Latest news in Benefits Canada Archive

Editorial: Does legislation favour DB pensions over DC plans?

Editorial: Does legislation favour DB pensions over DC plans?

Looking back at all of the pension legislation stories we’ve written up during the coronavirus pandemic, I’ve noticed federal and provincial governments definitely favoured defined…

Head to head: Would Alberta benefit from leaving the CPP?

Head to head: Would Alberta benefit from leaving the CPP?

Certain politicians have suggested Alberta withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan and go it alone. Would the province benefit from a solitary system or is…

How Cineplex is phasing in a three-part recognition program

How Cineplex is phasing in a three-part recognition program

When Assad Mallick joined Cineplex Inc. in June 2019 as vice-president and head of total rewards, one of the mandates of his new role was…

2020 Top 50 DC Plans Report: Member behaviour under microscope amid pandemic

2020 Top 50 DC Plans Report: Member behaviour under microscope amid pandemic

Defined contribution pensions are taking a bumpy ride in the coronavirus pandemic, with plan sponsors and their members facing volatile stock markets, financial uncertainty and…

How three benefits plan members are receiving medical cannabis coverage

How three benefits plan members are receiving medical cannabis coverage

While medical cannabis coverage is appearing in more benefits plans, most insurers that cover it still have very specific conditions. Sun Life Canada covers the…

The challenges of the outsourced chief investment officer model

The challenges of the outsourced chief investment officer model

Over the last 20 years, managing a pension plan has looked a little like riding a roller coaster — with the 2001 technology bubble, 2008/09…

Chris Brown

Expecting the unexpected at Alberta’s Local Authorities Pension Plan

The Local Authorities Pension Plan is in an interesting situation. Historically, the president of the Alberta Treasury Board and the minister of finance was the…

A look at the 2020 agreement for multi-jurisdictional pension plans

A look at the 2020 agreement for multi-jurisdictional pension plans

Amid the activity — and inactivity — of this past summer, the federal government and several provinces reached an important milestone affecting plan sponsors and…

What’s the latest on benefits, retirement advisor fee disclosure?

What’s the latest on benefits, retirement advisor fee disclosure?

When the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association rolled out its proposed compensation disclosure guideline in January 2018, it quickly inflamed tensions with group benefits…

Q&A with Coughlan Home’s Andrea Laws

Q&A with Coughlan Home’s Andrea Laws

Coughlan Home’s manager of human resources talks employee assistance programs, ‘quiet rooms’ and showing appreciation. Q. What top challenges do you face in your role?…

Two B.C. employers join CAAT’s DBplus pension

Two B.C. employers join CAAT’s DBplus pension

Two employers from British Columbia’s not-for-profit sector are joining the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology pension plan’s DBplus. Effective Oct. 1, 53 full-time and…

  • By: Staff
  • October 16, 2020 January 19, 2021
  • 07:41
BoC deputy: pandemic means central banks must ‘move faster’ on digital currency plans

BoC deputy: pandemic means central banks must ‘move faster’ on digital currency plans

Pandemic-related shifts in how people shop, sending more people into cyberspace than a physical space, means central banks must speed up work on creating their…

Work from home decreasing in Canada, as U.S. moves to make it permanent: surveys

Work from home decreasing in Canada, as U.S. moves to make it permanent: surveys

The Canadian workforce is still undecided on the longevity of the shift to working from home, but across the border U.S. employers are increasingly making…

  • By: Staff
  • October 15, 2020 October 15, 2020
  • 08:45
OSFI, FSRA forming committee to collaborate on DC pension plans

OSFI, FSRA forming committee to collaborate on DC pension plans

The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario are establishing a new committee to review both regulators’ approaches…

  • By: Staff
  • October 14, 2020 January 19, 2021
  • 15:15
Medavie Blue Cross launching drug management solution

Medavie Blue Cross launching drug management solution

Medavie Blue Cross is launching a new drug management solution that will offer broader drug coverage while aiming to lower costs for group benefits plan…

  • By: Staff
  • October 14, 2020 October 14, 2020
  • 15:15
Willis Towers Watson appointing director of climate transition risk

Willis Towers Watson appointing director of climate transition risk

Willis Towers Watson is appointing Tony Rooke as director of climate transition risk in the organization’s climate and resilience hub. In the new role, Rooke will…

  • By: Staff
  • October 14, 2020 January 19, 2021
  • 15:00
Markets sending mixed signals leading up to U.S. election

Markets sending mixed signals leading up to U.S. election

With U.S. stock prices exceeding pre-coronavirus highs and credit spreads nearly as tight as before the pandemic, investors are signalling overconfidence in the market, says…

Canadians hesitant to access mental-health supports, despite declines during pandemic

Canadians hesitant to access mental-health supports, despite declines during pandemic

Despite a decline in mental health and well-being since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Canadians are still hesitant to access support, according to Morneau Shepell…

  • By: Staff
  • October 14, 2020 October 14, 2020
  • 08:45

Pension Leadership Award finalists announced

The Canadian Investment Review launched the first annual Pension Leadership Awards in 2020 to recognize and award leading plan sponsors across several categories who are…

  • By: Staff
  • October 14, 2020 October 14, 2020
  • 08:13
Mercer Canada appoints new HR leader

Mercer Canada appoints new HR leader

Mercer Canada is appointing Kimm Maugeri as its new human resources leader. With over 20 years of experience in HR, with a focus on diversity and inclusion,…

  • By: Staff
  • October 13, 2020 January 19, 2021
  • 16:00
Canadian pension plans endorse Canadian Coalition for Good Governance stewardship principles

Canadian pension plans endorse Canadian Coalition for Good Governance stewardship principles

For the first time, organizations are publicly endorsing the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance’s stewardship principles. To date, the endorsers include the Alberta Investment Management…

Employee burnout surges amid coronavirus pandemic: survey

Employee burnout surges amid coronavirus pandemic: survey

A third (33 per cent) of employees said they’re more burned out on the job these days compared to 2019, according to a new survey by…

  • By: Staff
  • October 13, 2020 October 13, 2020
  • 15:15
Caisse makes first infrastructure equity investment in Spain, CPPIB to sell stake in London real estate

Caisse makes first infrastructure equity investment in Spain, CPPIB to sell stake in London real estate

The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is buying a portfolio of 73 photovoltaic plants from Q-Energy Ltd., the first step in creating a…

  • By: Staff
  • October 13, 2020 January 19, 2021
  • 12:52
Taking the long view on effectively dealing with LTD claims

Taking the long view on effectively dealing with LTD claims

On average, one in three Canadians will be disabled for 90 days or more at least once before they reach age 65, according to the…

  • By: Bob Carter
  • October 13, 2020 February 4, 2021
  • 08:45
A path forward for institutional investors amid market headwinds

A path forward for institutional investors amid market headwinds

The impact of powerful trends, including aging populations and growing debt levels in the world’s largest economies, has been somewhat mitigated in recent years by…