TOPCONSULTANTS directory THE CONSULTANT WORLD is constantly changing and evolving to respond to market conditions and client needs. To help plan sponsors navigate the many pension, benefits and communications challenges, we bring you the Benefits Canada directory and marketplace listing of the leading consultants across Canada. Ao n Co n s u lt i n g Ste. 500, 145 Wellington St. W., Toronto M5J 1H8 Contact Marilynne Madigan, Senior Vice-president Tel 416-542-5578 Fax 416-542-5501 Email marilynne.madigan@aon.ca Website www.aon.ca Services Actuarial services, benefits consulting, communication consulting, compensation consulting, DB pension consulting, DC /CA P consulting, HR consulting, HR outsourcing, investment consulting (asset allocation, investment manager selection, investment policy development, performance attribution, performance measurement, research services, risk analysis), plan administration/ outsourcing. Description Aon Consulting is committed to delivering innovative, personalized and value-driven human capital solutions. Fuelled by best practices of 36,000 colleagues in 120 countries, our 700+ Canadian professionals in 12 offices help clients shape their organizations into the workplaces of the future through benefits, talent management and rewards strategies and solutions. Total Canadian Clients 3,000 Total Employees in Canada 804 b f i n a n c e Ca n a da Ste. 2200, 1250 René Lévesque Blvd. W., Montreal H3B 4W8 Contact Jean-François Milette, Managing Director Tel 514-393-4899 Fax 514-813-2096 Email jfmilette@bfinance.com Website www.bfinance.com Services bfinance s investment consulting practice focuses on search and selection of investment managers. Description Founded in 1999, bfinance today has serviced more than 300 individual (excluding repeat business) clients from 20 countries around the world and has grown to more than 60 employees located in offices in London (headquarters), Paris, Munich, Milan, Montreal and Toronto. bfinance is staffed by practitioners with a wealth of complementary, investment, transaction banking and consultancy experience. Br o c k h o u s e Co o p e r Ste. 4025, 1250 René-Lévesque Blvd. W., Montreal H3B 4W8 Contact Éric Fontaine, Executive Vice-president Tel 514-932-1548 Fax 514-932-8288 Website www.brockhousecooper.com Services Investment consulting including portfolio strategies, manager monitoring, manager search, asset management and transition management. Description Brockhouse Cooper is a global company established in 1968 and headquartered in Montreal. It is a premium boutique firm offering integrated financial solutions to institutional clients, specialized investors and investment managers around the world. Brockhouse Cooper offers a full suite of advisory services to help clients manage their entire investment process. As a complete package, or à la carte, clients can access services such as strategy development, manager research, transition management and manager monitoring. Total Clients 50 Total Employees in Canada 17 Bu c k Co n s u lta n t s, a Xe r o x Co m pa n y 155 Wellington St. W., Toronto M5V 3H1 Contact Marina Scassa, Director of Marketing Email marina.scassa@ buckconsultants.com Tel 416-865-0060 Fax 416-865-1099 Website www.buckconsultants.ca Services Retirement (pension and actuarial), health and welfare consulting, investment consulting, administration, and employee communication services. Description Buck Consultants provides complete and creative, fullservice solutions to organizations facing benefits issuse. Our clients include corporations, not-for-profit and educational institutions, and governments. We have built our reputation on making client service our first priority; our vision is to make our clients "rave" about us. Total Employees in Canada 240 Co w a n In s u r a n c e Gr o u p Lt d. Benefits and Retirement Consulting Division 705 Fountain St. N., P.O. Box 1510, Cambridge, Ont. N1R 5T2 Contact Teresa Norris-Lue, Vice-president, Benefits Tel 519-650-6363 Fax 519-650-6433 Email teresa.norris-lue @cowangroup.ca Website www.cowangroup.ca Services Benefits consulting, DC CAP consulting, health and disability management, group benefits third party administration, international programs Cowan provides these services from offices in Cambridge, Ottawa and Hamilton. Description For 30 years, Cowan has assisted plan sponsors in managing their pension and benefits plans, helping with administrative challenges, and providing health and disability management solutions and international programs. Da n La w r ie In s u r a n c e Br o k e r s Lt d. 105 Main St. E., Hamilton L8N 1G6 Contact Jennifer Osborn Financial Services Manager Tel 905-525-7259 Fax 905-521-7989 TOP CONSULTANTSdirectory
