56th Annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference

Les présentations inspirantes du général Dallaire encouragent les leaders à adopter de nouvelles formes de communication avec leurs équipes, en leur donnant la confiance nécessaire pour aller au-delà de la perception de leurs propres capacités. La longévité professionnelle, l’avantage concurrentiel et l’épanouissement personnel attendent ceux qui placent la qualité de vie pour eux-mêmes et pour leur équipe au premier plan.

Dallaire’s inspirational presentations encourage leaders to embrace new forms of communication with their team, giving them the confidence to go beyond the perception of their own abilities. Professional longevity, a competitive edge and personal fulfillment are awaiting those who put the quality of life for themselves and their team at the forefront.

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)—The phrase is everywhere. But doing DEI in a way that actually unifies people is far less understood. Enter Irshad Manji. In her riveting keynote, the New York Times bestselling author will reveal:

• What “honest diversity” means and how it differs from dishonest diversity
• Why practicing honest diversity will equip you to build relationships with game-changing results at work, at home and beyond
• How Bruce Lee, the martial arts icon, can inspire all of us to turn contentious issues into constructive conversations.

After her keynote, join Manji for a breakout workshop in which she’ll teach the skills to achieve diversity without division—because good ideas don’t work unless we work them!

« Diversité, équité et inclusion » — Cette expression est omniprésente, mais pratiquer la DEI d’une manière qui unifie réellement les gens est beaucoup moins bien compris.

C’est là qu’intervient Irshad Manji. Dans son discours liminaire captivant, l’auteure de best-sellers du New York Times révélera :

• ce que signifie la « diversité honnête » et en quoi elle diffère de la diversité malhonnête ;
• pourquoi la pratique de la diversité honnête vous permettra d’établir des relations qui changeront la donne au travail, à la maison et ailleurs ;
• comment Bruce Lee, l’icône des arts martiaux, peut nous inspirer à transformer les questions litigieuses en conversations constructives.

Après son allocution, rejoignez la journaliste et professeure Manji pour une séance en petits groupes au cours de laquelle elle vous enseignera les compétences nécessaires pour parvenir à la diversité sans division. Parce que les bonnes idées ne fonctionnent que si nous y travaillons !

Join Charbonneau as she outlines the current economic situation and its implications for what’s ahead.

• What’s in store for inflation and interest rates?
• How are labour scarcity and international economic context changing the economic environment?
• What to watch for moving into 2024

Charbonneau présente la situation économique actuelle et ses implications pour l’avenir.

• Que nous réservent l’inflation et les taux d’intérêt ?
• Comment la rareté de la main-d’œuvre et le contexte économique international modifient-ils l’environnement économique ?
• Que faut-il surveiller à l’aube de 2024 ?

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

This session will introduce the keys to understanding your plan’s financial performance and making the right decisions. The discussion will include:

• The links between performance monitoring and your investment policy
• Performance benchmarks
• Using performance monitoring to make the right decisions as trustees.

• Lessons learned to ensure meaningful participation of Indigenous workers in the skilled trades
• Effectively building partnerships and trust to collaboratively address the skilled trades shortage and economic reconciliation
• How can employment and skills training programs adapt to be more accessible and ultimately be more successful in training Indigenous workers?

• The unique growth opportunities offered by the global small cap market
• How they can play a complementary role to global developed large cap portfolios
• Why the market offers attractive added value potential
• How different investment styles can provide an efficient return experience.

• Why strategic planning is a core responsibility of pension and benefit plan boards
• Elements of strategic planning
• Getting strategic planning onto the board agenda.

• A benchmarking exercise over the last two years with all DB MEPPs in Ontario
• Current vs. leading practices
• Aggregated, sector-level insights.

• The importance of market research
• Highlights from the 2023 Canadian Retirement Survey
• Highlights from the 2023 Canadian Employer Pension Survey.

• Lessons learned from the pandemic and the current cancer landscape
• Evolution of cancer and its impact in the workplace
• Ensuring timely access to novel treatments and “moving at the speed of cancer”

• Access to medications, including high-cost specialty drugs
• Formulary management and drug plan design features that can improve plan sustainability
• Approaches to help plan sponsors achieve greater therapeutic and financial value for their plans while supporting member access to quality care.

• The theory of compassion fatigue and the “cost of caring” in the financial services sector
• The benefits of creating protected space to meaningfully reflect on your personal and professional well-being
• Introductory mindfulness skills and practices to support you and your members moving forward.

