Ken Eady understands the challenges a defined benefit pension plan can present for plan sponsors, particularly when they find themselves in financial difficulty. “Healthy companies aren’t always too crazy about the liability, so it can become a heavy weight to carry when there is trouble maintaining financial status. That’s why they seem to generally be […]
The Investment Management Corp. of Ontario has appointed Jean Michel as its chief investment officer, effective July 3, 2018. In the role, Michel will head up the organization’s investment team, designing and overseeing its investment activities on a global level, as well as handling its pursuit of strategic partnerships. “Jean is an exceptional leader who brings […]
BFL Canada Consulting Services Inc. has appointed Jean-Daniel Côté as vice-president of retirement. Based in Montreal, Côté will play a senior consulting role for a range of employer clients and contribute to the growth of BFL Canada’s retirement consulting team, according to a news release. With nearly 30 years of experience in retirement and investment consulting, […]
Some organizations are unique. Their employees are genuinely excited to be at work and an undercurrent of energy and vitality permeates the air. They’ve transformed the workplace into a compelling experience and built a thriving workforce. This kind of environment doesn’t come easily; it must be deliberately designed, intentionally built and carefully managed. In an age of […]
What’s the future of health benefits in Canada? A hybrid model of core coverage and personalized benefits is a likely scenario, speakers at an event in Toronto said on Wednesday. “Our vision is really a hybrid model, where you have this traditional benefit program there to support your employee should something happen, something unpredictable that […]
Despite significant improvements recently to pension plan solvency levels, the start of 2018 has been a challenging one for institutional investors. Shifting monetary policies have put pressure on bond portfolios, while rising yields have started to affect the equity markets. On the equity side, the S&P/TSX composite index has gone from a high of almost […]
Who wouldn’t want a coach to help with achieving health goals? According to the 2017 Sanofi Canada health-care survey, health coaching is a popular idea: 61 per cent of plan members expressed interest in coaching around personal health goals. But is health coaching a worthy investment for employers to include as a benefit for their […]
About a third (30 per cent) of Canadian workers view financial wellness programs as a major factor in selecting a new employer, but only 40 per cent trust the organization they work for when it comes to information or advice, according to a new survey by Mercer. The survey, which polled 1,500 Canadian employees, found that […]
Health-care costs are projected to increase a whopping 130 per cent over the next eight years after a period of relatively flat growth, according to a study published by Mercer in 2017. One of the key drivers is rising drug costs, with expensive specialty medications and gene therapies making up the majority of new products in development. So […]
As of July 1, 2018, new provisions under Ontario’s Pension Benefits Act will allow the sponsors of defined benefit pension plans to obtain a discharge from their obligations to former and retired plan members for whom they’ve purchased an annuity. Under the changes, plan sponsors will need to fulfil certain requirements before they can obtain a […]