When the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association rolled out its proposed compensation disclosure guideline in January 2018, it quickly inflamed tensions with group benefits and retirement advisors. The guideline, G19, stipulated that all of the CLHIA’s insurer members begin disclosing to plan sponsors the fees, commissions and bonuses they paid to advisors. Facing backlash […]
Coughlan Home’s manager of human resources talks employee assistance programs, ‘quiet rooms’ and showing appreciation. Q. What top challenges do you face in your role? A. Throughout my 15 years in human resources, I’ve found the biggest challenge was encouraging younger generations to begin planning for their retirement. I try to provide scenarios that will […]
Quebec is one step closer to allowing employers to introduce target-benefit pension plans. On Wednesday, Eric Girard, Quebec’s minister of finance, tabled Bill 68, which was initially introduced in November 2019. The bill draws inspiration from a report by the expert panel on the future of the Quebec retirement system, which was published in 2013. “Quebec […]
Hub International Ltd. is acquiring Clearpoint Benefits Solutions, which includes Clearpoint Advisory Group Inc., Clearpoint Retirement Solutions Inc. and Canwest Group Benefits Inc. Clearpoint, which is located in Edmonton, with additional locations in Grande Prairie, Alta. and Fairview, Alta., is a benefits and retirement consulting firm. Read: Hub International acquires assets of Toronto-based benefits firm “Clearpoint is […]
Many human resources teams that are planning 2021 salary adjustments and possible changes to total rewards programs need to focus on immediate ways to keep employee morale up as the coronavirus pandemic rages on, while also focusing on the longer term retention and attraction of top talent. The ongoing economic uncertainty wrought by the pandemic means many Canadian […]
Three-quarters (74 per cent) of Canadians said they’d accept a slightly lower salary in exchange for a better — or any — pension plan, according to a new survey by the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan and Abacus Data. The survey, which was conducted online in May and June among 3,500 Canadians aged 18 or older, […]
My last column, in April, talked about how Canadian target-date fund suites behaved differently during the first quarter of this year, where markets were reacting to the coronavirus crisis. The disparity of year-to-date returns continued in the following months. For some capital accumulation plan sponsors, the behaviour of their plans’ TDFs over recent volatile market […]
L’Oréal Group is launching a new employee share purchase plan in 57 of the countries in which it operates. The latest offering comes on the heels of the global beauty company’s first worldwide employee share plan two years ago. “This year, after the success of the first plan in 2018, we want to once again involve our employees in the […]
The coronavirus pandemic is highlighting many trends in group retirement and investment programs, pushing the industry to be flexible and quick with some of the newer offerings. As plan sponsors review their group retirement plans in the coming months, they may want to consider some, or all, of these four trends. 1. Financial wellness becoming a must. […]
While 62 per cent of working Canadians said they’re able to save more than five per cent of their paycheque in 2020, compared to 59 per cent in 2019, more are financially stressed than in previous years, according to a new survey by the Canadian Payroll Association. The survey, along with an analysis of its […]