• Managing the enrollment process, including incomplete forms
• Delinquent and self-payment issues affecting plan member benefits
• Educating plan members on their benefits plan.

• Look at how Canadians are doing financially amidst high inflation and interest rates
• Discuss what plan sponsors can do to support their members and help reduce their financial stress
• Examine how workplace financial wellness programs can create win-win scenarios that benefit both plan members and plan sponsors.

• Emerging trends and future outlook for infrastructure investing
• Macroeconomic conditions driving infrastructure opportunities
• Infrastructure investment case study
• Benefits of infrastructure investing in balanced portfolios.

In this session, we will cover:

• The most important issues in Asia today and how they impact the world
• Major secular trends
• Key risks.

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

• The Canadian OCIO landscape
• OCIO provider selection considerations
• Navigating oversight duties and conflicts of interest
• Tailoring your OCIO relationship to ensure you do not get stuck in a one-size-fits-all approach.

This practical session will explore the higher profile and greater importance of portfolio monitoring and benchmarking in institutional portfolio management, including:

• Advances in portfolio management and the role of performance monitoring in the investment control cycle
• Practical uses of asset performance benchmarks (e.g., evaluating performance, setting discount rates)
• How to separate good information from “noise” when updating your investment policy or changing managers.

• Lessons learned to ensure meaningful participation of Indigenous workers in the skilled trades
• Effectively building partnerships and trust to collaboratively address the skilled trades shortage and economic reconciliation
• How can employment and skills training programs adapt to be more accessible and ultimately be more successful in training Indigenous workers?

We examine how private assets have historically fared in challenging environments and their critical role in portfolio construction, including:

• Private markets resilience
• Does the investment thesis hold up?
• Practical implications for investors.

This session will discuss:

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

• A benchmarking exercise over the last two years with all DB MEPPs in Ontario
• Current vs. leading practices
• Aggregated, sector-level insights.

• The importance of market research
• Highlights from the 2023 Canadian Retirement Survey
• Highlights from the 2023 Canadian Employer Pension Survey.

• Identify opportunities and barriers to creating programs that enable organizations to retain the valuable wisdom and experience preretirees hold while meeting plan members’ needs
• Discover and illuminate new ways to engage members and beneficiaries
• Explore retirement innovations that inspire us to build win-win work experiences.

• Engage employees
• Foster psychological safety
• Promote a culture of well-being that benefits everyone in your organization.

Many of the disruptive technologies we take for granted today were completely nonexistent not long ago. A prolific inventor and hacker, Holman built some of the most unique technologies in health care and cybersecurity. His ability to demystify and distill complex technology into practical tools helps humans thrive. Opportunities abound for innovators—Learn more about the potential they bring to the world.

Bon nombre des technologies perturbatrices que nous tenons pour acquises aujourd’hui n’existaient pas du tout il y a peu. Inventeur prolifique et pirate informatique, Pablos Holman a mis au point certaines des technologies les plus uniques dans le domaine des soins de santé et de la cybersécurité. Sa capacité à démystifier et à distiller des technologies complexes en outils pratiques aide les humains à prospérer. Les occasions ne manquent pas pour les innovateurs. Apprenez-en plus sur le potentiel qu’ils apportent au monde.

The collaborative (or sharing) economy is not a fad but an irreversible societal phenomenon. It impacts (or will impact) all spheres of activity: social, economic and political. It transforms the way markets work, relations between individuals, employment status, tax policy and the very role of government at all levels. Employers and unions will reconsider operations, competition and business models.

The barriers we face are no longer technological but cultural and institutional. Imagine a world that is more productive, sustainable and entrepreneurial. The world of tomorrow will belong to those who conceive a new framework that enables both protection and prosperity.

Stress is a major cause of most illnesses, and humour is an amazing way to relieve it—especially now. Harvard studies show that when you are stressed, your brain shrinks. However, when you laugh, you relax; and when you relax, you learn. This inspirational session explores seven stress-relieving ingredients during these challenging times—a positive attitude, perseverance, forgiveness, teamwork (how to deal with people who aren’t “as perfect as us”), family and friends, healthy mental activity and healthy physical activity. This session will cover:

• How to cope with information overload
• How to appreciate the incredible medical benefits of humour
• Dealing with difficult people
• Discovering how happiness is a mindset
• How to increase your chances of surviving a heart attack by five times and increase your lifespan and quality of life by laughing
• Increasing your brain’s reasoning and decision making
• Learning the surprising key to motivation and the most important gift you can give your child.

