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Pharmacare should include high-cost treatment strategy, flexibility for plan sponsors: consultant

While a national pharmacare program is yet to be revealed by the federal government, any future plan should contain provisions for all costly treatments and not just rare diseases, says Jennifer Schmidt, a principal at Mercer Canada. Read: Federal budget highlights national childcare system, extension of pandemic subsidies This week’s federal budget announcement contained only […]

  • April 22, 2021 April 23, 2021
  • 09:00

Institutional investors looking to Asia as economies start to bounce back from pandemic

Rising incomes and technological change in the emerging economies present considerable investment opportunities for investors with longer-term horizons. Investments in emerging markets weren’t spared the impacts of the global coronavirus pandemic. But the ongoing crisis has had uneven effects, with economies and sectors reporting widely-varying results while revealing important lessons for investors in 2021 and […]

  • April 16, 2021 April 28, 2021
  • 08:56

The pros and cons of opting for a 60/40 balanced portfolio strategy

While the typical balanced fund is becoming a rarity among pension plans, a segment of plan sponsors continue to utilize these funds — albeit with added diversification. Traditionally, such funds have invested 60 per cent in equities and 40 per cent in bonds. But with investment options for pension plans expanding over the last 20 […]

  • April 16, 2021 April 28, 2021
  • 08:53

Institutional investors eyeing increasing interest rates, looming inflation: webinar

As interest rates return to pre-pandemic levels, fixed income is returning to its role as an equities hedge, according to a webinar on Wednesday hosted by AllianceBernstein Canada Inc. “As we see rates rise back to where they were at the end of 2019, there’s gas in the tank for fixed income to play that […]

  • April 15, 2021 April 16, 2021
  • 13:00

Drug plan costs increasing for plan sponsors, but experts differ on why

While drug plan costs are increasing for plan sponsors, the causes for these increases may depend on which part of Canada a plan sponsor resides in, says Philippe Laplante, a principal responsible for the group benefits practice in Eckler Ltd.’s Montreal office. Over the past three years in Quebec, the average annual increase of recommended pricing […]

  • April 9, 2021 April 25, 2021
  • 09:00

One year later: The AIMCo, CAAT and OPTrust on lessons learned during the pandemic

Despite adjustments to operations and investments during the coronavirus pandemic, Canada’s major pension plan leaders are maintaining a long-term view by looking ahead to a post-pandemic world. But we’re not out of the woods yet as Canada, and the rest of the world, are likely many months away from reaching herd immunity and thus life […]

  • March 29, 2021 March 30, 2021
  • 09:00

Canadian MEPPs facing challenges due to provincial funding requirements, plan growth

Canada’s multi-employer pension plans are facing a wide range of challenges, from funding requirements to future growth, according to a recent webinar hosted by the Association of Canadian Pension Management. The group benefits and pensions division of Newfoundland & Labrador Municipal Employee Benefits Inc. is currently seeking a renewal of its solvency-funding exemption from the […]

  • March 24, 2021 March 24, 2021
  • 09:00

Six employees discuss their personal roads to retirement

While 65 has long been considered the traditional retirement age, younger employees face the possibility of working longer. Plan sponsors can learn much from the unique financial journeys taken by different generations toward their eventual golden years. A 2019 Scotiabank investment poll revealed that 68 per cent of Canadians are currently saving for retirement, but […]

  • March 19, 2021 April 28, 2021
  • 08:57

Q&A with Coca-Cola Canada’s Martha Callum

Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Ltd.’s senior director of total rewards, talks about the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, diversity and inclusion initiatives and perfecting her baguette recipe. Q. What top challenges do you face in your role? A. Right now, it’s all related to COVID-19 — not only ensuring that we have proper safety processes in […]

  • March 19, 2021 May 2, 2021
  • 08:50

One year later: Institutional investors looking beyond pandemic

While the coronavirus pandemic is continuing to shape global markets following a tumultuous 2020, institutional investors are looking beyond the crisis, says Rob Almeida, portfolio manager and global investment strategist at MFS Investment Management Canada Ltd. “It’s no different how we thought about it last year, it’s just that the environment has changed. It’s about […]

  • March 18, 2021 March 29, 2021
  • 09:00