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Legal considerations for pension plan sponsors on design changes amid coronavirus

Financial hardship is hitting employers across Canada and they’re starting to make difficult choices around cost-cutting measures within their businesses. “Some plan sponsors may be considering changes to their plan design to address these cost concerns during these turbulent times,” said Jana Steele, partner and department chair of the pension and benefits team at Osler, Hoskin […]

  • April 7, 2020 March 9, 2022
  • 10:00

Gather data on CAP member behaviour to inform communications in a crisis

In normal circumstances, pension plan members don’t respond well to being inundated with information about their plans. Typically, a deluge of content can turn off plan members, says Jillian Kennedy, leader of defined contribution and financial wellness at Mercer Canada. But today’s circumstances are far from ordinary. “Right now, you can’t over communicate.”  In 2008, the financial […]

  • April 2, 2020 November 30, 2020
  • 09:20

Canadian pension players making donations, investments to alleviate coronavirus pressure

With a world in turmoil, some of Canada’s public pension plans and investment managers are considering how they can use their economic clout to help. The British Columbia Investment Management Corp. realized there was a responsibility in its staff working from home because of the coronavirus. Normally, staff are encouraged each year to take a day of […]

  • April 2, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 09:15

Ontario Teachers’ posts 10.4% gains for 2019, focuses on maintaining certainty

The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan posted a net return of 10.4 per cent for 2019, bringing net assets to $207.4 billion. Its $20.2 billion in investment income represents an organizational best, said Jo Taylor, the pension fund’s president and chief executive officer, on a conference call Tuesday morning, outperforming the 2018 return of 2.5 per […]

  • April 1, 2020 December 13, 2020
  • 08:09

Ontario Teachers’ posts 10.4% gains for 2019, focuses on maintaining certainty

The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan posted a net return of 10.4 per cent for 2019, bringing net assets to $207.4 billion. Its $20.2 billion in investment income represents an organizational best, said Jo Taylor, the pension fund’s president and chief executive officer, on a conference call Tuesday morning, outperforming the 2018 return of 2.5 per cent after a volatile year in […]

  • March 31, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 15:15

Will coronavirus push changes to the CAP landscape forward?

With the federal government easing the withdrawal requirements for registered retirement income funds in a bid to alleviate the harm to retirees’ portfolios caused by the coronavirus-spurred market crash, the industry is suggesting similar measures for other retirement arrangements. “Canadians who are about to turn money into income will be faced with the decision of […]

  • March 30, 2020 December 13, 2020
  • 07:58

Will coronavirus push changes to CAP landscape forward?

With the federal government easing the withdrawal requirements for registered retirement income funds in a bid to alleviate the harm to retirees’ portfolios caused by the coronavirus-spurred market crash, the industry is suggesting similar measures for other retirement arrangements. “Canadians who are about to turn money into income will be faced with the decision of […]

  • March 27, 2020 November 30, 2020
  • 10:00

How are institutional investors weighing the risks, opportunities of the energy transition?

If climate change represents one of the largest systemic risks the global economy has ever faced, dealing with its ramifications is going to move a lot of money. The world’s youth have taken to the streets calling on their governments for massive, co-ordinated policy change, but it hasn’t yet manifested. Any piecemeal regulatory shifts suffer […]

  • March 27, 2020 December 13, 2020
  • 07:21

Ontario establishes tax deferrals, special payments to support employers, workers

Ontario employers suddenly concerned about cash flow in the wake of the coronavirus will see some relief from measures announced by the provincial government in a special fiscal and economic update on Wednesday. The government is enacting a temporary change to the employer health tax exemption, cutting it by $355 million. With the change, 57,000 […]

  • March 25, 2020 November 12, 2020
  • 16:15

Retirement system must reflect Canadians working longer: report

While some may still dream of an early retirement, the world where freedom 55 seemed like a genuine possibility is no longer the world we live in today. However, in some ways, the retirement systems established by Canada’s government don’t reflect the current reality — in order to achieve a financially healthy retirement, Canadians will need to […]

  • March 24, 2020 November 30, 2020
  • 09:30