National Pensions Conference
Conference Co-Chairs
Conference Advisory Committee
Christina Atanasova
Associate Dean of Research and PhD Program
Professor, Finance
Simon Fraser University (SFU)
Thursday, March 6, 2025
This panel will review recent legislative and regulatory pension developments. Topics to be addressed include:
- Canada Pension Plan benefit and contribution increases;
- Amendments to the federal Income Tax Act; and
- CAPSA Guidelines for Capital Accumulation Plans and Risk Management for Plan Administrators.
This panel will also explore significant court and tribunal decisions related to pension and benefits law. Topics to be addressed include:
- plan amendments;
- collective agreement violations;
- discrimination and denials of benefits;
- the relationship between class actions and regulatory jurisdiction;
- fiduciary duties; and
- negligence and constitutional issues arising out of public sector pension plan reform.
Final selection of cases will take place in the weeks leading up to the conference, ensuring coverage of the latest and most important decisions.
Even well-funded pension plans must adapt in the face of economic and demographic challenges. In this session, experts will explore the risks and opportunities associated with the current and projected economic climate, and address the following:
- How would a sustained fall in inflation and/or interest rates affect pension plans and their members?
- How are views on the meaning of retirement changing, and what does this mean for pensions and other sources of retirement income?
- What strategies should pension plan administrators take to manage pension plans and pension plan investments in an economic downturn? What role do administrators’ statutory and fiduciary obligations play in this regard?
- How will recently published provincial regulatory policies on IT risk management impact pension plans and their sponsors?
- What role, if any, will artificial intelligence play in the administration of pension plans and pension funds?
- What are the current legislative and regulatory requirements regarding ESG disclosure, taking into account ESG considerations, across Canadian jurisdictions? What changes are in prospect?
- To what extent do ESG considerations factor into investment-related decision-making? Do common law fiduciary duties permit administrators to take ESG considerations into account for any purpose other than financial gain? Does the answer depend on plan terms or type of plan
