The Alberta Government isn’t retiring the idea of an Alberta Pension Plan.

Yesterday, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner issued an update on the province’s consultation with Albertans.

Horner said the government learned people wanted more information on the costs and benefits of leaving the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).

“During the first phase of our engagement on a potential provincial pension plan, we heard loud and clear that Albertans want more information on the value of the asset transfer Alberta would be entitled to if we were to withdraw from the CPP,” said Horner.

“Recently, the federal government informed us that the chief actuary’s preferred approach is to strike a panel to interpret the asset transfer formula in the Canada Pension Plan Act. This interpretation would inform the chief actuary’s calculation.”

Horner also reiterated the Government’s promise that any decision on an Alberta Pension would be conducted through a province-wide referendum.

NDP finance critic, Shannon Phillips, noted the consultations never asked a yes-or-no question on leaving the CPP.

“The UCP’s survey didn’t even ask the question of whether Albertans support leaving the CPP, because they know Albertans don’t support it,” said Phillips.

“Let’s be crystal clear — Albertans do not want to leave the CPP.  And without a doubt, I am positive that was the message Albertans sent the UCP in their answers to that survey.”