• Implementation options to participate in fund and coinvestment opportunities
• Steps trustees can take to address fiduciary risks associated with this asset class
• How trustees of smaller plans lacking exposure to private markets can benefit from allocations to alternative asset investments.

• Various moving parts of a pension plan and how to balance them
• Plan provision pros and cons as well as industry trends
• Possible plan designs and associated financial implications for the future.

• Managing the enrollment process, including incomplete forms
• Delinquent and self-payment issues affecting plan member benefits
• Educating plan members on their benefits plan.

• Developing an RFP
• The role of trustees throughout the process
• Scorecards and other monitoring tools.

Though presenteeism costs three times as much as absenteeism, managers still don’t know much about it. And for good reason! It’s hard to quantify, and data is hard to come by. A recent study provides new insights into the complex relationship between absenteeism, presenteeism and mental health. This session will enable participants to:

• Analyze the latest trends in workplace attendance in Canada and see how the pandemic affected employee behaviour
• Explore the main causes of absenteeism and presenteeism
• Find concrete solutions to prevent absenteeism and presenteeism from negatively impacting employers already dealing with a labour shortage.

• What is neurodiversity?
• How does neurodiverse talent recruitment and retention fit within employers’ overall inclusion programs?
• What is universal design, and how can it be used to better support neurodivergent employees?

In a rising rate environment, what benefits have commercial mortgage investors experienced, and how has risk been mitigated through underwriting? The following topic points will be covered to help trustees better understand commercial mortgages:

• Fundamentals of commercial mortgage investments
• Assessing risk
• Pricing risk (fixed vs. floating rates)
• Examples of commercial mortgage investments and the underwriting standards that are appropriate for institutional investors.

• Barriers to entry into the industry
• Successful plans and programs
• How pension and benefit programs can help.

• Evaluate some of the procedures that should be in place for cyberattack preparedness
• Common mistakes that organizations make during a cyberincident and after one is discovered
• The importance of complying with insurance policy reporting requirements and other key provisions that might lead to coverage disputes.

• The role of private assets in a pension trust fund portfolio
• Uncovering pockets of opportunity in private equity investments, including buyouts, secondaries and coinvestments
• Understanding the benefits of lending money to private companies
• Private asset performance during periods of inflation and higher interest rates

• How joint governance leads to a culture of innovation
• How member and employer needs drive constant evolution from a one-size-fits-all approach to accommodate a wide variety of CAP arrangements
• Lessons from a modern DB pension plan on evolving Canada’s pension landscape and becoming one of the fastest growing pension plans.

Inflation and interest rate hikes are affecting everyone. Is it time to review your group benefits? Explore this topic from several angles:

• Group benefits
• Employer's perspective
• Employee experience.

Gain new approaches to minimizing plan member absence and understand the value of being a supportive guide for plan members as they navigate governmental programs and the somewhat confusing medical system. Learn new tools and opportunities to reduce claim duration along with the resulting costs and labour shortages associated with absence due to member disabilities.

• Current labour market trends
• Implications for the future
• How to adapt to these major issues.

• Review the latest DC plan design trends
• Identify ways to reinvent your DC plan for value, flexibility and sustainability
• Explore fiduciary responsibilities related to education and support.

• Key causes of intergenerational inequity
• What happens if the causes aren’t addressed
• Steps plans can take to stay on track.

• Implementation options to participate in fund and coinvestment opportunities
• Steps trustees can take to address fiduciary risks associated with this asset class
• How trustees of smaller plans lacking exposure to private markets can benefit from allocations to alternative asset investments.

• Developing an RFP
• The role of trustees throughout the process
• Scorecards and other monitoring tools.

• What is neurodiversity?
• How does neurodiverse talent recruitment and retention fit within employers’ overall inclusion programs?
• What is universal design, and how can it be used to better support neurodivergent employees?

• Committees can focus too much on recent performance of the underlying investment strategies despite asset mix having the biggest impact on the risk and return profile
• The role of active management can influence asset-mix selection
• The payoff for picking the right asset class vs. the right investment manager can impact success.

This session will cover:

• Why you should have a policy
• What are the applicable rules?
• The trend toward eforms and what that might entail.

