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Key dates
January 1, 2025
Official transition of Victoria University pension plan administration and member services to UPP.
by March 31, 2025
Phase 1 access to the myUPP Member Portal: View and update personal information and communicate with UPP through secure messages.
Fall 2025
Phase 2 access to the myUPP Member Portal: Run pension estimates and view your membership information and work history.
Resources
On January 1, 2025, University Pension Plan (UPP) becomes the administrator and service provider for your Victoria University pension plan. This means you will receive pension-related service and support directly from UPP’s Member Services team instead of Victoria University, as you currently do.
Message from the CEO
“On behalf of University Pension Plan, I’m thrilled to welcome the staff and faculty of Victoria University. At UPP, we are committed to delivering a secure, stable pension for life, investing with integrity and serving our members with care. Whether you are starting your career, planning for retirement, or enjoying your pension, you can rest assured that UPP’s pension experts will be here to support and guide you along your pension journey.”
Barbara Zvan
President and Chief Executive Officer, UPP
Preparing for your new UPP service experience
If you are earning or receiving a pension or have a deferred benefit under Victoria University’s current pension plan, you will automatically become a member of UPP on January 1, 2025. Pension benefits earned under the Victoria University plan remain unchanged and will be payable from UPP.
This page provides you with key information and resources to help you prepare for the transition. It will continue to be updated to include additional resources and other details.
- While we will continue to provide email updates with key information, we recommend bookmarking this page for the latest information and resources.
UPP is here to help you through the transition. We want to make sure you’re up to speed on the process and have easy access to key information. To do this, we’ve prepared key resources to help you stay informed and up to date:
UPP Member Services: Your new dedicated member support team
Starting on January 1, 2025, you will get enhanced pension-related support through UPP Member Services—a team of local experts who will be your primary point of contact for pension-related questions and support. You can reach them in multiple ways:
- Phone: 1-833-627-7877
- Email: [email protected]
- Mail: University Pension Plan, PO Box 70 Stn. Adelaide, Toronto, ON, M5C 2H8
“Whether you’re exploring your pension options, navigating life events like retirement, or simply need guidance, our in-house Member Services team is committed to getting to know you and your needs, providing the familiar, personalized service you are used to.”
Thomas Stachowicz
Director, Client Experience, UPP
If you have any questions about your pension before January 1, 2025, please continue to contact the Victoria University Human Resources team.
The myUPP Member Portal: Enhanced online pension resources
As a UPP member, you’ll also benefit from additional services through the myUPP Member Portal, a secure, self-service platform where you can manage your personal pension information, communicate with UPP, view and submit documents, and more. You’ll be introduced to these online services in two phases:
Phase 1: by March 31, 2025
Access your pension account online to manage your contact, spousal and beneficiary information, view and submit documents, as well as communicate with UPP via secure messages.
Phase 2: Fall 2025
Run pension estimates with the Pension Estimate Calculator—a valuable tool that will help you calculate your future pension using various scenarios. You’ll also be able to view your membership information and work history.
If you are planning to retire in 2025 and require a pension estimate before the online estimator is available, you can reach out to our Member Services team to receive a personalized pension estimate—we’ll ensure you receive the information you need.
- We are working to bring these additional services to you sooner, if possible, and will notify you directly by email once they are available. Stay tuned.
UPP is designed to deliver you a lifelong, worry-free pension
UPP is a jointly sponsored defined benefit pension plan tailored by and for Ontario’s university sector. As a member of UPP, you’ll benefit from secure and predictable retirement income for life, personalized service and support, and expert investment management. UPP includes features and provisions to accommodate some of the unique circumstances faculty, staff and librarians experience in their careers.
Our purpose-driven investment strategy
Our fiduciary duty is to put members first and protect their pensions. Our in-house investment team carefully considers investment assets, opportunities, and risk through the lens of the Plan’s liabilities, striking a balance between three key objectives.
Frequently asked questions
Getting started with UPP Member Services
UPP Member Services is a dedicated team of local pension experts, here to provide you with proactive, tailored support. Your UPP team will be there for you every step of the way through major life events such as starting a family, preparing to retire, and planning for loved ones.
