Since recreational cannabis was legalized across Canada six months ago, related workplace problems have mainly been notable by their absence. “It’s been a surprising lack of significant issues arising in the workplace,” said Angelo Tsebelis, president at Starseed Medicinal Inc., during a panel at Benefits Canada’s 2019 Benefits and Pension Summit in Toronto on Wednesday. This […]
As the Brexit deadline of March 29 inches closer, markets remain uncertain about a resolution to the situation between the U.K. and the European Union. “The most astonishing element in all of this is that two-and-a-half years later, there’s almost no additional clarity on what we’re actually going to end up with,” said Peter Westaway, chief […]
While Canada’s public and private pension plans are a vital player in the transition to a lower carbon economy, they’re only one component, with other financial market participants, such as banks, insurers and asset managers, must also play a role, according to the Pension Investment Association of Canada. In a letter commenting on a report by an […]
The high discount rates used by many Canadian public-sector pension plans increase the risk they won’t have enough funds to meet future obligations, according to new research by the C.D. Howe Institute “Employers and employees have an incentive to keep the discount rate high in order to reduce the contributions they pay today,” said Constance Smith, co-author […]
The Shareholder Association for Education and Research is calling on federal policymakers to adopt measures to protect workers’ retirement savings. In a letter to the federal government, the Vancouver-based, responsible investment organization suggested amending bankruptcy law to provide courts with the power to set aside executive and director bonuses and compensation increases where a company with unfunded […]
The political congestion likely to stem from the United States’ midterm election results has equally mixed implications for equity markets, with Democrats taking a majority in the House of Representatives and Republicans making further gains in their majority in the Senate. “A split Congress may bring gridlock, but the stock market has historically fared well with divided […]
Tension between pension adequacy and sustainability is growing across the world, according to the annual Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index. The Netherlands and Denmark have the best global pension systems, with scores of 80.3 and 80.2, respectively, and both achieving A grades. They scored highly on adequacy and sustainability, while other European countries, such as Austria, […]
As Canada enters a new era of legalized recreational cannabis, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business is offering tools and educational materials for employers and employees. “Governments had the opportunity to create a clear, modern system for cannabis,” said Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, in a press release. “Unfortunately, the process […]
Marijuana. Cannabis. Pot. Weed. Bud. Grass. Reefer. Kush. Mary Jane. Ganja. Doobie. Trees. No matter what you call it, marijuana is dominating the Canadian news cycle in 2018. And I think it’s about time. At Benefits Canada, it’s cropping up in every area we cover, including how employers can add medical marijuana coverage into their […]
Employer and labour groups say the Trudeau Liberals aren’t planning to roll out any new workplace impairment rules for federally-regulated workers once cannabis is legalized next week. Employers on the federally-struck committee wanted new labour code rules to provide detailed guidance to businesses on their and their employees’ responsibilities after legalization. A joint employer-worker group […]