57th Annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference

In a fresh and entertaining style, Kevin shares ideas, strategies and principles that will inspire and equip participants to show up every day and make a positive difference. At the heart of Kevin’s message is a simple yet powerful philosophy for life that drives every thought, every action and, ultimately, every result we achieve both personally and professionally. You will be motivated to reach beyond what is required and do something remarkable!

Few people have a better understanding of global issues than Professor Janice Gross Stein. Her dynamic presentations provide a unique perspective into what’s really happening around the world—from China to Russia and from the Middle East to Europe—and what it means to her audiences. Janice’s presentations not only connect the dots regarding key events, but also provide a look at where things are headed and where the potential dangers and opportunities may lie. Both realistic and hopeful, she leaves her audiences with a better understanding of current global issues and a clear, compelling vision of the future.

Topics covered will include:

• Inflation, interest rates, housing and immigration—What’s in store for 2025?
• Economic implications of the U.S. election outcome
• The impact of AI on productivity
• Fiscal policy—Sustainability challenges and hard choices
• Key market risks to watch.

This panel will discuss proposed and recently passed legislation and regulations as well as court decisions affecting pension and health and welfare plans.

Cette session offre l’occasion d’obtenir des réponses à vos questions par un économiste de premier plan, couvrant des questions telles que :

• à quoi s’attendre de l’économie en 2024-2025
• état de l’inflation et des taux d’intérêt
• léthargie de la productivité au Québec et pistes d’action.

What are the top five priorities for leaders in finance, plan management, and public policy over the next few years? This panel is designed to get you thinking about what’s next—in governance as well as investment risk and opportunity—and how to prepare for it now.

This session will cover:

• Composition and types of psychedelics
• Diagnosis and treatment
• Research overview.

Intellectual wellness provides a way to improve our overall health and wellness by increasing our brainpower while lowering our risk for life-altering conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This session will:

• Show how intellectual wellness fits into our overall model of health and wellness
• Briefly discuss the impact of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease on our overall health
• Discuss the potential health impacts of intellectual wellness and ways to increase intellectual wellness.

Half of cancer survivors are of working age, and almost two-thirds (63%) of them return to work within one year or continue to work during treatment. Still, many survivors need help to overcome struggles at work. Comprehensive and practical approaches are needed. This presentation will:

• Introduce the McGill University/BC Cancer Cancer and Work website as a robust resource for Canadian cancer survivors, employers and health care providers
• Address facilitators and barriers to work using the Vocational Rehabilitation Model for Cancer Survivors
• Apply value-based health care principles that can improve health outcomes for plan members while controlling plan sponsor costs.

Join us to learn the fundamentals of investing with a special focus on:

• Asset classes
• Interest rates and their impact on bonds
• Risk-and-return concepts.

Decumulation strategies are a cornerstone of effective pension planning, ensuring sustained financial well-being of plan participants throughout retirement. This session will examine:

• Strategies to mitigate longevity risk
• Asset allocation
• Dynamic withdrawal approaches
• Participant education and support.

Should cash be an allocation in your investment policy, or is it solely a medium for transferring contributions and benefit payments to and from your investment portfolio? This session will look into the importance of liquidity management for pension plans by highlighting best practices and innovative approaches to pension liquidity challenges.

This update provides an overview of proposed and recently passed legislation and regulations as well as court decisions affecting pension and health and welfare benefit plans specific to Atlantic Canada.

The pension plan landscape has experienced significant consolidation in recent years with the emergence of larger multi-employer plans. This session will examine the potential benefits and drawbacks of this trend, focusing on whether individual plans can maintain their investment autonomy while reaping the competitive advantages of joining larger entities.

The SEIU Healthcare Training Centre provides workforce development opportunities. This includes a proprietary workforce deployment platform that provides participant employers with access to thousands of high-quality union workers who are matched to shifts in situations where the union seniority list has been exhausted and an agency would otherwise be called. As a union platform, members who participate have access to competitive wages set by the union, a retirement benefits plan and extended health care. Learn more about this exciting new platform that offers an alternative to the traditional agency model.

