For employers that are trying to help their employees prepare for retirement, the challenge has always been finding ways to craft a program that is…
Sponsored by: In September, The Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada launched a revamped Plan for lifeTM program, a communication offering that makes it easy…
For years, investors and other stakeholders have called for greater transparency in the accounting standards for employee benefits, since current standards obscure the true cost…
From Lafarge’s perspective, why is focusing on health and wellness a good business strategy? If we’re spending money on benefits above and beyond what the…
Lafarge North America is a leading supplier of construction materials. Until a few years ago, it was losing its battle against increasing healthcare costs in the…
After enduring two equity market crashes in the past decade, most investors are now approaching risk management with renewed emphasis. In this new reality, pension…
Plan sponsors are no strangers to the courts for liabilities over life insurance claims. Following are three liability concerns and how to mitigate them. Liability…
Volatility: it’s not just a buzzword anymore; it’s all around us. With ongoing uncertainty relating to the U.S. economy, concerns about sovereign debt in the…
One Friday morning in early August of 1994, the phone rang at a rented cottage in Rockport, Mass. Bruce Gowans, then vice-president of group underwriting…
Transparency and good governance influence how Canadian pension plan sponsors manage their plans. While many continue to choose service providers via transparent internal processes, plan…
It starts with those ominous words, “The test results are back…” and ends with the word that no one wants to hear: cancer. Cancer requires…
You’ve undoubtedly read about the youngest group in your workplace: the 17- to 28-year-olds, known as generation Y. While Statistics Canada data from 2010 show…
As you can see, I’m back from maternity leave and resuming my role as Editor of Benefits Canada—and I have a beautiful one-year-old daughter to…
In times of increased economic uncertainty, the number of tough financial choices facing the average person seems to rise exponentially. Clashing priorities battle it out:…
One employee touts the benefits of an ESOP, while an academic notes it depends on individual financial circumstances and plan design. Morgan Zirul, store manager,…
PepsiCo Canada may be known for quenching thirst and satisfying snack cravings, but the organization’s leadership recently identified another kind of demand: clearer, more personalized…