A new retirement plan design could allow more public employees in the U.S. to accrue retirement benefits regardless of their length of service, according to a report by think tank the Reason Foundation. The plan, which blends elements of defined contribution and defined benefit pension plans, focuses on providing employees with the target retirement income […]
The union representing 450 employees at Domtar Corp. in Dryden, Ont. has ratified three collective agreements that include benefits and pension gains. The agreements include several group benefits enhancements, including $100 for vision, a $200 increase for dental and orthodontics, a $10,000 increase in life insurance, $1,000 for eye surgery and improvements in short- and […]
A new U.S. law that aims to strengthen retirement support for workers holds valuable lessons for Canada’s retirement system, says one pension consultant. The Secure 2.0 Act of 2022, which was signed into law in December, contains several provisions to enhance the U.S. retirement system and boost retirement savings, including a requirement for plan sponsors to […]
An article on the the latest investments by Canadian institutional investment organizations was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Ontario Teachers’ backing auto insurance merger, pension plans leap on new BMO equity 2. 75% of employers expecting hiring challenges in 2023: survey 3. Expert […]
U.S. defined contribution pension plan sponsors are increasingly offering custom target-date funds, according to a new report by the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association. The report, which analyzed 100 DC plans in both the public and private sectors, found the plan sponsors used more than 1,000 investment strategies involving custom target-date funds in 2021, up […]
With the coronavirus pandemic and rising inflation causing economic uncertainty, capital accumulation plan sponsors are looking for new ways to help their members feel secure and get the most out of their savings plans. Benefits Canada asked CAP sponsors and other industry experts what’s on their wish lists to make these plans more effective and engaging […]
Canadians’ total pension wealth increased by 7.9 per cent in 2021 to reach nearly $4.9 trillion by the end of year, according to a new report by Statistics Canada. It found revaluations of pension asset prices — largely due to equity market gains — increased pension wealth by $259.4 billion in 2021. On average, pension […]
Workplace pension plans alone aren’t providing adequate retirement income for U.S. government employees, according to a new report by the National Institute on Retirement Security and Aon. It found U.S. state and local employees in a typical public defined benefit pension plan need to save roughly four to six per cent of their salary on their […]
The union representing about 1,100 Jazz Aviation employees has ratified a five-year collective agreement that includes pension enhancements and bereavement leave. The agreement includes an additional employer contribution of one per cent to the defined contribution plan, effective Jan. 1, 2023, for employees with 15 years or more of service. It also includes five days of […]
Defined contribution pension plan members nearing retirement may need their employers’ help to achieve financial security during an era of low interest rates and increased inflation, according to a new report by the U.S.-based Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association. It found target-date funds are the dominant investment strategy in most DC plans, used by 80 […]