While 65 has long been considered the traditional retirement age, younger employees face the possibility of working longer. Plan sponsors can learn much from the unique financial journeys taken by different generations toward their eventual golden years. A 2019 Scotiabank investment poll revealed that 68 per cent of Canadians are currently saving for retirement, but […]
Specialty drugs can significantly improve (or even save) an employee’s life, but can come at a high cost. Over the past few decades, many employers dove headfirst into drug-pooling arrangements as a key way to deal with those costs, while also ensuring employees get the access needed to an array of medications. But with dozens […]
The Royal Mail Group Ltd. will soon make history in the United Kingdom by becoming the first employer to sponsor an entirely new type of pension plan, called a collective defined contribution scheme. Under the U.K.’s Pension Schemes Act 2021, which received royal assent in February, collective DC pensions will essentially be a hybrid of […]
Although women must work two years longer than men to be retirement ready, they still retire with 30 per cent less wealth than their male counterparts, according to a Mercer Canada retirement readiness report. The report found women enter retirement with lower retirement savings than men and they also must work longer to achieve retirement […]
Irshaad Ahmad is now serving as Canada Post Corp.’s chief investment officer and vice-president of the Crown corporation’s pension fund. He joined Canada Post in February and brings more than 30 years of investment experience to the role, after serving as managing director and head of institutional Europe at Allianz Global Investors. Prior to that, […]
Uncontrolled diabetes can have a major impact on the workplace, driving absenteeism and impaired presenteeism rates, as well as short- and long-term disability, said Sarah Blunden, clinical account manager at Dexcom Canada, during Benefits Canada’s 2021 Tech Insights conference in January. The disease, which occurs when someone’s blood sugar levels are too high, can cause […]
Canadian businesses are taking a wider view of their social responsibilities amid the coronavirus pandemic, economic disparity and protests against racial injustice, according to a new survey by Mercer Canada. It found 65 per cent of Canadian human-resources leaders believe their company has continued or stepped up the pace towards an environmental, social and governance- […]
Following an unprecedented 2020, Canada’s plan sponsors and pension plans are incorporating the lessons of the last year as they prepare for a new decade, according to a recent webinar hosted by Mercer Canada. The coming years will be marked by developments including increased geopolitical tensions and the lingering economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, […]
Investment management is an unusual business in that it doesn’t typically offer customers their money back if they’re unsatisfied with the product or service. This seems strange given how easily and objectively we can measure value added or destroyed. Of course, demanding a refund for poor investment performance may be more complicated than returning a […]
A rally on the stock market in the fourth quarter helped boost the strength of Canadian defined benefit pension plans to end 2020, according to a new report by Mercer Canada. The consulting firm said its pension health index, which represents the solvency ratio of a hypothetical DB plan, rose to 114 per cent at […]