In 2025, the Association of Canadian Pension Management is focusing on flexible pension plan models amid a backdrop of multiple elections taking place across Canada. Korinne Collins, chief executive officer at the ACPM, says flexibility is needed around decumulation strategies for defined contribution plans and the potential for different income tax treatments for workers looking […]
An article on the Benefits Alliance’s 2025 priorities 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. Pharmacare, access to virtual health care among priorities for Benefits Alliance in 2025 2. Costco defends its diversity policies as other U.S. companies […]
Implementation of harmonized minimum funding regulations for federally regulated defined benefit pension plans tops the Pension Investment Association of Canada’s list of advocacy priorities in 2025. Currently, DB plan sponsors are operating amid a patchwork of minimum funding regulations across the country, as most provinces have introduced requirements of their own. “A unified ‘going-concern plus’ regime […]
Canadian spending per household trends show the country’s economy is experiencing a recession, said Stephen Poloz, former governor at the Bank of Canada and a special advisor at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Investment Innovation Conference. Consumer spending numbers have declined around two per cent for […]
Variable payment life annuities and the impact of gender identity on actuarial standards are among the issues the Canadian Institute of Actuaries is monitoring in 2025, says Simon Nelson, a principal at Eckler Ltd. and chair of the CIA’s pension practice committee. A CIA task force on VPLAs will present its findings early this year, […]
The rapid rise in the cost of living in 2022 and into 2023 underscored the need for target-date funds to not just protect against standard inflation, but inflation shocks as well. The problem that presents is the more inflation protection that’s added into a portfolio, the lower the returns, said Nick Nefouse, managing director, global […]
The end of the federal government’s real return bond program will deprive institutional investors and pension plan members of a valuable investment tool that can help protect against inflation, according to a new report by the C.D. Howe Institute. It found a majority of Canada’s largest institutional investors are interested in investing in real return bonds and […]
An article on the federal government’s financial sanctions against the Canada Life Assurance Co. following delayed benefits access for public employees was the most-read article on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the past week: 1. Canada Life facing gov’t financial sanctions following delayed benefits access for public […]
The recent pressure put on Canadian pensions plans from private managers and governments to re-discover an investment home bias has been met with little enthusiasm, despite special interest by both federal and provincial governments to potentially tap pension fund capital for infrastructure given that current expenditure eats up a large share of the budget. Infrastructure […]
A renewed call for increased domestic investments by Canadian pension plans isn’t surprising amid an ongoing discussion around the role of investment organizations in supporting the economy, says Malcolm Hamilton, a senior fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute. “I think it’s very natural for Canadian businesses . . . [that] focus on the Canadian economy, not […]