Contributions and Benefits Survey
	Q:	What did the survey show?
	A:	The survey showed members would be willing to contribute an average maximum of 12.3% of their earnings to preserve their current pension package. Support for benefit changes to keep contributions from rising above this level ranged from 51% for conditional cost-of-living increases to 32% for decreasing monthly pensions for future service by 10%. For more information on key findings, read Pension Survey Results.
	Q:	Why was the survey conducted?
	A:	The Ontario Teachers’ Federation (OTF), the Ontario government, and the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan commissioned the survey in preparation for the 2008 funding valuation. The survey was designed to: • find out what members know about their pension; • determine how much members are willing to pay to preserve their existing pension package; and • identify preferences for possible changes in pension benefits to be earned in future years if such action is required down the road. The survey results will help the OTF and the government make informed decisions about pension and benefit levels in 2008 and beyond.
	Q:	What will you do with the survey results?
	A:	The survey results are not binding. However, they will provide the OTF and the Ontario government with valuable information to consider if contribution rates or benefit provisions must be changed down the road. Only the OTF and government, the pension plan sponsors, can change contribution and benefit levels. The Teachers’ pension plan administers their decisions, pays pensions, collects contributions and invests the fund’s assets. Please understand the survey was designed to give members the chance for input, which will help the OTF and the government in planning for the future. No decisions about pension plan changes have been or may need to be made.
	Q:	Why wasn’t I surveyed? The results don’t reflect my views.
	A:	Members were randomly selected to participate in the survey. A total of 2,820 active members, representing a cross-section of the membership, were interviewed by POLLARA, an independent research firm. Statistically, a sample of this size accurately reflects the views of the plan’s 167,000 working members at more than a 98% confidence level, 19 out of 20 times. Pensioners were not surveyed because any changes in future contribution rates or pension provisions will not affect them. As always, you can contact your federation representative or the OTF directly to discuss your views on the pension plan.
	Q:	What questions were asked in the survey?
	A:	Respondents were asked a few questions about their current pension contributions and benefits. They were then asked about their preferences for changes to these if required to keep the pension plan balanced in the future. Specifically, respondents were asked to indicate how much they would be willing to contribute to maintain their pension provisions at the current level. They were then asked, if future pensions cannot be maintained at that contribution level to rank their preferences among some changes that might then be made to the pension plan provisions themselves. The changes explored in the survey included: making cost-of-living increases conditional on the financial well-being of the pension plan, changing the 85 factor to a 90 factor, and reducing monthly pensions for future service by 10%. For more information, consult the survey questionnaire (253 KB PDF) in Appendix A.
	Q:	Where can I get more information on the survey methodology?
	A:	Telephone interviews were conducted with 2,820 active members between April 11 and May 2, 2007. See the methodology section of the survey report (296 KB PDF) for detailed information on the questionnaire development, communications about the survey, interview method, and sampling and data weighting.
	Q:	I’d like to read the full report. Where can I get a copy?
	A:	You can read the full report (962 KB PDF) or sections of it online.

	Posted June 2007	TOP