An opinion piece on how certain aspects of the Quebec government’s rules and constraints on private drug plans affect pharmacy costs was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. 1. Sounding Board: Why do Quebec’s private drug plans pay higher pharmacy fees? 2. Custodial, maintenance workers at TMU striking over pension contribution increase 3. Half of Canadian benefits providers […]
Recent amendments to the Quebec Pension Plan to encourage people to work past age 65 offer more flexibility on contributions and retirement age, says Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald, director of financial security research for the National Institute on Ageing at Toronto Metropolitan University. “If people are accumulating a pension, working longer could potentially increase their pension,” says MacDonald, who […]
Millennial workers who rent for their entire careers must save 50 per cent more than homeowners in order to have a sufficient monthly income in retirement, according to a new report by Mercer Canada. The report, which analyzed findings from Mercer’s database, found millennials who rent need to save eight-times their annual salaries to retire […]
Similar to 2022, the coming year will present both challenges and opportunities for defined benefit pension plan sponsors, with the rewards going to plan sponsors that are resilient, embrace change and are willing and able to act when opportunities arise. Several trends that will be top of mind in the year ahead are: Inflation The […]
Canadians’ total pension wealth increased by 7.9 per cent in 2021 to reach nearly $4.9 trillion by the end of year, according to a new report by Statistics Canada. It found revaluations of pension asset prices — largely due to equity market gains — increased pension wealth by $259.4 billion in 2021. On average, pension […]
While Canada’s pension system continues to rank well globally, the current economic environment poses particular risks for defined contribution pension plan sponsors and members, according to a new report by the CFA Institute and Mercer. “As DC pension plans continue to make up a greater part of Canadians’ retirement, turbulent markets, soaring inflation and a […]
A third (33 per cent) of recently retired Canadians said they retired sooner than they planned and 30 per cent of pre-retirees intend to change their retirement date because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey by RBC Insurance. It found Canadians are still largely relying on traditional retirement savings tools, such as […]
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 […]
Managing and drawing down retirement savings is an “impossible task” with contributing factors including the trend away from workplace pension plans, historically low interest rates and high life expectancies. In the keynote address at Benefits Canada‘s 2021 DC Plan Summit, Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald (pictured), director of financial security research at Ryerson University’s National Institute on Ageing, […]
Three-quarters (75 per cent) of Canadians nearing or in early retirement said the coronavirus pandemic has them more concerned about their family’s financial security and well-being, according to a survey by Ipsos for Ryerson University’s National Institute on Ageing and HomeEquity Bank. Among respondents aged 55 to 69, 77 per cent expressed worry about their […]