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Questions & Answers
1. How many tickets will be sold?
Only 5,000 tickets will be available on a first come, first serve basis.
2. When can I buy tickets?
Tickets will be sold beginning in May 2009 and will be available until all 5,000 tickets are sold. If tickets are still available after the first draw on June 1st 2009, we will continue to sell tickets to interested people throughout the year or until all the tickets are sold.
Employees and retirees can purchase tickets by visiting www.bellaliantpioneers.com..
Retirees or employees without access to www.bellaliantpioneers.com can complete the attached lottery form and return it to the address listed below.
Bell Aliant Pioneer Lottery
22 Botsford Street
Moncton, New Brunswick
E1C 4W7
3. How much do tickets cost?
Tickets cost $120 each.
4. What if I don’t want to pay through payroll deduction?
A personal cheque or money order made payable to the Bell Aliant Pioneer Lottery can be sent to:
Bell Aliant Pioneers Lottery
22 Botsford Street
Moncton, New Brunswick
E1C 4W7
Please date cheque for June 1, 2009.
5. May I buy more than one ticket?
Yes, you may purchase as many tickets as you want.
6. How many draws will be held?
There will be 150 prizes drawn during the course of the year. Three trips will be drawn on the first working day of each month (except for April 2010), complemented by two weekly draws of $500 held every Tuesday and Friday. In lieu of trips for April 2010, there will be four $5000.00 jackpot draws. (See prize schedule for dates)
The $6 per pay deduction or $120 up-front will enter you in all draws.
Prizes are random and not based on the province that the ticket holder is from.
7. What are the prizes?
- There will be three trip draws per month (except for April 2010) for a total of thirty three trips for the year.
- There will be a $500 winner every Tuesday from June 2009 to May 2010 (52 prizes)
- There will be a $500 winner every Friday from June 2009 to May 2010 (52 prizes)
- There will be nine $1,000 bonus draws during the year.
- There will be four $5,000 bonus draws in April 2010.
- (See prize schedule for more details)
8. Where do I buy the tickets?
You can buy tickets by completing a ticket purchase form that will be available from www.bellaliantpioneers.com.
OR
You can complete the application form enclosed in this letter and send to:
Bell Aliant Pioneers Lottery
22 Botsford Street
Moncton, New Brunswick
E1C 4W7
9. How do I know who my local employee Lottery Ambassador is?
Your local Lottery Ambassador is identified on-site at your offices, and is listed on www.bellaliantpioneers.com under the lottery tab. Employees and retirees without Internet access can call 1-800-936-5583. (We will contact you within two business days.)
10. Who is eligible to buy tickets?
All Bell Aliant, xwave, full or part time employees and retirees in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland & Labrador will be eligible to purchase tickets. Employees must be at least 18 years of age to participate. Contract and temporary employees, and retirees outside of Bell Aliant pension plans are not able to purchase tickets through payroll deductions, but can purchase tickets by cheque or money order. (Also see question 35)
11. Can I win a prize more than once?
If you win a $500 or $1,000 prize, your name will be returned for future draws. All trip winners and $5,000 winners’ ballots will be removed from future draws. If you have purchased multiple tickets, only the ticket that won the prize will be removed.
12. What are my chances of winning?
There will be 5,000 tickets available for sale for a chance to win one or more of 150 prizes. Each month your odds will improve slightly as the major prize winners’ tickets will be removed from the lottery.
13. Can I give a donation instead of buying a ticket?
Employees who do not wish to participate in the lottery, but who do wish to make a donation to the Bell Aliant Pioneers Volunteers should contact the Bell Aliant Pioneers office at 800-565-1436.
14. Are my tickets tax-deductible?
According to Revenue Canada, lottery tickets are not tax-deductible, since there is the possibility that the ticket could be exchanged for a prize.
15. Will a direct donation be tax-deductible?
Cash donations to registered non-profit charities may be tax-deductible.
16. Can I buy tickets for just one month?
No, one ticket is used for the monthly draws all year long.
17. Can I keep my tickets if I leave the company?
Employees who leave the company will have the option to purchase the outstanding balance of their tickets. Otherwise, when payroll deductions are terminated, your name will be removed from the draw.
18. If I win a trip, can I take the cash value instead?
If you win a trip and decide that you would prefer cash – a cheque for $3,000 will be substituted for your original prize package. (By accepting the cash substitute – you will forfeit the trip voucher and spending money included in the prize.)
The travel vouchers are transferable – so if you decide that you don’t want to travel, you can find a buyer and sell your voucher.
