Since 2008, when the U.S. enacted legislation allowing target-date funds as the default, total assets in these funds have grown from around US$150 billion to $3 trillion, according to Glenn Dial, vice-president of retirement thought leadership and research at American Century Investments, during a session sponsored by CIBC Asset Management Inc. at Benefits Canada’s 2025 […]
It’s been nearly two years since I slept through the night — my 15-month-old daughter is still waking up to nurse and I wasn’t sleeping consistently in the nine months before her birth due to typical pregnancy symptoms. I’m very tired, the kind of fatigue you just take for granted and roll into your overall […]
Even though humans spend a third of their lives asleep, it’s often taken for granted, but people are waking up to how sleep — or lack of sleep — is affecting their health and well-being. “All of medicine has been focused on how we do when we’re awake, but now we’re trying to pick up […]
The YVR’s manager of workplace well-being discusses new mental-health initiatives, supporting a growing workforce and landscape photography. Q: What new programs or initiatives are you looking to implement? A: At YVR, employees have access to a comprehensive set of resources that support their well-being, including wellness programs focused on health promotion, education and preventative care, […]
The keynote session at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Defined Contribution Investment Forum warned that the failure to plan for the ‘boomer bulge’ is affecting private and public pension policy. The presentation from Paul Kershaw, a policy professor at the University of British Columbia and founder of not-for-profit organization Generation Squeeze, got me thinking: if the influx […]
The hospitality company’s pension and benefits manager discusses gen Z in the workforce, student debt repayment programs and family vacations. Q: What new programs or initiatives are you looking to implement? A: We’re considering providing more flexibility and inclusive benefits in our health coverage, family support program and paid leave plans to better meet the […]
The weather is shifting, with the wet November wind blowing away the crisp October sunshine. While this time of year is characterized by the change of temperature and spectacular outdoor colours, the one constant at Benefits Canada and the Canadian Investment Review is that it’s our busiest time of year for events. In October, we […]
As I write this, I’ve been back at my desk for three weeks following my second maternity leave. This time around, I took nearly eight months, which gave me a lot of time to think about Canada’s archaic employment insurance system and its impact on new parents. For many working parents in Canada, eight months […]
Nearly four years after a global health crisis sparked an enduring spotlight on Canadians’ mental health, employees are increasingly making use of their workplace benefits while employers continue to push the boundaries in the programs and support they offer. Two-thirds (67 per cent) of Canadian benefits plan members used their mental-health benefits in the last […]
The organization’s chief mental-health officer discusses sharing lived experiences, a new employee and family assistance program and maintaining his own mountain biking trail. Q: What top challenges do you face in your role? A: In a professional services firm, where the demands on people’s time are significant, it can be challenging to find the proper […]