Benefits Industry Basics (Canada)

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.

Learn the relationships among the parties of a group insurance contract. Differentiate between the plan sponsor's and insurer's roles and responsibilities regarding the management of a group benefits plan, including plan design, funding, pricing, claims and premium administration, participant communication and the renewal rating process.

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).

This course outlines the plan sponsor's role in group benefits plan management and provides an overview of key requirements related to group benefits design, claims administration, premium administration, recordkeeping and communication.

The Group Insurance Landscape begins with an analysis of what insurance is and why it is needed. It provides an overview of common insured and noninsured benefits provided under group benefits plans and the insurer’s role in the provision of group insurance. There is a focus on the interrelationships among the parties of a group insurance contract—the plan sponsor, insurer, plan advisors and plan members.

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.