Shaping our future
The National Association of Federal Retirees is undertaking a review of our governance and organizational structure to ensure our association remains strong, effective and sustainable, today and for years to come.
This page serves as the central hub for updates on Federal Retirees’ governance, structure and effectiveness review and will be updated as new information becomes available.
How we got here
Federal Retirees is proud to be a large and engaged national community of 170,000 members with six decades of history.
The issues that matter to our members — retirement income security, access to health care, and healthy and dignified aging — are becoming more important to the future of our country, as older adults represent a growing share of Canada’s population.
As with any well-managed organization, the National Association of Federal Retirees must continue to evolve so we can meet these challenges and remain a strong, credible and influential voice for you, for our full membership, for all retirees and for those soon to be retired.
To make sure we continue to meet the needs of our members and volunteers, while protecting the long-term sustainability of the association and its not-for-profit status, Federal Retirees is reviewing the current governance structure.
Members, volunteers and outside experts have told us there is opportunity to improve the current governance structure, to ensure Federal Retirees is sustainable, democratic, member-focused and able to deliver results for the people we serve.
Members want a stronger voice
Members told us they want a more direct and meaningful role in association decision-making.
Today, many members are not engaging through the current branch system. At the same time, members say they would be likely to vote in national director elections if given the opportunity.
There is a clear desire for new and more accessible ways to participate in the association, which are not currently available.
Volunteers want to focus on what matters most
Volunteers told us they are spending too much time on administrative responsibilities and not enough time on the activities they find most meaningful and rewarding: advocacy, engagement and community building.
Volunteer recruitment and succession planning have also become increasingly challenging. Only one in five branches currently has enough volunteers to carry out activities, and some branches have had to close as a result.
The current structure creates challenges
The existing governance model has created confusion around roles and responsibilities, resulting in slower decision-making and increased administrative burden.
Resources and finances are distributed unevenly across branches, and administrative requirements can be difficult to manage consistently across the association.
To protect the association’s future, we need a governance structure that is more sustainable, efficient and responsive to the needs of members and volunteers.
What we’re considering
A future governance model must be designed to strengthen member engagement, better support volunteers, improve organizational effectiveness, and ensure compliance with the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act.
It also needs to be built in collaboration with our members and volunteers, leveraging their experiences and insights to ensure we’re responding to the needs of today and tomorrow.
One Member, One Vote
We are examining how our voting model can better reflect democratic values, regional fairness and the voice of every member.
A core principle of modern governance best practices is “One Member, One Vote.” In this system every member would have the opportunity to vote directly for national directors, with each vote carrying equal weight.
This would be a change from our current model where branch presidents cast weighted ballots on behalf of all the members within their region. A future model could use this approach to ensure decisions reflect the voice of the entire membership. It would also respond directly to members’ desire for greater involvement in the association.
Piloting new branch models
Branches from several provinces have independently come forward with ideas for pilot initiatives to explore improved branch models in their regions. These pilots would be developed in collaboration with participating branches, and would help us learn what works, what needs improvement and how members can be better served no matter where they live. These pilots will look to:
- Allow volunteers to focus on advocacy, recruitment, member service and local engagement.
- Reduce administrative burden on volunteers.
- Support volunteer recruitment and succession planning.
- Encourage broader participation and fresh perspectives.
- Reduce volunteer burnout and strengthen long-term sustainability.
- Ensure a more equal distribution of resources among branches.
The purpose of any pilot is to provide us with important data and learnings on how our association can continue to evolve, strengthen and ensure future decisions are informed by real experience. There will not be any formal changes to branch structure while these pilots are underway.
Volunteer action groups
To respond to the desire for more volunteer opportunities, with more flexibility, a future governance model could incorporate volunteer action groups.
These groups could focus on the association’s strategic priorities, while leveraging the talent and expertise of our members.
Standing and ad hoc groups could help ensure leadership receives coordinated input from members across the country while respecting regional and local perspectives.
Dedicated staff support would help reduce administrative workload and ensure recommendations and outcomes are communicated clearly and consistently.
A stronger foundation for the future
Together, we will create a clearer governance structure, strengthen accountability, reduce risk and help safeguard the association’s not-for-profit status.
Most importantly, we will ensure Federal Retirees is well positioned to continue advocating effectively on behalf of members for years to come.
To learn more:
Frequently asked questions
Every member would have an equal vote in electing national directors. It democratizes and modernizes the association where voting power is not concentrated in a small group. This strengthens fairness and accountability.
A new model should strengthen member and volunteer voice through multiple pathways. One Member-One Vote, Action Groups, local engagement, and clearer feedback channels that ensure member concerns are captured and acted on represent possible solutions by creating mechanisms allowing volunteers and members to brainstorm and share ideas or concerns with the National Board and management.
No, volunteers remain central to the Association. New models may consider reducing the administrative burden on volunteers and expanding the range of available roles, to allow more members to participate in meaningful ways that align with how they would like to contribute. A new model should empower branches to focus on work supporting the Association’s strategic plan (advocacy, member recruitment, and local engagement).
A revised governance structure should reduce duplication across the Association, and create clearer alignment between the National Board, National staff and volunteers.
No. Local engagement remains essential. Under a new governance model, branches may operate differently from today, potentially including staff support and hybrid or remote engagement options, in addition to in-person. Any new model will prioritize sustainable, consistent local activities, while ensuring capacity for targeted organization when needed, for instance, advocacy campaigns during key moments.
This is about sustainability and outcomes. Any improvements that increase efficiency will allow resources to be directed toward member engagement and support, volunteer success, and the delivery of the Association’s priorities.
The Association’s mission is strong — but the current structure is under strain. Volunteer fatigue, role uncertainty, and complex decision-making create real risk. A new model helps safeguard the Association’s long-term sustainability, to keep supporting our membership for decades to come.
You will also see a clearer, more consistent approach to member engagement, more modern pathways for participation, and a stronger focus on the outcomes that matter most to members.
Volunteer roles will be clearer and better supported. A new model will clarify what volunteers are responsible for and how these activities will be supported. It will look to create more focused opportunities to contribute your expertise, clearer mandates and expectations, and improved supports so volunteer time and efforts have the greatest impact.
By reducing internal complexity and volunteer administration, the Association can focus more time and energy on strategic priorities, such as retirement income security, advocacy results, member communications, and stronger recruitment efforts.
No, membership dues will not change as a direct result of governance changes. Funding of the new model will align with the Association’s existing financial framework we have today, which includes regular increases through indexing.
Any changes would be gradual, with ample consideration and consultation efforts taking place with members and volunteers regarding changes to roles, structures, or funding. Once consultations are complete, the Association will seek “in principle” approval before a formal vote is held.
This process began with an audit of our current structure.
We then undertook a consultation process that led to the development of a draft plan.
We have been receiving feedback on that draft plan from volunteers and members. This feedback is informing updates and evolution of the plan.
The final version of the plan will be shared with you, the membership, to review before any vote is held on bringing in these changes.