The median solvency ratio among Canadian defined benefit pension plans was 123 per cent as of March 31, according to a new report by Mercer Canada. It attributed the finding to recent valuation results, along with the use of contribution holidays by employers. Compared to the end of 2025, market fluctuations didn’t impact the decrease […]
Methodology improvements are pushing the life expectancy of Canadian retirees and surviving spouses by roughly one year to age 65 as of Jan. 1, 2024, according to new report from the Canadian Institute of Actuaries. It noted this increase in life expectancy means there will be an approximate increase of two per cent to three […]
The Canadian pension risk transfer market reached roughly $6.8 billion in 2025, down from a record $11 billion in 2024, according to a new report by Sun Life Financial Inc. The report found these transactions consisted of risk transfers valued at less than $800 million, noting 115 defined benefit plan sponsors purchased group annuities in […]
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 […]
The funded status of the 100 largest U.S. defined benefit pension plans is projected to have reached 84.7 per cent as of Nov. 30, 2025, according to a new report by Milliman Inc. It noted the last time these plans reached similar heights was in December 2021, when the funded ratio reached 85.5 per cent, […]
After an eventful 2025, there are several developments and trends affecting Canadian defined benefit pension plan sponsors in 2026. Focus on investment strategy Major equity markets performed well in 2025, which was a key driver for another year of improved funded positions for many DB pension plans. Although most pension plans are well funded today, […]
The median solvency ratio of Ontario defined benefit pension plans increased to 124 per cent during the third quarter of 2025, an increase of two per cent from the previous quarter, according to a new report by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario. The percentage of pension plans that were projected to be fully […]
While emerging forms of artificial intelligence such as agentic AI may hold promises and challenges for pension plan sponsors, the human touch remains important when advising plan members on financial decisions, said Francis Boulianne, principal in Normandin Beaudry’s group benefits practice, during a recent webinar hosted by the consultancy. “[Chatbots] were never intended to replace […]
A new regime of higher bond yields is pushing defined benefit pension plan sponsors around the world to diversify asset holdings and increase liability-driven investment flows, according to a new report by FTSE Russell. Despite a nearly 10-year low for credit spreads, high absolute yields increased discount rates sharply for DB plans, particularly in the […]
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 […]