Having a plan and being in control of your finances in retirement is just as important as being in control of your health. A report from the RBC Your Future by Design Retirement Research Centre in collaboration with the University of Waterloo, advises Canadians to learn how to manage their physical and financial capital […]
A brief update on the movement on the pension reform front. CPP Negotiating changes to the Canada Pension Plan isn’t going to be easy. Changes made to the CPP require the agreement of two-thirds of the provinces, representing two-thirds of Canada’s population. Currently, Alberta Finance Minister Ted Morton is not onside with such changes. Alberta […]
At a time when most Canadians have seen their retirement savings decrease, those on Parliament Hill have been seen theirs grow 10%, reports the Toronto Sun. And, pensions for MPs are also indexed for life with the payments growing at a rate of 3.3% per year. MPs must be 55 years of age to […]
Despite the criticism of our pension system, the second annual Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index has ranked Canada’s as No. 5, ahead of the U.S., the U.K. and France. “What this says is that Canada’s pension system is continuing to rank among the better systems of the world,” says Scott Clausen, a partner with Mercer. […]
Adding these benefits won’t cost you anything, but will carry value with employees. Payroll budgets may be more robust than they were a year ago, with some employers even hoping to expand their workforce, but there still isn’t a whole lot of wiggle room for new programs. So, how can employers stand out in an […]
Just as plan sponsors are moving away from defined benefit (DB) pensions, so too is global consultant Mercer. On October 7, Mercer told its 24 public U.S. DB clients that it will no longer be offering investment consulting services. Charles Salmans, partner and director of global public relations with Mercer said the company is working […]
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) strikes only about 1% of the population. That percentage, however, translates to almost 30,000 cases in British Columbia alone last year, making it a condition that employers need to have on their radar. At the Health Work & Wellness conference held in Vancouver last week, Diane Lacaille, MD, associate professor with the […]
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that environment and genetics both carry a 20% stake in a person’s overall health. These numbers may seem high but compared to the 50% that accounts for lifestyle choices, it’s obvious where employers need to be focusing their efforts. Karen Seward, executive vice-president, business development […]
Diversification is the best reason to include lifecycle funds in DC plans, said Peter Walsh, an institutional portfolio manager with Pyramis Global Advisors, at the third annual DC Investment Forum, Wednesday in Toronto. When it comes down to it, he said, plan members on a whole don’t truly understand diversification. “If they are in […]
The president of the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) delivered a warning Wednesday that diabetes not only threatens the physical health of Canadians, but the financial well being of our healthcare system. Michael Cloutier, president and CEO of the CDA had a somber message for a standing-room-only audience at the Sutton Place Hotel in Toronto. “The […]