the balance of eligible service for the period from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2019 (i.e., 1.5 years of eligible service).


17.   Can you provide an example of the potential cost of purchasing a period of eligible service on a contributions cost basis?