Regulatory amendments to the Superannuation Plan for the Members of the Sûreté du Québec (SPMSQ)
Changes to your public-sector pension plan
On 10 January 2019, amendments to the Regulation respecting
the partition and assignment of benefits accrued under the Régime de
retraite des membres de la Sûreté du Québec took effect.
The amendments mainly concern:
The possibility to partition the benefits accrued under the
pension plan when de facto spouses stop living together
Pension plan affected: SPMSQ
Effective date: 10 January 2019
Partition of the benefits accrued under the pension plan is now
possible in cases where de facto spouses who qualify as such stop
living together and is carried out on a voluntary basis.
The former de facto spouses must agree to partition within 12
months following the date of the breakdown of their union. No more
than 50% of the value of the benefits accrued under the plan can be
awarded to either spouse.
If the de facto spouses stopped living together after 31 August 1990, but before 10 January 2019, they may agree to partition within 12 months following 10 January 2019.
The application for a statement of benefits for de facto spouses
Pension plan affected: SPMSQ
Effective date: 10 January 2019
In order to be receivable, applications for a statement of
benefits must be filed using the form for this purpose and include
the following:
- the names and addresses of the active or former member and his or her spouse, as well as their
respective Social Insurance Numbers and dates of birth;
- an attestation from the active or former member and his or her spouse confirming that neither of them was married or
in a civil union at the time they stopped living together. The
attestation is a written declaration on the Application for a
Statement of Benefits. If applicable, the date and proof of a
divorce or dissolution of civil union prior to the breakdown of
the de facto union must be sent to Retraite Québec, unless they
have already been provided;
- an attestation from the active or former member and his or her spouse confirming the dates on which they started and
stopped living together. The attestation is a written
declaration on the Application for a Statement of Benefits. If
applicable, proof that the spouses were living in a conjugal
relationship must also be provided;
- for spouses who had been living in a conjugal
relationship less than one year before their union broke down,
an attestation and, if applicable, supporting documents
confirming one of the following:
- A child was born or is to be born of the union.
- The spouses adopted a child together.
- One of the spouses adopted a child of the other.
- the data provided by the employer concerning
participation in the pension plan for the period preceding the
date on which the spouses stopped living together.
In order to be receivable, the application for a statement of
benefits for de facto spouses must be signed by the active or
former member and his or her spouse.
The application for a statement of benefits is valid for the SPMSQ and any other pension plans indicated on the form, as well as for
ancillary benefits administered by the Association des policières et
policiers provinciaux du Québec (APPQ).
Information about the documents to be provided
Note that you can provide clear and legible copies of the documents.
If necessary, we may request the original documents or certified
true copies.
The statement of benefits accrued under the pension plan
Pension plan affected: SPMSQ
Effective date: 10 January 2019
Retraite Québec will send the statement of benefits to the active
or former member and his or her spouse within 90
days following the date on which the application is received,
provided it is receivable.
The statement for de facto spouses provides the same information
as in the case of partition of benefits between married or civilly
united spouses. It shows the benefits accrued under the public
sector pension plan for the entire participation period.
However, benefits accrued during a de facto union are not calculated
or shown on the statement of benefits.
The application for payment of accrued benefits for de facto spouses
Pension plan affected: SPMSQ
Effective date: 10 January 2019
With the application for payment, de facto spouses must enclose a written agreement providing for partition of the
benefits accrued under the pension plan.
The agreement must:
- be made before a notary or lawyer, or by joint declaration
on oath;
- be signed by both spouses:
- within 12 months following the date on which
they stop living together;
or
- within 12 months following 10 January 2019,
if the they stopped living together before
that date.