The federal government’s recent decision to transfer a $1.9 billion surplus from the Public Service Pension Plan to its general revenue is within its purview, says Mitch Frazer, a pension lawyer and managing partner at Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo. “[This situation is] slightly different because this plan is made by a statute and, […]
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says today’s fall economic statement will remove the cap that currently restricts Canadian pension funds from owning more than 30 per cent of the voting shares of a Canadian entity. Freeland says this will make it easier for Canadian pension funds, which have more than $3 trillion in assets, to make […]
An article about the National Institute on Ageing’s report on missing pension plan members was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. NIA addressing issue of missing pension plan members with new report 2. 88% of employees with disabilities, neurodivergence […]
While both experts point to the obligation of the pension promise, one argues that many pension funds are already overweight in Canadian allocations, while the other cites these funds’ risk-return calibrations, highlighting the strategic assets available abroad. Jeremy Forgie, pension lawyer and senior counsel at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Whether our governments should try […]
As gig workers make up a greater share of the Canadian workforce, a lack of retirement savings options may leave this growing demographic facing financial insecurity in their senior years. According to data from Statistics Canada, 871,000 Canadians performed gig work as their primary job in the fourth quarter of 2022. Among those gig workers, […]
Brad Lander is advocating for public pension funds to enforce their responsible investment mandates even if that pits them against their partners. As New York City comptroller and chief financial officer, he’s the investment advisor and custodian for the city’s five public pension funds. In the role, he oversees the investment guidelines and allocations strategy […]
Amendments to the federal Pension Benefits Standards Act must go beyond reporting transparency and clarify how additional disclosure requirements help monitor the health of Canadian pension plans, said the Pension Investment Association of Canada. In an open letter to Finance Canada, the PIAC said if current data collection processes for federally regulated plans aren’t achieving […]
The National Institute on Ageing is addressing the issue of missing pension plan members, in a new report highlighting the challenges faced by plan administrators and individuals entitled to unclaimed pension benefits. The report provides a framework for decision-making and emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts from all sectors — government agencies, plan sponsors, financial […]