While real assets are largely absent among the investment options offered by Canadian defined contribution pension plans, they can offer significant long-term benefits to plan members, said Andrew Knox, managing director of Franklin Templeton Investments’ global real assets fund, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2024 DC Plan Summit in February. “[Defined contribution] investors in […]
From its roots as a retirement plan for Saskatchewan farmers, the Saskatchewan Pension Plan has grown over the past four decades to accommodate Canadians from all provinces and walks of life, said Shannan Corey, the plan’s executive director, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Defined Contribution Plan Summit in February. “It’s really meant to […]
One defined contribution plan sponsor sings the praises of the traditional balanced fund, while another outlines a different option that better matches risk levels according to plan members’ life stages. Rob Jackett, senior director of finance and administration at Canadian Baptist Ministries Balanced funds are still relevant today for employer-sponsored savings plans. It’s important for employers […]
Increased volatility, stubborn inflation and erratic interest rates are making for financially uncertain times, where it can be more reassuring to seek safety in shared risk, rather than shouldering financial ambiguity alone. Celebrated for their pooled assets and shared risk, multi-employer pension plans are gaining traction. Tami Dove, director of member experience at the Co-operative […]
When defined contribution plan sponsors conduct due diligence on target-date fund providers, they’re often considering questions of active versus passively managed funds, the benefits of glide paths that glide to versus through retirement, strategic versus tactical funds and a provider’s approach to environmental, social and governance investing. But according to Sarah Donahue, director of consultant […]
While defined contribution pension plans currently outnumber defined benefit pension plans, this wasn’t always the case, recalls Bita Jenab, a principal at RetirementWorks Services Inc. DC plans began to gain popularity in the mid-1980s, due to a combination of legislative and economic changes, she adds. “This period marks the introduction of pension accounting rules under […]
The Saskatchewan Pension Plan is allocating parts of its balanced fund to Ninepoint Partners and Fengate Asset Management in a bid to further diversify its portfolio. Ninepoint has received a private debt allocation of 10 per cent of the SPP’s balanced fund and Fengate will take on a 10 per cent infrastructure allocation, according to a press […]
Pension investments are a key component of ensuring secure benefits for plan members upon their retirement. To celebrate the plan sponsors and pension investors who work hard to ensure strong investment outcomes, the first-ever Pension Leadership Awards will recognize winners across several categories. The Defined Contribution Investment Innovation Award will go to a DC pension […]
Much debate remains about whether private equity is an appropriate option for members of capital accumulation plans. Canada’s neighbours to the south have been examining the potential legal pitfalls of these allocations. A recent information letter from the U.S. department of labor set forth a framework plan sponsors can use to consider the prudence of […]
The Saskatchewan Pension Plan is improving investment choice for members in the accumulation phase and introducing new options to help them through decumulation as well. Leading up to retirement, SPP members are defaulted into a balanced fund, which has been in place since the plan started in 1986. In 2010, it introduced a short-term fund, […]