The Pension Blueprint – Details, episodes & analysis

Blake Hutcheson, OMERS President and CEO, speaks with Celine Chiovitti, OMERS Chief Pension Officer, about the organization’s ongoing commitment to Canadian investments as an important part of the broader portfolio to help protect our future.

Discover whether an Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC) account is right for you. OMERS Pension Education team provides some background on registered retirement vehicles, how to contribute to the AVC account and what the AVC Income Option means for members who are over age 71.

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

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.