TOPCONSULTANTS directory Email josborn@danlawrie.com Website www.danlawrie.com Services Employee benefits, pension, investment, succession planning, property casualty and HR consulting. Description Dan Lawrie Insurance s dedicated associates are experts in a full range of financial and related property casualty services. For more than 25 years, our solution based approach has ensured that every dollar spent on benefits and pension has an ROI for the employer and brings values to employees. Total Clients 750 Total Employees 85 Eckler Ltd. Ste. 900, 110 Sheppard Ave. E., Toronto M2N 7A3 Contact Todd McLean, Principal Tel 416-696-3059 Fax 416-696-3950 Email tmclean@eckler.ca Website www.eckler.ca Services Pension actuarial, administration, risk management, investment consulting, communications and change, group benefits, technology. Description As the country s largest, independently owned pension and benefits consulting firm, Eckler is committed to delivering progressive solutions and superior service to Canadian organizations. Each of our practice areas (pension and actuarial, investment consulting, communications and change, group benefits and technology solutions) is a leader in its field and committed to service excellence. ESI Ca n a da 5770 Hurontario St., 10th fl., Mississauga, Ont. L5R 3G5 Contact John Herbert, director, product and clinical services Tel 905-712-6318 Fax 905-712-9986 Email jherbert@express-scripts.com Website www.esi-canada.com Services Health and dental claims management, claims adjudication, claims payment and eligibility verification Description ESI Canada is the leading health benefits manager in Canada. We partner with insurance companies, third-party administrators and the public sector to optimize the value of health benefits for more than seven million Canadians. We ensure that our customers are able to provide high-quality, cost effective healthcare products. Total Employees in Canada 300 He w i t t Ste. 1600, 225 King St. W., Toronto M5V 3M2 Contact Marcia McDougall Tel 416-227-5713 Fax 416-227-5744 Email marcia.mcdougall @hewitt.com Website www.hewitt.com/canada Services HR and benefits outsourcing, compensation and benefits data, as well as consulting in talent and rewards, healthcare, retirement, actuarial, and organizational change. Description Hewitt Associates provides organizations around the world with expert HR consulting and outsourcing solutions to help them anticipate and solve their most complex benefits, talent and related financial challenges. With a history of exceptional client service since 1940, Hewitt has offices in 33 countries, including Canadian offices in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and Regina. Krieger + Associates Ste. 300, 43 Front St. E., Toronto M5E 1B3 Contact David Krieger, President Tel 416-363-1221 Fax 416-363-0677 Email dak@kriegerandassociates.com Website www.kriegerandassociates.com Services Benefits consulting, communications consulting, DB pension plan consulting, DC/CAP consulting, HR technology services. Description K+A is a proud Canadian consulting boutique offering expertise and support products in the fields of group benefits, HR communications, retirement and technology. Total Canadian Clients 42 Total Employees in Canada 12 Mercer (Canada) Ltd. 161 Bay St., P.O. Box 501, Toronto M5J 2S5 Contact Greg Fayarchuk, Canadian Sales Leader Tel 416-868-2000 Fax 416-868-7671 Email greg.fayarchuk@mercer.com Website www.mercer.ca Services Consulting in retirement, health and benefits, compensation, performance management, outsourcing, investment, investment management, communication, change management, HR operations, and information products. Description Mercer is a leading global provider of consulting, outsourcing and investment services. Mercer works with clients to solve their most complex benefits and human capital issues, designing and helping to manage health, retirement and other benefits. It is a leader in benefits outsourcing. Mercer s investment services include investment consulting and multimanager investment management. Total Canadian Clients 3,155 Total Employees in Canada 1,800+ Mi c r ot r e n d s Co m p u t i n g Se rv i c e s Ste. 104, 60 Granton Dr., Richmond Hill, Ont. L4B 1J2 Contact Tony Gouveia, Director, Sales and Marketing Tel 905-882-9844 ext. 110 Fax 905-882-9845 Email tonyg@microtrends.net Website www.flextpa.com Services Group administration/ billing software. Description Microtrends has developed FlexTPA, a leading-edge software solution for TPAs that allows them to automate all aspects of group benefits administration/billing, enhance service to their group clients and gain a valuable insight to grow a successful business. With FlexTPA, group benefits administrators have full control over the design of flexible benefits cafeteria plans, integration services with carriers/claims payers and a group Web portal for client self-service. Total Employees in Canada 5 TOP CONSULTANTSdirectory
TOPCONSULTANTS directory MORNEAU SOBECO INCOME FUND Ste. 700, One Morneau Sobeco Centre 895 Don Mills Rd., Toronto M3C 1W3 Contact Alex Diemer, Partner, Business Development Tel 416-445-2700 Fax 416-445-7989 Email adiemer@morneausobeco.com Website www.morneausobeco.com Services Pension and benefits consulting (DB and DC plans, savings, investments, retirement planning, traditional and flexible benefits plans and communications). Description MSIF is the largest Canadian-owned HR consulting and outsourcing firm focused on pensions, benefits, employee assistance programs and other workplace health and productivity solutions. We have one of the largest benefits consulting practices in the country, and our retirement consulting practice dates back to 1962. Total Clients 7,000 Total Employees 2,400 