Amid a push to open U.S. capital accumulation plans to direct investments in private assets, it’s important for plan sponsors and members to take a cautious approach, says Andrew Kitchen, head of Canadian distribution for MFS Investment Management Canada Ltd. This month, the U.S. federal government introduced legislation that would permit CAP members to directly […]
An article about the ongoing discussion around tattoos in the workplace 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. Workplace tattoo visibility sparks fresh look at dress codes, employee inclusion: expert 2. Canadian target-benefit plan sponsors can […]
A rebound in public equities markets in the second quarter of 2025 has positively impacted retirement outcomes for capital accumulation plan members, according to a new report by Eckler Ltd. The consultancy’s latest CAP income tracker found a typical male member retiring at the end of June 2025 achieved a gross income replacement ratio of 65.9 per […]
Six in 10 (60 per cent) of global defined contribution plan sponsors say the state of members’ retirement income is the biggest challenge facing DC plans over the next decade, according to a new report by WTW. The report examined nearly 30 global DC plans representing more than US$6.3 trillion in assets under management. It […]
It’s OK to ask for help is a lesson I’m learning very gradually. While I do lean heavily on my immediate family, particularly my parents, who have both been crucial in helping me survive — and thrive, I hope — as a solo parent to two young kids, I’m not usually a person who regularly […]
While many people know the reward of a hard day’s work goes well beyond a salary, an increasing number of employees don’t understand the real value of the total rewards they receive from their employer. At the same time, employers are struggling to communicate the value of the benefits they offer. One way to improve […]
A pension dashboard that consolidates all of an individual’s pension and retirement information using pre-populated data would make it significantly easier for Canadians to access and understand their retirement savings, according to a new report by the C.D. Howe Institute. “Canada’s current retirement landscape offers numerous savings vehicles, giving individuals more choices than in the […]
The number of Canadians who are active members of a registered pension plan is increasing, according to a new report by Statistics Canada. It found between 2022 and 2023, overall pension plan membership grew by 4.2 per cent to more than 7.2 million members. During the same period, the number of women enrolled in registered […]
The implementation of variable payment life annuities in Quebec will support employee financial well-being and retirement readiness, while providing a model for other Canadian jurisdictions, says Louis-Bernard Désilets, an associate at Normandin Beaudry. “Currently, there’s approximately $1.5 trillion in retirement savings accumulated in [registered retirement savings plans] and [defined contribution] plans in Canada, with likely […]
Three years ago, I wrote an editorial for our inaugural DEI Issue heralding the overdue and rising attention that was being bestowed on diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace — but in such a short period of time, the tide is already turning. The rhetoric demonizing DEI began to gain momentum after a ruling […]