Cette session couvrira :

• Les origines de la gouvernance et gestion des risques, incluant l’évolution du rôle des autorités gouvernementales, les scandales Enron et autres au niveau corporatif et les lignes directrices de l’ACOR;
• Meilleures pratiques pour les fiduciaires; et
• Ce que nous réserve l’avenir en matière de gouvernance / gestion de risques, incluant les lignes directrices de l’ACOR, les facteurs ESG et la protection de la vie privée / cybersécurité.

Cybersecurity needs are constantly changing as cybercriminals enhance their capabilities—What is reasonably expected of trustees and third-party service providers, and what are the impacts of the ever-evolving technology landscape? Trust funds hold valuable information (including members’ personal data) and, as a result, are a prime target for attack. This session will focus on:

• Privacy and security considerations for trust funds
• Generative AI and its security and privacy implications
• Recent regulatory guidance.

Everyone recognizes the importance of gathering data and research to understand plan members and the plans we offer to them. But how many of us have a clear idea of what to look for, how to interpret those insights and how to use them most effectively? In this session, you’ll learn how to:

• Create a meaningful suite of insights and organize them into a dashboard
• Use data and research across key categories such as communication, understanding, benchmarking and value/appreciation
• Distinguish between the dos and don’ts of survey research
• Understand attitudes and context to create a better member experience.

This session will cover the following topics:

• Preparation—Agenda and meeting materials
• Role of the chair—Facilitating reporting and decision making
• Documentation and record retention
• Self-assessment—Measuring your effectiveness.

This session will cover the following topics:

• Risk management
• Elements to reduce the pension gap between men and women
• CAPSA’s consultation paper on ESG considerations in pension plan management.

Virtual care has become an essential solution in health care, providing immediate access to health care providers without the need for physical visits. Learn about the:

• Advantages of enhanced access and early intervention
• Significance for employers
• Challenges and potential cost savings for your health plan.

The significant rise in Canadian and U.S. interest rates since the historic low in the summer of 2020 is driving asset allocation considerations for pension fund trustees.

• What is the impact of this increase on the expected returns of the different asset classes and the risk-return profile of portfolios?
• How have pension fund trustees responded to this increase so far?
• What factors should they consider relating to this increase in their asset allocation decisions?

Traditional views on fixed income often overlook the diverse risks inherent in bond investments. By dissecting fixed income allocations into various factors encompassing interest rates and credit, asset owners can better understand and optimize their portfolio exposures. This session will explore:

• Dissecting fixed income allocations into interest rate and credit risk factors
• Understanding how this granular perspective optimizes portfolio exposures
• Exploring synergies with other asset class allocations.

Real estate mortgage investments can provide investors short-term fixed income exposure with the potential for higher returns. Secured by real property, these investments have contributed to attractive volatility and correlation characteristics, providing investors with a unique tool to manage the overall risk and return of their total portfolios. This session will provide background on the different factors for you to consider when allocating to mortgages, such as:

• Credit considerations
• Borrower recourse
• Liquidity.

This update provides an overview of proposed and recently passed legislation and regulations as well as court decisions affecting pension and health and welfare benefit plans specific to Central Canada.

This session will review vision, mission and value statements as well as different plan design options and what to consider when reviewing the provisions. We will discuss:

• What determines if your plan is successful
• Alternative plan designs
• Communicating changes to members.

Cette session abordera les aspects suivants :

• élaborer sa thèse de durabilité et ses priorités;
• définir l’approche privilégiée (investissement d’impact);
• déployer en marchés privés (placements privés, infrastructure, immobilier, etc.).

What are the top five priorities for leaders in finance, plan management, and public policy over the next few years? This panel is designed to get you thinking about what’s next—in governance as well as investment risk and opportunity—and how to prepare for it now.

This session will cover the following considerations:

• Roles and responsibilities as well as service levels
• Operational monitoring
• Monthly, quarterly and semiannual monitoring
• Annual monitoring including service provider health, performance evaluation and compliance
• Events including risk management
• Identification, transparency and response of the service provider
• Identification and response of the plan sponsor.

