Job satisfaction is a major influence on employees’ perceptions of their personal health, according to the 2019 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. The survey found employees respond positively when they feel valued, and that plan sponsors could benefit from raising awareness of the link between physical and mental health. Plan sponsors, it also noted, can support […]
In Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, pension funds are increasing their exposure to equities at the expense of fixed income, according to a new report by Mercer. Over the five-year measurement period, in aggregate, average allocations to equities for the growth markets covered rose eight percentage points to 40 per cent, while […]
Industry groups had mixed feelings about an expert panel’s report calling for a single-payer pharmacare plan. Released on Wednesday by Eric Hoskins, former Ontario health minister, the report recommended Canada and the provinces work together to create a unified program that addresses the country’s patchwork of prescription drug plans. Provinces and territories, the panel said, […]
More than half (54 per cent) of Canadian workers reported having at least one chronic disease or condition, according to the 2019 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. The five most common issues were mental illness, hypertension, high cholesterol, arthritis and diabetes. Nearly half (42 per cent) of respondents also reported having chronic pain, describing it as […]
Forty-three million Americans are currently acting as an unpaid caregiver for a family member, according to a report by the U.S.-based business research organization LIMRA. It also suggested half of these unpaid caregivers work full time outside the home, with the demands of taking care of a loved one impacting their career. Indeed, it found […]
An expert panel is calling for the federal government to work with the provinces and territories to create a single-payer public pharmacare program. Eric Hoskins, Ontario’s former health minister, released the findings in Ottawa on Wednesday, noting the recommendations aim to address the country’s patchwork of private and public prescription drug plans. The council is recommending […]
The Canadian equity market has been downgraded from “++” to “+” on foreign room level, according to MSCI Inc.’s 2019 global market accessibility review. The review is a tool for international institutional investors to track market accessibility for individual countries. It covers various criteria including openness to foreign ownership, ease of capital inflows and outflows, […]
The OPSEU Pension Trust is partnering with James Evans & Associates Ltd. to launch an online services portal for its members. The OPTrust selected the Canadian pension software company’s member portal for the experience it will offer plan members and employers, noted a press release. The OPTrust is a minority shareholder in JEA. Read: OPTrust Select welcomes first members […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is partnering with private equity firm Australis Partners and the International Finance Corp., a part of the World Bank Group, to acquire 50 per cent stakes in Colombia-based Alianza Fiduciaria and Alianza Valores. Both firms are owned by Advent International, a British private equity firm. Alianza Fiduciaria is a […]
More than half (58 per cent) of institutional investors surveyed have implemented smart beta strategies, according a recent survey from FTSE Russel. This represents a 10 per cent increase since 2018. When looking at investors that have implemented smart beta, or are evaluating or planning to use a smart beta index-based strategy, the number jumps […]