Achi news desk-
The hottest ticket in town on Tuesday night wasn’t the Flames or the Top 40 concert – instead, a public town hall hosted by the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) investment board came out on top.
The BMO Center hosted the event, which needed to be moved to a larger venue due to increased interest.
The board holds public meetings across Canada every two years to update people on the fund’s performance, governance and investment approach.
The last time he was in the city, 10 Calgarians attended.
This year, up to 1,000 were expected.
The pension plan has been a hot topic in Alberta over the past year after the provincial government released a commissioned report examining the possibility of the Alberta Pension Plan (APP).
According to the report, if Alberta gave the required three-year notice to leave the CPP, it would be entitled to $334 billion, or about 53 percent of the fund by 2027.
Critics called that a gross overestimate.
Calgarians seem determined to seek the truth.
“They want a better sense of what CPP is, what its benefits are and how that might compare to whatever Alberta is thinking,” said Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams. “They have concerns that only the (CPP board) can address.”
First Minister Danielle Smith has said she will not call a referendum on the subject until the Office of the Chief Actuary releases an updated number.
More information about the public meetings can be found on the CPP Investments website.
The board will be in Edmonton on Wednesday.
