Jennifer Paterson

Budget offers details on new five-week leave for second parent

In its 2018 budget on Tuesday, the federal government confirmed it would introduce a new five-week incentive for second parents to take parental leave. The use-it-or-lose-it employment insurance parental sharing benefit, which will take effect in June 2019, will be available to eligible two-parent families, including adoptive and same-sex couples, to take at any point following the arrival of […]

  • February 27, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 18:30

Budget confirms new advisory council on implementation of national pharmacare

The 2018 budget has confirmed the federal government is creating an advisory council on the implementation of a national pharmacare program. Marc-André Gagnon, associate professor at Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration, believes the budget’s wording around implementation, rather than consultation, marks a real commitment to moving forward on this issue. “The advisory council is really […]

  • February 27, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 18:30

Caisse returns 9.3% in 2017 amid transition period for global investors

The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec returned 9.3 per cent in 2017, an increase on its return of 7.6 per cent in 2016. While announcing the annual results on Wednesday, Michael Sabia, president and chief executive officer of the Caisse, said the portfolio reacted almost exactly as forecasted. He also highlighted the important transition period […]

  • February 21, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 11:00

Buy-ins and boomerangs: A look at the trends in Canada’s annuity market

When Loblaw Companies Ltd. purchased annuities to reduce the risk in its defined benefit pension plans in January 2017, the $350-million, inflation-linked buyout kicked off a year of significant activity in the Canadian annuity market. Group annuity purchases had reached nearly $2.5 billion by the end of the third quarter of 2017, according to Willis […]

  • February 9, 2018 March 17, 2021
  • 08:58

CGI Group targets employees’ health goals, action plan in new year wellness program

CGI Group Inc. has rolled out a new year’s wellness program that tackles employees’ health goals from an initial consultation through to the development of a personalized action plan. The global information technology company, which has Canadian offices in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia, is offering the New Year, New Me program to up […]

  • February 5, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 08:00

Pharmacogenetic testing a growing area as pilot projects, research get underway

Plan sponsors looking to integrate pharmacogenetic testing into their benefits plan will soon have lots of information to consider as Canada’s biggest insurance companies roll out pilot projects and research begins to shed light on the return on investment. “The market is expanding. Insurers are piloting projects. You will hear a lot about pharmacogenetics over the next 12 months,” said […]

  • February 1, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:45

Compensation disclosure guideline making waves in benefits, retirement market

A proposed guideline setting out standards for the disclosure of intermediary compensation in group benefits and retirement services could have a big effect on the market. Dave Patriarche, president of Mainstay Insurance Brokerage Inc. and founder of Canadian Group Insurance Brokers Inc., is supportive of compensation disclosure and says the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association’s new guideline makes […]

  • January 22, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 08:00

Manitoba Liberals, union concerned with direction of province’s pension proposals

Manitoba’s Liberal Party is concerned about a number of pension plan design changes put forth by the province’s Conservative government in a public review earlier this month. “We are extremely concerned about the direction the Pallister government is taking on pensions,” Dougald Lamont, the leader of the Manitoba Liberals, said in an email to Benefits Canada.   The […]

  • January 19, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 16:45

Take advantage of current plan health by de-risking now, sponsors urged

Whether plan sponsors expect a bear or a bull market in 2018, if they’re in a position to de-risk their pension plan, they should do it now, according to two investment consultants who spoke at an event in Toronto on Thursday. “From our perspective, if you look at the world over the last six years, […]

  • January 18, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 14:30

Allstate targets employee mindfulness, finances in January well-being programs

Building on a wellness program that covers employees’ overall well-being, Allstate Insurance Co. of Canada is introducing a trio of programs in January. “January can be a stressful and a tough month for many,” says Adrianne Sullivan-Campeau, the organization’s vice-president of human resources. “So you’re coming down from the holiday high, you have large bills coming in from your holiday purchases, […]

  • January 17, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:30