Eligibility

The AVC option is available exclusively to members with service in the OMERS Plan. This includes members currently contributing to the OMERS Plan (active members), members who left their OMERS employer but kept their pension in the OMERS Plan (deferred members), and retired members to age 70. (It is not available to spouses, surviving spouses or other beneficiaries who are not also members.) AVCs are a feature of the OMERS Plan; depending on your category of membership, contributions to your AVC account can be made automatically, as a fund transfer, or both.

The AVC Option Is Exclusive to OMERS Members

Active Members  Retired (to Age 70) and Deferred Members  
Includes those:
  • currently contributing to the OMERS Plan
  • on a disability waiver
  • on an authorized leave of absence
  • employed beyond 35 years of credited service.
Includes those:
  • currently receiving an OMERS pension
  • no longer with an OMERS employer but kept their pension with OMERS.

Does an AVC Account Fit With Your Plans?

The decision to contribute to an AVC account is entirely up to you. However, AVCs are likely most suitable for members with:

  • adequate cash flow
  • interest in investing in a balanced, diversified global fund
  • mid-to-long-term investment horizon—this is a general time frame of 5 to 15 years and appropriate for retirement savings
  • moderate risk tolerance—although the OMERS Fund has averaged an annual rate of return of 5.73% over the last 10 years, there is the potential for a negative return (loss) in any given year.

Did You Know

A member's surviving spouse or child cannot have an AVC account unless they are also members of OMERS.