Alberta’s public sector pension plans are reassuring members their pensions are safe, following a recent ministerial order enacted by the provincial government. The order was enacted in late December by Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews after 2020 deadlines for investment management agreements between the pensions and the Alberta Investment Management Corp. passed with no result. […]
The Alberta Investment Management Corp. is now managing investments for several pensions in the province, a move facing at least one legal challenge. This change is part of a ministerial order that Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews enacted upon several Alberta-based pensions in late December, after 2020 deadlines for investment management agreements between the pensions […]
With private-sector defined benefit pension coverage declining over the past two decades, the federal government should take more steps to prioritize coverage and benefit adequacy, according to a new consultation paper from the Association of Canadian Pension Management. The paper said solvency funding relief should be a key priority, with options based on factors including […]
The Association of Canadian Pension Management is calling on the federal government to implement two measures to assist in identifying deceased pension plan beneficiaries and in recovering overpaid amounts. In its letter to the department of Finance Canada, the ACPM requested that plan administrators be permitted to recover tax withheld at source through a credit […]
Ontario’s pension plan administrators and plan members share the responsibility of maintaining current contact information, according to the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario’s final guidance on missing plan members. It recommended administrators maintain a records management system and retention schedules that support long-term administration of the pension plan and to exercise care and diligence […]
The Pension Investment Association of Canada is commenting on a consultation from the Canadian Institute of Actuaries’ actuarial standards board, providing feedback on benefit security, stress testing and windup valuations. In a letter, the PIAC said the meaning and mandated disclosures of benefit security are public policy issues for lawmakers and regulators. “While the views of the [actuarial standards […]
In Monday’s fall economic statement, the federal government proposed changes to employee stock option rules and offered additional support for essential workers. The statement provided an overview of the government’s approach to combating the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, while offering details on additional measures moving forward. The changes to employee stock option tax rules include an annual […]
The Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities is releasing a consultation draft of revisions to its pension plan funding policy guideline. The guideline provides direction on the development and adoption of funding policies for defined benefit and target-benefit pension plans, including best practices for plan administrators and sponsors. Read: CAPSA updates guidelines on DC plan payout, […]
Provincial finance ministers have been quietly prodding Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland to pause planned increases in the premiums employers and employees pay into the Canada Pension Plan. The planned increase on Jan. 1, 2021 is part of a multi-year plan approved by provinces and the federal government four years ago to boost retirement benefits through the public plan by […]
The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions and the Financial Services Regulatory Association of Ontario have selected members for their new joint advisory committee on defined contribution pension plans. The committee will review the regulators’ approaches to supervising DC plans and, where possible, enhance regulatory efficiency and effectiveness by finding opportunities for harmonization. Read: […]