Retiree spending of public and private sector pension benefits generated US$1.3 trillion in total economic output in the U.S. in 2020, supporting nearly 6.8 million jobs during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report by the National Institute on Retirement Security. It also found $612.6 billion in pension benefits were paid […]
The U.S. Department of Defense is expanding its parental leave program for military personnel. Specifically, the expansion will provide parental leave to active and reserve component service members — on active duty for 12 months or more — who have given birth, adopted a child or had a child placed for adoption or long-term foster […]
An article on the the latest investments by Canadian institutional investment organizations was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Ontario Teachers’ backing auto insurance merger, pension plans leap on new BMO equity 2. 75% of employers expecting hiring challenges in 2023: survey 3. Expert […]
Co-operators Financial Services Ltd. is acquiring Mississauga, Ont.-based Smart Employee Benefits Inc. Following the acquisition, Smart Employee Benefits will continue to operate as a standalone entity, according to a press release. Read: Gallagher acquiring Buck for US$660 million “We are confident that Smart Employee Benefits is well-positioned to expand its offerings to meet the needs […]
The real estate arm of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is extending a lease to a major media organization. According to the terms of the deal between Ivanhoé Cambridge and News Corp., the media company will continue to lease six hectares of space within a Manhattan office building to Fox News, a […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is appointing Kristen Walters as senior managing director and chief risk officer. In the role, Walters will be responsible for the investment organization’s global risk management functions, including overseeing a strategy to better incorporate risk perspectives into all investment and operational processes, according to a press release. Prior to […]
The aggregate funded ratio for Canadian defined benefit pension plans increased from 96.9 per cent to 100.8 per cent during 2022, according to Aon’s latest pension risk tracker. The tracker, which calculates the aggregate funded position on an accounting basis for companies in the S&P/TSX composite index with DB plans, also found pension assets lost […]
Meridian Credit Union Ltd. is supporting local communities through its employee giving program. The organization’s year-end giving campaign, which launched Nov. 29 to coincide with GivingTuesday, generated $312,000 in employee donations and employer matches. Senior leaders also made a surprise donation of $67,000, which will be shared between three charities. In November and December, all Meridian branches across Ontario collected […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is providing an equity injection to help finance the acquisition of an automotive financing and insurance company. APCO Holdings, in which the pension fund holds a majority stake, is acquiring National Auto Care for an undisclosed sum. While a portion of the price tag was secured through third-party debt financing, APCO […]
The average solvency ratio of Canadian defined benefit pension plans grew by 10 per cent in 2022, according to a new report by Mercer Canada. The report, which looked at the overall 2022 performance of more than 500 Canadian DB plans in the consultancy’s pension database, found the median solvency ratio reached 113 per cent […]