An article on the Ontario Court of Appeal’s affirmation of a $1.5 million punitive damages award was the most-read article on BenefitsCanada.com this week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pensions and investment articles of the past week: 1. Court of Appeal upholds $1.5 million punitive damages award in LTD claims case 2. N.B. transferring 5 public […]
In the coming year, the Association of Canadian Pension Management is looking forward to the possibility of participating in final consultations on policies and legislation determining variable payment life annuities, says Todd Saulnier, a principal at Mercer and president of the ACPM board. The 2023 federal budget proposed amendments to the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 […]
Just a fifth (22 per cent) of Albertans say they support the province’s plan to leave the Canada Pension Plan in favour of a provincial plan, down from 27 per cent last October, according to a new survey by Leger Marketing Inc. The survey, which polled more than 1,000 Albertans, found while 40 per cent […]
An article on the funded position of Canadian defined benefit pension plans was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the five top HR, benefit, pension and investment stories of the week: 1. Average DB pension plan’s funded position on solvency basis up in November: report 2. Decision raises questions about dependent contractors’ entitlement to reasonable notice […]
The impacts of climate change and federal super-priority legislation on Canadian pension plans are among the issues that the Canadian Institute of Actuaries is monitoring in 2024, says Simon Nelson, a principal at Eckler Ltd. and chair of the CIA’s pension practice committee. While climate change is a consideration across all of the CIA’s practice […]
The Pension Investments Association of Canada is calling on the British Columbia government to refrain from setting limits on the type of entities that can offer variable life benefits. In an open letter, the association said a competitive landscape that includes a broad scope of service providers, including registered pension plans, would be beneficial for retirees, noting […]
The Pension Investment Association of Canada will concentrate its legislative advocacy efforts on funding reform in 2024, including for an overhaul of long-term, minimum funding regulations for federally regulated defined benefit pension plans, said David Lawson, the PIAC’s new chair. In an emailed statement to Benefits Canada, he said as DB plan sponsors continue to face […]
While it’s impossible to predict exactly how pension case law will evolve in future, one can offer an educated guess at some legislative developments and other issues that may confront pension plan sponsors and administrators in the coming year. Risk management Plan sponsors can expect a continued focus on risk management as a key part […]
A story on mental-health themes and challenges for 2024 was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the past week: 1. Expert panel: Employers taking preventative, holistic approach to employee mental health in 2024 2. AI holds uncapped potential for pension plan sponsors’ administration, communications: […]
Data management and transference is a key area of risk for pension plan sponsors as the vulnerability of engaging with third parties creates opportunities for cybercriminals, says Jillian Kennedy, a partner at Mercer. According to an online brief published last year by Ernst & Young, third-party service providers hired by public pension plan sponsors tend to […]