An independent review of the Ontario Municipal Employees’ Retirement System will examine the unique governance structure of the investment organization. The current structure of the investment organization designates two separate entities with different duties and responsibilities, notes Jordan Fremont, a partner in the pensions and benefits group at Stikeman Elliott LLP. The OMERS Sponsors Corporation […]
The average funded position of defined benefit pension plans in Ontario was 121 per cent in the third quarter of 2024, down just two per cent from the previous quarter, according to a new report by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario. It attributed this decrease to a drop in discount rates from the previous […]
In its fall economic statement on Wednesday, the Ontario government said it plans to consult with pension industry stakeholders on the possibility of offering variable life benefits to employees in the province. In 2021, the federal government made amendments to the federal Income Tax Act to permit Canadian jurisdictions to regulate this new pension option, […]
Defined benefit pension plans support more than one million beneficiaries in Ontario and these benefits provided more than $34.6 billion to the province’s gross domestic product in 2023, according to a new report by the Conference Board of Canada on behalf of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan, the OPSEU Pension Trust and the University […]
The median projected solvency ratio for Ontario defined benefit pension plans was 123 per cent as at June 30, 2024, up slightly from 122 per cent as at March 31, according to a new report by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario. It found this increase was attributable to a rise in solvency discount […]
An article on the Ontario government’s review of preferred pharmacy networks 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. Ontario reviewing impact of preferred pharmacy networks on plan members’ costs, accessibility 2. Canadian employers focusing on workers’ emotional well-being in […]
Ontario’s Ministry of Health is consulting on the role of preferred pharmacy networks in the province’s employer-sponsored drug insurance sector to determine how these agreements impact plan members’ costs, choice, accessibility and access to medicine and quality of care. In its draft consultation paper, the ministry said a common concern among consumers is when PPNs are closed and […]
Ontario’s proposed regulatory framework for target-benefit pension plans includes requirements that are more prescriptive than other jurisdictions and could result in additional costs and reduced benefits for plan members, said the Association of Canadian Pension Management. In an open letter, the ACPM noted the inclusion of policies — such as those determining funding and benefits, […]
Stronger regulations at the provincial level surrounding Ontario employers’ publicly advertised job postings can prevent companies from ‘ghosting’ applicants and provide candidates with more transparency in the recruiting process, says Patricia Hewlin, professor of social organizational psychology at Columbia University’s Teachers College. This year, Ontario is amending the Working for Workers Act to require employers to […]
An article on an Ontario court ruling that determined an employer wasn’t obligated to preserve past service benefits was the most-read article on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Ontario court rules employer not obligated to preserve past service benefits 2. 49% of […]