The uniting theme at the 2022 Defined Contribution Plan Summit was financial wellness, a chief concern for any employer that offers a pension plan to its workforce. In particular, with inflation reaching its highest level in four decades and people facing several competing financial priorities, including simple day-to-day expenses, plan sponsors are bringing flexibility to […]
The 2022 Defined Contribution Plan Summit, which was hosted in Victoria, B.C. on May 11-13, featured several case studies from innovative DC plan sponsors, as well as presentations by thought leaders to help employers embrace their employees’ evolving financial priorities and prepare for the future. Across the two-day event, the themes included: rethinking retirement in […]
Over the last three centuries, society has been living in a repetitive cycle featuring large and substantial reset moments. To think of these as historical blips is a mistake, said Leonard Brody, an Emmy-nominated business visionary, during the keynote session at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 DC Plan Summit. He urged delegates to think about the causations […]
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, five major stressors are impacting Canadians’ overall well-being, with four of these related to finances: the knowledge gap, financial stress at home and work, retirement and basic needs, said Margaret Adaniel, head of retirement marketing at Manulife Investment Management, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 DC Plan […]
During a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 DC Plan Summit, Simon Cabral, Scotiabank’s director of global defined contribution plans, shared how the organization ties employees’ financial wellness into their broader well-being. A few years ago, the bank rebranded its benefits offering, linking its benefits, retirement savings and employee share ownership plans. The new strategy includes […]
Building a defined contribution pension plan’s investment portfolio should incorporate the benefits and drawbacks of various historical regimes to provide a strong foundation, said Ruthann Pritchard, institutional portfolio manager for global asset allocation at Fidelity Investments, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 DC Plan Summit. “A robust glide path has to consider all of […]
Dynamic pension pools can have a significant and positive impact on retirement outcomes if they’re supported by the appropriate legislative changes, said Barbara Sanders, associate professor in statistics and actuarial science at Simon Fraser University, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 DC Plan Summit. The University of British Columbia has a dynamic pension pool […]
When it comes to educating women about retirement and their finances, the needle hasn’t moved enough in the past few decades because the language being used by the industry isn’t connecting to what’s really going on, said Jenine Garrelick, senior managing director at MFS Fund Distributors Inc., during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 DC […]
While many organizations have launched a sustainability strategy, Sun Life Financial Inc.’s strategy is anchored in three fundamental principles: financial security, sustainable investing and living healthier lives, according to Eric Monteiro, the insurer’s senior vice-president in group retirement, during a panel discussion at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 DC Plan Summit. Three-quarters (78 per cent) of pension […]
While defined contribution pension plan sponsors are focusing on providing members with information, education and guidance to ensure they’re ready for retirement, advice is becoming more holistic and covering a financial wellness continuum, said Jennifer Katzsch, regional vice-president for Western Canada, group retirement savings at Desjardins Insurance, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 DC […]