Morneau Shepell examines Quebec and Alberta budgets

These and other subjects included in the current issue of the Morneau Shepell News & Views monthly publication

TORONTO, April 22, 2015 /CNW/ - In the April 2015 issue of its monthly newsletter, News & Views, Morneau Shepell examines the provincial budgets of Quebec and Alberta and summarizes implications related to retirement and health care. The April edition also looks at the City of Regina's Target Benefit Plan.

• Quebec budget and tax reform - Morneau Shepell analyzes Quebec's provincial budget and looks at selected announcements made by the minister, specifically, incentives for experienced workers, consolidation of certain government bodies, including the Régie des rentes and CARRA, healthcare contributions and tax reform proposals.
• Alberta budget - Morneau Shepell analyzes Alberta's provincial budget and highlights a health care levy announced for individuals with annual taxable income over $50,000.
• Alberta: Guideline on suspension and termination of a pension plan - Morneau Shepell summarizes the regulatory requirements when pension benefit accruals are suspended in Alberta.
• Saskatchewan : City of Regina target benefit plan –The Saskatchewan government confirmed that it will adopt special regulations to allow negotiated changes to the City of Regina Civic Pension Plan, which are intended to address concerns regarding the long-term sustainability of the Plan. Morneau Shepell looks at those plan changes as a case study of target benefit plan design and management.
• Market Indices – Monthly summary of returns from various market indices such as the FTSE TMX Bond Indices and Canadian, U.S. and Foreign Equity Indices. Also includes returns from benchmark portfolios used by pension funds.
• Tracking the funded status of defined benefit pension plans – Impact of past returns on plan assets and the effect of interest rate changes on solvency liabilities.
• Impact on pension expense under international accounting – Expense impact for a typical defined benefit pension plan.

About Morneau Shepell Inc.
Morneau Shepell is the largest company in Canada offering human resources consulting and outsourcing services. The Company is the leading provider of employee and family assistance programs, as well as the largest administrator of retirement and benefits plans and the largest provider of integrated absence management solutions in Canada. Through health and productivity, administrative, and retirement solutions, Morneau Shepell helps clients reduce costs, increase employee productivity and improve their competitive position. Established in 1966, Morneau Shepell serves approximately 20,000 clients, ranging from small businesses to some of the largest corporations and associations in North America. With approximately 3,600 employees in offices across North America, Morneau Shepell provides services to organizations across Canada, in the United States, and around the globe. Morneau Shepell is a publicly-traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: MSI). For more information, visit morneaushepell.com.

SOURCE Morneau Shepell - Pension/Retirement

Nathan Gibson, Manager, Corporate Communications, Morneau Shepell, 416-390-2641, [email protected]