Factors such as population demographics, productivity and geopolitics impact economic growth and, by extension, the retirement outcomes of defined contribution pension plan members over longer-term time horizons, said Jon Knowles, senior investment analyst at Fidelity Canada Institutional, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2023 DC Plan Summit. Ageing populations have traditionally been viewed as a dis-inflationary force due […]
With eight billion people consuming the planet’s resources, assets such as clean energy and sustainable agriculture are becoming increasingly important to institutional investors, said John Cook, senior vice-president, portfolio manager and co-lead of the Greenchip team at Mackenzie Investments, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2023 DC Plan Summit. Each year, it takes roughly 13.5 billion tons […]
While a third (34 per cent) of U.S. defined contribution pension plan sponsors say they’re studying decumulation solutions and another 15 per cent are in the process of evaluating or implementing one more than a quarter (27 per cent) say decumulation isn’t a topic of interest or need, according to a new survey by consultancies […]
Three-quarters (76 per cent) of U.S. defined contribution pension plan sponsors say their plan offers automatic enrolment, according to a new survey by investment consulting firm Callan. The survey, which polled roughly 100 DC plan sponsors, found the vast majority used auto-enrolment for new hires, while far fewer offered this feature for current employees. Half […]
The Canadian Investment Review is pleased to announce the finalists of the 2022 Pension Leadership Awards. This year, the awards will be handed out in four categories, with three finalists selected for each. Read: Who are the finalists of the 2021 Pension Leadership Awards? This year’s finalists are: Investment Officer of the Year Duncan Burrill, chief executive officer, Canadian […]
The uniting theme at the 2022 Defined Contribution Plan Summit was financial wellness, a chief concern for any employer that offers a pension plan to its workforce. In particular, with inflation reaching its highest level in four decades and people facing several competing financial priorities, including simple day-to-day expenses, plan sponsors are bringing flexibility to […]
While many organizations have launched a sustainability strategy, Sun Life Financial Inc.’s strategy is anchored in three fundamental principles: financial security, sustainable investing and living healthier lives, according to Eric Monteiro, the insurer’s senior vice-president in group retirement, during a panel discussion at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 DC Plan Summit. Three-quarters (78 per cent) of pension […]
Just 0.9 per cent of 35 million U.S. defined contribution pension plan members ceased making contributions during the first quarter of 2022, according to a report by the Investment Company Institute. While this percentage was slightly higher than in the first quarter of 2021 (0.8 per cent), it was a substantial drop from 2020 (1.4 […]
KPMG Canada has seen firsthand the benefits that environmental, social and governance investing can have on employees’ retirement savings and the wider world. It recently introduced an environmental leaders fund into its defined contribution pension plan lineup. In the month it was launched, contributions into the fund from the organization and its employees played a […]
At the 2021 Defined Contribution Plan Summit, which was hosted virtually on Oct. 6, delegates heard about several pressing issues facing DC plan sponsors and members, including an ageing demographic, decumulation, education around investment options and required legislative updates. Here’s what you missed: CPP/QPP delay a simple solution to improving retirement readiness Using DC investments […]