Weight management medications emerged as the fastest growing drug category in 2024, with claims for these drugs surging by 90.6 per cent since 2023, according to Telus Health’s annual drug report. The report, which is based on claims data from more than 15 million plan members in 2024, found the increase in claims was driven […]
The Nova Scotia Teachers’ Pension Plan is reporting a one-year investment return of 9.76 per cent, according to its annual report. At the end of 2024, the plan’s total net assets increased to $6.17 billion, compared to $5.75 billion in 2023. The actuarial liabilities at the plan reached $7.61 billion in 2024. Read: N.S. Teachers’ […]
More than half of Canadian employers say they use generative artificial intelligence to screen candidates and review résumés, citing improved customer service (55 per cent), increased efficiency (51 per cent) and support with analyzing application materials (52 per cent), according to a recent survey by the Harris Poll on behalf of Express Services Inc. The […]
The Ontario Pension Board scored at or above the median for the Principles for Responsible Investment Reporting Framework assessment tool, according to its latest sustainability report. The OPB earned its highest score (87 per cent) for its policy governance and strategy, followed by passive listed equity and active listed equity, both at 81 per cent. […]
Six in 10 (60 per cent) global institutional investors say interest rate changes were the No. 1 factor behind portfolio adjustments in 2024, according to a new report by the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds. The report, which was based on the activities of long-term institutional investors representing more than $46 trillion in assets […]
The Canadian Sustainability Standards Board is appointing Wendy Berman as chair, effective May 5. Berman is a former vice-chair of the Ontario Securities Commission and, most recently, she was a partner and head of the national securities litigation group at McCarthy Tétrault LLP. She succeeds Bruce Marchand, who served as interim chair at the CSSB. […]
Public equities account for, on average, 42 per cent of asset owners’ portfolios, according to a new report by Northern Trust Corp. The report, based on a survey of 180 global asset owners with investment portfolios ranging between US$1 billion and US$500 billion, found stocks were followed by fixed income (27 per cent) and private […]
The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously decided in favour of former Cornell University employees who accused the university of violating the Employee Retirement Income Security Act in its handling of fees related to its 403(b) retirement plans. According to the lawsuit, which was originally filed in 2016, former employees who were enrolled in two of […]
An article on how flexible retirement savings plans can help employees retire early was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Flexible savings plans, employer matching allowing employees to retire earlier than planned: survey 2. Are Canadian […]
The median solvency ratio for Ontario defined benefit pension plans remained stable at 122 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to a new report by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario. It noted throughout 2024, the median solvency funded status remained above 120 per cent, the highest percentage since the FSRA […]