The Pension Blueprint

Hear about what to expect when claiming disability benefit with OMERS, the difference between a disability waiver of contributions and a disability pension, and the options for members with a shortened life expectancy.

Learn about why you should keep your beneficiaries up to date, what spousal entitlement means and who else might be entitled to survivor benefits if you pass away.

Life changes such as leaving a job, taking a parental leave or going through a separation/divorce could affect your pension. OMERS Pension Education team considers these and other life changes, and explains how to use myOMERS to assist you along the way.

Fotini Eliopoulos, OMERS Vice President of Member Experience, elaborates on what a defined benefit pension is, the formula used to calculate a member’s OMERS Plan benefit, and how to maximize your pension if you can purchase or transfer service.

OMERS Pension Education team weighs in on the most frequently asked question from our members: What factors should I consider when I am deciding when to retire? Our pension staff discuss how they talk to members about this question and also discuss the psychology of retirement and how to mentally prepare for that next chapter.

Michael Kelly, OMERS Chief Legal and Sustainability Officer, and Katharine Preston, OMERS Vice President of Sustainable Investing, talk about the three pillars of ESG – environmental, social and governance – and how each impacts OMERS long-term investment strategy. They also delve into OMERS net-zero 2050 emission goal and how we’ll get there.

Celine Chiovitti welcomes Dr. Samir Sinha, Director of Geriatrics at Sinai Health and University Health Network and Director of Health Policy at the National Institute on Ageing (NIA), to discuss "Healthy Outcomes", a new report from the NIA on the link between a secure and stable income in retirement and positive health outcomes in older age. Plus, Dr. Sinha provides his views on reframing the idea of retirement as people are living longer and what aging in the right place means to him.

Gareth Gibbins, Vice President of Pension Governance & Advisory at OMERS, shares research OMERS commissioned by the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis, which found that retirees with a defined benefit pension are more satisfied with life. Also, what are Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) and why is it important for us as a society to start thinking about retirement in innovative ways?

Rob Carrick, Personal Finance Columnist at The Globe and Mail, visits with OMERS and provides his views on the retirement landscape, including the value of a defined benefit pension plan and why living within your means is so important. Rob also provides his views and strategies for how young people can manage their savings during a rising cost of-living environment.

Celine Chiovitti, Executive Vice President and Head of Pensions at OMERS, explains the Pensions North Star: to be the most trusted partner in empowering OMERS members through their pension journey – from hire to retire. She discusses the shifting demographics of members and how the OMERS pension extends beyond the cheque, with positive outcomes trickling into Ontario communities.

Blake Hutcheson, OMERS President and CEO, discusses our pension promise to deliver a secure and stable income in retirement to our members, and provides an inside look at our investment strategy and his vision for 2030. 

Series trailer for The Pension Blueprint podcast