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Watson Wyatt Special Memoranda - English

Government Benefits Update 2009 - December 2008

 

Contents
1 Old Age Security Payment Rates
2 Canada Pension Plan
3 Quebec Pension Plan
4 Historical CPP/QPP/YMPE Values
5 Employment Insurance
6 Workers' Compensation
7 Provincial Hospital/Medical Plans

8

 Public, Hospital and Medical Care Benefits
9 Family-related Leave
10 Statutory Holidays
11 Tax-related Values
12 2009 Marginal Tax Rates by Jurisdiction
13 Federal Income Tax Checklist for Employee Benefit Programs
14 Related Web Sites
 

In what has become an annual tradition at Watson Wyatt, the end of the old year brings with it preparations for the government benefits update – designed to provide an informative and easy-to-use summary of information you will need throughout 2009.

In addition to the annual updating of numerical tables, the material that follows also documents the following:

  • Increased maximum Workers’ Compensation wage loss benefits in most jurisdictions;
      
  • The elimination of Alberta’s health care insurance premiums;
      
  • Increased premiums for Quebec’s prescription drug insurance plan; and
     
  • Changes to marginal tax rates and income thresholds in most jurisdictions.

Most of the material was obtained or updated from government Web sites and discussions with officials in various government departments. The last section of this publication includes relevant Web addresses, which were current as of the publication date. While every attempt has been made to be as accurate and clear as possible, the governing legislation and regulations should be consulted for further details.