A Pension Adjustment (PA) is the estimated value of benefits earned by you under some specific plans, such as deferred profit-sharing plans or employer’s registered pension plans. This PA value is meant for tax purposes. T4 tax information slip has a specific box 52 in which it is present. The sheet also contains your per year annual pension contributions in particular box 20. PAs were initiated to the Staff Pension Plan about 30 years ago in the year 1990.

Calculation of PA

To find out and make an estimate of pension adjustment, the employer for whom you work considers the donation to your current income, the penalty amount, and your retirement accounts. Then, in box 52 of the T4 slip, the employer is supposed to put details of the calculated amount.
The next step that you have to take is to submit and report the sum of money on line 206 of the income tax return. Your income, either as earning or as a deduction, is not affected by this amount. However, your contribution towards Registered Retirement Savings Plan in the upcoming year can be lowered.  
Just for your sake of relief, the government of Canada offers a plan for you. Instead of calculating how the pension adjustment affects your RRSP contributions yourself, CRA helps you. All you have to do is use the online service of CRA known as My Account, or you might also visit MyCRA on your smartphone, and you can quickly get to know about your present contribution limits based on three factors that are given below:
Your current income.
 Former contributions.
 PA (Pension adjustments).

What is represented by the PA?

The approximate value of your accrued pension that is earned each year is equal to your pension adjustment. Your pension adjustment is used by the CRA so that your registered Retirement Savings Plan contribution is calculated accordingly
Similar to the accrued pension benefits in the UBC SPP, the pension adjustment (PA) is also salary and service driven. However, you must keep one thing in mind. The essential and required contributions made by you will have no impact on this calculation.

The CRA gives PA calculation formula?

The unique formula is devised by the CRA to calculate the pension adjustment in the current year:
Nine times the pension that is earned in the current year (calculated by the pension formula) minus $600.

Where can you find the details of your PA calculation?

To find out your current and the most recent pension adjustment calculations, all you have to do is go online and visit myPension. Then you must log in and choose Calculators > Pension Adjustment. In this way, you can get details regarding your pension adjustment.

How is my RRSP Contribution Room affected by pension adjustment?

Every year, during February, the University has to make a report, on your T4 slip, regarding the Pension Adjustment (PA) and submit it to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The pension adjustment (PA) is the amount of the pension benefit you earn under the Plan. The CRA calculates your maximum RRSP contribution room by using your income tax return and T4, and then this is reported to you annually. The contribution limit for RRSP for the given year is based on:
Your income
 PA from the preceding year.
When a worker ends employment before the estimated retirement age, the termination value of the pension plan might be reduced as compared to the total cost of Pension Adjustments that are reported. What is the reason behind it? The idea is that the pension adjustment shows the amount of pension that is given at retirement age. The basis of the refund of termination lies upon the amount of the pension at retirement age. The termination pension adjustment (PA), which decreases your RRSP contribution room, may be overestimated.
To address this injustice, the Federal Government has introduced a reform called Pension Adjustment Reversals (PARs).
Make sure to visit the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to get more information about the Pension Adjustment.

What is meant by a Pension Adjustment Reversal (PAR)?

The total value of the RRSP room is restored by pension adjustment reversal. A PAR applies to those Plan members who have finished their course of employment after the year 1996 as well as those who have chosen a refund from the Plan before their actual age of retirement.

Would I be given a PAR?

A PAR is calculated when a member ends their membership in the SPP. After that, selects to transfer the amount of their pension out of the Plan. A PAR is a difference between the termination benefit of a member and the total sum of their Pension Adjustments, while they were an active member of the SPP.

The RRSP Room that is left unused

The contribution room left unused, is continued year after year. If you did not contribute the full amount of money in the past, then your contribution room will be more than 18% of earned income minus your pension adjustment.
You can get a tax advantage to donate if you have an extra contribution room. The Notice of Assessment shows a specific limit. Make sure that you do not exceed that limit. Otherwise, a penalty must be paid by you.

Tax Tip on Pension Income Splitting

According to tax rules effective January 1, 2007, all eligible taxpayers are allowed to assign up to half of their pension income to their spouse, who has a low income. Please review this for more information, make sure to give a read to  Canada Revenue Agency – Pension Income Splitting page.

If you need more information check out Samer Tohme's Website who is a financial accountant based in Montreal & Ottawa and is the owner who established Tohme Accounting.