19. How will I be notified of draw winners?
Within one business day of each draw, the winners will be personally contacted. If personal contact cannot be made by telephone, an email or letter will be sent to the winner stating their prize. After personal contact or letter is sent, the winners’ names will be listed at www.bellaliantpioneers.com under the lotteries tab. The current winners will be listed on the Bell Aliant Pioneer Lottery line 800-936-5583 for retirees and employees who do not have access to our website.
20. Can I start buying tickets partway through the year?
Only if there are tickets available. If tickets are available, they will be sold for the ticket price of $120.00. Payroll deduction will not be an option for late ticket purchases (after June 1, 2009), so a cheque or money order for $120.00 is required with the ticket application.
21. If employees leave the company and do not choose to keep their tickets, can other employees purchase them?
No. The tickets are not transferable.
22. Do I have to pay $6 every pay, or can I choose how the ticket price will be deducted from my pay?
The only option is the $6 per pay for each ticket purchased. This bi-weekly pay will end when you have paid $120.00 for each ticket purchased. Payroll deductions are expected to begin in June.
23. Where are the profits from the tickets going?
Proceeds from the lottery will go to various Pioneers charities and programs as well as the IWK Health Centre that represents specialized children’s care for the Maritime Provinces and the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre in Newfoundland and Labrador.
24. What if I want to go on a different trip than the one I have just won?
Maritime Marlin Travel will offer a 100 per cent exchange on the value of the trip to be credited towards another vacation.
25. How long do I have to take the trip?
Maritime Travel gift cards currently have no expiry date.
26. What if I lose my ticket?
We will keep a master file of the ticket holders with the names and numbers of each ticket holder, which will be recorded at the time of purchase. If you lose your ticket, please contact the Bell Aliant Pioneers Lottery office at 800-936-5583.
27. Why are the Bell Aliant Pioneers holding this lottery for Pioneer charities and programs, like the Children’s hospitals of Atlantic Canada rather than other charities like Special Olympics, Canadian Cancer Society, etc?
The Bell Aliant Pioneers Volunteers have chosen to support the IWK Children’s Hospital and The Janeway Children’s Hospital, as specific charities because of Bell Aliant’s long-term relationship with them and their ability to serve citizens across all of Atlantic Canada. The other initiatives supported by the Bell Aliant Pioneers Lottery will be will be selected based on the same criteria that the Bell Aliant Pioneers use when deciding what programs they support – need, expertise and importance to our communities.
28. Can my charity be considered for the lottery next year, and how do I go about proposing this?
The lottery will be evaluated at its completion. You can contact the Bell Aliant Pioneers Office at 800-565-1436 for more information.
29. Where do I send my ticket purchase form?
Ticket purchase forms should be sent to:
Bell Aliant Pioneers Lottery
22 Botsford Street
Moncton, New Brunswick
E1C 4W7
Please note that fax, email or telephone requests will not be accepted.
30. I plan to retire during the next year; can I purchase a ticket through payroll deduction?
Yes, the deductions will be made from your pay until your retirement date. Once you retire, the deduction will be made from your pension cheque. You must notify payroll to ensure this deduction continues. If you are not receiving a pension cheque, you will have to pay the outstanding amount on your ticket up front.
31. I am going on maternity leave; can I stay in the lottery?
Yes, it is your responsibility to contact the Bell Aliant Pioneers office at 800-565-1436 to make other arrangements for payment, as there is no payroll deduction option for those on maternity leave.
32. Are the prizes considered taxable benefits?
No, you will not be required to pay any tax in relation to the prizes available to be won in this lottery.
33. Who do I call if I have any questions?
You should try to contact your Lottery Ambassador first. (They are listed at www.bellaliantpioneers.com under the lottery tab). If they are not available, we have set up a Toll Free number where you can leave a message and someone will get back to you within three business days. The number is 800-936-5583.
34. I do not work for Bell Aliant. Can I participate?
If all 5,000 tickets are not sold, we may decide to sell to outside parties interested in purchasing a ticket. Since payroll deductions will not be available to companies outside of Bell Aliant, the full payment of $120 will be required at the beginning of the lottery.
35. Do I have to be a Pioneer to buy a ticket?
No, you do not have to be a Pioneer to purchase a ticket. Although, joining Atlantic Canada’s largest corporate based organization would be a great benefit to you and Bell Aliant. We currently have close to 9,000 Pioneer employee and retiree members in Atlantic Canada.
