Government Transfer Payments

Almost all seniors receive government transfers

In 2007, almost all (99.2%) of Alberta seniors received some income from government transfer payments. Almost 20% of Alberta seniors' average total income was composed of government transfers, including Old Age Security (OAS), Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), social supports (including the Alberta Seniors Benefit), and Goods and Services Tax Credits. (Chart 8)

In 2009, 365,759 Alberta seniors received OAS benefits and 117,370 of these individuals also received GIS benefits.¹⁶ The GIS provides additional money to low-income seniors in Canada. The percentage of Alberta seniors receiving GIS payments declined 14% between 1986 and 2009, from approximately 45% to 31%.

In 2007, 92% of Alberta seniors (327,020) received retirement benefits from the CPP. Of seniors receiving CPP, the average monthly amount received was $532 in 2007. The percentage of seniors receiving CPP increased by about 8% from 1997 to 2007. (Chart 9)

Chart 9
Number and Percentage of Seniors Receiving CPP Increasing

Source: Statistics Canada, Annual Demographic Statistics, 2007 and the
Small Area and Administrative Data Division

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