This session will cover:

• Composition and types of psychedelics
• Diagnosis and treatment
• Research overview.

Intellectual wellness provides a way to improve our overall health and wellness by increasing our brainpower while lowering our risk for life-altering conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This session will:

• Show how intellectual wellness fits into our overall model of health and wellness
• Briefly discuss the impact of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease on our overall health
• Discuss the potential health impacts of intellectual wellness and ways to increase intellectual wellness.

Half of cancer survivors are of working age, and almost two-thirds (63%) of them return to work within one year or continue to work during treatment. Still, many survivors need help to overcome struggles at work. Comprehensive and practical approaches are needed. This presentation will:

• Introduce the McGill University/BC Cancer Cancer and Work website as a robust resource for Canadian cancer survivors, employers and health care providers
• Address facilitators and barriers to work using the Vocational Rehabilitation Model for Cancer Survivors
• Apply value-based health care principles that can improve health outcomes for plan members while controlling plan sponsor costs.

Decumulation strategies are a cornerstone of effective pension planning, ensuring sustained financial well-being of plan participants throughout retirement. This session will examine:

• Strategies to mitigate longevity risk
• Asset allocation
• Dynamic withdrawal approaches
• Participant education and support.

Should cash be an allocation in your investment policy, or is it solely a medium for transferring contributions and benefit payments to and from your investment portfolio? This session will look into the importance of liquidity management for pension plans by highlighting best practices and innovative approaches to pension liquidity challenges.

This update provides an overview of proposed and recently passed legislation and regulations as well as court decisions affecting pension and health and welfare benefit plans specific to Western Canada.

Whether you’re new to the pension world or a seasoned expert, this session will provide useful content on actuarial basics for pension plans. You’ll walk away with:

• A high-level understanding of the actuarial valuation results
• Thoughts on how assumptions are used and the implications
• Key questions for your actuary.

The pension plan landscape has experienced significant consolidation in recent years with the emergence of larger multi-employer plans. This session will examine the potential benefits and drawbacks of this trend, focusing on whether individual plans can maintain their investment autonomy while reaping the competitive advantages of joining larger entities.

Ces dernières années, les régimes privées d’assurance médicament ont été dominées par les médicaments de spécialité, les traitements biologiques et biosimilaires, ainsi que les médicaments plus coûteux pour traiter les maladies chroniques. En ce qui concerne ces médicaments, Mme D’Adamo aborde les tendances médicaments et stratégies associées aux éléments suivants :

• les taux d’utilisation dans les régimes privées;
• les changements dans les lignes directrices;
• les mesures d’économie.

First impressions, positive or negative, are made in seven seconds or less. We all make quick assessments of others without even realizing it. We are not born with bias. Biases are formed by past situations, experiences, backgrounds and cultures. Unconscious biases affect and impact decision making both professionally and personally, with real impact. Recognizing, managing and mitigating unconscious bias promotes diversity and inclusion. Diversity and inclusion drives innovation, increases productivity and stimulates creativity while promoting a healthy, happy and engaging workplace culture.

La hausse importante des taux d’intérêt canadiens et américains depuis le creux historique de l’été 2020 suscite des réflexions sur l’allocation d’actif chez les fiduciaires de caisses de retraite.

• Quel est l’effet de cette hausse sur les rendements attendus des différentes catégories d’actif et sur le profil rendement-risque des portefeuilles ?
• Comment les fiduciaires de caisses de retraite ont-ils réagi à cette hausse jusqu’à maintenant ?
• Quels sont les facteurs à considérer en lien avec cette hausse dans les décisions d’allocation d’actif ?

Althia Raj will provide the 2024 U.S. election results and what they mean. The impact of the results will then be examined from the context of the Canada−U.S. relationship, including what the impact represents and how to prepare from a Canadian perspective.

Cette session sera présentée en français immédiatement après, à 10 h 30.

