Alberta to release report on whether to abandon CPP in favor of provincial pension plan

The Alberta government is set to release its long-promised report on whether the province should leave the Canada Pension Plan and pursue its own provincial program.

Premier Danielle Smith, along with Finance Minister Nate Horner and committee chair Jim Dinning, are expected to release the report at a news conference in Calgary on Thursday.

Both Smith and his predecessor, Jason Kenney, touted the potential for a standalone program, given Alberta’s wealth and relatively young population.

Smith said whatever the report’s findings, Albertans would have the final say on whether to abandon the CPP in a referendum.

The Opposition NDP said Smith was playing politics by seeking to create another conflict with the federal government.

The NDP also said the idea was at odds with public opinion, given that opinion polls suggest abandoning the CPP is deeply unpopular with Albertans.