Human Resources

Building sustainable pension plans and post-retirement benefit programs in Canadian universities

March 25 and 26, 2010

Rossetti Room

Day 1 - Thursday, March 25, 2010

An overview of pension reforms being considered at the provincial and federal levels and on the international scene: what are the possible implications for universities?

Christopher A. Brown, Managing Partner, Spectrum HR Law LLP

The state of Canadian university pension plans and the factors contributing to their  lack of sustainability

Allan Shapira, Senior Principal and Consulting Actuary, Retirement and Financial Management Practice, Hewitt & Associates

Bargaining for more sustainable pension plans and post retirement benefit programs.  Universities will explain what changes in pension benefits and governance were achieved in a unionized environment and provide insight into lessons learned. 

Moderator: Sharon Cochran, Director, Faculty Bargaining Service

University speakers will present different cases:

1) Moving from a Defined Benefits Plan to a Defined Contribution Plan

Mark Haley, Assistant Vice-President Human Resources, McMaster University

2) Bargaining and Implementing a Sustainable Pension Plan  

Peter Sanderson, former Associate Vice-President, Human Resources, University of Victoria  

3) Moving from a Hybrid Plan to a Defined Contribution Plan

Lynne B. Gervais, Associate Vice-Principal, Human Resources, McGill University

4) Transitioning to a Trusteed Pension Plan

Laurel Repski, Vice-President, Human Resources, Audit & Sustainability, The University of Winnipeg

Lunch

The Canadian Association of University Teachers will present their view on the sustainability of pension plans and share insight into how universities and faculty associations might respond to the challenge.

Peter Simpson, Assistant Executive Director, Collective Bargaining and Services, Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT)

Two examples of pooling of pensions: the context, the governance, actual benefits and/or drawbacks, and strategies going forward.

1) Pooling of university academic pension plans in Alberta

Virendra Gupta, Executive Director, Management Team, Universities Academic Pension Plan (UAPP)

2) Pooling of assets and administration of four large unrelated plans in B.C. 

Gail Stephens, past Chief Executive Officer, B.C. Pension Plan Corporation; City Manager, City of Victoria

An overview and analysis of  collective action considered in Ontario and an assessment of each

Allan Shapira, Senior Principal and Consulting Actuary, Retirement and Financial Management Practice, Hewitt & Associates

A legal perspective on collective bargaining and the reform of pension plans: a review of legal precedents and implications for management and unions.  

Susan Philpott, Head of the Pension & Benefits Group, Koskie Minsky LLP

Refreshment Break

An overview of the current status of post-retirement liabilities in Canadian universities and  two examples of responses to the challenge of funding these:

1) Elimination of post-retirement benefits

Dario Nonis, Director, Human Resources, Simon Fraser University

2) Structuring a Retirement Benefit Trust at a Large Private Corporation : An Analysis of the Benefits and Regulatory Hurdles

Ross Cristiano, Senior Consultant and Actuary, Towers Watson

Paul Timmins, Lawyer, Towers Watson

Concluding discussions on building sustainable pension and post-retirement benefit plans

Table discussions with reporting back to plenary