An article on the federal government’s decision to transfer a $1.9 billion public pension surplus to general revenue was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Feds’ decision to transfer $1.9BN public pension surplus to general revenue within its […]
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says today’s fall economic statement will remove the cap that currently restricts Canadian pension funds from owning more than 30 per cent of the voting shares of a Canadian entity. Freeland says this will make it easier for Canadian pension funds, which have more than $3 trillion in assets, to make […]
A proposed high-speed rail project in Canada could open the doors to more infrastructure development using institutional investors’ capital, says Iftikhar Ahmed, global head of private equity infrastructure and energy transition at Aon. “I have no doubt that this will work and this will open the doors to more opportunities like that.” He says it’s […]
Workplace pension income will add $24.5 billion to federal coffers and $16.8 billion to the provinces in 2025, according to a new report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. It found pension income for seniors across Canada is adding $16.9 billion in additional income tax revenue and $2.3 billion in commodity tax revenue, while […]
Investment funds that are designed to entice Canadian institutional investors to allocate more capital in domestic assets could open up conversations regarding the most effective way to boost investments at home, says Colin Busby, director of policy engagement at the C.D. Howe Institute. In September, the Globe and Mail reported there was little interest among […]
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said the federal government is moving ahead with guidelines around sustainable investing and corporate climate disclosures, but details on the plans are scarce. The move comes as a wide range of investors, asset managers and environmental groups have been pushing the government to roll out such guidelines, also known as green […]
The Pension Investment Association of Canada is recommending the development of a flexible framework to guide institutional investors’ sustainability reporting, while encouraging innovation and addressing greenwashing. In an open letter to the Competition Bureau, the PIAC said it would oppose any model that imposes disincentives on businesses disclosing strategy and process as it evolves. It argued that […]
The federal government is currently seeking recommendations about its plan to introduce solvency reserve accounts for federally regulated defined benefit pension plans. Under the government’s proposed model, first announced in 2022, these accounts would be optional and constitute a separate account within a DB plan. In a press release, the government said solvency reserve accounts […]
The federal government’s move to introduce legislation extending pension eligibility to frontline public safety and law enforcement workers after 25 years of service could help manage room for new hires and ensure stable plan maturity, says James Fu, partner and national leader of pensions and benefits law at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. Hundreds of frontline workers […]
The Competition Bureau is speeding up the development of guidance on the interpretation of new provisions in the Competition Act aimed at greenwashing. The federal watchdog said it has received a large number of requests and that it will develop guidance “on an accelerated basis.” Read: Head to Head: Is it time to change the terminology […]