Morneau Shepell Ltd. is appointing Glen Oikawa as a client relationship partner, retirement solutions partner and Calgary office leader. In the new role, he’ll focus on delivering innovation, thought leadership and dedicated service to several of the organization’s largest plan sponsor clients across Western Canada. With more than 20 years of experience in financial well-being, […]
Financial hardship is hitting employers across Canada and they’re starting to make difficult choices around cost-cutting measures within their businesses. “Some plan sponsors may be considering changes to their plan design to address these cost concerns during these turbulent times,” said Jana Steele, partner and department chair of the pension and benefits team at Osler, Hoskin […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is appointing Cindy Forbes to its board, effective immediately. Currently, Forbes is global chief analytics officer at Manulife Financial Corp. and held an interim role as its global chief marketing officer for the past 10 months. She also spent six years as the company’s chief actuary. In addition, during more than 35 […]
Heading into 2020 and beyond, the outlook for interest rates is impacting the federal government’s projected pension obligations and its budgetary balance. In its 2019 fall economic update on Monday, the government reduced the projected budgetary balance by $4.2 billion in 2019/20 and $11.6 billion in 2024/25. While the balance projections aren’t entirely related to pension obligations, […]
Morneau Shepell Ltd. has appointed Mazen Shakeel as vice-president and practice leader for asset and risk management, effective July 2019. In the new role, he’ll assist plan sponsors with investment, outsourced chief investment officer, risk management and transfer-related needs. Read: Morneau Shepell to acquire some of Mercer’s U.S. health, DB plan administration business As an actuary with […]
The Canadian Institute of Actuaries is recommending that any future national pharmacare system includes an actuary to oversee its revenue, expenses and funding status. “Canada’s actuaries — with public interest in mind — advise that any national pharmacare program should be based on sound risk management, financing and insurance principles,” noted the CIA in a press release. The […]
U.K. pension plans could see an easing of their liabilities, based on the latest longevity data from the country’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries in its continuous mortality investigation (CMI). The report showed both men and women’s longevity, as of age 65, has decreased by about six months compared to 2017. Indeed, the 2018 version of […]
The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions’ office of the chief actuary has appointed Assia Billig as chief actuary, effective April 15, 2019. She will succeed Jean-Claude Ménard, who will retire in mid-April after 20 years as chief actuary. Billig has worked in the office of the chief actuary for more than a decade, specializing in actuarial […]
While there are nuances, I consider a target-benefit plan to be one that determines benefits to members on a defined benefit basis while setting out employer contributions on a defined contribution basis. To allow for that mix, target-benefit plans permit benefit reductions when contributions fall short. My goal is to share what I consider an […]
Conduent Inc. is selling its consulting business formerly known as Buck Consultants. This week, the company announced a deal with a private equity investment firm, H.I.G. Capital, to sell its Canada- and Britain-based human resources consulting and outsourcing businesses. The deal also includes Conduent’s U.S.-based human resources consulting and actuarial business. The business, formerly known […]