Plan types · Multi-Employer Pension Plan

The LINK MEPP: a multi-employer DC pension, without running one

The LINK Multi-Employer Pension Plan lets employers offer a true defined contribution pension without sponsoring one. LINK is the plan sponsor: it handles the pension committee, plan governance, investment oversight and regulatory filings, and is also the plan's recordkeeper. Your role stays close to running a Group RRSP.

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How it works on LINK

What LINK handles, and what stays with you

LINK handles

  • Plan sponsorship, including pension committee proceedings and plan governance
  • Investment oversight, with each member placed in a suitable portfolio based on their risk profile
  • Regulatory filings for the plan
  • Recordkeeping, member onboarding, statements and support
  • Contribution processing, automatically where your payroll provider integrates with LINK

Your organization

  • Choose your contribution formula
  • Deduct and remit contributions through payroll
  • Keep employee data up to date and share plan information with new hires
At a glance

LINK MEPP essentials

Who sponsors the plan
LINK, on behalf of all participating employers
Pension committee needed
No. Participating employers don't form a committee or file with a pension regulator
Payroll costs
Employer contributions are not subject to CPP and EI premiums
Access to savings
Locked in for retirement, like any registered pension plan
Who it suits
Employers that want a pension's tax efficiency and retention value without the sponsor workload
Effect on RRSP room
Contributions create a pension adjustment that reduces the member's RRSP room the following year
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

LINK MEPP questions, answered

What is a multi-employer pension plan (MEPP)?

A MEPP is a single registered pension plan that many unrelated employers join. It has one plan text, one governance structure and one set of regulatory filings, and the plan sponsor handles the obligations each employer would otherwise carry on its own.

Who is the sponsor of the LINK MEPP?

LINK is the sponsor of the LINK Multi-Employer Pension Plan, and handles the pension committee proceedings, plan governance, investment oversight and regulatory filings directly.

Can smaller employers offer a DC pension through the LINK MEPP?

Yes. Very few providers make a DC pension available to employers under 250 employees, which is the gap the LINK MEPP is built for.

Is the LINK MEPP the right fit for every employer?

Not always. Because contributions are locked in, a pension suits employers who want the benefit used for retirement. If your workforce values flexibility, a Group RRSP paired with a DPSP may fit better.

Go deeper

Related guides

Employer guide
The LINK MEPP Explained: A DC Pension Without Running One →
Employer guide
Group RRSP vs. DC Pension Plan: Which Should You Offer? →
Employer guide
Locking-In Rules, Decumulation, and What Happens at Retirement →
Employer guide
Pension Adjustments (PA) and How They Affect RRSP Room →
Other plan types on LINK
Group RRSPDPSPDC pension planGroup TFSANRSP

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