Regarding the notice from the Dalhousie Pension Plan

ADRP members and Dalhousie retirees received a notice from the Dalhousie Pension Plan in the first week of December that may have generated some confusion.  It gave a link to a newsletter from the Nova Scotia Pension Services Corporation, specifically from the trustees of the Public Service Superannuation Plan.

Over the past decades, TUNS (the Technical University of Nova Scotia) and AC (the Agricultural College), amalgamated with Dalhousie University. Prior to the amalgamation their employees did not belong to any of the Dalhousie unions and so when they retired did not become part of the Dalhousie Retiree Plan. Rather, they were retirees of the Public Service Superannuation Plan. This gave them different benefits from the Dalhousie Retiree plans – extended health and travel. I believe for a few years after amalgamation retirees had a choice but now all new employees and retirees are party to the same retiree benefits and travel plans as faculty and staff at the Halifax Studley campus; they are part of the Dalhousie Extended Health and Travel plans. The result is that Dalhousie retirees and ADRP members can be of either group and so all retirees including ADRP members are now getting notices from both retiree pension plans. Hence the email notice and link.

All I can say is that if you got the link and are not part of the Superannuation Plan you have a choice to ignore it with no penalty or click the link to see how the other plan and associated benefits compare to what you have. It may inspire you to contact the ADRP Benefits Committee to get some changes you feel are necessary.

Peter Wallace, ADRP Benefits Committee Chair