Language barriers are undermining employees’ access to workplace benefits, reducing enrolment and engagement and increasing the risk of errors and misunderstandings, says Parbudyal Singh, professor of human resource management at York University. “In many cases, employees will default to not enrolling or underutilizing benefits because they’re unsure how they work or whether they apply to […]
The federal government is proposing amendments to pension regulations aimed at increasing flexibility for plan members and improving retirement security. The proposed changes would allow members of federally regulated defined contribution pension plans who receive variable benefits to unlock up to 50 per cent of their pension funds within the plan. This would align their options […]
A third of U.S. plan sponsors say they’re very or extremely confident in their participants’ ability to retire at their target age, up from just 18 per cent one year ago, according to a new survey by MFS Investment Management. The survey, which polled more than 150 U.S. defined contribution pension plan sponsors, found their […]
EY Canada is supporting employee well-being by expanding its list of reimbursable wellness expenses and introducing a series of financial education seminars. Employees can now be reimbursed for purchases such as mattresses, pillows, board games and Lego kits, as well as classes and supplies for personal enrichment including cooking, music, photography, languages and mindfulness. Workers […]
The Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities’ updated capital accumulation plan guideline led CPP Investments to sharpen accountability and governance risk globally, according to Marina Lodyga, the investment organization’s director of pension and benefits, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2026 Defined Contribution Plan Summit. CPP Investments has around 500 workers across eight global offices […]
An article on an Ontario judges’ association’s lawsuit against their pension plan sponsor was the most-read article on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Ontario judges’ group sues pension plan sponsor to prevent investments in derivatives 2. Survey finds Canadians […]
In its 2026 budget, the Quebec government said it intends to enhance the appeal of voluntary retirement savings plans amid low uptake of the savings vehicle. This includes the introduction of a minimum contribution rate of two per cent of salary and the possibility of closing inactive accounts in certain situations, according to a statement […]
In its sophomore year under the Employee Savings Survey banner, Benefits Canada’s annual check in with plan members about their financial priorities and the condition of their workplace savings journeys dove deeper into the demographic data. In a virtual panel discussion on March 30, industry experts shared their views on the 2026 results by exploring the […]
Canadian plan members reported a significant drop in the amount they believe they need to retire — from roughly $1.4 million in 2023, 2024 and 2025 to $976,835 in 2026, according to Benefits Canada’s 2026 Employee Savings Survey. The survey, which polled 500 Canadian savings plan members, also found younger and middle-aged respondents reported requiring […]
While the percentage of plan members who describe their personal financial situation as significantly or somewhat better than last year decreased from 42 per cent in 2025 to 34 per cent, the percentage that describe it as significantly worse or somewhat worse has also dropped, from 26 per cent last year to 22 per cent, […]