Latest news in Benefits Canada Archive

Is it time for pension plans to do away with absolute return benchmarks in infrastructure?

For years, institutional investors have used absolute return or cash-plus benchmarks to measure infrastructure performance, but it’s time to put these in the past and…

  • By: Staff
  • July 10, 2020 December 6, 2020
  • 08:00
Canadians prioritizing emergency savings over retirement, other long-term goals: survey

Canadians prioritizing emergency savings over retirement, other long-term goals: survey

Among Canadians with a retirement plan, 77 per cent said they’re confident they’ll have enough money to last the rest of their lives, compared to…

  • By: Staff
  • July 9, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 15:15
Pension veteran Sandra Nuttall remembered by colleagues

Pension veteran Sandra Nuttall remembered by colleagues

Sandra Nuttall, who spent her career in the pension industry, passed away on July 5 due to complications from dementia. Before she retired in 2011,…

  • By: Staff
  • July 9, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 15:00
Mental-health conditions, specialty meds driving drug plan cost increases in 2019: report

Mental-health conditions, specialty meds driving drug plan cost increases in 2019: report

Private drug plans saw the largest yearly increase in their average eligible costs in 2019, according to Telus Health’s annual drug trends report. The report attributed…

  • By: Staff
  • July 9, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 10:00
PIAC calling for changes to PfAD calculation, solvency reserve accounts in N.S.

PIAC calling for changes to PfAD calculation, solvency reserve accounts in N.S.

While the Pension Investment Association of Canada strongly supports Nova Scotia’s recent pension funding changes, it’s calling on the provincial government to tweak the provision for…

  • By: Staff
  • July 9, 2020 November 30, 2020
  • 08:45
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Dry powder in distressed private capital space at record high

There’s a record amount of dry powder sitting in the distressed private capital space, according to new data from Preqin. Between distressed debt, special situations…

  • By: Staff
  • July 9, 2020 December 6, 2020
  • 08:43

Liberals foresee high unemployment, $343 billion deficit due to coronavirus

Nearly two million Canadian workers could remain unemployed this year, according to forecasts in the federal government’s long-awaited “fiscal snapshot.” The document released Wednesday details…

Ontario Teachers’ lowered portfolio carbon footprint by 15% in 2019: report

Ontario Teachers’ lowered portfolio carbon footprint by 15% in 2019: report

The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan’s 2019 climate change report contains its first-ever, independently assured portfolio carbon footprint. Even as the plan’s assets grew in 2019,…

  • By: Staff
  • July 8, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 15:00
JTI launching global equal family leave policy

JTI launching global equal family leave policy

Japan Tobacco International is launching a global equal family leave policy for all of its employees. The new global strategy, which goes beyond the national…

  • By: Staff
  • July 8, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 15:00
Plan members increasingly open to pharmacogenetics, virtual care

Plan members increasingly open to pharmacogenetics, virtual care

Virtual-care options are gaining ground, according to the 2020 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. Looking at a scenario where plan members would receive health-care services through…

  • By: Staff
  • July 8, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 09:00
Mawer shakes up equity strategies management team

Mawer shakes up equity strategies management team

Jim Hall is stepping down as co-manager of Mawer Investment Management Ltd.’s Canadian and global equity strategies to focus his full attention on his responsibilities…

  • By: Staff
  • July 7, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 15:30
Sun Life launching ESG framework for pension plan sponsors

Sun Life launching ESG framework for pension plan sponsors

Sun Life Canada is launching an environmental, social and governance framework for its group retirement services to help pension plan sponsors and members make sustainable…

  • By: Staff
  • July 7, 2020 November 30, 2020
  • 15:15
Fujitsu introducing permanent remote working policy for 80,000 global staff

Fujitsu introducing permanent remote working policy for 80,000 global staff

Fujitsu Ltd. is introducing permanent remote working for 80,000 global employees in a bid to boost innovation and work-life balance. The Japanese multinational’s campaign, which…

  • By: Staff
  • July 7, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 15:00
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PSP Investments raises over $700,000 for charities in wake of coronavirus pandemic

The Public Sector Pension Investment Board’s special coronavirus emergency relief initiative has raised over $700,000 for various charities. Donations went to supporting four organizations actively involved…

  • By: Staff
  • July 7, 2020 December 6, 2020
  • 09:49
If private equity doesn’t perform, is it worth institutional investors’ trouble?

If private equity doesn’t perform, is it worth institutional investors’ trouble?

As private equity investments become all the more commonplace in pension fund portfolios, is the asset class really worth it? According to a paper by Ludovic…

  • By: Staff
  • July 7, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 09:15
Just 22% of health benefits plan sponsors regularly receive claims data: Sanofi survey

Just 22% of health benefits plan sponsors regularly receive claims data: Sanofi survey

Two-thirds (65 per cent) of plans sponsors said they have a specific objective for their health benefits plan for the upcoming year, compared to 56 per…

  • By: Staff
  • July 7, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 09:00
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What opportunities exist for institutional investors in private equity primary market?

Many asset classes, including private equity, have been hammered by the coronavirus fallout, but opportunities still exist in the primary middle market for a variety…

  • By: Staff
  • July 7, 2020 December 6, 2020
  • 08:45
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Bank of Canada survey says business hiring plans remain muted due to pandemic

The Bank of Canada’s latest review of business and consumer expectations has revealed how widespread uncertainty is muting rehiring and purchasing plans, published days before…

Canadians’ mental health remains low even as country reopens from coronavirus lockdown

Canadians’ mental health remains low even as country reopens from coronavirus lockdown

Even as Canada begins to reopen from coronavirus lockdown, uncertainty remains high and Canadians need employer mental-health supports more than ever. According to Morneau Shepell…

  • By: Staff
  • July 6, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 15:30
BCI and partners establish responsible investing platform

BCI and partners establish responsible investing platform

The British Columbia Investment Management Corp., the AustralianSuper and two Dutch pension funds — APG and PGGM — are jointly establishing a responsible investing platform.…

  • By: Staff
  • July 6, 2020 November 11, 2020
  • 15:15
Feds announce new temporary relief measures for pension plan sponsors

Feds announce new temporary relief measures for pension plan sponsors

New draft regulations from the federal government would allow registered pension plans to borrow money and extend the deadline to retroactively credit pensionable service under a…

  • By: Staff
  • July 6, 2020 November 30, 2020
  • 09:30

University of Ottawa support staff reject ‘final offer’ including cuts to certain benefits

The bargaining unit representing University of Ottawa support staff has voted down a so-called final offer from the university by 80 per cent. The unit, which…

Safeguarding the wellbeing of globally mobile employees in the wake of COVID-19

As we emerge from COVID-19 the opportunity to take a proactive, improved approach to the wellbeing of international assignees has never been more important. Chris…

  • July 6, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 09:00

Plan sponsors worried about drug, dental plan sustainability: Sanofi survey

Most (79 per cent) plan sponsors said they have at least one major concern about their health benefits plan, with this increasing to 89 per…

  • By: Staff
  • July 6, 2020 November 23, 2020
  • 09:00

Tech platform helping connect institutional investors with private credit opportunities

In the current low-yield environment, many pension funds are looking for alternatives to fixed income to earn the returns required to pay pension obligations. The…