A message from the Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust Board of Trustees: May 5, 2022

Learn how the retiree benefit trust will keep retirement health benefits sustainable

On January 1, 2022, the Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust (MRBT) took over the responsibility of managing the benefits trust fund and administering your retirement health benefits. We wish to thank both the plan partners for creating the new trust and the transition team from BC’s Municipal Pension Plan for all their work supporting the creation of the MRBT.

You do not need to take any action as a result of this change.

Why the Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust is good news

The retiree benefit trust will provide more flexibility in funding retiree group benefits, which will make the program more sustainable.

Funding for the trust comes from three sources:

• A one-time transfer of $100 million from employer contributions in 2021
• Ongoing employer contributions of 0.6 per cent of salary
• Premiums paid by retired members

The money in the trust will now accumulate and earn investment income over time. This more stable source of funding will contribute to the sustainability of the group health and dental benefits program. Group benefits are not guaranteed. However, the Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust Board of Trustees prioritizes making these benefits accessible to current and future retired members.

Meet the trustees

The plan partners have appointed a board of trustees to oversee and manage the new trust effective January 1, 2022. The trustees are:

• Bonnie Pearson, chair
• Lyn Kocher, vice-chair
• Lorne Burkart
• Dean Levangie
• Diana Lokken
• Gary MacIsaac
• Janice Morrison
• Tom Stamatakis

Read Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust trustees to learn more about the trustees.

What’s next for the Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust

The Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust Board of Trustees prioritizes making group benefits accessible to retired members. It will work with the Municipal Pension Plan Board of Trustees to continue to provide retired plan members with access to group benefit coverage through the new trust.

You do not need to take any action, and you will continue to:

• Have the same coverage
• Use the same group health number
• Use your current Pacific Blue Cross ID card
• Make claims the same way

The Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust Board of Trustees will work with Pension Corporation and Pacific Blue Cross to provide you with more information over the coming months. You can continue to contact Pacific Blue Cross with questions about coverage and claims. See the website or contact Pension Corporation if you want to add coverage, or add or remove a dependant. Contact the MRBT board if you want to provide input on group benefit coverage.

You can write to the MRBT board at contact@bcmrbt.ca.

Sincerely,
Bonnie Pearson
On behalf of your Municipal Retiree Benefit Trust Board of Trustees