Your Appeal Division hearing – Canada Pension Plan (including disability) and Old Age Security (including Guaranteed Income Supplement) appeals

Your Appeal Division hearing

Canada Pension Plan (including disability) and Old Age Security (including Guaranteed Income Supplement) appeals

Why is there a hearing?

To help the Appeal Division member (decision-maker) decide whether you’ll get your benefits under the Canada Pension Plan or the Old Age Security Act

Who will be there?

• You
• Your representative, if you have one
• An Appeal Division member
• A representative from Employment and Social Development Canada
• Another party to the appeal and their representative (if any)

Other people can be there:

• Witnesses
• Support person
• Interpreter
• Observer(s)

Accommodations

If you need an accommodation, let us know as soon as possible. Some examples are:

• an interpreter, if English or French isn’t your first language
• breaks during the hearing
• asking participants to speak loudly or slowly
• dimmed lighting at your hearing
• more time to answer spoken questions

How do I get ready?

• Review the evidence so you can tell the member about the parts that are most important (use the numbers at the bottom of the pages)
• Think about gaps in the evidence that you want to tell the member about (the General Division decision might mention where it thought there were gaps in the evidence)
• See what the Canada Pension Plan or Old Age Security Act says about who gets benefits (the General Division decision might mention the section numbers)
• Read the other party’s written arguments so you can respond to them
• Make notes to help you remember what you want to say
• Organize the appeal documents so you can find things easily during the hearing

How does the hearing start?

The member will tell you their name. We don’t use the title “Your Honour.” The member will call you “Mr.”, “Ms.”, or the title you request.

The member will explain how the hearing will run and answer any questions you may have.

What do I do at the hearing?

• Describe the important facts that show why you should get the benefits you’re asking for
• Answer questions about the facts from the other parties and the member
• Ask questions to witnesses that you or another party bring to the hearing
• Make arguments about the outcome you want and respond to the other party’s arguments

When will I get the decision?

You’ll usually get the decision within 60 days after your hearing.