Quebec Passes Legislation to Mirror CPP Enhancements and Makes Changes to its Pension Legislation

On February 21, 2018, Bill 149, An Act to enhance the Québec Pension Plan and to amend various retirement-related legislative provisions, was passed by the Quebec legislature. QPP Enhancements As outlined in our previous update, Bill 149 enhances the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP), in a manner similar to the forthcoming enhancements to the Canada Pension…

FTR Now Written by Natasha Monkman Mentioned in Benefits and Pensions Monitor on the Next Wave of Pension Reform

An FTR Now written by Hicks Morley’s Natasha Monkman was mentioned in the November 21, 2017 Benefits and Pensions Monitor Daily News Alert. The alert summarizes the FTR Now titled “Ontario’s Next Wave of Pension Reform”, which discusses the new legislation that will, if passed, change the retirement framework in Ontario – and the rules around pension plan administration, governance and funding.

Ontario Amends PBA and PRPP Regulations; Introduces Legislation Affecting Police Sector Asset Transfers

Annuity Purchases on Wind Up On November 3, 2017, O. Reg. 412/17, amending Regulation 909 (General) made under the Pension Benefits Act (PBA), was filed. As discussed in our FTR Now, Ontario’s Bill 70: The New Face of Pension Regulation Revealed, amendments will be made to the PBA requiring administrators appointed by the Superintendent of…

Post-Retirement Benefits Changes Affecting Members of the Ontario Public Service

On November 11, 2016 the government of Ontario and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) reached an agreement regarding post-retirement benefits (PRBs) for members of the OPSEU Pension Plan. The Ontario government subsequently announced that the terms of that agreement would be extended to members of the Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP), subject to…

New Multi-Jurisdictional Pension Plan Agreement Now in Effect

Parties involved in the administration of pension plans have been waiting for Canadian pension regulators to agree to a new set of rules applicable to plans with members in more than one province. Recently, the governments of British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan signed a new Agreement Respecting Multi-Jurisdictional Pension Plans, which took effect July 1, 2016 (2016 Agreement)…

Pension & Benefits Case Law Update 2008

Topic 2008 Pension & Benefits Case Law Update On November 19th members of the Hicks Morley pension and benefits group ran a webinar for our clients. The webinar reviewed interesting pension-related case-law from the year. Below are links to an archive of the session. Material Slides: 2008 Pension and Benefits Case Law Update Watch Windows…

Operation of Pension and Benefit Plans do not Discriminate on the Basis of Age: Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario

Recent decisions of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (the “Tribunal”) provide welcome guidance for employers who have been confronted with allegations that provisions of their pension and benefit plans discriminate on the basis of age under the Ontario Human Rights Code (the “Code”). In several decisions the Tribunal has held that some age-based distinctions…