Who do I contact, and when, if I have questions about my pension: Victoria or UPP?
UPP will assume pension administration and services for all members on January 1, 2025. Until then, please continue to contact Victoria University’s Human Resources team for questions about your pension.
After January 1st, 2025, here is an overview who you should contact and for what:
Victoria University Human Resources
Email: [email protected]
- Planning for retirement – please advise your manager and VIC HR of your intention to retire (within 4 months of your planned retirement date)
- Retiree Benefits
- Extended health and dental benefits
- Bridge Benefits (applies to USW and PM/C employees who qualify)
- Phased Retirement (UTFA Faculty & Librarians employees who qualify)
- RRSP (applies to CUPE 3902 Unit 2 employees who qualify)
*Please note, any benefit related inquiries such as Green Shield health benefits, life insurance, etc should continue to be directed to VIC HR and are not impacted by this transition.
UPP Member Services
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-833-627-7877
- General questions and/or inquiries related to your pension
- Completing pension paperwork, such as resignation and retirement elections
- Retirements – please note, you will still need to advise your manager or VIC HR of your intention to retire
- Questions related to transferring pension entitlements into or out of UPP
- Pension Estimates
- Changing/Updating Beneficiaries
- Marriage & Partnership, Separation/Divorce
How will I contact UPP Member Services?
Beginning January 1, 2025, member services will transition to UPP. After the transition, you will be able to reach UPP Member Services through a variety of communication channels, including phone and email.
If you have any questions about your pension during this transition, please contact the Victoria University Human Resources team.
Starting on January 1, 2025, UPP’s Member Services team will be your primary point of contact for any pension-related inquiries. You can reach them in multiple ways:
- Phone: 1-833-627-7877
- Email: [email protected]
- Mail: University Pension Plan, PO Box 70 Stn. Adelaide, Toronto, ON, M5C 2H8
Once you gain access to the myUPP Member Portal, you will also be able to contact us with a secure message directly in the portal.
What if my pension-related event isn't complete before the transition?
If you initiate a pension-related event and it is not complete before the transition, rest assured you will receive direct support from UPP Member Services to ensure there is no disruption to this event.
For example, if you initiate your retirement and receive your pension options before the transition but have not submitted them before the transition, you will submit any required information directly to UPP Member Services instead of your employer.
What isn't changing?
Contributing to your pension
Your pension contributions will continue to be deducted by your employer, who will report your contributions, pensionable service and earnings information to UPP.
Applying for retirement
If you are an active member, you must notify your employer, who will then prompt UPP to prepare your pension options package.
Other non-pension-related benefits
Additional benefits such as health, dental and life insurance are not impacted by this transition and continue to be administered through your regular channels. Any mention of ‘benefits’ from UPP refers solely to your pension benefits.
What is changing?
For a summary of the differences between the Victoria University General Pension Plan and UPP, please review the Plan Summary Comparison.
How can I learn more?
As we approach January 1, 2025, we will update this page with key resources and up-to-date information about the transition to UPP. You’ll also receive email updates from your employer with timely information.
UPP resources at your fingertips
Where can I find information about the UPP plan, how my pension works, and key plan features?
You can find comprehensive information about the UPP plan, how your pension works, and key plan features on myupp.ca/members. This website is your go-to resource for understanding the details of your pension plan.
What can I do on the myUPP Member Portal?
On the myUPP Member Portal, you will be able to:
- Access your personal pension information.
- Update your contact, beneficiary, and spousal information.
- View your documents, and submit them digitally
- Communicate securely with Member Services.
- Run pension estimates based on various scenarios (coming Fall 2025)
Visit the Member portal page for more information.
When will I gain access to the myUPP Member Portal?
You will gain access to the myUPP Member Portal by March 31, 2025. In the meantime, our Member Services team is here to assist you with all your pension needs.
How will I be notified about access to the portal and the pension estimator?
We will notify you by email when you gain access to the portal. Additionally, you will be informed when you get access to the pension estimator in phase 2, which will be by Fall 2025.
