Retirement with a capital R

 Is the big R word entering your vocabulary a little more often these days? Is it causing you a bit of apprehension, or maybe even abject terror if truth be told, when your friends start talking about their big R parties? Do you sometimes get those yucky, down-in-the-gut kind of

How to save for retirement while eliminating debt

 With recent statistics showing that Canadians are carrying more debt than ever before, many of us face a tough choice — pay down debt now or save for retirement? But according to personal finance experts, it's possible to have the best of both worlds. “Taking a proactive approach to your

People Need Less Money to Live As They Get Older? If Only.

 Pension plans for teachers, hospital workers and public servants target of study hype By Michael Wolfson Last week the C.D. Howe Institute released a short study just in time for the finance ministers’ meeting – rolling out the tired, old argument that as people age, they do not need as much money

A Musical Farewell with Oliver Jones

 Photos by Andre Gagne and supplied by the National Arts Centre. Oscar Peterson watches the sun set from the corner, his piano by his side. A swinging melody plays from above as a couple hurriedly approaches. “I hear he plays just like him,” the woman says, jutting her thumb towards

Why We Need to Think Twice About Adopting an Australian Model of Pension Reform

 In a recent nation-wide commentary, authors Charles Lammam and Stephen Kirchner of the Fraser Institute urge the Province of Ontario to adopt an Australian model of pension provision instead of expanding the Canada Pension Plan as proposed in the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan. This creates an interesting debate as it

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Profile: Sandy Hawley

 2015 marks the Year of Sport and the 60th anniversary of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. In recognition of these important milestones, OLM will be featuring Honoured Members of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in a weekly Profile piece. Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame aims to share the stories and

Pros and Cons of an Expanded Canada Pension Plan

 A new report came out this week that reiterates what we’ve heard from other sources a few times now: Canadians aren’t saving nearly enough for retirement. The Deputy Chief Economist of the CIBC warns that without pension reform now, younger workers today will see a steep decline in living standards

Financial Literacy: An Essential 21st Century Skill

 It may surprise you to learn that November is Financial Literacy Month. And yet, financial literacy deserves to be given more prominence in today’s world of complex mortgages, loans, insurance policies, complicated investment products and sophisticated financial scams. As Leslie Byrnes, Vice-President, Distribution and Pensions at the Canadian Life and

Pensions & Peace of Mind Series: Long-Term Care

 It is no secret that a secure and enjoyable retirement requires critical thinking, strategic planning and diligent budgeting. Many Canadians are aware of this but are unaware of the fact that a portion of that retirement budgeting must be allocated for long-term health care costs. This may come as a

Canadian Apprenticeship Forum Tackles Skilled Trades Worker Shortage

 The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum-Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA) is a national body that brings together all players in apprenticeship training. A national, not-for-profit organization working with stakeholders in all regions of Canada, CAF-FCA influences pan-Canadian apprenticeship strategies through research, discussion and collaboration, sharing insights across trades, across sectors and across

Pensions & Peace of Mind: To Pool Or Not to Pool?

 Pooled Registered Pension Plans (PRPPs) are Canada’s latest pension-planning tool. To pool or not to pool? That is the question – at least among Canada’s retirement experts. Pooled Registered Pension Plans (PRPPs) were proposed last November by the federal government and are intended to provide workers within small and medium-sized