Les taux d’intérêt du marché ont un effet d’entraînement important sur les taux d’actualisation utilisés pour l’évaluation des régimes de retraite – mais il y a d’autres facteurs en jeu dans leur évolution. Cette session vous offrira :

• une comparaison contextuelle des changements apportés à cette hypothèse clé au fil du temps;
• le contraste entre les taux d’actualisation et le rendement des différents indices de marché qui contribuent à leur élaboration;
• un aperçu des répercussions sur la situation financière des régimes de retraite et les opportunités pour la réduction des risques.

Throughout this fast-paced, story-filled presentation, Dr. Ungar will show that resilience is much more than just personal grit in the face of adversity. It is also a reflection of how well individuals, communities, families, colleagues and employers work together to create opportunities for us to find the resources we need for well-being while making those resources available in meaningful ways. Based on Dr. Ungar’s research around the world and in his clinical practice, this presentation explores how to maintain resilience on the job and at home even when stressors pile up. Twelve factors that make us more resilient will be discussed along with practical tools participants can use to find the supports they need to cope successfully on and off the job. Dr. Ungar will also show how these same factors can help the people we work with achieve their life goals and the value of remaining connected to a network of relationships to create lifelong resilience.

Althia Raj présentera les résultats de l’élection de 2024 aux États-Unis et leur signification. L’impact des résultats sera ensuite examiné dans le contexte des relations entre le Canada et les États-Unis – ce que cela représente et comment s’y préparer du point de vue canadien.

Learn about the effect of the various applicable statutes that come to bear in enforcing the employee benefits contributions provisions of collective agreements (e.g., the Labour Relations Act, Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, Bank Act, Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, Business Corporations Act (which covers liabilities on directors), Criminal Code (including interest chargeable)).

Everyone recognizes the importance of gathering data and research to understand plan members and the plans we offer to them. But how many of us have a clear idea of what to look for, how to interpret those insights and how to use them most effectively? In this session, you’ll learn how to:

• Create a meaningful suite of insights and organize them into a dashboard
• Use data and research across key categories such as communication, understanding, benchmarking and value/appreciation
• Distinguish between the dos and don’ts of survey research
• Understand attitudes and context to create a better member experience.

Being a trustee is an evolution. Hear how to best prepare your board with the following:

• Growth mindset
• Strategic initiatives (including mentoring, collaboration and knowledge sharing)
• Ongoing support.

In this session, we will:

• Explore the meaning of reconciliation and how it can contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable culture
• Discuss the benefits of reconciliation in terms of employee satisfaction, retention, innovation and market competitiveness
• Provide practical strategies for integrating reconciliation principles into company policies and practices
• Discuss ways to promote diversity, equity and inclusion within the workplace, including hiring practices, employee training and cultural competency initiatives.

In recent years, private drug plans have been dominated by specialty drugs, biologics and biosimilars, and more costly treatments for chronic diseases. With regard to these drugs, this session will cover trends and strategies related to:

• Utilization rates in private plans
• Changes in clinical practice guidelines
• Cost-saving measures.

Gender bias, whether conscious or unconscious, remains a significant barrier to accessing quality health care. However, the tide is turning as women and allies recognize these challenges, work to dismantle barriers and champion gender equity. In this discussion, panelists will discuss health care accessibility, workplace culture, technological innovation and diversity considerations, uncovering actionable strategies for advancing women’s health and empowerment. Key questions include:

• How are organizations proactively addressing women’s unique health care needs across different life stages?
• What role do workplace culture and leadership attitudes play in shaping perceptions of women’s health issues and social stigma?
• How can employers ensure their benefit packages are inclusive and responsive to women’s diverse needs?

The impact of recent volatility on traditional indices has not gone unnoticed and continues to wreak havoc on portfolios. These dynamic shifts have far-reaching implications on asset allocation and diversification strategies if left ignored. In this session, we will uncover the driving forces behind index investment performance and how to position your passive portfolio for this new market landscape, including:

• The hidden risk exposures in indexing
• Understanding the evolving investment landscape and its implications
• Strategies to adapt passive allocations to volatile markets.

