For most early retirees, free time is something had in spades. But Don Walcot, involved with numerous pension- and investment-related committees, is as busy now—if…
The workforce at SNC-Lavalin is not your typical group of employees. Highly skilled (most are engineers) and mobile (continuously moving from one project to another…
Getting plan members to think about their pension plans well before they are on the brink of retirement—and helping them to understand the true value…
Including alternative investments or global equities in a pension portfolio is becoming increasingly common, but that wasn’t always the case—and Carl Otto, chair emeritus of…
On Nov. 5, 2009, key individuals in the pension community gathered at the Fairmont Royal York hotel in Toronto for a gala event to celebrate…
Retirement plan sponsors and members in Atlantic Canada, like their counterparts elsewhere in the country, spent 2009 sifting through the aftermath of the economic storm.…
Many Canadian pension plan sponsors will recall the late 80s and early 90s as a time of significant change. Over a span of about six…
The role of small businesses in increasing pension coverage for Canadian workers and pension reform were the main topic of discussion at the 2009 Canadian…
The efforts of many Canadian plan sponsors are being devoted to risk exposure, employee communication and education around retirement income adequacy, a recent survey reveals.…
A revised version of the Regulation to Amend the Regulation Respecting Supplemental Pension Plans has been released by the Gazette officielle du Québec, according to…
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…
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…
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…
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…