If you are planning to retire in 2025 and require a pension estimate before the online estimator is available, you can reach out to our Member Services team to receive a personalized pension estimate—we’ll ensure you receive the information you need.
Already receiving a pension from Victoria University?
I'm a retiree, will my pension be impacted?
If you are receiving a pension under a plan that converts into UPP, you’ll receive the same pension and cost-of-living increases you would have under your previous plan.
Who do I talk to now about my pension? How do I reach them?
Until January 1, 2025, please continue to contact Victoria University Human Resources at [email protected].
After January 1, 2025, you can contact UPP’s Member Services team at 1 (833) 627-7877 or [email protected].
Prior UPP membership from a UPP-participating employer
If you previously worked at another UPP-participating employer (your “previous employer”) and are now employed by Victoria University and participating in the Victoria University General Pension Plan, the questions and answers below provide additional information about what happens to the pension you earned with your previous employer (your “previous pension”) and the pension you are earning while employed by Victoria University (your “Victoria pension”).
What happens if my previous pension is still with UPP?
If it has been more than 12 months since the date you terminated employment with your previous employer:
If it has been more than 12 months, your previous pension and your Victoria pension will be considered two separate membership periods. This means your previous pension will be calculated separately from your Victoria pension.
While these pensions are calculated separately, you will receive one monthly payment from UPP that combines the pension earned during each of your membership periods when you retire.
If you terminated employment with your previous employer within 12 months of January 1, 2025:
If you left your previous employer less than 12 months before January 1, 2025 (the date Victoria University is joining UPP), your previous pension and your Victoria pension will be considered one membership period.
This means that your “eligibility service” earned with your previous employer and with Victoria University will both be included when calculating your earliest unreduced retirement date. No action is required by you in order to combine your two memberships.
Note: If you have a Victoria pension but terminate employment with Victoria University prior to January 1, 2025, this will be considered a separate membership period from your previous pension.
Why does it matter whether it has been 12 months since I terminated employment with my previous employer?
Under the UPP plan terms, one of the key variables for determining pension entitlements is whether a member has “terminated plan membership”.
One of the ways that “termination of plan membership” can occur is if 12 months or more have passed since a member terminated employment with a UPP-participating employer (or with all participating employers if the member was employed concurrently by more than one UPP-participating employer at the same time).
If a member “terminates plan membership”, any subsequent periods of participation in UPP will be considered a separate membership period.
Do I need to complete a form or contact UPP to ensure that my previous pension merges with my Victoria pension?
No. If you have a previous pension in UPP and a Victoria pension, no action is required by you to “merge” your memberships under UPP. UPP will review your record to ensure that your periods of membership are reflected, and, if eligible, combined into one membership period.
What happens if I transferred my previous pension out of the pension plan after terminating employment with my previous employer?
If you transferred your previous pension out of UPP you “terminated plan membership” under the UPP plan terms and your previous pension will not be included with your Victoria pension when determining your UPP pension benefits in the future.
Note: If you transferred your previous pension out of your previous employer’s pension plan before they joined UPP, this benefit will not be included with your Victoria pension when determining your UPP pension benefits in the future.
Planning to retire?
Learn more about how UPP’s new service experience impacts your retirement planning and the steps you can take to prepare.
I'm planning to retire, who do I submit my notice to?
If you are planning to retire in 2024, please notify your employer and confirm how much notice they require to process your retirement. If you submit your notice before January 1, 2025, Victoria University will provide your retirement options. If your notice is submitted on or after January 1, 2025, UPP will provide your retirement options.
About University Pension Plan
University Pension Plan was created with the vision of a strong sector-wide defined benefit pension plan to guarantee sustainable pensions to members – now and for generations to come. Today, we proudly serve over 39,000 working and retired members across four Ontario universities and 12 sector organizations and manage $10.8 billion in pension assets. Contributions to the Plan are funded equally by members and employers. UPP is designed for growth, our doors are open to all employers and employees within Ontario’s university community.
- © 2025 University Pension Plan