Toolkit

Financial Education/Retirement Security (Canada)

Financial stress impacts productivity, job performance, ability to focus at work and staff turnover. Help your participants learn the basic tools, habits and behaviors needed to achieve financial goals. Find financial education and retirement security program support in the resources listed below.

E-Learning

Fundamentals in Retirement Plans

Gain a solid understanding of what retirement income needs are and how retirement plans work to meet those needs. Learn about the various types of registered and nonregistered pension and savings plans and their pros and cons for employer and employee. Take a deep dive into the intent and application of the Guidelines for Capital Accumulation Plans (CAP Guidelines) and the Pension Plan Governance Guideline issued by the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities (CAPSA).

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An illustrated collection of finance tools including a calculator, glasses, clipboard, magnifying glass, money and a pen

Financial Skills for Life: An Introduction to Personal Finance

Young workers have a lot to learn. Not only are they acquiring new job skills, but it may be the first time many of them have been offered benefits or earned a substantial paycheck. This approachable online course will help new workers build solid personal finances. It highlights the issues they should consider as they are getting started in their jobs and provides helpful tools for the future.

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Compétences financières pour la vie : Une introduction aux finances personnelles

Avoir un bon emploi n’est qu’une partie du parcours d’une personne pour atteindre ses objectifs financiers. Être en mesure de suivre votre argent, de planifier vos économies et d’utiliser vos avantages peut être tout aussi important pour prendre de bonnes habitudes et maintenir une relation positive avec vos finances. Ce cours fournit aux jeunes travailleurs et travailleuses des approches générales pour comprendre et gérer l’argent et les avantages qu’ils gagnent.

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Retirement Plan Sponsor Responsibilities

Retirement Plan Sponsor Responsibilities outlines the intent and application of the Guidelines for Capital Accumulation Plans (CAP Guidelines) and the Pension Plan Governance Guideline issued by the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities (CAPSA). It reviews the significance of both sets of guidelines for plan sponsors, plan members and service providers and highlights key differences between them. Steps taken by these groups when setting up, operating and terminating a CAP are reviewed.

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The Retirement Landscape

The Retirement Landscape provides a basic understanding of what retirement income needs are and how retirement plans work to meet these needs. It introduces the three pillars of the retirement system, outlines the key characteristics and the prevalence of registered and non-registered plans, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Regulatory requirements and the plan sponsor’s role are briefly discussed.

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Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans

Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans provides an overview of benefits arising from a registered pension plan on retirement, termination of employment or death. It examines various types of defined benefit registered pension plans and non-registered savings plans, including Supplemental Retirement Arrangements and Employee Profit Sharing Plans, as well as their advantages and disadvantages for employees and employers.

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Life Cycle of a Group Retirement Plan

Life Cycle of a Group Retirement Plan outlines the CAP provider’s role and responsibilities at all stages of a capital accumulation plan (CAP) life cycle—prospecting, quoting/proposing, selling, implementing, servicing and terminating a group retirement plan. The application of principles of ethical decision making throughout the life cycle of CAP is examined from the perspectives of all parties involved in the group retirement plan—plan sponsor, CAP provider, plan advisers and plan members.

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Webcasts

Illustration of a coin being dropped into a head

Financial Literacy That Actually Improves Benefits Outcomes

This webcast is designed for benefits professionals, trustees and wellness leaders and focuses on improving benefits engagement and utilization through behavior-based decision support. Instead of exploring plan design changes or new program additions, it highlights practical strategies to influence participant behavior, support smarter benefits decisions and increase the impact of existing offerings.

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How Employers Can Assist With Creating Income in Retirement

With retirement plans across the globe increasingly moving to a defined contribution format—whether that be a 401(k), 403(b), DC pension plan, RRSP or DPSP—we are seeing employees and employers expressing concern at how tricky it is to replace their salary with income in retirement. This is an issue gaining quite a lot of attention in both the U.S. and Canada. Neil Lloyd and Preet Prashar will discuss why this is being raised as a concern, how the different industries and employers are responding, and some simple ways that employers can assist.

