Latest news in Governance/legislation

Employers looking to ‘DBification’ of DC plans as industry matures

Employers looking to ‘DBification’ of DC plans as industry matures

As the defined contribution pension industry continues to mature, employers are considering ways to improve them by introducing elements of defined benefit plans, an industry…

  • By: Glenn Kauth
  • September 13, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 16:02
N.S. looking at changes to DB pension funding framework, target-benefit plans

N.S. looking at changes to DB pension funding framework, target-benefit plans

Nova Scotia is following in the footsteps of a number of other provinces by looking into its funding framework for defined benefit pension plans. Like…

Mercer introduces outsourced plan governance for DC pensions

Mercer introduces outsourced plan governance for DC pensions

Mercer is introducing outsourced governance for employers with defined contribution pension plans. The offering, Mercer Future Wise, will delegate employers’ plan governance to a team…

  • By: Staff
  • September 11, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
People Watch: Eckler names new resident scholar

People Watch: Eckler names new resident scholar

Eckler Ltd. has named researcher Bonnie-Jeanne MacDonald as its new resident scholar.  MacDonald, an actuary and researcher at Dalhousie University, drew attention in 2014 when…

  • By: Staff
  • September 5, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:43
FOI cases piercing veil of pension plan secrecy

FOI cases piercing veil of pension plan secrecy

Pension plan administrators should get used to dealing with requests for their actuarial documents while lawyers duke it out over just how confidential they are,…

B.C. report still shows ‘some sense of discomfort’ with target-benefit plans: prof

B.C. report still shows ‘some sense of discomfort’ with target-benefit plans: prof

Despite British Columbia’s introduction of provisions for target-benefit pension plans in 2015, a report from the province’s regulator suggests the option has seen a slow uptake. Only…

  • By: Jann Lee
  • September 1, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:18
The pros and cons of offering pension portability at retirement

The pros and cons of offering pension portability at retirement

Legislation requires a defined benefit pension plan to provide members leaving active service with the option of transferring out the lump-sum commuted value of their…

  • August 29, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
Could Bank of Canada framework help find missing pension members?

Could Bank of Canada framework help find missing pension members?

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…

New DB pension proposals in Quebec, Ontario tackle annuity purchases

New DB pension proposals in Quebec, Ontario tackle annuity purchases

New draft regulations published in Quebec this summer address policies around annuity purchases for defined benefit pension plans for the first time. Industry stakeholders have…

CPP at age 65 is affordable, for now

CPP at age 65 is affordable, for now

Employees’ retirement plans are affected by how long they stay in the workforce. Whether or not they work past 65 often depends on government policy,…

Editorial: Solvency reform and Sears

Editorial: Solvency reform and Sears

Among those with the most to worry about when a company as big as Sears Canada Inc. enters restructuring proceedings are the members of the…

Regulators turning their attention to DC plan rules

Regulators turning their attention to DC plan rules

The Ontario government’s announcement in its April budget that it will be addressing the regulatory framework related to defined contribution pension plans has done little…

Montreal police and city reach agreement on pension changes

Montreal police and city reach agreement on pension changes

Montreal police officers have voted in favour of a new contract that puts an end to a long-running dispute over pension reforms. The city’s police…

Deferred annuities among CLHIA recommendations in federal budget submission

Deferred annuities among CLHIA recommendations in federal budget submission

The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association is recommending a number of ways the federal government can help ensure Canadians’ retirement income security in its…

  • By: Staff
  • August 9, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:42
OSFI updates guidance on derivatives used in private pension plans

OSFI updates guidance on derivatives used in private pension plans

The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions has released a draft guideline on best practices for derivatives used in federally regulated private pension plans.…

  • By: Staff
  • August 1, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 16:00
Ex-Sears Canada employees facing 19% cut in commuted-value payments

Ex-Sears Canada employees facing 19% cut in commuted-value payments

Former Sears Canada Inc. employees who opt to take the commuted value of their defined benefit pension are facing an immediate 19 per cent reduction in…

OSFI defines eligible default investment options for PRPPs

OSFI defines eligible default investment options for PRPPs

The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions has issued a guideline defining the eligible default investment options under pooled registered pension plans. The Pooled Registered…

Retention bonuses of $9.2M for key Sears Canada staff spark outcry

Retention bonuses of $9.2M for key Sears Canada staff spark outcry

Sears Canada’s plan to pay out millions in bonuses to keep executives and key staff on board while not paying severance to laid-off workers is…

CAPSA consulting on funding, asset allocation for multi-jurisdictional pensions

CAPSA consulting on funding, asset allocation for multi-jurisdictional pensions

The Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities is asking industry stakeholders to weigh in on its proposed changes to funding and asset allocation rules for…

  • By: Jann Lee
  • July 17, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:45
Sears Canada agrees to continue special payments to DB plan, retiree benefits

Sears Canada agrees to continue special payments to DB plan, retiree benefits

Sears Canada Inc. has reversed course and will continue to make special payments to its defined benefit pension plan and provide post-employment benefits plans until…

Pension industry challenged to deliver plans with DB features prized by Canadians

Pension industry challenged to deliver plans with DB features prized by Canadians

There’s little doubt that working Canadians want a secure source of retirement income. The challenge for the pension industry is how to deliver the desired…

  • July 11, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 17:00
Have your say: Is it time to boost protections for employees in restructuring cases?

Have your say: Is it time to boost protections for employees in restructuring cases?

In the last few weeks, employees — both current and former — of troubled retailer Sears Canada Inc. have had plenty to worry about after…

  • By: Staff
  • July 10, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 13:38
B.C. cracks down on ‘unrealistic’ calculations used in pension windups

B.C. cracks down on ‘unrealistic’ calculations used in pension windups

British Columbia’s pension regulator is cracking down on vague termination expense assumptions over fears unrealistic calculations have caused some plans to overstate their solvency ratios.…

Canadian Armed Forces sued for $100M over ‘chronic’ pension delays

Canadian Armed Forces sued for $100M over ‘chronic’ pension delays

A retired lieutenant in the naval reserve has launched a $100-million lawsuit against the Canadian Armed Forces for “chronic, excessive and unreasonable” delay in paying…

New CAPSA reviews to look at decumulation, missing members

New CAPSA reviews to look at decumulation, missing members

The Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities is conducting a number of reviews this summer, looking into retirement projections and decumulation options for defined contribution…