Interest Rate Tables

Interest Rates and Prescribed Amounts

On this page

  • EPPA Prescribed Amounts: Table 1B
  • Table 3 - Interest Rates - Employee Contributions of DEFINED BENEFIT Pension Plans
  • Table 4 - Interest Rate for the Life Income Fund (LIF) Term Certain Factors

Below are up-to-date tables of CANSIM rates related to:

  • YMPE limits for commutation of small pensions, eligibility of part-time employees, and forced transfers (Table 1B);
  • interest rates for defined benefit plans (Table 3); and
  • commuted value interest rates; and
  • current LIF factors (Table 4).

Please note:  Due to changes to the Canadian Institute of Actuaries commuted values standards, Table 2A and 2B are no longer maintained.

For further information on any of these tables, please contact us.

Table 1B:  Employment Pension Plans Act & Regulation - Prescribed Amounts (on or after March 1, 2000)

Updated December 18, 2008

YEAR

YMPE
$
TABLE 1B
Commutation
of
Small Pension
Forced
Transfer
Part-Time
Eligibility
Financial Hardship
Access
Act 46(1)
Reg 45(1)
Act 38(7)
Reg 36
Alberta
Act 29(2)(b)
 
Manitoba
Reg 41.1
Maximum
Monthly
Pension
Maximum
Commuted
Value
Maximum
Commuted
Value
Minimum
Annual
Earnings
Minimum
Annual
Earnings
Low
Income
Threshold
1/12 of 4% of
YMPE
$
20%
of YMPE
$
20%
of YMPE
$
35%
of YMPE
$
25%
of YMPE
$
2/3
of YMPE
$

2000

37,600
125.33
7,520
7,520
13,160
9,400
n/a

2001

38,300
127.67
7,660
7,660
13,405
9,575
n/a

2002

39,100
130.33
7,820
7,820
13,685
9,775
n/a

2003

39,900
133.00
7,980
7,980
13,965
9,975
26,600
2004
40,500
135.00
8,100
8,100
14,175
10,125
27,000
2005
41,100
137.00
8,220
8,220
14,385
10,275
27,400
2006
42,100
140.33
8,420
8,420
14,735
10,525
28,067
2007
43,700
145.67
8,740
8,740
15,295
10,925
29,133
2008
44,900
149.67
8,980
8,980
15,715
11,225
29,933
2009
46,300
154.33
9,260
9,260
16,205
11,575
30,867

For prescribed amounts prior to 2000, please see Table 1A.

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Table 3:  Interest Rates Applied to Employee Contributions of DEFINED BENEFIT Pension Plans, as per section 26(3) of the Alberta Employment Pension Plans Regulation

Updated November 3, 2009

TABLE 3
Chartered Bank Administered 5-Year Personal Fixed Term Interest Rates
CANSIM Series V122515
Month 
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Jan
2.63%
2.53%
2.68%
2.88%
1.95%
Feb
2.63%
2.88%
2.93%
2.98%
1.95%
Mar
2.73%
2.88%
2.73%
2.63%
1.95%
Apr
2.53%
2.88%
2.73%
2.63%
1.65%
May
2.53%
3.18%
3.13%
2.75%
1.65%
June
2.23%
3.18%
3.45%
2.95%
1.65%
July
2.23%
3.18%
3.60%
2.95%
1.73%
Aug
2.23% 
2.98%
3.23%
2.95%
1.73%
Sept
2.23%
2.88%
3.23%
2.95%
1.73%
Oct
2.43%
2.88%
3.23%
2.95%
1.73%
Nov
2.53%
2.78% 
2.98%
2.83%
Dec
2.53%
2.68%
3.10%
2.23%
Average
2.4%
2.9%
3.1% 
2.81%

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Table 4:  Interest Rate for the Life Income Fund (LIF) Term Certain Factors, as per section 40(3)(q) of the Alberta Employment Pension Plans Regulation, and LIF Factors for the Current Fiscal Year

Updated December 18, 2008

TABLE 4
Long Term (10+ Years) Marketable Government of Canada
Bonds (Average Yields)
CANSIM Series V122487 - November of Prior Year
Year
Rate
1998 * = 5.78%
1999 * = 5.35%
2000 * = 6.12%
2001 * = 5.63%
2002 * = 5.66%
2003 * = 5.55%
2004 * = 5.24%
2005 * = 4.87%
2006 * = 4.20%
2007 * = 4.03%
2008 * = 4.22%
2009 * = 4.00%

  and 6.00% after the first 15 years

* when the CANSIM rate falls below 6.00%,
a rate of 6.00% is used for all years.

Click here for a pdf file showing LIF withdrawal factors for 2009,
 using an age 85 factor (updated December 18, 2008).

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Page last updated:  November 3, 2009