This session will:

• Define target date funds and how they are used
• Distinguish between trustee-directed and participant-selected funds
• Explain fee structures
• Explore glide paths and issues related to glide paths
• Discuss participant communication.

A key feature of target benefit pension plans is the ability to make benefit changes, but how do you know when to make improvements? This session will educate trustees on:

• The process for making plan design changes
• How to determine if improvements are affordable
• Treating each generation of members fairly.

Financial literacy education for apprentices is essential for preparing them for their careers, increasing retention and promoting long-term financial well-being. This session will discuss:

• The need for financial literacy
• Best practices
• Retention impact
• Wellness impact.

Cette session expliquera les solutions pour adresser tous les besoins de réduction des risques allant des stratégies d’investissement guidés par le passif aux contrats d’achat de rentes collectives avec ou sans rachat des engagements. Les participants apprendront à :

• Identifier les possibilités de réduction des risques
• Préparer des analyses de risque pour supporter le processus de prise de décision
• Comprendre le processus de prise de décision.

Digital sprawl and competition for attention have made it harder than ever for trustees and plan sponsors to effectively manage communications, now across multiple channels and formats. Employees who feel informed and supported are more productive and more likely to stay with their employer, but their expectations and communication needs change over time. This requires trustees and plan sponsors to continuously evolve their communication approach—and toolkit.

With case studies and practical takeaways, we’ll dive into several impactful technologies that can improve communication and engagement in your programs. From AI to websites, from automation to video and from gamification to data analytics, it’s not as hard as you might think to leverage the latest technology to transform your benefits communications to maximize employee engagement.

This session will cover the following topics:

• Risk management
• Elements to reduce the pension gap between men and women
• CAPSA’s consultation paper on ESG considerations in pension plan management.

Today’s workplace is more diverse than ever, with many different generations working side by side both in person and remotely. To attract talent and keep employees engaged, employers need to commit to health equity in their programs. Learn about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in benefits and pension programs as well as current and evolving practices to meet the dynamic needs of employees now and in the future.

As a trustee, you must keep up to date on legislative developments and trends. Gain an understanding of the value of trustee education in key knowledge areas. Learn how the International Foundation’s programs can support you on your educational path, and explore Foundation resources, including topic web pages, customized research, survey results and curated news.

This session aims to shed light on the critical topic of mental health in the workplace. We will:

• Assist participants in establishing a foundation for implementing and promoting employee assistance programs (EAPs)
• Explore the importance of reducing cost barriers related to mental health support
• Discover how educational initiatives can enhance the understanding of mental health resources and services.

Health and welfare plans require unique investment strategies compared to pension plans. Discover how to build sustainable portfolios aligned with your benefit plans’ objectives and adapt asset mixes to changing economic climates. This session will discuss:

• Key differences between health and welfare plans as well as pension plans in investment needs
• Constructing sustainable portfolios
• Navigating asset mix adjustments in response to changing economic conditions.

Examine the shift to Core Plus strategies among Canadian asset owners and the impact of different management styles on fixed income’s role in the portfolio. Learn how selecting a Core Plus approach can either enhance or undermine investment goals. This session looks at:

• The evolution of Core Plus strategies in asset allocation
• The impact of different management styles
• How a Core Plus approach can align with investment objectives.

Emerging markets (EM) stocks offer an exciting opportunity for value-oriented investors. Challenge the myths surrounding EM investing and learn strategies to capitalize on this overlooked asset class. This session will explore:

• The myths associated with EM investing
• Navigating risks of EM
• Opportunities available in EM stocks and currencies.

The BC Public Service Pension Plan changed its design to unlink from the Canada Pension Plan and to preserve the balance between contributions and benefits. Hear about the change process and lessons learned in areas including:

• Planning and design
• Systems and communication
• Member consultation
• How lessons were applied to a subsequent plan change.

