The Canada Revenue Agency is waiving the minimum one per cent employer contribution requirement for defined contribution pension plans for the rest of 2020. To take advantage of the contribution relief, employers must amend their DC plans to suspend accruals for the year, meaning no employer or employee contributions can be made. Further, DC plan […]
With environmental, social and governance issues becoming more prominent among investors, it’s important to consider what sustainability means for DC plans. Plan sponsors are facing somewhat conflicting objectives, said Christine Girvan, senior managing director and head of Canadian distribution at MFS Investment Management, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2020 DC Plan Summit in Montreal […]
The coronavirus crisis is putting new stresses on businesses as they grapple with cash flow and business continuity, but even amid such uncertainty, some employers are still looking to join defined benefit plans. The Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology pension plan is continuing to see interest in its DBplus offering, with the coronavirus crisis […]
While the Canadian retirement industry has spent a lot of time focusing on the accumulation stage, the decumulation conversation is much further behind. For defined contribution pension plans, almost all jurisdictions across the country have now passed variable benefits legislation, including Ontario, which began allowing the option on Jan. 1, 2020. However, despite receiving legal […]
Anxiety is running high for many Canadians who are feeling the immediate financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic due to job losses, reduced work hours and significant declines in investment portfolios. But some may also feel unease if they can’t access money from specific funds within their defined contribution pension plan. “Right now, we’re aware […]
With the federal government easing the withdrawal requirements for registered retirement income funds in a bid to alleviate the harm to retirees’ portfolios caused by the coronavirus-spurred market crash, the industry is suggesting similar measures for other retirement arrangements. “Canadians who are about to turn money into income will be faced with the decision of […]
Over the years, the York University pension plan has performed well by all objective measures and made major changes to its asset allocation. Speaking at the Canadian Investment Review’s Plan Sponsor Exchange conference in February, Guy Burry, chair of the university’s pension investment committee, credited these accomplishments to the committee’s encouragement of diverse thinking instead […]
With Canada ranking only ninth out of 37 countries on the Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index, more can be done to move it up the list, said Keith Ambachtsheer, director emeritus at the International Centre for Pension Management, speaking at the Canadian Investment Review’s Plan Sponsor Exchange conference in February. Canada has an aging demographic […]
In a recent expert column, I broke down the different components of fees for defined contribution plans. And now, I will explore the key fee drivers and strategies to help plan sponsors manage fee levels in DC plans. Managing these costs are imperative, as excessive fees may result in the significant impairment of DC member […]
Defined contribution pension plan fees have long been an area of significant risk for pension fiduciaries. Typically, a DC plan sponsor will negotiate fees for the plan and members will pay the bulk of those fees through asset-based fees charged on the investment funds. If the fees for the DC plan are excessive, the resulting […]