• Understand the impact of mental health that workers experience on professional development, career paths and organizations.
• Recognize the cognitive and psychological factors that influence motivation and job satisfaction.
• Identify strategies to address shared responsibility for employee motivation at work.

• Key causes of intergenerational inequity
• What happens if the causes aren’t addressed
• Steps plans can take to stay on track.

Despite what stakeholders may expect on the heels of a year of poor investment performance, 2022 was not a perfect storm for pension plans. Higher interest rates significantly lowered liabilities and costs. What does this mean for your plan and your plan members?

• Access to medications, including high-cost specialty drugs
• Formulary management and drug plan design features that can improve plan sustainability
• Approaches to help plan sponsors achieve greater therapeutic and financial value for their plans while supporting member access to quality care.

Though presenteeism costs three times as much as absenteeism, managers still don’t know much about it. And for good reason! It’s hard to quantify, and data is hard to come by. A recent study provides new insights into the complex relationship between absenteeism, presenteeism and mental health. This session will enable participants to:

• Analyze the latest trends in workplace attendance in Canada and see how the pandemic affected employee behaviour
• Explore the main causes of absenteeism and presenteeism
• Find concrete solutions to prevent absenteeism and presenteeism from negatively impacting employers already dealing with a labour shortage.

• Returns
• Yields
• Spreads
• Issuance.

This session will cover:

• Why you should have a policy
• What are the applicable rules?
• The trend toward eforms and what that might entail.

• Understand the impact of mental health that workers experience on professional development, career paths and organizations.
• Recognize the cognitive and psychological factors that influence motivation and job satisfaction.
• Identify strategies to address shared responsibility for employee motivation at work.

In a rising rate environment, what benefits have commercial mortgage investors experienced, and how has risk been mitigated through underwriting? The following topic points will be covered to help trustees better understand commercial mortgages:

• Fundamentals of commercial mortgage investments
• Assessing risk
• Pricing risk (fixed vs. floating rates)
• Examples of commercial mortgage investments and the underwriting standards that are appropriate for institutional investors.

• Barriers to entry into the industry
• Successful plans and programs
• How pension and benefit programs can help.

• Various moving parts of a pension plan and how to balance them
• Plan provision pros and cons as well as industry trends
• Possible plan designs and associated financial implications for the future.

• Evaluate some of the procedures that should be in place for cyberattack preparedness
• Common mistakes that organizations make during a cyberincident and after one is discovered
• The importance of complying with insurance policy reporting requirements and other key provisions that might lead to coverage disputes.

Investors can get a better understanding of real economy environmental, social and governance (ESG) outcomes by focusing on links between “E” and “S” priorities as companies transition to a lower carbon economy. This session will cover:

• A view into interconnections between climate change performance and human capital performance of companies
• How human rights can act as a powerful driver of a “just transition”
• A holistic view of climate change mitigation and resiliency—Emerging focus on biodiversity and nature preservation.

• The role of private assets in a pension trust fund portfolio
• Uncovering pockets of opportunity in private equity investments, including buyouts, secondaries and coinvestments
• Understanding the benefits of lending money to private companies
• Private asset performance during periods of inflation and higher interest rates

• How joint governance leads to a culture of innovation
• How member and employer needs drive constant evolution from a one-size-fits-all approach to accommodate a wide variety of CAP arrangements
• Lessons from a modern DB pension plan on evolving Canada’s pension landscape and becoming one of the fastest growing pension plans.

Gain new approaches to minimizing plan member absence and understand the value of being a supportive guide for plan members as they navigate governmental programs and the somewhat confusing medical system. Learn new tools and opportunities to reduce claim duration along with the resulting costs and labour shortages associated with absence due to member disabilities.

Des questions importantes seront soulevées par la journaliste Chantal Hébert :

• Jusqu’à présent, le Canada a été épargné par une vague de populisme à l’américaine, mais pour combien de temps ?
• Les relations canado-américaines s’approchent-elles d’une nouvelle réinitialisation ?
• Un aperçu des dernières tendances sur les fronts national et canado-américain, et de ce qu’elles laissent présager pour 2023-2024.

• Canada has so far been spared an American-style wave of populism, but for how long?
• Is the Canada–U.S. relationship headed for another reset?
• A look at the latest trends on the national and Canada–U.S. fronts and what they bode for 2023-2024