Latest news in Governance/legislation

Pension and benefits highlights from Ontario’s 2019 budget

Pension and benefits highlights from Ontario’s 2019 budget

In its 2019 budget announcement on Thursday, the Ontario government said it’s taking a step towards implementing a framework for target-benefit pension plans. The budget…

  • By: Staff
  • April 11, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 16:20
Think tank calling for tax-free workplace pension plans

Think tank calling for tax-free workplace pension plans

A new paper from Ryerson University’s National Institute of Ageing is calling for the creation of workplace tax-free pension plans to better support Canadians’ financial security…

Ontario removes red tape for pension plans joining JSPPs

Ontario removes red tape for pension plans joining JSPPs

The Ontario government is eliminating the requirement of government approval for employers seeking to merge single-employer pension plans with jointly sponsored pension plans. The change, put through…

Budget’s stock options proposals could have consequences for employers

Budget’s stock options proposals could have consequences for employers

The federal government’s 2019 budget proposed changes that could affect the viability and attractiveness of stock options as a recruitment and retention tool for certain…

Industry praises budget proposals to allow variable annuities for CAP members

Industry praises budget proposals to allow variable annuities for CAP members

Multiple stakeholder groups are praising the 2019 federal budget’s proposal to amend tax rules to allow for late-life and variable annuity structures. The proposed advanced…

What do pension benefits guarantee fund changes mean for plan sponsors?

What do pension benefits guarantee fund changes mean for plan sponsors?

Alongside recent reforms to funding rules for Ontario-registered defined benefit pension plans, the Ontario government also made changes to the pension benefits guarantee fund, including improvements…

  • March 26, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 08:30
Budget proposals for retirement security get mixed reviews from ACPM

Budget proposals for retirement security get mixed reviews from ACPM

The Association of Canadian Pension Management has mixed feelings about the federal government’s proposed methods for enhancing retirement security in the wake of the high-profile Sears Canada…

Budget 2019: More proposals that could affect plan sponsors

The 2019 federal budget offered several proposals to help working Canadians, ranging from new leave provisions to tax benefit adjustments. A potential new leave provision is aimed at…

  • By: Staff
  • March 20, 2019 December 3, 2020
  • 14:45
Budget 2019: Proposed changes to pension legislation, annuities, CPP

Budget 2019: Proposed changes to pension legislation, annuities, CPP

In its 2019 budget on Tuesday, the federal government announced a number of proposals regarding pension protections, off the back of recent high-profile corporate bankruptcies that have thrown…

What do OSFI’s new rules for assessing pensions mean for plan sponsors?

What do OSFI’s new rules for assessing pensions mean for plan sponsors?

The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions is introducing regulations amending the assessment of pension plans on April 1, 2019. The amendments aim to…

Canadian Labour Congress highlights pensions, pharmacare as budget 2019 priorities

The Canadian Labour Congress’ wish list for the upcoming 2019 federal budget includes universal national pharmacare and pensions and retirement security. For pharmacare, the group…

  • By: Staff
  • March 18, 2019 December 3, 2020
  • 10:00
Trading

PIAC shares recommendations with CAPSA on leverage policy work

The Pension Investment Association of Canada responded positively to a recent update from the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities’ leverage working group. The PIAC agreed with…

  • By: Staff
  • March 18, 2019 January 12, 2021
  • 09:00
Editorial

Editorial: A wish list from the DC pension industry

If there’s one thing Canada’s pension industry can agree on, it’s the work that needs to be done around defined contribution pension plans. In February,…

A look at Germany’s new ‘pure’ DC plans

A look at Germany’s new ‘pure’ DC plans

On Jan. 1, 2018, Germany introduced pension legislation aimed at strengthening workplace pensions by creating a system of collective defined contribution plans. And yet, a…

N.S. pension legislation changes include new reserve accounts

N.S. pension legislation changes include new reserve accounts

The government of Nova Scotia is making changes to its Pension Benefits Act with the aim of offering greater flexibility for defined benefit plan sponsors. The changes…

  • By: Staff
  • March 13, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 15:45
CAPSA updates guidelines on DC plan payout, responsibilities and advice

CAPSA updates guidelines on DC plan payout, responsibilities and advice

The Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities has published an updated version of its guideline No. 8 for defined contribution plans, focusing on three main…

Ontario’s new DB funding rules should base PfAD on plan’s asset mix: ACPM

Ontario’s new DB funding rules should base PfAD on plan’s asset mix: ACPM

In Ontario’s new defined benefit plan funding rules, the provisions for adverse deviation should be based on the plan’s asset mix, and a riskier asset…

  • By: Staff
  • March 4, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 15:00
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Why the jointly sponsored UPP is the right pension for the university sector

The single-employer defined benefit model doesn’t work for the university sector for one clear reason, says Cynthia Messenger, president of the University of Toronto’s Faculty…

Some disabled veterans to get less cash under Liberal plan: budget watchdog

Some disabled veterans to get less cash under Liberal plan: budget watchdog

The Trudeau government faced fresh fire over its treatment of disabled veterans last week after a new analysis by Parliament’s budgetary watchdog found an incoming system of…

Industry consulting on commuted-value standard in pension payments

Industry consulting on commuted-value standard in pension payments

The Actuarial Standards Board is consulting on changes to key components of how the commuted value for a pension plan is calculated. The commuted-value standard…

Ontario appeal court decision could change pension landscape in bankruptcy proceedings

Ontario appeal court decision could change pension landscape in bankruptcy proceedings

A recent decision from the Ontario Court of Appeal could significantly change the landscape for employers and pensioners involved in bankruptcy proceedings that engage pension…

Employee groups from Ontario universities vote to form new joint pension

Employee groups from Ontario universities vote to form new joint pension

Faculty associations at three Ontario universities, as well as certain affiliated unions, have passed a preliminary vote to convert their various existing pension arrangements into a…

  • By: Staff
  • February 19, 2019 September 13, 2019
  • 08:32
Editorial

Editorial: Communicating CPP enhancements and more pension action on the way

When the Canada Pension Plan enhancement took effect on Jan. 1, 2019, did you feel the pinch in your first paycheque of the year? The…

Are DC plan sponsors actually interested in variable benefits?

Head to head: Are DC plan sponsors actually interested in variable benefits?

While defined contribution plans can currently pay variable benefits to members at retirement in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec and Nova Scotia, the Ontario…

One pension pillar can’t achieve all objectives: report

One pension pillar can’t achieve all objectives: report

While the Canadian retirement income system is performing well overall, it still requires some assessment to determine its primary goals and how changing one part of…