In its 2026 budget, the Quebec government said it intends to enhance the appeal of voluntary retirement savings plans amid low uptake of the savings vehicle. This includes the introduction of a minimum contribution rate of two per cent of salary and the possibility of closing inactive accounts in certain situations, according to a statement […]
In its sophomore year under the Employee Savings Survey banner, Benefits Canada’s annual check in with plan members about their financial priorities and the condition of their workplace savings journeys dove deeper into the demographic data. In a virtual panel discussion on March 30, industry experts shared their views on the 2026 results by exploring the […]
Canadian plan members reported a significant drop in the amount they believe they need to retire — from roughly $1.4 million in 2023, 2024 and 2025 to $976,835 in 2026, according to Benefits Canada’s 2026 Employee Savings Survey. The survey, which polled 500 Canadian savings plan members, also found younger and middle-aged respondents reported requiring […]
In its 2026 budget on Thursday, the Ontario government proposed doubling the pension benefits guarantee fund’s monthly guarantee limit from $1,500 to $3,000 for all eligible plan beneficiaries, the largest increase since the PBGF was created in 1980. It cited a recent review of the PBGF that found the fund had $1.3 billion in net […]
The bankruptcy of the Hudson Bay Co. and subsequent loss of promised supplemental employee/executive retirement plan benefits to executives has caused many to rethink the value of these plans and the security of promised benefits. SERPs are now common in most public corporations. In their simplest form, they can be nothing more than a letter […]
An article on the ongoing governance crisis at the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology’s pension plan was the most-read article on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. CAAT places Derek Dobson on administrative leave, appoints acting CEO 2. FSRA […]
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario’s supervisory guidance on the province’s target-benefit pension plan framework is now finalized. The guidance, which will be reviewed no later than Feb. 2, 2031, outlines how the FSRA will oversee and apply Ontario’s target-benefit framework while supporting plan administrators in meeting their obligations, according to a press release. […]
An article on the removal of the board chair at the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology pension plan was the most-read article on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. CAAT pension plan board chair removed amid ongoing governance emergency […]
The Association for Canadian Pension Management is asking the Ontario government to introduce variable life benefits in Ontario and to align its pension rules with those of other provinces. In an open letter to the provincial government, the ACPM said the need to add variable life benefit options is part of a campaign to find […]
A proposed retirement plan tax credit for small- and medium-sized employers could reduce cost barriers to offering employer-sponsored retirement programs, according to a new report by the C.D Howe Institute. It noted more than nine million working Canadians lack access to a workplace retirement plan, with the gap most pronounced among employees of SMEs. As […]