Amid economic volatility, Canadian target-benefit plan sponsors can ensure strong outcomes for members by balancing pension benefit stability and intergenerational equity, says George Ma, a retired actuary and author of a new report on target-benefit outcomes for the Canadian Institute of Actuaries. He notes three fundamental elements underpin a well-structured target-benefit plan: sound design, clearly […]
The average Canadian defined benefit pension plan posted a 1.6 per cent return during the second quarter of 2025, an increase from the 1.1 per cent return seen during the previous quarter, according to a new report by the Royal Bank of Canada Investor Services. The report attributed the quarterly returns to a strong enough […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is selling its 49 per cent stake in Island Star Mall Developers Private Ltd. to Phoenix Mills Ltd. and its affiliates. The investment organization is expecting the net proceeds from the sale to reach nearly $871 million. The asset was established by the CPPIB and Phoenix Mills in 2017 […]
An article on the impact of rising benefits costs 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. 73% of employers say rising benefits costs a top issue in 2025: survey 2. 50% of Canadian gen-Zers prefer roles […]
Alberta’s Public Service Pension Plan is reporting a 14.8 per cent investment return in 2024, pushing its assets under management to $21 billion as at the end of the year. Over a four-year period, the plan’s portfolio returned 8.5 per cent. However, it underperformed its benchmark by 0.3 per cent in 2024, primarily driven by […]
Alberta’s Local Authorities Pension Plan is now allowing defined benefit pension plan sponsors to join by transferring their existing assets and liabilities into the LAPP. The Alberta Teachers’ Association is the first plan sponsor to join the LAPP in this way, by transferring its plan for office staff. These members will now have access to […]
Manitoba’s Pension Benefits Act could be improved by allowing for more flexibility in transfers of locked-in funds, said the Association of Canadian Pension Management. In its response to the province’s request for feedback on proposed changes to the PBA, the ACPM said the current legislation — which allows for a one-time transfer of up to […]
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 […]
An article on Canadian institutional investors’ potential overexposure to alternative assets 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. Canadian pension funds could be overexposed in alternative assets: expert 2. Employees on LTD more likely to claim […]