According to MFS Investment Management’s Sean Kenney, his three sisters would all fall within the same target-date age cohort, but their lifestyles and retirement goals are completely different. His oldest sister, married with three kids, makes a middle-class income, doesn’t have a lavish lifestyle and loves being at home. Kenney’s twin sister, single with no […]
KPMG in Canada is aiming to boost plan member engagement with its retirement savings programs with a host of changes, including a refreshed defined contribution plan investment lineup, a new first home savings account, financial education programming, digital tools and switching record keepers. The changes, launched in early October, stemmed from a review of the […]
Nearly six in 10 (59 per cent) Canadians fear they’ll outlive their retirement savings, according to a new survey by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. It found more than half (52 per cent) of non-retirees with a financial plan said it gives them confidence their money would last, making planning the top driver of […]
When Bell Canada was communicating defined contribution plan changes to members in 2024, it turned to artificial intelligence to help personalize its message to all of its 25,000 plan members. The redesign, which aimed to respond to members’ different financial priorities, enhanced the company’s savings options with a first home savings account, a tax-free savings […]
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 […]
The Canadian National Railway Co. is appointing Frederic Bessette as director of compensation strategy. Before taking a career break between October 2024 and May 2025, he was director of total rewards at Canfor Forest Products Ltd. In that role, he led the organization to a win at Benefits Canada‘s 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards in the […]
The majority (91 per cent) of Canadian employers are planning to benchmark their benefits plan against market practices to remain competitive, with half (49 per cent) prioritizing this for next year and 42 per cent for the next three years, according to a new survey by MercerMarsh Benefits. The survey, which polled nearly 350 employers […]
Benefits Canada celebrated the Defined Contribution Plan Summit’s 25th anniversary by looking at how the world has changed over the last quarter century, the subsequent impact on the pension sector and what’s next for DC pensions. On Feb. 26-28 in Montreal, the 2025 DC Plan Summit highlighted the lessons of the last several decades, putting […]
Over the past 25 years, the pension industry has seen many significant shifts, from defined benefit to defined contribution, from accumulation to decumulation and from education and guidance to financial planning, said Chris Walker, regional vice-president of business development and investment strategy at Desjardins Insurance, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2025 DC Plan Summit. […]
For defined contribution plan members, the evolution of education and engagement has passed several milestones, including the introduction of email and mobile apps. “At Manulife, we’ve reached a point where we have two-thirds of logins going through the mobile app and one-third going through the website,” said Marc-Antoine Morin, the record-keeper’s assistant vice-president of group […]