One national pension plan with one set of guidelines is more equitable than having many company plans. Standards for company plans differ by province. Company plans are no substitute for a universal pension scheme. Many women working part time do not earn enough to qualify. No province requires company plans to provide inflation protection.
Some companies have a two-year vesting period, but most require much longer.
Company pensions are limited in portability because not all companies have plans or accept a plan started with another company. Public pensions are especially important as the government attacks social programs through privatization, deregulation, and free trade. More women as well as men will be forced to change jobs in such an economic climate. There is the danger that some workers will end their employment years with a patchwork of company pension plans that amount to very little. The federal government passes the Pension Benefits Standards Act.