Making changes to retiree benefits plans is the new norm for Canadian employers. While most employers expect to keep a retiree benefits plan in place,…
It is clear at law that when an employer assumes the role of pension plan administrator, it becomes a fiduciary. However, the employer does not…
The Supreme Court of Canada’s recent and much anticipated ruling in Elaine Nolan et al. v. Kerry (Canada) Inc. et al. has brought some needed…
In Elaine Nolan et al. v. Kerry (Canada) Inc. et al., the Supreme Court of Canada reviewed several issues—most significantly, the level of deference to…
The economic crisis of 2008 significantly diminished the assets held by Canadian pension plan funds, impairing the solvency funding levels of defined benefit (DB) pension…
The West has certainly been an active contributor to the incredible activity on the pension reform front that we have seen since 2007. Following a…
Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan has announced a two-stage pension reform agenda, the first of which will commence in November. Duncan told reporters on Wednesday…
While pension administration outsourcing is common practice for a number of medium- to large size plan sponsors, or those that do not have the in-house…
As the details of federal finance minister Jim Flaherty’s proposed pension reforms are parsed, experts are weighing in on what it means for plan sponsors…
It’s not easy being a Canadian plan sponsor these days. Volatile equity markets, increasing longevity, and the questionable notion of risk management have conspired to…
The federal department of finance has released amendments to the Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) legislation. These amendments should be reviewed by Canadian…
Canadian organizations are spending a significant amount of time on their retirement programs this year, particularly in the areas of risk management and plan members’…
When Canada moves to the international accounting standards (IFRS) the rules for multi-employer pension plans (MEPPs) will change. There are about 1.5 million Canadians who…
There has been much discussion about the state of the Canadian pension system. Many defined benefit (DB) plans are underfunded, most defined contribution (DC) plan…
Struggling to engage your plan members? Michele Leroux, manager of pensions and benefits with McMaster University, and Tracey Riccardi, manager of compensation and benefits with…
Despite the global recession and major decline in financial markets, the Canada Pension Plan is on a solid footing, says the chief actuary of Human…
A recent survey conducted by the Office of the Superintendent for Financial Institutions (OSFI) has found the regulator enjoys relatively high status in the minds…
A petition has been organized by a former Nortel employee seeking change in Canada’s bankruptcy laws. Melanie Johannink, who was dismissed by Nortel earlier this…
Employers and trustees in the U.K. are heeding the advice of The Pensions Regulator, according to Mercer. The consultant’s annual SFO Valuations Survey of 257…
Across the country, the position of employers in the process of bargaining a new collective agreement is remarkably similar: they’re seeking concessions on pensions. The…
Following a pension plan windup, a plan administrator may soon find itself in a game of hide and seek. The administrator may be holding funds…
In many respects, a pension plan represents the archetype of age discrimination. By its very definition, a pension plan consists of contractual and trust arrangements…
Now more than ever, Canadians—especially the baby boomers and others who are nearing retirement—are concerned about their financial prospects. Weathering the worst financial crisis since…
Pension planning these days often involves managing the past as well as the future. Pension plans are inherently long-term creations, and the promises of our…
It has been proclaimed that our aging population will be of great concern for many employers because Canada will experience a significant talent and labour…