Over the past year, union negotiations have ramped up and wage settlements have reached new heights, mainly due to the fact that negotiations were set back by the coronavirus pandemic and the inflation that followed, says Douglas Porter, chief economist and managing director at BMO Financial Group. “Like night follows day, labour unrest and strike […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec returned 4.2 per cent in the first half of 2024, underperforming its benchmark of 4.6 per cent. As at June 30, 2024, the Caisse’s net assets totalled $452 billion. Its average annualized returns over five and 10 years were six per cent and 7.1 per cent, respectively. […]
An article on the nuances of Quebec’s pension laws 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. What should employers know about Quebec’s pension legislation? 2. Ontario’s new regulations for publicly advertised jobs providing transparency for job-seekers: expert 3. Canadian […]
Working grandparents who are providing financial support to children and/or grandchildren are risking their own plans for retirement, says Craig Bannon, director of financial planning centre of expertise at the Royal Bank of Canada. “[They might need to] delay their retirement to extend their earning years or continue to work on a part-time basis in […]
The average Canadian defined benefit pension plan posted a median return of 1.1 per cent in the second quarter of 2024, according to a new report by RBC Investor Services. The report, which tracks performance and asset allocation across Canadian DB plans, also found that the plans saw a return of 4.4 per cent for […]
Nearly half (47 per cent) of U.S. employers report their salary budgets for 2024 are lower than the previous year, as the overall median pay raise for 2024 fell to 4.1 per cent, down from 4.5 per cent in 2023, according to a new survey by WTW. The survey, which polled more than 1,800 employers, […]
The Nova Scotia Pension Services Corp. — which administers the investment assets of the Public Service Superannuation Plan and the Teachers’ Pension Plan — reported an increase in net assets to $13.7 billion, a year-over-year increase of about $670 million, for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. The PSSP saw an investment return of 7.93 […]
Half (51 per cent) of U.S. pre-retirees and retirees say they’re considering either delaying or coming out of retirement, according to a new survey from F&G Annuities & Life Inc. The survey, which polled more than 2,000 adults aged 50 and older and who have more than US$100,000 in financial products/savings, found among respondents who […]
A third (32 per cent) of Canadian employers say mandatory minimum wage hikes result in increased wages across the entire company, according to a new survey by the Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals. The survey, which polled more than 500 hiring decision-makers and more than 500 employees, found the main driver for […]
A decline in the number of long-term disability claims over the past three years may be the result of some employees prioritizing their financial health over physical and mental wellness, said William Lindsay, senior disability management advisor for Desjardins Insurance’s disability management and prevention team, during Benefits Canada’s 2024 Mental Health Summit in June. The […]