Premier Jason Kenney said even if the government decides to leave the country’s largest pension plan in favour of creating a provincial plan, Albertans will have the final say through a referendum vote. (The Canadian Press)

Talking point: Plans for an Alberta-exclusive pensioner fund follow a report from the province’s Fair Deal Panel, which found that Albertans paid about 17 per cent of Canada Pension Plan contributions in 2017, but claimed just 11 per cent of returns. The report also found that, given Alberta’s young population, the province could save $3 billion annually by starting its own pension plan. Alberta’s economy has been particularly hard hit by the pandemic and oil downturn. At the same time, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board has managed to evade the global pension crisis and substantially grow its net income and post record high assets over the past year.