Changes to the Canada Pension Plan will be on the agenda during the annual finance ministers meeting on Sunday and Monday, as provincial and territorial finance ministers meet with their federal counterpart in Ottawa.
The federal Liberals campaigned on a promise to revise the public pension program, and Finance Minister Bill Morneau says he plans to address the issue during the meetings.
"We're going to talk about Canada Pension Plan enhancement and how we might be able to work together in that regard," Morneau told the Canadian Press.
But not every province is on board with the promised "enhancement."
Amid economic uncertainty, floundering oil prices and a low loonie, some critics say the economy is not prepared to handle any pension plan changes.
Speaking on CTV's Question Period on Sunday, Saskatchewan Finance Minister Kevin Doherty expressed concern.
"Our position is that now is not the time for any CPP enhancement," he said. "We in Saskatchewan are in a very challenging economy right now, given the oil situation."
And Saskatchewan isn't the only province feeling the pinch, Doherty said. Alberta and Newfoundland are also struggling to cope with lower oil prices.
"(It is not) the time for enhanced, mandatory contributions, not only for individuals but for our business community," he said.
In Ontario, meanwhile, Premier Kathleen Wynne's Liberal government has vowed to go ahead with a provincial pension plan if the federal government doesn't implement a national strategy.
"Unless a universal system is enhanced sufficiently 鈥� we're moving on a second track, which is to provide an Ontario pension plan," Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa told CTV's Question Period.
In October, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Wynne and.
"The incoming federal government will direct the Canada Revenue Agency and the Departments of Finance and National Revenue to work with Ontario officials on the registration and administration of the ORPP," a statement from Wynne's office said at the time.
It added that the Ontario plan would be "designed to integrate with any future CPP enhancement."
Healthcare transfers will not help hardest hit provinces
The issue of equalization payments and healthcare transfers is also expected to come up during the talks, following a Liberal campaign promise to negotiate a new federal-provincial health-care accord.
The previous health accord, which guaranteed a six per cent increase in federal payments each year, expired in 2014.
But any agreements on equalization payments that come out of the talks won鈥檛 help the hardest hit provinces.
Oil-producing provinces such as Alberta and Saskatchewan, which have been hammered by the oil prices crash, are disqualified from getting any equalization, as provinces must experience three years of economic decline to qualify. So far, these provinces have only experienced one year financial slowdown.
Meanwhile, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes will continue to receive billions from the federal government.
鈥淓qualization I鈥檓 sure will come up,鈥� Morneau said ahead of the meeting. 鈥淚 think we need to have an open mind鈥nd that鈥檚 where we start.鈥�
Infrastructure and child benefits
In addition to discussions about the CPP and equalization payments, identified two other priorities for the finance ministers meetings: infrastructure investments and the new Canada Child Benefit.
According to the federal statement, the government has pledged a record high $71 billion to provinces and territories for the 2016-2017 year. This spending is slated to support health care, post-secondary education, social services, and child care, and to help improve infrastructure.
With files from CTV鈥檚 Richard Madan and the Canadian Press
