The Association of Canadian Pension Management is recommending a few amendments to the Pension Benefits Standards Act, including the required disclosure to spouses and electronic communications with plan beneficiaries. In a letter to the Department of Finance, the ACPM noted the PBSA currently requires information that’s provided to a plan member or former member — […]
For most of the decade since I joined Benefits Canada, it feels like the pension industry has been moving at a snail’s pace. Don’t get me wrong — I have witnessed many substantial (dare I say, exciting) developments in the industry, each one touted as a potential solution to Canadians’ retirement readiness concerns and increasingly […]
The benefits of artificial intelligence go hand in hand with the many risks, but the pension industry’s requirements around fiduciary responsibility and governance, as well as privacy concerns, add an important layer to these considerations. Genevieve Hayman, senior affiliate researcher in research, advocacy and standards, the CFA Institute Many artificial intelligence risks — which include […]
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 […]
In the early days of Bell Canada’s defined contribution plan, there was a lot of emphasis on information and big campaigns, but at that time, employers were reluctant to get too involved, according to Robert Marchessault, the telecommunications company’s director of pension and benefits, noting it was soon clear its members needed more guidance. Speaking […]
In the search for market-beating returns, institutional investors are facing a shifting geopolitical landscape, ongoing questions about monetary policy and the impact of climate change. At the 2024 Investment Innovation Conference on Nov. 12-14 in Vancouver, B.C., leading academics and industry figures reckoned with the aftermath of the highly anticipated U.S. presidential election and provided […]
Pension plan sponsors’ integration of artificial intelligence will be a disruptive event that will require a delicate approach with sufficient testing, according to Alpesh Sethia (pictured right), chief technology officer at the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan. Speaking during a panel session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Investment Innovation Conference, he described the testing lab set […]
One expert suggests employers bridge their knowledge gap by finding ways to turn education into action, while another says companies’ commitments to ongoing financial literacy is helping to do just that. Roland Chiwetelu (pictured right), associate director of financial wellness, Eckler Ltd. One expert suggests employers bridge their knowledge gap by finding ways to turn […]