Early retirement for wildfire fighters

For BC wildfire fighters, the normal retirement age is 60, and the earliest retirement age is 50. Depending on when you earned your service, different rules may apply. Service earned before April 1, 2026, is treated as regular service.

Eligibility for early retirement

You can retire and start receiving your pension as early as age 50 if one of the following applies:

• Your last job under the Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) is as a wildfire fighter in the public safety group
• You work as a wildfire fighter and in a regular group role at the same time, and both jobs end on the same date
• You work as a wildfire fighter and in a regular group role at the same time, and your wildfire fighter job ends after your regular group job ends

Even if you meet the requirements to retire at age 50, your pension will be reduced unless you also meet the criteria for an unreduced pension.

Calculating your unreduced pension

Whether your pension is reduced depends on your age and your years of pensionable service. For wildfire fighter service earned on or after April 1, 2026, your earliest unreduced pension age is:

• Age 60 if you have less than 2 years of contributory service
• Age 55 if you have 2 to 35 years of contributory service
• Age 50 if you have 35 or more years of contributory service

Calculating your reduced pension

If your pension is reduced, the amount of reduction depends on:

• Your age when you leave your job
• Your total contributory service (wildfire fighter and any other service)
• Your age when you start receiving your pension

If you have both regular and wildfire fighter service, each portion of your pension is calculated separately, using the rules that apply to that service.

Other considerations before retiring early

• You may be able to buy a temporary annuity (full or half) to supplement your retirement income until you turn 65 or die, whichever happens first.
• Any employer‑provided extended health and dental coverage will end when you retire.
• You can apply for extended health and dental coverage through the plan when you apply for your pension.