PBI ACTUARIAL CONSULTANTS LTD. St. 1070, One Bentall Centre, 505 Burrard St., P.O. Box 42, Vancouver V7X 1M5 Contact Tony C.L. Williams, President and Consulting Actuary Tel 604-647-3232 or 1-877-687-8056 Fax 604-687-8074 Email tony.williams@pbiactuarial.ca Website www.pbiactuarial.ca Services Actuarial services, benefits consulting, DB and DC pension plan consulting, investment consulting, plan administration. Description PBI Actuarial Consultants Ltd. is an employeeowned firm specializing in providing services to plans managed by boards of trustees. PBI s associates have extensive experience in all aspects of pension and benefits plan design, funding and administration, including setting, implementing and monitoring investment policy. Total Canadian Clients 25 Total Employees in Canada 36 TOWERS WATSON Ste. 1701, 175 Bloor St. East, Toronto M4W 3T6 Contact Kevin Aselstine, Managing Consultant Tel 416-960-2700 Fax 416-960-2819 Website www.towerswatson.com Services Pension consulting (including actuarial and pension administration), health and group benefits, insurance, reinsurance and investment consulting, executive compensation, employee rewards, employee surveys and data services, HR function effectiveness and technology. Description Towers Watson is a leading global professional services company that helps organizations improve performance through effective people, risk and financial management. With 14,000 associates around the world, we offer solutions in the areas of employee benefits, talent management, rewards, and risk and capital management. MO R R OW, CR O S S D A L E & AS S O C I AT E S IN C. Ste. 219, 445 Apple Creek Blvd., Markham, Ont. L3R 9X7 Contact Ted Morrow, Consultant Tel 905-881-5783 Fax 905-881-5650 Email ted.morrow@morcro.ca Website www.morcro.ca Services Pension consulting, benefits consulting. Description Morrow, Crossdale & Associates specializes in plan design, funding levels and underwriting of group life, disability, health and dental programs. The firm also provides consultation in the area of pension plans, deferred profit sharing plans and RRSPs. Total Clients 110 Total Employees in Canada 5 Canadian Branch Office Location Newmarket THE SEGAL COMPANY, LTD. 45 St. Clair Ave. W., Toronto M4V 1K9 Chief Client Contact Pui-Ying Chan, Senior Vice-president Tel 416-969-3970 Fax 416-961-2101 Email pchan@segalco.com Website www.segalco.ca Services Actuarial services, benefits consulting, communications consulting, DB pension plan consulting, DC/ CA P consulting, HR consulting, investment consulting (asset allocation, employee communication, investment manager selection, investment policy development, plan design, performance attribution, performance measurement, research, risk analysis), computer and management consulting. Description The Segal Company, Ltd. is an employee benefits, HR and actuarial consulting firm. Our services include actuarial, communication, computer and management consulting, group benefits and investment consulting. Total Employees in Canada 25 THE WILLIAMSON GROUP 225 King George Rd. Brantford, Ont. N3R 7N7 Tel 1-800-265-9973 or 519-756-9560 Fax 519-756-9914 Email info@williamsongroup.com Website www.williamsongroup.com Services Employee benefits, pension, executive benefits, TPA, corporate wellness, disability adjudication, financial planning, medical concierge service. Description The Williamson Group is a solutions provider committed to delivering sustainable employee benefit strategies to Canadian and international employers. TWG is Canada s global benefits alternative to the major consulting houses. TWG has developed a real time disability adjudication and administration program that significantly reduces disability costs. TOP CONSULTANTSdirectory
TOPCONSULTANTS marketplace At Brockhouse Cooper, we offer a full suite of advisory services to help clients manage their investments. As a package, or à la carte, clients may access services such as strategy development, manager research and monitoring and transition management. EXPECT MORE. www.brockhousecooper.com pension actuarial administration risk management communications and change group benefits technology investment consulting The Art of the Science Just what the doctor ordered. The greatest scientists are always artists as well. Albert Einstein A M At Eckler Ltd. our exceptional professionals combine technical excellence with aggressive listening and visionary thinking. The result is inspired solutions to our clients business challenges. www.eckler.ca Vancouver Winnipeg Toronto Montreal Quebec City Halifax Barbados Jamaica A MEMBER OF ABELICA GLOBAL Your prescription for increased efficiency is here! ESI Canada offers a comprehensive and flexible health benefit management solution designed specifically to meet your company s claim adjudication needs. You not only get a system you get our commitment to health benefit management. Use our state-of-the-art claims processing, plus industry-leading healthcare expertise to manage your benefits. Partner with ESI Canada to get just what the doctor ordered. For a healthier and wiser approach to health benefit management, contact us today. Visit www.esi-canada.com or contact: John Herbert Director of Product & Clinical Services jherbert@express-scripts.com Tel: 1.888.677.0111, ext. 6318 TOP CONSULTANTSmarketplace
