The Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities is developing a framework for defined contribution pension plans to offer variable payment life annuities. In developing the framework, the CAPSA said it will address topics such as plan design and conversion options, as well as member disclosure, spousal consent, plan termination, investment rules and regulatory oversight for […]
About 900 employees at Rio Tinto Group’s aluminum smelting facilities in Kitimat, B.C. are on strike after Unifor Local 2301 and the company failed to reach an agreement on July 25. The union continued negotiations with Rio Tinto until the strike deadline at midnight, according to a press release. Unifor is seeking changes to workers’ […]
Purpose Investments Inc. is introducing a new longevity pension fund, which invests 50 per cent in equities and 50 per cent in fixed income. It can be incorporated into a defined contribution plan to provide plan members with an in-plan decumulation option, says Pat Leo, vice-president of retirement solutions at Purpose Investments, noting investors can redeem […]
Receiving peer recognition for an innovative communications strategy was among the reasons the Co-operative Superannuation Society pension plan entered Benefits Canada‘s 2020 Workplace Benefits Awards, according to Nicole Quintal, communications manager for the plan. “Quite a few peers in the industry reached out to us after we won the award and it was great to get […]
Language and communication can impact the retirement decisions of defined contribution plan members, according to a new survey by Invesco Ltd. The survey found 60 per cent of all respondents — as well as 50 per cent of millennials and 59 per cent of gen-Xers — would rather achieve retirement “income” than retirement “savings.” Nearly […]
Canadian employers are making ongoing changes to their pension and benefits offerings as the coronavirus pandemic drags on, according to a new survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. The survey found almost one in five (18 per cent) employers offering prescription drug coverage have extended the time allowed under prior authorization periods, […]
Approximately 500 members of the St. John Ambulance pension plan are joining the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology pension plan’s DBplus arrangement. The not-for-profit organization’s pension plan is comprised of an ongoing defined contribution plan and a defined benefit plan that was closed at the end of 2014, according to a press release. The […]
The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association is calling on the federal government to provide Canadians with access to more-secure retirement income. In its submission to the 2021 federal budget, the CLHIA recommended that Canadians in and approaching retirement have access to flexible annuity options within registered pensions, registered retirement savings plans, registered retirement income […]
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest employer to join the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology pension plan’s DBplus. The college’s 14 employees were contributing to a defined contribution arrangement before joining the plan on Nov. 1. The individual employees have the option to convert their DC accounts […]
Pension investments are a key component of ensuring secure benefits for plan members upon their retirement. To celebrate the plan sponsors and pension investors who work hard to ensure strong investment outcomes, the first-ever Pension Leadership Awards will recognize winners across several categories. The Defined Contribution Investment Innovation Award will go to a DC pension […]