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Illustration of an older couple standing in front of a sunset

Financial Planning for a Healthy Retirement

Plan members no longer need to settle for a one-size-fits-all approach to retiring. A panel of experts will provide a webcast previewing the two-part “Health, Wealth and Happiness” preconference workshop being offered at the 58th Annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference.

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Surveys

Workplace Wellness and Financial Education Programs

Workplace Wellness and Financial Education: 2025 Survey Report (U.S. and Canada)

This report reveals details about current initiatives and insights into the changing needs of employees as well as the growing importance of wellbeing and financial stability, covering personal factors impacted by financial challenges, impact on work performance and solutions through financial education.

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Blogs

Articles

Older woman holding a cup and looking out a window

How Canadian Employers Can Support Retirement Readiness

Plans & Trusts March/April 2026

Concerns about inflation and the possibility of a recession weigh heavily on employees’ and employers’ minds. The author explores ways employers can help employees build financial confidence and stay on track toward their retirement goals, even in uncertain times.

Charts and numbers overlaying a chess board

Supporting Workplace Financial Wellness in Canada: Understanding the Difference Between Guidance and Advice

Benefits Quarterly, Fourth Quarter 2025

Many organizations have expanded workplace programs to offer financial wellness education and support that combat productivity losses from financial stress, but a key distinction remains between providing financial guidance and delivering financial advice. Whether the support is designed to provide guidance, advice or both, employers and sponsors should consider the following questions to mitigate potential risk and maximize effectiveness: Is the scope and purpose of the financial wellness program well-defined, have you clearly communicated the boundaries to internal staff and provided appropriate training, have you communicated to your employees/plan members that the program is intended to provide guidance and not advice, and are third-party providers credentialed and unbiased?

Québec VPLAs and a History of Decumulation Options

Plans & Trusts, September/October 2025

On December 4, Québec's budget implementation act, Bill 80 received Royal Assent, making Québec the latest province to move forward with supporting legislation for Variable Payment Life annuities (VPLAs). What are VPLA's? They are a new type of decumulation option that provide a life-time annuitized stream of payments, the amount of which can vary based on the financial and mortality experience of the plan. The payments may rise or fall over time.

DC Plan Member Education: From Apathy to Opportunity

Plans & Trusts March/April 2025

Retirement plans help employees secure their financial future, yet many underutilize these benefits. The author highlights how organizations that provide financial education and advice support employees’ financial wellness and gain a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining talent.

Empowering Modern Retirement Solutions for the 100-Year Life

Plans & Trusts January/February 2025

By fostering inclusive workplaces where all generations can thrive, organizations can harness the economic and social benefits of a multigenerational workforce. The authors look beyond employment, encouraging a reimagining of retirement and preparation for the realities of longer lives.

Quick Links

Retirement 101 - Select from a defined benefit plan, defined contribution plan or a plan for public employees. Find out more about what each plan is, how much money you will get and when, different scenarios, and who pays for your benefits. This is the perfect tool to share with plan participants wanting to learn more about the power of their retirement plan.
Financial Education Program Checklist - This checklist gives learners the tools they can use to make money management decisions throughout their lives and provides questions to consider as employers build their workplace financial education program.
Monthly financial education tips - Help your workforce increase their financial fitness by sharing these helpful month-by-month tips.
Checklists and worksheets for employees - Help your workforce increase their financial fitness by sharing these helpful financial education tools and tips: Retirement security strategies checklist, tips and worksheets for workers with less than 15 years from retirement and for those more than 15 years from retirement.
Retirement Security Strategies - Use these suggested retirement security strategies based on your goals to help your workforce prepare for retirement.
Benefit Basics Templates for Participants - This resource allows plan sponsors and employers to easily share helpful information with their employees on a wide range of benefits-related topics. Select resources are customizable, making it easy to add your company logo and share.

Additional Resources

Videos

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