Hear from our members – Video Transcript
T.J.G: Nice to meet you.
Bibi: Nice to meet you too.
Kim: I’m Kim.
Anne-Marie: Kim, nice to meet you too, Anne-Marie.
Manny: How are you brother?
Mike: Yeah, not bad.
Mike: Little bit about myself, I am new to the fire department. Pension is new to me. Excited to talk to you guys.
T.J.G: I know you're a retiree.
Bibi: I am.
T.J.G: It’s just a dream I have one day.
Bibi: Do you see the sign on my face? Yeah, it's retiring. <laugh> happy all the time.
Bibi: I knew that I wanted to retire early because I had so much passion that I wanted to do. I call it my soul work. And my OMERS monthly pension cheque, I refer that as a ticket to live. Live my incredible true life.
Anne-Marie: Yeah. So, uh, where do you work?
Kim: I'm working for the city of Toronto. You know, time is coming. I'm thinking of retirement. It's exhilarating. It's like, oh, freedom. And it's like what kind of freedom? What am I gonna do with my time?
Kim: Because I have more time for family. I'm spending more time with them and I'm also getting to know my neighbors a little bit. Like that's something that I wouldn't have done before because you know, I'm busy.
Manny: We keep growing. Like Brenda got into pottery, got a buddy who's got a bike shop.
Brenda: He went in one day to get something fixed on a bike and he's never left. Yeah. You know what? But that's the nice part about life. Yeah. Now that you're retired, I can spend more time.
Mike: We just welcomed our second boy. There's a lot more than work. Yeah. But I'm just trying to cover my bases and make sure that we have a life after working.
Manny: We've got education to pay for. But in the meantime, if you're doing that, you're still building your pension. It's a comfortable feeling. Yeah. And you'll see it in your 25th year, 27th year of your OMERS. You'll see those numbers come up.
T.J.G: The stability of retirement means that I should be able to help my children if they need it because I know that I have a safety net.
Bibi: So, you see how pensions can help you, help them?
T.J.G: Yeah. Is this something I should start thinking about now or…?
Bibi: Yeah. It's never too early to start planning!
Manny: Your job. My job, right. I'm a captain. You lean on me to give you everything you need to keep you safe on a fire ground. Right? Well, think of OMERS in the exact same position and this program, this group of people, are there for you all the time to take care of you.
Mike: I appreciate you guys sitting down with me because it’s intimidating, it's exciting. It's all those things!
Kim: I just consider myself really lucky, like how the whole thing happened. Getting the job, OMERS pension, benefits.
Anne-Marie: We should meet again sometime!
Kim: I'd love that. Oh, I still have three years to bug you. <laugh> <laugh>.
Bibi: Call me anytime or email me, text me. I'm always here for you. I really mean that.
T.J.G: Thank you so much. Great to meet you.
Manny: Enjoy your career, kid. Thanks very much.
Mike: Yeah, it's a pleasure. Thanks.
Brenda: And all the best to you and your family.
Mike: Thank you so much.