Retiree Benefit Program FAQ

If you received MSP subsidies (50% of the costs of MSP) prior to 2020, you are enrolled in RBP. 

You may also send an inquiry to rbp@bcnu.org

If you did not retire as a member of one of the NBA unions. For example, if you terminated employment as a Registered Nurse and member of BCNU at a hospital in BC and went to work at a doctor's office prior to retirement.

If you were a union member but were employed at a site covered by the Nurses Master and Component Agreement with the provincial government or independent agreement when you retired.

If you retired as an employee in health care but your union was not under the Nurses' Bargaining Association such as the Hospital Employees Union (HEU)

Currently, LPNs do not participate in the program.

If you were not a member of one of the NBA's constituent unions for at least two (2) consecutive years at your date of retirement.

If you did not work the required number of hours within the last two (2) consecutive prior to retirement – 400 (four hundred) hours.

If you retired from a non-union position, such as an excluded nurse manager.

It is a one-time payment of $500.00 CAD which you can receive if you are eligible and if you have retired on or before December 31, 2022.

If you were accepted into the retiree benefits program prior to December 31, 2019, you should expect payment the week of December 5, 2022. Following this payment, please note that a T4A slip will be sent to you before February 28, 2023. 

If you apply and are accepted into RBP between December 31, 2019 and February 6, 2023, you should expect payment in the week of February 27, 2023. Following this payment, a T4A slip will be sent to before the end of February 2024. 

If you apply to RBP after February 6, 2023, your payment will be paid before the end of the following month in which your application is accepted. Following this payment, a T4A slip will be sent to before the end of February 2024.

The benefit subsidy will be reviewed yearly and posted on the BCNU website. Any changes to the program will automatically apply to registered and qualified members. The nature and amount of benefits paid from the RBP are at the discretion of the RBPC and are subject to change: future benefits from the RBP are not guaranteed. 

On November 8, 2022, the RBP committee passed a motion “that the Nurses’ Bargaining Association Retiree Benefit Program (RBP) Committee will commence and prioritize a RBP Plan Design Review Project, which will consider funding and benefit issues and options for the future use of the Fund.”