Private debt touted as a de-risking alternative to annuities.
Quebecers now have more details about the costs of their drugs when they fill a prescription at a pharmacy. As of Friday, new provincial rules require invoices from pharmacies to itemize the price of the drug itself, the wholesaler’s margin and the pharmacist’s fee. The latter is the only cost that varies between pharmacies in Quebec for […]
As pension plans move into better solvency positions this year, should they be lowering their risks by purchasing an annuity or looking at investment strategies to manage them in-house? From a private debt perspective, it’s possible for a plan to structure investments to mirror the de-risking benefits of buying an annuity from an insurance company, […]
Often considered a market difficult for institutional investors to enter, China is “too big to ignore,” according to one China expert. Fortunately, many signs point to the market becoming more attainable. Speaking at an event hosted by Mackenzie Investments at the National Club in Toronto on Tuesday, Tony Tang, chief executive officer of China Asset Management […]
Would a furry friend sitting under a colleague’s desk ease stress or cause distraction? That’s just one of many questions employers have to consider when it comes to deciding whether to welcome pets to the workplace. Issues can range from the minor, like dogs knocking over coffee cups, to the serious, such as co-workers suffering from severe […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan reached an asset total of $180.5 billion as of June 30, 2017, representing a $4.9-billion increase since the start of the year. “Central banks are pulling liquidity and the geopolitical realities speak for themselves. While these factors lend uncertainty to markets, I’m pleased we had a half year with solid […]
The debate over standup desks has been raging since a recent study found negative health impacts for employees who stand all day. But what about the other health and productivity benefits of being in a more active position at work? One the one hand, a study by the Texas A&M Health Science Center showed increased use […]
The Public Sector Pension Investment Board is making a new foray into corporate stewardship by releasing its first responsible investment report. The report outlines several areas of focus for the organization, identifying goals for 2017 and the actions taken to achieve them. “The inaugural report was an important milestone,” says Stéphanie Lachance, vice-president of responsible investment […]
Alberta’s health minister isn’t happy with prices coming down by just three per cent in the new fee guide published by the Alberta Dental Association and College this month, according to the CBC. With Alberta having the highest dentistry fees of any province, the college published its first fee guide since 1997 two weeks ago. But the guide […]
Plan administrators are eyeing the Bank of Canada’s current system that holds unclaimed bank balances for individuals as a possible solution to dealing with missing pension plan members. As the federal Department of Finance launches a consultation on modernizing the bank’s program, law firm Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP sees promise in extending its approach to […]