Canadian Benefits Plan Administration

The Canadian Business Environment

This session provides a general overview of the business environment, key employment standards and human rights legislation essential for conducting business in Canada. Topics include:

• Collective agreement
• The employment environment and Canadian labour market
• Minimum employment standards for exempt/nonexempt employees, hours, overtime, vacation and leaves
• Best practices for recruitment, hiring and managing employment relationships
• Termination requirements, including notice and severance
• Labour relations and collective bargaining
• Human rights considerations such as accommodations and protected statuses (e.g., disability, family status, political affiliation)
• Key distinctions between Canadian and U.S. human rights provisions.

Retirement System and Pension Fundamentals

Explore the Canadian retirement landscape, including employer-sponsored pension plans and their regulatory framework across provinces. Key topics include:

• Government programs, such as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS)
• Private retirement savings options, such as registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs) and tax-free savings accounts (TFSAs)
• Types of retirement plans, including defined contribution (DC), defined benefit (DB), target benefit, deferred profit-sharing and hybrid plans
• Legal considerations, recent key decisions shaping Canada’s pension environment and employer responsibilities and limitations.

Health Care System and Employer Group Benefits

Learn more about the structure and principles of Canada’s health care system and how it compares to the U.S. system. Get up to date quickly on:

• Typical employer-sponsored group benefit plans in Canada
• Group benefit plan types, including flex plans and health care spending accounts
• The cost of basic life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), extended health care and dental benefits
• Cost-containment and benefit management techniques
• How group benefits are priced and key underwriting principles.

Navigating Québec’s Pension and Benefits Framework: What Employers Need to Know

As Canada’s largest province, Québec has a distinct legal framework that sets it apart, especially when it comes to pensions. Employers and plan sponsors looking to expand into Québec must navigate these unique regulations to ensure compliance. This session will provide:

A deep dive into the impact of Bill C-13 and the Charter of the French Language on employment and pension plans

A comprehensive breakdown of Québec’s pension law requirements and their implications for employers

A review of Québec’s benefits law requirements

A look at the benefits available to temporary workers and what employers should consider.

International Transfers

In the age of global mobility, transferring employees between Canada and the U.S. can occur frequently. Hear about the benefit considerations and policies that organizations often deal with when transferring employees. This session covers:

• Tax implications
• Global mobility trends
• Impact on benefits, pensions and executive compensation
• Permanent versus temporary transfers
• Treaty considerations
• Integrating employee benefit plans
• Special benefits for temporary workers.

Disability and Drug Plan Design in Canada

Explore how disability and drug plans are designed, managed and integrated within the broader health benefits system. Key topics include:

• Income replacement and disability programs
• Integration of public and private benefits
• Group disability plan design, cost drivers and cost-containment strategies
• Private insurance coverage and market dynamics
• Drug plan designs, adjudication practices and emerging trends.

Inclusive Benefits in Canada’s Modern Workplace

Navigate the diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) landscape in Canada and see how it differs from the U.S. With workforces spanning five generations and a wide range of needs, employees are seeking competitive compensation and benefits that reflect their unique needs. Attendees will:

• Define an inclusive philosophy tailored to Canadian employees
• Develop strategies to create flexible, accessible and equitable benefit and pension packages
• Discover best practices for Canadian benefit plans.

Case Study and Applications

This case study involves an interactive group exercise in which participants will be asked to assess the pension and benefit plan considerations of particular scenarios involving hypothetical Canadian companies. Participants will be able to select the scenario most relevant to their real-world needs. Each group will be asked to present the most important issues and what should be reported to their corporate executive team based on the criteria outlined in their case study.