How to address a concern or appeal a decision

Find out the steps you can take if you have a concern about how the plan rules were applied.

1. Understanding how to address a concern

3. Requesting an administrative review

2. Contacting the plan

4. Filing an appeal

Filing an appeal

You can only appeal a decision once the following has occurred:

You reported your concern to Pension Corporation and completed the administrative review process
At the end of that process, you received a letter from the corporation’s director of pension operations confirming the original decision

You must start an appeal within one year of the date on the director’s written letter confirming the corporation’s original decision.

If you are applying for an extension, you need to explain why you didn’t submit an appeal within the one-year period. The appeals panel will then decide whether to allow an extension.

How to appeal

To file an appeal, you must first contact the appeals registrar.

Step 1: Contact the appeals registrar

Write to the appeals registrar, stating your concerns and desired outcome. Include:

Your name, address, phone number and Person ID number
A copy of the written decision you are appealing
A statement of facts supporting your appeal
Copies of any other documents you have relating to your appeal

If you are representing another person, you must also include a written statement from that person authorizing you to appeal on their behalf.

Online: Email the Appeals Registrar at MPBT@pensionsbc.ca

Mail:
Appeals Registrar
Office of the Municipal Pension Board of Trustees
PO Box 9460
Victoria BC V8W 9V8

Phone: 250-356-6220
Phone toll-free in Canada and U.S.: 1-800-668-6335
Fax: 250-356-6245

The appeals registrar will review your submission to make sure you’ve included all the necessary information. If any information is missing, the appeals registrar will notify you and give you 90 days to provide this information.

The appeals registrar will forward your completed submission to Pension Corporation to review and provide an appeal report. This report is prepared by corporation staff who were not involved in your file or the administrative review. The report includes relevant information from your file, a chronology of the facts involved and an assessment of how the plan rules were applied.

The corporation will send the report to the appeals registrar within 90 days. The appeals registrar will then send the report to you along with a letter explaining the next steps.

Step 2: Continue your appeal to the appeals panel

If you wish to continue your appeal after reading the appeal report, you must respond within 30 days of the date on the appeals registrar’s letter.

To continue your appeal, write to the appeals registrar, enclosing any additional material you consider relevant to your appeal. This step allows you and the corporation to review all information relevant to your concern. It’s also an opportunity for you and the corporation to submit any other information the appeals panel may need to make a decision.

If this exchange of information does not lead to a resolution, the appeals registrar will submit the appeal to the board’s appeals panel for review. The panel is made up of an equal number of employer- and member-appointed trustees.

The appeals panel will review all the written submissions in the appeal file and make a decision. The appeals registrar will contact you in writing within 30 days of the appeals panel decision.