TOPCONSULTANTS marketplace Looking for that perfect top-to-bottom solution? EFAP Integrated Disability Management Selection and Succession Health Challenge Events Return-To-Work Psych Assessments/Diagnosis Online Tools Employee Health Surveys 1.888.689.8604 www.humansolutions.ca Why are 98% * of Pal s clients totally satisfied with our benefits, retirement, and compensation advice? *Independent Survey, 2009 See for yourself because no-one says it as well as our clients. Watch the video at palbenefits.com. Or search for Pal Benefits on youtube. Proud sole sponsor of the Toronto Board of Trade s 2010 Compensation Survey Pal Benefits Inc. 1052 Yonge Street, 3rd Floor Toronto, ON M4W 2L1 416-969-8588 1-866-969-8588 www.palbenefits.com TOP CONSULTANTSmarketplace
TOPCONSULTANTS marketplace Specialists. PBI focuses on serving negotiated cost and target benefit pension and health & welfare plans. Innovative. Our expertise in risk management is key to securing fully funded plans for our clients. Employee owned. No conflict of interest ensures that the best interests of plan beneficiaries remain our primary focus. Experience. PBI s actuaries and consultants have been providing consulting services for more than 30 years. Bilingual. Services in both English and French. Vancouver 604-687-8056 or 1-877-687-8056 www.pbiactuarial.ca Montreal 514-940-2273 THE SEGAL COMPANY, LTD. Providing Benefits, Actuarial and Human Resources Consulting Services Retirement Group Benefit Communications Administration and Technology Investment Calgary 403.692.2264 Montreal 514.989.3735 Toronto 416.969.3960 And Offices Throughout the U.S. www.segalco.ca www.sibson.ca TOP CONSULTANTSmarketplace
CONSULTINGTRENDScolumn Is the third pillar crumbling? The entire retirement system isn t in crisis. A closer look reveals it s the third pillar that needs support. Fred Vettese, chief actuary of Morneau Sobeco, believes there are three possible ways to fix it. There is a general feeling that we are on the brink of a major change in our retirement income system. In a 2010 Morneau Sobeco 60 Second Survey, 68% of plan sponsors surveyed felt that the current system is in crisis. It has been more than 20 years since Canadian governments have given pensions so much attention. The curious thing is that this is happening when poverty levels among Canada s seniors are considerably lower than among the working age population. From an international perspective, Canada s retirement system ranks a respectable fourth on a global index, well ahead of highly developed countries such as the U.S., Germany and Japan. (See our January and April Vision newsletters at www.morneausobeco.com.) When we delve a little deeper, we find that it is the third pillar of our retirement system that is in crisis rather than the system as a whole. That third pillar consists mainly of RRSPs and registered pension plans with the main problem being that not enough Canadians are covered nor are they accumulating enough retirement savings when they are covered. Three basic ways to fix it are emerging. One is to de-emphasize the third pillar and instead strengthen the second pillar, which means expanding the Canada/Quebec Pension Plan. If this is done, registered pension plans would almost certainly have to be reconfigured so as to accommodate a larger C/QPP. This would keep the consulting community busy for an extended period of time. Another possibility is to expand the third pillar by adding a new vehicle to it a Canada-wide voluntary savings plan. Assuming it goes forward, the big question is whether this would be a public sector or a private sector venture. There are too many different variations to analyze how this might unfold. The most likely fix, though, will be to leave the three pillar structure more or less unchanged, apart from a tweak to registered pension plans to allow a bevy of new plan designs. The design that has received the most attention is target benefit plans for single-employer situations. These are plans that look a lot like defined benefit plans to the participants but have more in common with defined contribution plans when it comes to employer risk. Target benefit plans are not perfect but they may be a good jumping-off point from which other innovative plan designs can evolve designs which also share the risk between employers and employees in new ways. All this is in addition to IFRS accounting changes, plan changes to reflect Ontario pension legislation and the ongoing struggle to fund deficits in the wake of the recent financial meltdown. The next twelve months should be very interesting. Fr e d Ve t t e s e is Chief Actuary of Morneau Sobeco. Fred provides thought leadership for Morneau Sobeco and is responsible for ensuring that professional standards are maintained on a national basis. He has over 25 years of experience in providing pension advice to major organizations across Canada. Fred has had many articles published in Benefits Canada, Pension and Benefits Monitor, and other industry journals. He also sits on Morneau Sobeco s Pension Steering Committee and serves on external committees including the C.D. Howe Pension Papers Advisory Group.