Canada

CANADA - Older workers have been the focus of Budget measures, with a proposal that life income fund holders (LIFs) be given the ability to withdraw funds in certain circumstances.

CANADA - The Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) has called on the government to give pension funds more investment freedom, claiming restrictions were hurting its ability to provide stable, long term cash returns.

CANADA - The union oversight committee of Canada's Prince Edward Island (PEI) government employee pension fund has been reduced from three members to one by the province's government.

CANADA - Nova Scotia's pension benefits are to be reviewed, following establishment of a committee.

CANADA - The proposed merger between the Montréal Exchange (MX) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) to create the TMX Group has been supported by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, the CAN$143.5bn (US$143.9bn) Québec pension fund manager.

CANADA - Members of the Kerry (Canada) Inc pension scheme have secured an appeal against last year's ruling which favoured the employer's running of the retirement scheme.

CANADA - An unnamed bank, pension fund and wealth management firm have thrown C$150m (US$149.4m) into a hedge fund incubator fund.

CANADA - The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is expected to more than double its assets to C$250bn (US$248.9bn) by 2016.

CANADA - Alberta schools and teachers' associations have agreed at the eleventh hour how to tackle a C$2.1bn (US$2.1bn) pension shortfall amassed before 1992.

CANADA - The CAN$121bn (€82bn) Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has acquired a 40% stake in Scotia Place, Edmonton.