2. Ask if the pension follows provincial or federal rules

How to value a pension and how you can divide it depends on whether the pension follows provincial or federal rules.

Most people in Ontario with a pension have an Ontario regulated plan.

However, there are also two types of federally regulated plans:

• A federal public service plan: If you or your partner worked for the Canadian government, you might have a federal public service plan. For example, if you worked for the Canadian army or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
• A federally regulated plan: If you or your partner worked for certain types of non-government employers, you might have a federally regulated plan. For example, if you worked for an airline, bank, or railroad.

You can contact the pension plan administrator directly to ask them which rules they follow.

Or you can contact the provincial or federal office that makes rules about and supervises pensions:

• Provincial plans: Financial Services Commission of Ontario, Pension Division, phone 416-226-7776
• Federal plans: Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada, phone 1-800-385-8647 or 613-943-3950