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@ISIDEWITHQuestionsEconomy11yrs ago

Should the pensions of retired workers be taxed?

In 2015, Canadian pension funds stood at 89% of estimated liability for providing pension benefits to plan members, a six percentage point drop from 95% in 2014. Economists blame long-term interest rates for the decline although strong gains by U.S. and global equities in 2014 helped to offset some of the impact. Proponents of the tax argue that pension-funding liabilities are currently stronger than the 2012 low-water mark of 66%. Opponents argue that taxing pensions is unfair to the elderly and will drain pensions of funds needed to support future generations of retired workers.

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 101k Canada voters.

27%
Yes
73%
No
19%
Yes
70%
No
7%
Yes, but only for those making over $50,000 per year
1%
No, falling interest rates are already draining elderly pension payouts
1%
Yes, pensions should be taxed like any other income
1%
No, pensions should be based on private, non-taxable accounts

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 101k Canada voters.

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Historical Importance

Trend of how important this issue is for 101k Canada voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from Canada voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @4QTTX5Kfrom Ontario  answered…6yrs6Y

Yes, but only for those making over $50,000 per year. This $50,000 limit should be adjusted yearly for inflation.

 @BCT32G4from Saskatchewan  answered…2mos2MO

no because I feel like that they have worked long enough and anybody who is old and retired deserve to live some what a peaceful life but they should still pay bills

 @B9W9F7Nfrom Ontario  answered…5mos5MO

No, pensions should be based on private, non-taxable accounts and falling interest rates are already draining elderly pension payouts

 @B528Z6Jfrom British Columbia  answered…1yr1Y

No, and get rid of sales tax for everyone. This government taxes our income, then taxes us to do our taxes.

 @9DW7GRSfrom Ontario  answered…3yrs3Y

Pension plan participation a must by law, those who do not have an employer plan, must participate in a government plan. All Plans, contributions based at 15% of gross income; annuity date no earlier than 25 years.

 @9FQ2ZJYfrom Yukon Territory  answered…3yrs3Y

Yes, but only over an annually ajusted amount that considers cost of living/cpi

 @8NYFJXSfrom British Columbia  answered…6yrs6Y

No, Income should NOT be taxed.

 @8DFVTYVfrom Alberta  answered…6yrs6Y

Only for amounts above $75k.

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 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...…2yrs2Y

Should the government incentivize the construction of affordable housing?

Yes

▲  2.7k3 replies2 agree

About This Data

Based on 101k responses to this question.

These results come from iSideWith's ongoing political issues survey. We collect over a million responses per day, filter out duplicate and multiple submissions, and break the results down by political party, ideology, age, state, and census demographics (income, race, education, household).

iSideWith is non-partisan — we don't advocate for any party, candidate, or position. We report what the public tells us.

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iSideWith. (2026). “Should the pensions of retired workers be taxed?” — Public Opinion Poll Results. Retrieved June 23, 2026, from https://canada.isidewith.com/poll/819012202

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