Home Glenn Kauth

From AMPs to SIPPs: Why plan sponsors have a lot on the regulatory plate in 2018

Administrative monetary penalties and statements of investment policies and procedures will be key concerns for Ontario pension plan sponsors as the provincial government moves forward on major regulatory changes in 2018. “Breach of [the investment policy statement] is one of the areas for which the new regulator will be able to impose administrative monetary penalties,” […]

  • December 12, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 08:35

NAFTA’s demise ‘vastly overstated’: economist

While the North American Free Trade Agreement is unlikely to meet its demise any time soon, the ongoing uncertainty about the talks is creating uncertainty that has the potential to put a damper on Canada’s economy, a panel of economists said on Friday. “What I’m concerned about is that businesses won’t think the same way,” […]

  • December 10, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 13:17

Editorial: Shining a bright light on drug costs

It’s hard enough for plan members to understand how they can best use their benefits plans, particularly when they’re unaware of the details of the fees charged by service providers. Consider drug claims at a pharmacy. Many plan members aren’t aware that the cost includes an amount for the drug itself, a markup by the […]

  • November 21, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00

CPP reforms a ‘convenient time’ to consider more complex DC design

Defined benefit pension plans have long included formulas for integrating the Canada Pension Plan into their contributions and benefits design. But with CPP contributions set to rise in 2019, the question of integration will be a consideration for the sponsors of defined contribution pension plans as well. CPP integration isn’t a particularly common feature of […]

  • November 21, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 08:55

TTC condoned benefits fraud, union argues in fighting staff terminations

The Toronto Transit Commission condoned the benefits fraud involving millions of dollars for orthopedic claims, the union representing workers is arguing in a number of grievances challenging their terminations. In an interim arbitration award earlier this month, arbitrator Lorne Slotnick outlined how the TTC is facing 103 grievances over the firings of workers connected to […]

  • November 14, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 15:30

U.S. pension industry ‘safe from Rothification’ for now

The U.S. pension industry has avoided a major shakeup posed by the potential “Rothification” of the tax rules around retirement savings, a pension expert said at an event in Toronto on Wednesday. “For now, at least, we seem to be safe from Rothification,” Drew Carrington, U.S. head of institutional defined contribution at Franklin Templeton Investments […]

  • November 9, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 10:40

Editorial: Alberta’s dental dilemma

It’s hard not to feel at least some sympathy for an Alberta dental graduate coming out of school with $400,000 in debt. In response to a recent story on BenefitsCanada.com about complaints about Alberta’s sky-high dental fees, the graduate noted the significant financial pressures resulting not only from school debts but also the cost of […]

  • October 10, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00

Panel orders Soliris price cut but rejects CLHIA bid to reimburse private payers

While a Patented Medicine Prices Review Board hearing panel has ordered Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. to lower the price of the drug Soliris, it has rejected a bid by the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association to make the company reimburse private payers for the overcharges. “Employers have borne the brunt of the overly high pricing, so […]

  • October 2, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 08:47

Employers looking to ‘DBification’ of DC plans as industry matures

As the defined contribution pension industry continues to mature, employers are considering ways to improve them by introducing elements of defined benefit plans, an industry expert told an event on Wednesday. In fact, plan sponsors are looking at how they can provide for the “DBification” of defined contribution plans, said Idan Shlesinger, managing partner at […]

  • September 13, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 16:02

Ontario, auditor general dig in heels in pension accounting dispute

The Ontario government’s disagreement over how to treat the surpluses of two of its major pension plans is heating up once again as the province’s auditor general claims it has understated its deficit by more than $3 billion over the last two years. As a result, auditor general Bonnie Lysyk has issued a qualified opinion on […]

  • September 7, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 17:26