While real estate has long been a part of defined benefit pension plans’ asset allocations, its inclusion in investment portfolios has steadily climbed in recent years. But defined contribution plan sponsors and members also stand to benefit from the asset class’ inflation-hedging properties, as well as its ability to boost income and improve portfolio diversification. Pension […]
Rising interest rates and market turmoil have called into question the ability of core fixed income to provide pension plan sponsors with its traditional benefits of stable returns and income, diversification and capital preservation. But Kevin Minas, vice-president and client portfolio manager of global fixed income at CIBC Asset Management Inc., said he actually expects […]
Increasingly, defined contribution plan sponsors are grappling with adding environmental, social and governance investing options to their plans as a growing number of members ask for them, but the legal landscape for ESG investing is complicated, according to Kathy Bush, partner at Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP, during Benefits Canada’s 2022 DC Investment Forum in late […]
As Canadian employers deepen their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to increase the representation of historically underrepresented groups among their workforces, they’re also focusing on attracting, retaining and engaging that talent. These initiatives include placing a greater emphasis on healthy and psychologically safe workplaces and revamping benefits plans to meet a wider range of employee […]
While the latest stage of the coronavirus pandemic is heralding a gradual return to relative calm, plan sponsors are stepping out of the frying pan and into the fire. The pandemic accelerated the ongoing evolution in the relationship between plan sponsors and plan members, with employees now looking to their employers to help them manage […]
When the Molson Coors Beverage Co. introduced gender affirmation benefits for its Canadian workforce early this year, it was an extension of its diversity, equity and inclusion goal to make the traditionally male-dominated brewing industry a more welcoming place for underrepresented groups. The gender affirmation benefit, which was first offered to the brewing company’s U.S. […]
The coronavirus pandemic has marked a sea change in how Canadians receive health care. While just four per cent of primary care visits were conducted virtually pre-pandemic, that rose to roughly 60 per cent after the onset of the global health crisis. This represents an opportunity to reshape how health care can be delivered and, in […]
Canadian employers are turning their focus to updating their benefits plans and ensuring a strong employee experience in an effort to address the challenges employees are facing in the coronavirus pandemic and to attract key talent in a tight labour market. “Many companies are adding new services to their benefits plans to support their employees […]
Living with Type 1 diabetes is like having a full-time job on top of managing a day job and life commitments — one that involves making constant risk assessments and difficult decisions throughout the day. “‘How many carbs did I eat? How much insulin do I need for that? Am I going to exercise later […]
Benefits plans tend to support employees dealing with either mild or severe mental-health symptoms, but an entire middle category of plan members lack a treatment option geared toward their moderate symptoms. As such, plan sponsors should think about matching services with severity when they’re considering which mental-health programs to incorporate into their benefits plans, said […]