Private drug plans saw the largest yearly increase in their average eligible costs in 2019, according to Telus Health’s annual drug trends report. The report attributed the rise to a jump in the use and cost of specialty drugs and a growth in younger Canadians using medication for mental-health challenges. It also noted the repeal of the OHIP+ program […]
While the Pension Investment Association of Canada strongly supports Nova Scotia’s recent pension funding changes, it’s calling on the provincial government to tweak the provision for adverse deviation calculation and access to solvency reserve accounts. Nova Scotia’s pension funding changes took effect on April 1, reducing solvency funding to 85 per cent, with any shortfalls required to be […]
There’s a record amount of dry powder sitting in the distressed private capital space, according to new data from Preqin. Between distressed debt, special situations and turnaround strategies, total dry powder in the distressed private capital arena sits at an estimated US$131 billion as of June 2020, an all-time record. Of note, the distressed private […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan’s 2019 climate change report contains its first-ever, independently assured portfolio carbon footprint. Even as the plan’s assets grew in 2019, it’s overall carbon footprint fell by about 15 per cent, driven in large part by the sale of a particularly high-emitting private asset, according to the report, which was assured […]
Japan Tobacco International is launching a global equal family leave policy for all of its employees. The new global strategy, which goes beyond the national family leave provisions in 80 per cent of the 81 countries in which the multinational is located, offers a minimum of 20 weeks fully paid leave for employees, regardless of […]
Virtual-care options are gaining ground, according to the 2020 Sanofi Canada health-care survey. Looking at a scenario where plan members would receive health-care services through secure digital chat or video devices — where the health-care professionals aren’t the member’s usual providers, but would be able to share the consultation information with them if requested — […]
Jim Hall is stepping down as co-manager of Mawer Investment Management Ltd.’s Canadian and global equity strategies to focus his full attention on his responsibilities as chair of the firm’s board of directors, effective Jan 1. 2021. Paul Moroz, who currently co-manages the global equity strategy alongside Hall, in addition to his role as chief […]
Sun Life Canada is launching an environmental, social and governance framework for its group retirement services to help pension plan sponsors and members make sustainable investing decisions. The framework is meant to identify ESG leaders in both funds and managers across all major asset categories offered in the record-keeper’s group retirement services core investment platform, […]
Fujitsu Ltd. is introducing permanent remote working for 80,000 global employees in a bid to boost innovation and work-life balance. The Japanese multinational’s campaign, which it calls ‘Work-Life Shift,’ relies on three core principles: smart working, borderless offices and culture change, marking “the end of the conventional notion of commuting to and from fixed offices, […]
The Public Sector Pension Investment Board’s special coronavirus emergency relief initiative has raised over $700,000 for various charities. Donations went to supporting four organizations actively involved in coronavirus relief efforts, namely HealthPartners, United Way/Centraide Canada, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Community Foundations of Canada. Through the initiative, which ran from May 12 […]