More than 19 months into the coronavirus pandemic, employers are focusing on enhanced mental-health offerings and streamlined communications for their benefits and pension plans. During a virtual roundtable on Oct. 14, the 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards finalists discussed the changes brought about by the pandemic and how they’ve adapted their benefits and pensions offerings, while looking […]
Canadian Forest Products Ltd.’s ongoing support for employees’ savings and retirement goals resulted in a win in the Financial wellness category at Benefits Canada’s 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 14. Launched in September 2020, Canfor’s three-year financial education program was initially offered to 1,100 salaried employees in Canfor’s defined benefit and defined contribution pension […]
Scotiabank’s focus on making essential pension information more accessible to plan members was recognized at Benefits Canada’s 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 14. The bank won in the Pension plan communications category for its streamlined approach to pension statements. In 2020, Scotiabank restructured its defined benefit pension plan statement into two versions — a simplified four-page […]
Like many other countries around the world, Poland’s aging population is increasingly highlighting the topic of retirement savings. “Each year, the number of pensioners increase while the fertility rate decreases,” says Sebastian Ludwin, a Poland-based pension projects leader and business development manager at Aon. “On top of that, the public pension replacement rate also decreases […]
On the eve of her retirement after more than 30 years in the pension industry, the SPP’s former executive director talks women in pensions, decumulation and learning to play the ukelele. Q. How did you get into the pension industry? A. This was a bit of luck on my part. The Saskatchewan Pension Plan was […]
Market expansion in 2021 is a priority among Canada’s defined contribution pension consultants, according to a new survey by PIMCO Canada. The inaugural survey, conducted across 12 major DC consulting and advisory firms that serve roughly 2,500 Canadian plan sponsor clients, found up-market expansion and down-market expansion in 2021 were the top strategic priorities among […]
The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association is calling on the federal government to permit standalone variable payment life annuities to pool participants from all registered retirement plans. In its 2022 federal budget submission, the CLHIA said VPLAs, as enacted, will only be available to members of very large defined contribution pension plans, excluding Canadians […]
The first strike at Vale Canada in more than a decade is drawing to a close after unionized workers at the Sudbury, Ont., mine ratified a collective agreement that includes improved pension and health benefits. Through the agreement — which expires May 31, 2026 — the monthly pre-age 65 defined benefit pension will increase by $50 to […]
The Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities is developing a framework for defined contribution pension plans to offer variable payment life annuities. In developing the framework, the CAPSA said it will address topics such as plan design and conversion options, as well as member disclosure, spousal consent, plan termination, investment rules and regulatory oversight for […]
About 900 employees at Rio Tinto Group’s aluminum smelting facilities in Kitimat, B.C. are on strike after Unifor Local 2301 and the company failed to reach an agreement on July 25. The union continued negotiations with Rio Tinto until the strike deadline at midnight, according to a press release. Unifor is seeking changes to workers’ […]