Expert panel: How DB pension plan sponsors can use surplus – test
In 2022, the typical defined benefit pension plan achieved an investment return of roughly negative 12 per cent. However, due to dramatic increases in bond…
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Expert panel: How could inflation impact DB pension plans?
After being off of Canadians’ radar screens for years, the re-emergence of inflation in recent months is receiving significant attention for many, including pension plan…
- By: Gavin Benjamin
- October 26, 2021 October 25, 2021
- 09:00
Could pandemic-related mortality rates impact DB pension plans?
Over the past several months, much attention has been paid to the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on financial markets and, subsequently, defined benefit pension plans’ financial conditions…
- By: Gavin Benjamin
- June 8, 2021 June 23, 2021
- 09:00
What do pension benefits guarantee fund changes mean for plan sponsors?
Alongside recent reforms to funding rules for Ontario-registered defined benefit pension plans, the Ontario government also made changes to the pension benefits guarantee fund, including improvements…
- March 26, 2019 September 13, 2019
- 08:30
A primer on the incoming CPP/QPP enhancements
In 2016, the Government of Canada reached an agreement with the provinces that provides for significant enhancements to the Canada Pension Plan, with an announcement of…
- November 27, 2018 September 13, 2019
- 08:00
Are tontines a solution to Canada’s decumulation challenges?
With the aging of Canada’s population, the move to defined contribution pension plans in the private sector and increases in life expectancy, the issue of…
- May 21, 2018 September 13, 2019
- 11:38
Four pension and retirement trends to watch in 2018
As 2017 draws to a close, we turn our attention to the new year. As usual, there’s a lot happening in the Canadian pension environment. Below are…
- December 29, 2017 January 31, 2021
- 07:30
The pros and cons of offering pension portability at retirement
Legislation requires a defined benefit pension plan to provide members leaving active service with the option of transferring out the lump-sum commuted value of their…
- August 29, 2017 September 13, 2019
- 09:00
The 5 key components of a DB pension funding regime
The interest in pension funding rules is as great as ever, with changes taking effect in Quebec in 2016 and a review of funding rules…
- February 24, 2017 September 13, 2019
- 09:00
A refresher on the purposes of pension plan funding
We may be witnessing the most significant changes to the funding rules of Canadian defined benefit pension plans in more than 25 years. First, since…
- October 20, 2016 September 13, 2019
- 09:30
How to manage the long-term obligations of a DB pension promise
Defined benefit pension risk is as much in the spotlight today as ever and remains a significant issue for plan sponsors, even when the sponsor’s…
- August 8, 2016 September 13, 2019
- 09:32
Desire versus ability: the psychology of pension risk management
When it comes to reducing pension risk, there’s an interesting dynamic between desire and ability. During periods when the desire to de-risk is high, the…
- April 14, 2016 September 13, 2019
- 09:28
Pension risk management in challenging times
In recent years, pension plan sponsors were optimistic about upcoming de-risking activity. In a Towers Watson (now Willis Towers Watson) survey conducted in the summer…
- February 9, 2016 September 13, 2019
- 09:30
Does your pension data need a refresh?
A pension management task that doesn’t receive much attention is the need to collect and maintain detailed data relating to individual pension plan members. While…
- July 24, 2015 September 13, 2019
- 11:27
New guidelines for buy-in annuities
Many employers that sponsor DB pension plans are considering reducing the risk in their plans. An approach to reduce risk that is gaining popularity is…
- February 24, 2015 September 13, 2019
- 11:30
Avoid complacency in pension risk management
The financial health of Canadian DB pension plans improved dramatically in 2013. While employers have begun reaping the rewards from this improvement, they should not…
- September 15, 2014 September 13, 2019
- 11:44
Enabling pension plan rightsizing
Most regulators do not view a buyout group annuity purchase from an ongoing pension plan as a complete settlement of the obligations covered by the…
- May 22, 2014 September 13, 2019
- 12:40
The benefits of merging Ontario pension plans
As part of the ongoing reforms to the Ontario Pension Benefits Act, major changes were made to Ontario’s pension asset transfer rules, effective Jan. 1,…
- February 13, 2014 September 13, 2019
- 10:28
New accounting disclosure requirements focus on risk assessment
Many Canadian companies will soon start preparing disclosures for their fiscal year-end corporate financial statements. For most organizations that account for their pension and other…
- November 8, 2013 September 13, 2019
- 10:08
De-risking opportunities: Timing matters
Many employers would like to reduce the risk in their DB plan so that the level of pension risk meets the company’s overall risk management…
- September 4, 2013 September 13, 2019
- 10:52
Is a minimum pension funding strategy always optimal?
Today, most Canadian single employer DB pension plans have large solvency deficits, and there continues to be significant focus on the large minimum contributions required…
- June 20, 2013 September 13, 2019
- 09:44
The silver lining of pension disharmony
A unique aspect of Canada’s private pension system is that the responsibility for regulatory oversight falls primarily within the provincial domain, with the federal government…
- March 5, 2013 September 13, 2019
- 10:05
Barriers to pension plan de-risking
Historically, Canadian pension accounting standards were viewed as one of the barriers encountered by employers wishing to reduce pension risk. These barriers included the ability…
- January 15, 2013 September 13, 2019
- 09:30
The time has come for SRAs
Most Canadian DB pension plans have significant solvency deficits. Unless we experience a turnaround in financial market conditions over the next few years (i.e., equities…
- September 7, 2012 September 13, 2019
- 07:00
Should letters of credit be part of your pension funding policy?
Contribution requirements for many DB pension plans are being driven by the plans’ solvency position. The financial crisis of 2008 and early 2009, along with…
- June 26, 2012 September 13, 2019
- 13:49