In a year marked by an ongoing trade war and threats of tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump and against a backdrop of rising costs, Canadian employers are reconsidering their total rewards and talent management strategies. “A lot more attention is being paid to total rewards, such as how we’re paying people,” says compensation and […]
A record number of benefits plan members are dealing with extreme levels of daily stress, according to the 2025 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. The 27th edition of the survey, which polled 1,000 Canadian group benefits plan members and 500 plan sponsors earlier this year, found two in five (39 per cent) members said they experience […]
Vancouver City Savings Credit Union is using its internal benefits and employee data to react to the financial realities that workers are facing amid the rising cost of living, says Ivana Afonso, the organization’s director of total rewards. “We know the cost-of-living crisis is hitting our core-aged employees hardest, especially those balancing housing, childcare and […]
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 […]
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 […]
As employers and employees grapple with inflation, political turbulence and an economic slowdown, consultants are stepping up to offer support. That uncertainty also extends to broader business operations. Companies in the automotive and steel industries are particularly impacted by the tariffs, but many other sectors remain unsure of what the future holds more generally. The […]
Two-thirds (67 per cent) of Canadians say they’re very concerned about how Canada-U.S. relations, along with the cost of living (67 per cent) and general economic uncertainty (65 per cent), will impact their retirement savings, according to a new survey by the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan. The survey, which polled more than 2,000 Canadians, […]
Flexible retirement savings plans and employer matching can potentially provide lower-income workers with earlier retirement options despite the rising cost of living, according to a new report by Mercer. The report analyzed two scenarios for workers earning $50,000 with workplace retirement plans that include employer matching. Read: Employer matching key to supporting young workers’ retirement […]
The union representing roughly 500 employees at General Dynamics Land Systems Canada in London, Ont. has ratified a new three-year contract that includes pension and benefits gains. The agreement provides increased employer contributions to the defined benefit pension plan, including an additional $1 for production employees and an additional $1.20 for skilled trades workers in […]
Social media is breathing new life into employers’ pension communications, helping to make the benefit resonate with different audiences and offering organizations a far wider footprint than traditional channels. In some ways, the coronavirus pandemic was one of the key drivers of increasing the use of social media in workplace communications, says Jeff Pekar, director […]