Against a backdrop of unpredictability on the global stage, Canadian institutional investors continue to face several competing headwinds, including a push from the federal government to encourage more investment domestically, central banks’ developing policies to tame inflation and a new U.S. president already making his imprint on foreign affairs. At the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise […]
For most of the decade since I joined Benefits Canada, it feels like the pension industry has been moving at a snail’s pace. Don’t get me wrong — I have witnessed many substantial (dare I say, exciting) developments in the industry, each one touted as a potential solution to Canadians’ retirement readiness concerns and increasingly […]
The software company’s chief people officer discusses family-building benefits, managing a fully remote workforce and quiet days with her four rescue animals. Q: What new programs or initiatives are you looking to implement? A: Over the past two years, we’ve introduced a suite of benefits offerings and programs designed to enhance our employees’ overall experience, […]
With climate change affecting the planet and artificial intelligence disrupting the concept of work, a profound generational shift is underway in how young people are thinking about their futures. “When previous generations worried about retirement, they mainly focused on financial risk, market turndown, inflation and health-care costs,” said Kelly Peters (pictured left), behavioural economics leader […]
For defined contribution plan members, the evolution of education and engagement has passed several milestones, including the introduction of email and mobile apps. “At Manulife, we’ve reached a point where we have two-thirds of logins going through the mobile app and one-third going through the website,” said Marc-Antoine Morin, the record-keeper’s assistant vice-president of group […]
In the early days of Bell Canada’s defined contribution plan, there was a lot of emphasis on information and big campaigns, but at that time, employers were reluctant to get too involved, according to Robert Marchessault, the telecommunications company’s director of pension and benefits, noting it was soon clear its members needed more guidance. Speaking […]
The emergence of the Chinese artificial intelligence platform DeepSeek-R1 has raised questions on how it will change the AI value chain, from providers to consumers to real-world business applications of the technology. According to a report by the BBC, researchers with Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Basic Technology Research Co. Ltd., the company behind DeepSeek, claimed […]
On Dec. 6, 2024, leaders from Canada’s defined benefit pension plan sponsor community, alongside thought leaders and investment experts, came together at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto to shed light on 2024’s challenging economic landscape and make informed predictions about the hurdles and opportunities ahead. Find out what you missed! Canadian economy on high alert for impact […]
Over the past 20 years, the amount Canadians spend on their personal fitness, health and wellness has more than doubled, yet they’ve experienced worse health outcomes during that time. Specifically, roughly half of Canadians have at least one chronic disease, the prevalence of diabetes has almost doubled and mental-health challenges represent an increasing share of […]
Pension plan sponsors’ integration of artificial intelligence will be a disruptive event that will require a delicate approach with sufficient testing, according to Alpesh Sethia (pictured right), chief technology officer at the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan. Speaking during a panel session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Investment Innovation Conference, he described the testing lab set […]