Trustees have special fiduciary obligations

Consulting

Our qualified and accomplished consultants assist our clients with the development and management of their employee benefit and pension plans, in an objective and impartial manner. Our consulting team services encompass:

• Establishment and oversight of benefit and pension programs
• Review of existing pension and benefit plans, recommending alternative funding and plan designs aligned with requirements and budget
• Clear and concise employee communications
• Ascertaining and implementing cost containment solutions
• Comparative analysis of alternative plans and alternative providers
• Establishment of good governance practices which are implemented and monitored
• Establishment of asset mix and investment policy guidelines
• Investment performance monitoring against established benchmarks
• Report on and implement all plan and legislative changes
• Aligning each element of each benefit program with the related service provider(s)
• Attend and participate in client meeting

Health & Welfare Programs

• Management of Insured, Administration Services Only and Self Funded benefits
• Life Insurance, Dependent Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Drug Card, Supplementary Health, Out of Province/Country Emergency, Preferred Provider Networks, Vision, Dental, Critical Illness, Health Spending Accounts, Stop Loss, Survivor Income, Supplementary Unemployment, Legal Assistance, Bereavement and Jury-duty programs
• Financial management including funding, modelling and projections
• Reviewing, analyzing and negotiating insurance renewals including identifying/negotiating premium rates and costs
• Assist in assessing the insurer and claims payers performance in terms of the plan specifications and funding requirements
• Explore, research, and educate regarding industry and legislative developments and make recommendations accordingly
• Prepare specifications and analyze competitive quotes from service providers
• Develop and monitor funding and reserve requirements
• Provide costs (premiums, claims, expenses) related to plan improvements/changes
• Regular reporting on claims experience, fraud and emerging trends
• Communications to employees including booklets, annual statements, and Clear and concise employee communications
• Ascertaining and implementing cost containment solutions
• Comparative analysis of alternative plans

Pension Programs

• Defined Benefit Pension Plans, Defined Contribution Pension Plans, Group Registered Retirement Savings Plans
• Legislative and industry changes and compliance
• Effective governance and strategic planning leading to implementation and maintenance of best governance practices and policies
• Pension Plan Design, Implementation and Amendment
• Dealing with Regulatory Authorities (Various Pension Commissions and Revenue Canada)
• Comprehensive analysis of plan provisions and financial status
• Plan Improvement/change analysis
• Communications to Plan Members including booklets, annual statements, option statements and newsletters
• Plan Windup and Conversion
• Retirement Planning Seminars
• Plan sponsor education

Investment Analysis

Our ongoing reporting monitors investments, enabling plan sponsors to fulfil their fiduciary responsibilities and react, if appropriate, to changes in markets or performance levels.

Our comparative and measurement reporting capabilities and services are provided through our partnerships with Proteus Investment Mearsurement Services and RBC Dexia Investment Services.

• Establish and manage Statement of Investment Policies and Procedures (SIP&P)
• Analysis and risk management
• SIP&P compliance verifications
• Investment reporting including asset allocation versus asset mix policy, rates of return by asset class against market indices, relative portfolio rates of return against universe of pension funds and benchmarks
• Monitoring and reporting on investment managers
• Investment manager search and selection
• Cost-effective custodial services