An article on the the latest investments by Canadian institutional investment organizations was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Ontario Teachers’ backing auto insurance merger, pension plans leap on new BMO equity 2. 75% of employers expecting hiring challenges in 2023: survey 3. Expert […]
For some Canadians, the term pension may still conjure images of a secure stash of money guaranteed to ensure a comfortable lifestyle in retirement. I should know — until joining Benefits Canada in 2020, I counted myself among this group. Defined benefit pension plans — the epitome of the image described above — still exist, but […]
With the coronavirus pandemic and rising inflation causing economic uncertainty, capital accumulation plan sponsors are looking for new ways to help their members feel secure and get the most out of their savings plans. Benefits Canada asked CAP sponsors and other industry experts what’s on their wish lists to make these plans more effective and engaging […]
The Association of Canadian Pension Management is calling on the federal government and capital accumulation plan sponsors to support members’ financial wellness by focusing on decumulation. In a new white paper, the ACPM proposed the creation of a “retirement dashboard” that informs retirees of their available sources of retirement income — including government retirement benefits, […]
The Saskatchewan government is introducing amendments to its pension legislation that provide additional flexibility for plan sponsors and introduce new decumulation options for members of defined contribution plans. The bill, which passed first reading in provincial parliament last week, includes provisions for DC plan sponsors to offer advanced life deferred annuities and variable payment lifetime […]
The Canadian Institute of Actuaries is supporting several of the Alberta government’s proposed legislative and policy updates for private sector pension laws, including the move towards a going-concern plus regime for defined benefit plans and the introduction of automatic features in defined contribution plans. In its response to the consultation draft, the CIA cited the benefits […]
Capital accumulation plan sponsors need to focus on providing lifetime retirement income for plan members amid the growth of decumulation solutions such as advanced life deferred annuities and variable payment lifetime annuities, according to a new report by the C.D. Howe Institute. It noted DC plan members currently have three main options to draw down […]
While defined contribution pension plans currently outnumber defined benefit pension plans, this wasn’t always the case, recalls Bita Jenab, a principal at RetirementWorks Services Inc. DC plans began to gain popularity in the mid-1980s, due to a combination of legislative and economic changes, she adds. “This period marks the introduction of pension accounting rules under […]
After a tough couple of years, Canadians continue to face several challenges against an increasingly turbulent economic landscape. While most coronavirus restrictions were lifted in late spring 2022, the seventh wave of the pandemic arrived in July alongside rising inflation, which is compounding prices from the gas pump to the grocery store. Though the 2022 […]
The Association of Canadian Pension Management is cautioning the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities on its revisions to guidelines for capital accumulation plans. The draft guidelines could “change the balance of the existing guidelines in a manner that will give many employers pause about starting or continuing CAP plans that are not defined contribution […]