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Decent retirement
Everyone deserves a decent retirement
"
By increasing the supply of student housing, we’re freeing up rental units for other types of households. Most of all, we’re paving the way for similar solutions for other segments of the population and it shows that we can create large-scale sustainable and affordable real estate."
— Laurent, UTILE, a Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ's partner
Why it's important to us
Your retirement savings are at the heart of our mission. It's what allows us to invest in ourselves.
The vast majority of Quebecers are not equipped to adequately prepare for their retirement. Thousands of workers are unable to save enough.
60%
In Québec, nearly 6 out of 10 workers do not have a pension plan with their employer. Their retirement plan is therefore primarily their responsibility.[1]
4/10
Nearly 4 out of 10 seniors in Québec must rely on the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) to meet their needs, a benefit intended for low-income seniors.[2]
Our approach
It's simple. We want as many people as possible to be able to save for retirement — so you can choose your future and live a retirement that suits you.
From the very beginning, we've promoted retirement savings to Quebecers. We encourage financial literacy with a range of tools to help you understand how to plan for your retirement and we work in the field to provide you with better support. We've set ourselves the goal of helping 100,000 workers without a pension plan or whose salary is below the Québec average to start saving by May 31, 2027. This year, among our more than 49,000 new savers, we welcomed over 26,000 who did not have access to another savings option or whose income is below the average salary in Quebec.
More and more people are taking action
Making retirement savings simpler and more accessible
Saving for retirement shouldn't be complicated. Thanks to our support, practical tools, and our advisory team, which is always there for you, more than 828,000 people across Québec are now investing in themselves.
Better-equipped employers
We help companies offer the RRSP+ directly on their employees' payroll.
+ 18,000
employers[4] now offer it to their teams.
The return of the single-deduction contribution method during the random selection
The flat-rate RRSP+ contribution method allows those who don't have payroll deductions to make a single contribution and benefit from the 30% tax credit.
Simple and free tools
We've enhanced our retirement calculator and planning tools so you can estimate your income and build your plan, hassle-free.
A truly available team
You can open an account online and make your transactions directly. But if you'd rather speak to a real person than a robot, our advisors are here to guide you, answer your questions, and help you choose the best options.
Better understanding leads to better savings
The more you understand, the better you can organize yourself. That's why we share our financial knowledge across Québec—to help you adopt good savings habits and better plan for your retirement.
We offer customized training
We cover topics such as RRSP+, contributions, and retirement, and we tailor our training to your needs. Since women are 21% less likely than men to contribute to an RRSP,[2] we have begun developing a training program specifically for them, as well as one for immigrants.
95
training sessions offered to 1,365 workers in 2025.[3]
Our webinars are open to everyone
We answer the real questions: How much should I save for my retirement? When is the best time to apply for government pensions? Our webinar will answer all your questions about saving for retirement. Yes, even the ones you're afraid to ask.
Watch the webinar
3,000+
people participated in our webinar this year.
Reaching out to you is our way of doing things
The best way to reach you? It's to go directly to your workplace. Thanks to our valuable network of 1,855 local representatives[5] and workplace coordinators, we open the discussion and talk about retirement savings without taboos with thousands of workers across Québec.
We take the time to understand the realities of each region, because your trust matters to us. Our teams are here to build this connection, one conversation at a time.
Our local representatives: Making savings accessible to more people
Johanne Di Cesare, Teacher
"No one should miss out on payroll deductions, no matter the amount per paycheque. It's a super simple and easy way to plan for retirement and live within your means." Johanne Di Cesare has been a local representative for 15 years. Every year, she travels to the 64 schools and centres in the Centre de services scolaires des Grandes-Seigneuries to meet with its 1,800 employees and support staff to raise awareness about the importance of saving.
"Everyone calls me "the Fonds lady." They’re always waiting for me in their workplace with lots of questions." As a former member of the support staff herself, Di Cesare had a headstart on earning people’s trust and building relationships. That and her deep desire to help them take control of their future.
"Retirement doesn't just happen. And no one else can plan it for you. Do you want to watch the train roll by, or do you want to get on board? I'd say it's better to get on board."
At the Centre de services scolaires and other workplaces she visits, Johanne wants to give people the tools they need to prepare for retirement. Because, like the Fonds, she firmly believes that everyone deserves a decent retirement.
Sylvain Pinsonneault, Construction-site electrician
"I may have been taught to put money aside when I was a kid, but I realize that I’m a rare breed."
Sylvain Pinsonneault has been a local representative for seven years, moving from one construction site to the next, chatting about savings with his "buddies," as he likes to call them. After working on construction sites for 25 years, he knows just how little financial information his former colleagues were given before him. He knows how hard it can be for workers who are constantly changing employers to continually save through payroll deductions, or to keep taking time to update their information. That's why his contribution to their savings journey is so important.
"It’s not complicated. When young workers first arrive on a construction site, I’m the first person they meet who talks to them about money." And meeting someone who speaks their workplace language, who has worked in their boots, who shows up at their job site wearing a hard hat and construction gear and who understands their day-to-day world changes everything. That's the kind of feedback Sylvain receives.
"If I can help all these people become independent by giving them the tools to make their own choices, then my work is done."
Hélène Tougas, President of Local SEPB-574
"People are surprised to hear that they don’t have to be unionized to save with the Fonds de solidarité FTQ."
Hélène Tougas has been a union activist for nearly 15 years – and has worked for Yellow Pages for the same amount of time. Today, she is a Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union local president, representing 80 bargaining units. It was her union involvement that led her to become a local representative in 2020. For the past four years, she has travelled to their offices, factories, bookstores, pubs and other workplaces to talk to members about savings.
"We see more and more people having difficulties in retirement because they haven’t been taught how to plan for this important time. My goal is for everyone to be able to retire with dignity, without having to change their everyday lives."
The trust she has earned among the members of the 80 bargaining units she serves helps her to convey the message. Besides speaking to unionized workers, she also talks to human resources staff and management because they can also save at the Fonds.
"Sharing information, educating people and being there to answer their questions is so rewarding. That's why I do it."
Information
All the information and data provided are for information purposes only; they are not intended to provide advice or recommendations of a financial, legal, accounting or tax nature with respect to investments. Although they are deemed reliable, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to the accuracy, quality or completeness of this information and data. The opinions expressed should not be construed as a solicitation or an offer for the subscription or sale of shares of the Fonds de solidarité FTQ or the units referred to herein and should not be viewed as a recommendation. We suggest you consult your legal advisor.
