CPP, QPP, OAS and GIS in 2026: amounts and rules

Updated November 2026

Canada's public pensions have two layers. The Canada Pension Plan (CPP), or the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) in Quebec, pays a pension based on your work and contributions. Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) are paid from general tax revenue based on age, residence and income.

$1,507.65Maximum CPP at 65, per month (2026)
$858.34Average new CPP at 65 (July 2026)
$762.50Maximum OAS at 65–74, Oct–Dec 2026
$95,323OAS clawback threshold, 2026 income

Canada Pension Plan

Almost everyone who works in Canada outside Quebec contributes to the CPP, through payroll deductions or, if self-employed, on their tax return. Your pension depends on how much you earned and for how many years you contributed.

The maximum retirement pension starting at 65 in 2026 is $1,507.65 a month. Few people get the maximum: it requires contributing at or above the earnings ceiling for most of your working life. The average monthly pension for new beneficiaries at 65 (July 2026) was $858.34.

When to start

You can start your CPP pension any time from 60 to 70:

Before 65: the pension is cut by 0.6% for each month before 65 (7.2% a year), up to 36% less at 60.
After 65: the pension rises by 0.7% for each month after 65 (8.4% a year), up to 42% more at 70. There is no gain from waiting past 70.

Example: someone entitled to $1,000 a month at 65 would get about $640 at 60 ($1,000 × 0.64) or $1,420 at 70 ($1,000 × 1.42). The changes are permanent. Starting early can make sense if your health is poor or you need the money; waiting is a form of longevity insurance. See retiring early.

Earnings ceilings and the enhancement

For 2026, CPP contributions are based on earnings up to the Year's Maximum Pensionable Earnings (YMPE) of $74,600. The CPP enhancement added a second ceiling, the Year's Additional Maximum Pensionable Earnings (YAMPE), of $85,000 for 2026. Workers pay extra contributions on earnings between the two, and the enhancement gradually raises the pension for people who contribute under it.

Quebec Pension Plan

If you work in Quebec, you contribute to the QPP instead of the CPP. It is run by Retraite Québec and works much like the CPP, with the same 2026 earnings ceilings ($74,600 and $85,000).

The QPP's 2026 maximum retirement pension is $1,507.65 a month at 65. One difference is timing: you can start the QPP pension as late as 72. The 2026 maximums are $964.90 at 60 (64% of the age-65 maximum) and $2,394.15 at 72 (158.8%). Check your own statement with Retraite Québec.

Old Age Security

OAS is a monthly pension for people 65 and older. It does not depend on work history.

Maximum OAS pension, October to December 2026
Age	Maximum monthly OAS
65 to 74	$762.50
75 and older	$838.75

Amounts are reviewed every January, April, July and October to reflect increases in the cost of living. They don't go down if prices fall.

Residence rules

To get any OAS while living in Canada, you must have lived in Canada for at least 10 years after age 18 (20 years if you live outside Canada when you apply).
A full pension generally requires 40 years in Canada after age 18.
With fewer than 40 years, you get a partial pension: years in Canada ÷ 40. Someone with 30 years gets 30/40 = 75% of the full amount.

Deferring OAS

You can delay OAS up to age 70. Each month you wait after 65 adds 0.6% (7.2% a year), up to 36% more at 70. Deferral is most useful if you are still working or your income would trigger the clawback.

The OAS clawback (recovery tax)

If your net income for 2026 is above $95,323, you repay 15% of the excess from your OAS. The repayment is taken from your OAS payments from July 2027 to June 2028.

Example: net income in 2026 of $105,323 is $10,000 over the threshold. The recovery is 15% × $10,000 = $1,500, or $125 a month withheld from OAS for the following July-to-June period. For the payments from July 2026 to June 2027, OAS is fully clawed back once 2025 income reaches $152,062 (age 65 to 74). RRIF withdrawals count as income; TFSA withdrawals don't.

Guaranteed Income Supplement

The GIS is a monthly, tax-free payment for OAS pensioners with low income. Service Canada enrols most people automatically, but you must file a tax return every year to keep receiving it.

Maximum GIS, October to December 2026
Situation	Annual income must be under	Maximum monthly GIS
Single, widowed or divorced	$23,112	$1,138.90
Spouse or partner receives the full OAS	$30,528 (combined)	$685.56
Spouse or partner receives the Allowance	$42,768 (combined)	$685.56
Spouse or partner receives neither OAS nor the Allowance	$55,392 (combined)	$1,138.90

The GIS is reduced as other income rises. Because RRSP and RRIF withdrawals count as income and TFSA withdrawals don't, people who expect to qualify for the GIS often favour the TFSA over the RRSP. See do you need an RRSP?

RREGOP: Quebec public-sector pensions

Employees in the Quebec public service, education sector and health and social services sector are covered by the Government and Public Employees Retirement Plan (RREGOP). Membership is mandatory for employees covered by the plan, and it is administered by Retraite Québec. It is a workplace pension plan. In 2026 the employee contribution rate is 8.63% of salary above an exemption. Members can see their statement of participation and estimates through Retraite Québec.