The SEIU Healthcare Training Centre provides workforce development opportunities. This includes a proprietary workforce deployment platform that provides participant employers with access to thousands of high-quality union workers who are matched to shifts in situations where the union seniority list has been exhausted and an agency would otherwise be called. As a union platform, members who participate have access to competitive wages set by the union, a retirement benefits plan and extended health care. Learn more about this exciting new platform that offers an alternative to the traditional agency model.

Lors de cette session, nous exposerons comment les éléments suivants peuvent être optimisés afin de gérer les risques inhérents à la gestion de régimes d’assurances collectives :

• le seuil de mise en commun optimal et SCAMQ / arrangements EP3;
• médicaments biologiques vs. biosimilaires;
• le délai de carence optimal en invalidité de longue durée;
• les différents arrangements financiers.

This session will examine some of the opportunities that allow fraud to occur, the motivation and rationalization for committing it, and how best to position your organization to mitigate the top five fraud risks in 2024 and beyond. What are the lessons learned from recent cases? The top fraud risks include:

• Cyber
• Employee
• Wire
• Procurement
• Insurance.

In this session, we will:

• Explore the meaning of reconciliation and how it can contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable culture
• Discuss the benefits of reconciliation in terms of employee satisfaction, retention, innovation and market competitiveness
• Provide practical strategies for integrating reconciliation principles into company policies and practices
• Discuss ways to promote diversity, equity and inclusion within the workplace, including hiring practices, employee training and cultural competency initiatives.

This facilitated open forum allows trustees to discuss issues of importance to all trustees and the funds they represent.

Gender bias, whether conscious or unconscious, remains a significant barrier to accessing quality health care. However, the tide is turning as women and allies recognize these challenges, work to dismantle barriers and champion gender equity. In this discussion, panelists will discuss health care accessibility, workplace culture, technological innovation and diversity considerations, uncovering actionable strategies for advancing women’s health and empowerment. Key questions include:

• How are organizations proactively addressing women’s unique health care needs across different life stages?
• What role do workplace culture and leadership attitudes play in shaping perceptions of women’s health issues and social stigma?
• How can employers ensure their benefit packages are inclusive and responsive to women’s diverse needs?

Understanding how to benchmark your plan’s financial performance can be complex, and not all benchmarks are created equal. This session will answer key questions, such as:

• What are the appropriate performance monitoring tools?
• What are the pitfalls of performance monitoring?

This session will cover:

• Formulating your sustainability thesis and priorities
• Identifying the most suitable approach (impact investing)
• Deploying in private markets (private equity, infrastructure, real estate, etc.).

As a pension trustee, asset liability matching—an integral part of risk management—is a critical concept to understand and implement effectively to ensure the long-term sustainability of the pension fund. Join this session to gain insight into:

• An overview of asset liability matching
• Key objectives and issues
• Strategies and best practices.

In today’s diverse workforce, we see a unique convergence of generations, each facing their own financial challenges. How can you help your members overcome these hurdles? This session will explore practical ways to provide support and direction, helping every generation within your organization navigate their financial journey. Learn how to be an integral part of their financial success story.

Financial literacy education for apprentices is essential for preparing them for their careers, increasing retention and promoting long-term financial well-being. This session will discuss:

• The need for financial literacy
• Best practices
• Retention impact
• Wellness impact.

Cette session abordera les questions suivantes :

• Le rôle que joue les facteurs ESG dans les titres à revenu fixe
• Qu’est-ce que la finance durable – obligations vertes, sociales et durables ?
• Les finances durables ne sont pas toutes égales – comment l’évaluons-nous ?

Learn about the effect of the various applicable statutes that come to bear in enforcing the employee benefits contributions provisions of collective agreements (e.g., the Labour Relations Act, Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, Bank Act, Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, Business Corporations Act (which covers liabilities on directors), Criminal Code (including interest chargeable)).

Digital sprawl and competition for attention have made it harder than ever for trustees and plan sponsors to effectively manage communications, now across multiple channels and formats. Employees who feel informed and supported are more productive and more likely to stay with their employer, but their expectations and communication needs change over time. This requires trustees and plan sponsors to continuously evolve their communication approach—and toolkit.

