Plan types · Defined Contribution Pension Plan

DC pension plan recordkeeping and administration

For employers that sponsor their own defined contribution pension plan (DCPP), LINK provides the recordkeeping, administration and member experience, while you keep plan sponsorship. Investment management is provided by LINK's wholly owned subsidiary, a registered portfolio manager that places each member in a suitable portfolio.

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How it works on LINK

What LINK handles, and what stays with you

LINK handles

  • Recordkeeping for every member account, contribution and pension adjustment
  • Contribution processing, with direct payroll integrations for ADP Workforce Now and Dayforce
  • Investments, with each member placed in a suitable portfolio based on their risk profile
  • Member onboarding, statements, support and online access
  • A sponsor dashboard showing contribution status in real time

Your organization

  • Remain the plan sponsor and, usually, its administrator
  • Run plan governance, typically through a pension committee
  • Meet your regulator's requirements; your plan specialist will walk through which responsibilities stay with you
At a glance

DC pension plan essentials

Who contributes
Employer and employees, as set out in the plan text
Payroll costs
Employer contributions are not subject to CPP and EI premiums
Access to savings
Locked in for retirement; on leaving, balances usually move to a LIRA or another pension plan
Vesting
Immediate in Alberta, Ontario and federally regulated plans
Regulation
Registered with a pension regulator: in Alberta under the EPPA, in Ontario with FSRA under the PBA, federally with OSFI under the PBSA
2026 limit
The lesser of 18% of compensation and the money purchase limit of $35,390
What it costs
Set plan by plan, and can vary based on plan size, the investments offered, and whether an advisor is involved. See our fee transparency guide for what goes into it.

General information only. Rules and limits can change each year; confirm details with your plan specialist.

Questions

DC pension plan questions, answered

What does a DC pension plan recordkeeper do?

A DC pension recordkeeper maintains each member's account, processes employer and employee contributions, tracks investments and pension adjustments, and produces member statements. For DCPPs on LINK, LINK is the recordkeeper and administrator of the platform, investments and member experience, while the employer remains plan sponsor.

Does the employer still need a pension committee?

Generally, yes. The sponsor of a DCPP carries governance obligations under pension law and CAPSA Guideline No. 3, which most sponsors meet through a pension committee. Employers that want a pension without those obligations can join the LINK MEPP instead.

Can we move an existing DC pension plan to LINK?

Yes. A dedicated implementation manager reviews your plan and coordinates the transfer from your current provider. LINK covers transfer fees when you migrate from an existing group retirement provider.

How is a DCPP different from a Group RRSP?

A DCPP saves the employer CPP and EI premiums on its contributions and locks savings in for retirement, but comes with pension regulation and governance. A Group RRSP is simpler to run and gives employees access to their savings.

Go deeper

Related guides

Employer guide
DCPP Administration: What Plan Sponsors Are Actually Responsible For →
Employer guide
Group RRSP vs. DC Pension Plan: Which Should You Offer? →
Employer guide
Pension Adjustments (PA) and How They Affect RRSP Room →
Employer guide
Locking-In Rules, Decumulation, and What Happens at Retirement →
Other plan types on LINK
Group RRSPDPSPLINK MEPPGroup TFSANRSP

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