Latest news in Governance/legislation

MPs and cabinet forced to reimburse pension overpayment

MPs and cabinet forced to reimburse pension overpayment

All of Canada’s members of Parliament and the entire cabinet will be forced to make retroactive payments into their pension plans following technical glitches in…

  • By: Staff
  • November 4, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 08:55
Actuarial report on enhanced CPP contains some interesting tidbits for plan sponsors

Actuarial report on enhanced CPP contains some interesting tidbits for plan sponsors

Whenever the Canada Pension Plan is amended, the chief actuary must prepare a supplementary actuarial report has to be prepared on it. That report, released…

Governance structure ‘essential’ in federal infrastructure investment plan

Governance structure ‘essential’ in federal infrastructure investment plan

Following the federal government’s announcement yesterday of its plans to invest in infrastructure, one of Canada’s largest pension funds is advising the government that the…

  • By: Staff
  • November 2, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 11:23
Government increases CPP pensionable earnings and adds new disability standards

Government increases CPP pensionable earnings and adds new disability standards

The Canada Revenue Agency has announced an increase of $400 (from $54,900 in 2016 to $55,300 in 2017) to the maximum pensionable earnings under the…

  • By: Staff
  • November 1, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 10:51
B.C. takes first step to resolve pension solvency funding challenge

B.C. takes first step to resolve pension solvency funding challenge

The government of British Columbia has extended the period over which pension solvency deficiencies can be funded by five years to assist plan sponsors registered…

Taming the complexities in GST/HST rules for pension plans

Taming the complexities in GST/HST rules for pension plans

Anyone who has grappled with Canada’s pension-related GST/HST rules can agree with the Association of Canadian Pension Management’s recent assertion that the rules are “extraordinarily…

  • By: Greg Hurst
  • October 25, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 09:20
What does OSFI’s updated guide on actuarial reporting mean for pension plan sponsors?

What does OSFI’s updated guide on actuarial reporting mean for pension plan sponsors?

The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada has published a revised version of its instruction guide for the preparation of actuarial reports for…

Canada’s retirement system receives B grade from global pension index

Canada’s retirement system maintained its score of a B on the 2016 Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index, indicating a sound structure, many good features and…

A refresher on the purposes of pension plan funding

A refresher on the purposes of pension plan funding

We may be witnessing the most significant changes to the funding rules of Canadian defined benefit pension plans in more than 25 years. First, since…

  • October 20, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 09:30
N.W.T. company’s pensioners face delay in court hearing

N.W.T. company’s pensioners face delay in court hearing

A court hearing on whether Northern Transportation Co. Ltd. pensioners should be the first recipients of the proceeds of the company’s sale has been delayed.…

Ari Kaplan launches pension dispute mediation law firm

Ari Kaplan launches pension dispute mediation law firm

Ari Kaplan has launched Kaplan Law, Canada’s first law firm focusing on pension dispute mediation. With two decades of experience at Koskie Minsky, Kaplan has been…

  • By: Staff
  • October 11, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 16:35
OSFI releases new guides for DC, DB disclosure requirements

OSFI releases new guides for DC, DB disclosure requirements

The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions has published updated guides for the disclosure requirements of defined contribution and defined benefit plans. The new…

  • By: Staff
  • October 7, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 14:00
Federal government introduces CPP legislation

Federal government introduces CPP legislation

The federal government has introduced legislation to enhance the Canada Pension Plan days after British Columbia signed on to support the expansion. Upon receiving royal…

  • By: Staff
  • October 7, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 09:30
Ontario’s pension solvency framework should mirror Quebec’s new regime: ACPM

Ontario’s pension solvency framework should mirror Quebec’s new regime: ACPM

The Association of Canadian Pension Management says Ontario’s solvency funding framework for defined benefit pension plans should use Quebec’s new funding regime as a model.…

  • By: Staff
  • October 5, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 09:30
British Columbia signs on to support CPP expansion

British Columbia signs on to support CPP expansion

After considering feedback from its online consultation, British Columbia will support the Canada Pension Plan enhancement. The consultation, which was launched on July 15, 2016,…

  • By: Staff
  • October 4, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 12:03
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Ontario pension accounting dispute shows difference of $1.5B in province’s deficit

An accounting difference involving the Ontario Public Service Employees Union Pension Plan and the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan has the government at odds with the…

Tax rules on pension plans and investment entities ‘extraordinarily complex:’ ACPM

Tax rules on pension plans and investment entities ‘extraordinarily complex:’ ACPM

As the federal Department of Finance consults on proposed amendments to Canada’s Income Tax Act, the Association of Canadian Pension Management has responded with a…

  • By: Staff
  • October 4, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 09:20
Editorial: OAS reversal popular but not the right move

Editorial: OAS reversal popular but not the right move

Cancelling the increase to the age of eligibility for old-age security was certainly a popular move. The change, which quickly followed the Liberals’ election in…

  • By: Glenn Kauth
  • October 4, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
Court decisions reinforce need for benefits communications policy

Court decisions reinforce need for benefits communications policy

In a previous post, I extolled the virtues of a benefits communications policy for those who communicate pensions and benefits to employees. Two recent court…

  • October 3, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 09:07
‘Fourth-pillar’ assets improve outlook for Canadian retirement readiness

‘Fourth-pillar’ assets improve outlook for Canadian retirement readiness

When considering claims that Canadians lack adequate savings for retirement, it’s crucial to ask whether “fourth-pillar” assets have been fully considered in reaching this conclusion,…

  • By: Staff
  • October 3, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 09:06
CPP fund to grow by $191B over next decade: report

CPP fund to grow by $191B over next decade: report

The existing Canada Pension Plan is on sustainable financial footing at its current contribution rate and its assets are projected to grow from $285 at…

  • By: Staff
  • September 28, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 10:33
30% investment rule creates ‘unnecessary costs’ and ‘lost opportunities:’ ACPM

30% investment rule creates ‘unnecessary costs’ and ‘lost opportunities:’ ACPM

In its response to a consultation launched in June, the Association of Canadian Pension Management says the federal government’s “30-per-cent rule” needlessly inhibits pension plan…

  • By: Staff
  • September 21, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 09:15
Canadians may have to work ‘a little longer than planned’: Poloz

Canadians may have to work ‘a little longer than planned’: Poloz

The Bank of Canada’s governor says today’s era of stubbornly low interest rates means it’s time to revisit retirement planning and temper business investment expectations.…

Have your say: Should governments speed up action on PRPPs?

Have your say: Should governments speed up action on PRPPs?

It has been four years since the federal government passed legislation to enable pooled registered pension plans as a vehicle to boost retirement savings. In…

  • By: Staff
  • September 20, 2016 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
MPs on finance committee set to probe effects of CPP changes

MPs on finance committee set to probe effects of CPP changes

The federal government’s bid to expand the Canada Pension Plan is being put under the microscope, including an examination of the impact it could have…