Old Age Security - A History

The Old Age Security program at its beginning in 1951 was introduced as a universal program with a separate line in the individual tax return for the Old Age Security tax, the benefits of which were to be paid to everyone at age 65. This commitment to universal entitlement was made in 1966, 1971 and 1983 in the report of the Parliamentary Task Force on Pension Reform. By 1969, the tax reached 6% to a maximum of $360.00 paid by each individual tax payer. In 1971 the OAS tax along with other designated taxes was combined into the overall tax structure, lost its previous maximum ceiling and has been applied to the taxpayer’s entire taxable income and does not stop at age 65 like the CPP premiums.

OWN Recommendations

1. Retain Old Age Security as a universal social benefit as promised by government in every Parliamentary report since its inception in 1951 as well as increasing its benefits.
2. Replace the spouse’s allowance, a means-tested benefit for those ages 60 to 64, with an equivalent benefit that is available without reference to marital status.

Pensions Committee, March 25, 1998
Revised April 1999


Because of the lobbying efforts of the Older Women’s Network and other concerned organizations, the federal government changed its position on Senior Benefits. It is our understanding that the OAS is being left as it was.OWN will continue to monitor any changes the federal government proposes to OAS. The government’s proposals to change the OAS program to a senior’s benefit program was dropped after lobbying advocacy efforts of the OWN and other organizations. - April 1999

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