Canada’s pension plans are weathering the coronavirus pandemic, with many plans currently in their best financial shape in several years. The early days of the pandemic painted a bleak picture for institutional investors. Between Feb. 19 and March 23, 2020, the S&P/TSX composite index dropped by 37 per cent — the latter date marking the index’s lowest point […]
An article on British Columbia’s paramedics and their need for enhanced mental-health benefits was the most read story over the past week on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. B.C. paramedics seeking enhanced mental-health benefits 2. Canadian pension plans overcoming legislation, governance challenges: webinar 3. Ontario’s DB pension plans should take steps […]
With Ontario’s defined benefit pension plans in their best financial shape since 2009, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario is advising plan sponsors and administrators to better prepare for the future. “They need a good sense of investment policies as well as how the plan itself may be affected [by different scenarios],” says Lester […]
In the early days of 2020, no one could have foreseen the social and economic havoc the coronavirus pandemic would wreak on the world. Nearly two years later, as markets and economies continue to recover, Canadian pension plan sponsors are looking to their money managers to help light the way to a brighter financial future. […]
After being off of Canadians’ radar screens for years, the re-emergence of inflation in recent months is receiving significant attention for many, including pension plan professionals. Some believe the inflationary increases will be transitory because recent price increases are primarily due to short-term disruptions in the Canadian economy caused by the emergence from restrictions due […]
The Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Pension Plan is reporting an 11.1 per cent return for 2020, exceeding its policy benchmark by 0.4 per cent. The return brings the annualized 10-year net return to 9.9 per cent, providing $1.7 billion in cumulative added value compared to the benchmark, while funding reserves increased to $3.3 […]
With coronavirus causing market volatility and an increase in the size of solvency liabilities, pension plans are feeling the impact. One potential way for plan sponsors to ease the pain is by performing an early actuarial valuation to capture year-end 2019 numbers. Most Canadian jurisdictions require plans to file valuations every three years, however a […]
The Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology pension plan’s funding status dipped slightly in 2019, to 118 per cent on a going-concern basis from 120 per cent in 2018. In its latest actuarial valuation report, the CAAT attributed the solid status to excellent investment returns over the past 10 years, as well as its membership […]
The Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology pension plan has reached a going-concern funding status of 120 per cent as of Jan. 1, 2019, up from 118 per cent last year. Along with the increased funded status, the plan’s funding reserve rose from $2.3 billion to $2.6 billion. The CAAT’s funding policy includes six funding […]
Pension plans move up to 100.2% from 98.7% in first quarter