Summary

It requires plan administrators to file Statements of Investment Policies and Procedures ("SIPPs") with the regulator; which need to disclose whether they have taken ESG issues into consideration. Regulation 235/14 is an Amendment to Regulation 909 under the Pension Benefits Act: Disclosure of Environmental, Social and Governance Factors in Statements of Investment Policies and Procedures. Statements requires plan assets to be invested in accordance with the SIPP; require SIPPs to include information about whether, and if so, how, ESG factors are incorporated; and, requires annual statements to members to include information about the purpose of SIPPs. The regulation includes amendments that require plan administrators to provide written statements to former members and retired members, containing prescribed information about the pension plan and their benefits. The regulation also includes amendments to make it easier for individuals to transfer the commuted value of their pension benefits from an Ontario plan to a plan elsewhere in Canada when they change employment, allowing individuals to consolidate their pension benefits if the receiving plan so allows.