U.S. President Joe Biden is announcing the infusion of nearly US$36 billion to shore up a financially troubled union pension plan, preventing severe cuts to the retirement incomes of more than 350,000 Teamster workers and retirees across the U.S. The money for the Central States Pension Fund is the largest amount of federal aid provided […]
The Saskatchewan government is introducing amendments to its pension legislation that provide additional flexibility for plan sponsors and introduce new decumulation options for members of defined contribution plans. The bill, which passed first reading in provincial parliament last week, includes provisions for DC plan sponsors to offer advanced life deferred annuities and variable payment lifetime […]
Despite concerns about global economic headwinds, the Bank of Canada’s successful efforts to curb inflation is capturing the attention of institutional investors, says Kathrin Forrest, a Toronto-based equity investment specialist at Capital Group Inc. “It’s surprised market participants,” says Forrest, referring to the central bank’s Oct. 26 decision to increase interest rates for the sixth […]
The Canadian Federation of Pensioners is taking issue with some of the Alberta government’s proposed legislative and policy updates for private sector pension laws, including a focus on transferring pension risk from plan sponsors to plan members. In its response to the provincial regulator’s consultation draft, the CFP said transferring this risk would be a significant […]
Canada’s defined benefit pension plans improved on both a solvency basis and an accounting basis in October, according to a new report by LifeWorks Inc. The monthly pension indices report found the average Canadian DB pension plan saw its solvency ratio rise to 103.2 per cent, up 3.1 per cent from the previous month. On […]
The Pension Investment Association of Canada is reiterating its concerns about Bill C-228, which was designed to protect members of defined benefit pension plans during windups. “PIAC shares the same concern as the [House of Commons] standing committee on finance that pension security is paramount for our members,” wrote Peter Waite, executive director of the […]
The value of a typical Canadian defined benefit pension plan’s assets declined in September, according to LifeWorks Inc.’s latest monthly report. An investment portfolio designed to mimic typical Canadian DB portfolios saw its assets shrink by 2.8 per cent over the month. The value of the benchmark portfolio, which is composed of 50 per cent […]
The average Canadian defined benefit pension plan’s projected benefit obligation fell 3.4 per cent during the third quarter of 2022, from 100.5 per cent to 97.2 per cent, and considerably faster than asset values, according to Aon’s latest pension risk tracker. While market volatility led to asset values decreasing by 0.1 per cent in the […]
Yellow Pages Ltd. has secured the support of enough shareholders to approve a plan to bolster its defined benefit pension plan’s coffers. During a virtual meeting scheduled for Sept. 23, 2022, shareholders are expected to vote on a proposal to advance $24 million to the company’s DB plan. “Our board has approved the use of […]
Canadian defined benefit pension plans’ assets experienced losses of 8.6 per cent in the second quarter of 2022, bringing year-to-date total returns to negative 14.7 per cent, according to a new report by RBC Investor and Treasury Services. It was the most significant decline since the third quarter of 2008, when assets also fell by 8.6 […]