The Canada Pension Plan is the public pension most Canadian workers pay into through their earnings, payable from as early as 60 to as late as 70.
Your pension depends on how much you earned and contributed over your working life, on earnings up to a yearly ceiling (C$74,600 in 2026). The maximum for someone starting at 65 in January 2026 is C$1,507.65 a month. The average for new pensioners at 65 was C$858.34 a month in July 2026, so few people get the maximum.
When you start changes the amount for life. Starting before 65 cuts the pension by 0.6% for each month early, up to 36% at 60. Waiting past 65 raises it by 0.7% a month, up to 42% at 70.
When to take CPP is one of the most common questions a retirement planner answers, because the right age depends on your health, your other savings and when you stop working. Workers in Quebec contribute to the Quebec Pension Plan instead, which has its own rules.
How to check
Your CPP Statement of Contributions in My Service Canada Account shows your contribution history and an estimate of your pension at different ages.
Sources
- Government of Canada, CPP retirement pension: how much you could receive (page modified September 29, 2026)
- Government of Canada, CPP retirement pension: when to start (page modified October 2, 2026)
- Canada Revenue Agency, MP, DB, RRSP, DPSP, ALDA, TFSA limits, YMPE and the YAMPE (page modified October 28, 2026)
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