A recent Ontario Divisional Court ruling serves as a caution that employers’ prior conduct may prohibit them from amending pension plans even when the collective agreement clearly allows them to do so. “The takeaway from the decision is that employers’ discretion to amend plans will always be subject to labour law principles in cases that […]
The FIRE concept — financial independence and retiring early — is gaining traction among younger workers, but as appealing as early retirement may be, it isn’t very realistic given the current economic conditions, according to experts. Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, director of financial security research for the National Institute on Ageing at Toronto Metropolitan University, notes the population […]
Matching employer contributions in capital accumulation plans are as close to free money as employees can legally get. “You’re not changing your risk — because the money goes to the same fund it would otherwise — and you’re getting two-times the return,” says Eric Monteiro, senior vice-president of group retirement services at Sun Life Financial […]
When Saskatchewan’s Public Employees Pension Plan’s board introduced alternatives to its investment lineup in 2020 with an aim to improve the defined contribution plan’s risk-adjusted returns through diversification, it wasn’t its first time at the rodeo. The move came after 15 years of experience and comfort with alternatives through the PEPP’s defined benefit companion plan, […]
Alain Malaket has a nuanced perspective on risk — one informed by his experiences as a third-party administrator, pension regulator, consultant, pension plan director and motorcyclist. Today, InBenefits’ chief executive officer’s perspective informs his interest in alternative pension models. Put simply, he believes people don’t make the best decisions about safeguarding their futures. It’s a […]
An article on the strike by Ontario education workers was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. CUPE’s Ontario education workers striking for extended benefits, wage increases 2. Stellantis, Unifor agreement includes pension and retirement gains 3. Sounding Board: How employers can better support employees […]
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 […]
The Association of Canadian Pension Management is advising the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities to take a less prescriptive approach in its proposed guidelines on risks related to environmental, social and governance factors, cybersecurity and leverage. In an open letter to the CAPSA, the ACPM said a one-size-fits-all approach to ESG regulation could potentially […]
For the first time in three years, Canadian defined contribution pension plan sponsors, investment professionals and industry thought leaders gathered in person for Benefits Canada’s 2022 DC Investment Forum. On Sept. 23 at the Ritz-Carlton Toronto, the full educational day covered topics such as behavioural finance, target-date funds, sustainable investing, real estate and fixed income, […]