With case studies and practical takeaways, we’ll dive into several impactful technologies that can improve communication and engagement in your programs. From AI to websites, from automation to video and from gamification to data analytics, it’s not as hard as you might think to leverage the latest technology to transform your benefits communications to maximize employee engagement.

This session will:

• Define target date funds and how they are used
• Distinguish between trustee-directed and participant-selected funds
• Explain fee structures
• Explore glide paths and issues related to glide paths
• Discuss participant communication.

Market interest rates have a significant knock-on effect on the discount rates used in pension plan valuations—but there is more at play in their evolution. This session will provide:

• A contextual comparison of changes to this key assumption over the years
• Contrast between the discount rate and actual rates of return of the various market indices that contribute to its determination
• A high-level overview of the impacts on funded positions and opportunities for derisking.

This session will cover the following topics:

• The role ESG plays in fixed income
• The definition of sustainable finance, including green, social and sustainable bonds
• Not all sustainable finance is created equal—How do we evaluate?

This session will explain derisking and explore derisking strategies ranging from liability-driven investment strategies to annuity purchase options. Attendees will learn to:

• Identify derisking opportunities
• Prepare meaningful analyses
• Understand the decision-making process.

A key feature of target benefit pension plans is the ability to make benefit changes, but how do you know when to make improvements? This session will educate trustees on:

• The process for making plan design changes
• How to determine if improvements are affordable
• Treating each generation of members fairly.

Today’s workplace is more diverse than ever, with many different generations working side by side both in person and remotely. To attract talent and keep employees engaged, employers need to commit to health equity in their programs. Learn about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in benefits and pension programs as well as current and evolving practices to meet the dynamic needs of employees now and in the future.

This facilitated open forum allows trustees to discuss issues of importance to all trustees and the funds they represent.

In this session, we will discuss how to optimize the following elements when managing the risks of a group benefits plan:

• Optimal stop-loss threshold and QDIPC/EP3 arrangements
• Biologic vs. biosimilar drugs
• Optimal waiting period for long-term disability
• Various financial arrangements.

The impact of recent volatility on traditional indices has not gone unnoticed and continues to wreak havoc on portfolios. These dynamic shifts have far-reaching implications on asset allocation and diversification strategies if left ignored. In this session, we will uncover the driving forces behind index investment performance and how to position your passive portfolio for this new market landscape, including:

• The hidden risk exposures in indexing
• Understanding the evolving investment landscape and its implications
• Strategies to adapt passive allocations to volatile markets.

Emerging markets (EM) stocks offer an exciting opportunity for value-oriented investors. Challenge the myths surrounding EM investing and learn strategies to capitalize on this overlooked asset class. This session will explore:

• The myths associated with EM investing
• Navigating risks of EM
• Opportunities available in EM stocks and currencies.

In today’s diverse workforce, we see a unique convergence of generations, each facing their own financial challenges. How can you help your members overcome these hurdles? This session will explore practical ways to provide support and direction, helping every generation within your organization navigate their financial journey. Learn how to be an integral part of their financial success story.

The BC Public Service Pension Plan changed its design to unlink from the Canada Pension Plan and to preserve the balance between contributions and benefits. Hear about the change process and lessons learned in areas including:

• Planning and design
• Systems and communication
• Member consultation
• How lessons were applied to a subsequent plan change.

Les membres de ce panel discuteront des tendances futures et des principaux sujets ayant un impact sur les fonds de pension en 2024.

The connection between employee benefits and the underlying human values of plan members has never been more critical. How can trustees make decisions that align with what members truly care about? David Allison will unveil how trustees can use the shared values of plan members as a critical new set of insights for designing employee benefit plans.

By using data from nearly a million surveys across 152 languages, David will pinpoint the precise core human values shared by your plan members. Then, he will share the profound impact of aligning plan decisions with these values, ensuring that the benefits truly resonate with the members’ core motivations and needs.