In the wise words of George Bernard Shaw, “the single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” When it comes to employer-provided benefits and pension plans, this phrase rings as true as it does in any other part of life. I believe that communication is the single most important and […]
Compared to the preceding years, 2019 appears to be the year of steady when it comes to progress on hot topics that resonated in the industry in 2017 and 2018. While no single topic has disappeared from the slate, neither have any new ones risen to become topics of urgency among consultants. “Last year, we […]
On the same day Keith Dixon began working at the University of Victoria, the campus gained another new addition: its combination pension plan. Introduced in July 1968, the plan is fairly unique in the world of Canadian pensions. It operates on a defined contribution basis, with the university and plan members each contributing. But when […]
When Gary Timlick joined the Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Co. as its senior vice-president, chief financial officer and pension committee chair, it had no formal investment department. With responsibility for managing corporate investments and pension assets resting solely on Timlick, he began a journey to build up an investment team. Though it was a relatively new […]
The complexities of income tax at retirement can come as a shock to pensioners, but most plan sponsors are providing limited assistance in helping their retiring employees deal with these issues. “In our experience, much of the communication and education provided by employers/sponsors or their plan record keeper focuses on basic retirement and investment knowledge, […]
Lululemon Athletica Inc.’s benefits program manager discusses engaging young employees with retirement savings, yoga benefits and riding his motorcycle to Whistler. Q. What top challenges do you face in your role? A. I look after our retirement savings program, so the challenge we have is based on our demographics. All of our retail employees are fairly […]
For the first time in its existence, the German 30-year government bond yield slipped into the negatives and it isn’t inconceivable that U.S. Treasuries could follow suit, said Joachim Fels, global economic advisor at PIMCO Corp., in a recent blog post. While negative yields have lately been cropping up in developed markets outside the U.S., […]
The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed a legal challenge by former Air Canada pilots who claimed the company was wrong to force some to retire at age 60. The dismissal of an appeal by 18 ex-pilots stems back to a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling that the airline had the right to compel some pilots to retire […]
Schroders Investment Management Ltd. is naming Michelle Skelly as its new head of Canada. Skelly joined Schroders in 2007 and has served as institutional sales director in Canada since 2012. “North America continues to be an area of growth for Schroders and I am pleased to have Michelle Skelly lead our efforts in Canada,” said […]
Three-quarters (74 per cent) of employees said financial benefits, such as savings tools, offered by their employer at the time of a pay raise would lead to less stress, while 78 per cent said it would help them feel more confident about their finances, according to a new survey by Commonwealth. The survey, which polled […]