August 2026 Roundup - Read the Employer News

• 9 Realities of Canadian Retirement
• Contribution remittances deadlines
• Portal corner
  • Scheduled outages
• Updates and reminders
  • Annual Performance Update Hub
  • Annual Statements wrap-up
  • PBR for DBprime employers
  • Upcoming events
• Discover the Power of Your Pension
• Elevate your employees’ pension knowledge
• Demystify pension purchases

Planning for retirement may not be as straightforward as most Canadians think. CAAT’s new insight brief, 9 Realities of Canadian Retirement, explores the gap between Canadians’ view of retirement and what they experience in practice.

Working and retired Canadians were surveyed on their expectations for retirement and their real-life experiences, including the impact of a workplace pension on job decisions and retirement savings plans:

• 82% say they are more likely to take a job that offers a pension
• 58% say the lack of a workplace pension limits their ability to save for retirement

9 Realities details how Canadians are adapting to these gaps and the growing recognition of workplace pensions and policies that can contribute to retirement security. Read the research today and join the conversation!

Share the research with your employees through the intranet/email blurb below:

Remittances are due on or before the 30th day after the end of the month that the contributions apply to. This deadline is the same for all payroll schedules: weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly. Remittances received after the deadline are subject to a late payment charge.

• July 2026: August 28, 2026
• August 2026: September 29, 2026
• September 2026: October 30, 2026
• October 2026: November 30, 2026
• November 2026: December 30, 2026
• December 2026: January 29, 2027

The Employer Manual on PAL includes a table of contribution remittance deadlines. The table can also be accessed via the Employer Resources page of the CAAT website.

In addition to remitting funds, employers must use the employer portal to create a contribution remittance summary (this does not apply to employers who receive automated invoices). The entry in PAL must match the payment sent to CAAT. CAAT uses this summary to ensure contributions received are accurately allocated to the employer account and applied to members’ pension records correctly and promptly.

PAL will be unavailable for maintenance from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. EDT on the following days:

• August 26
• September 23
• October 21
• November 18
• December 16 (subject to change)

CAAT continued to deliver strong results for members and employers in 2025:

• 124% funded, with $6.7 billion in funding reserves
• $25.4 billion in net assets
• 9.6% 10-year annualized net investment return

Explore the Annual Performance Update Hub to learn how these results contribute to the long-term retirement security of your employees. Watch the session recordings and access resources designed to support employers and members throughout their retirement journey.

We’re happy to report that all 2025 statements have been delivered to members. Thank you for your partnership throughout this process!

The 2025 statement covers the period from a member’s enrolment date until December 31, 2025, to show accrued pension benefits and their eligible retirement date, making it a valuable retirement planning resource. We encourage members to review their statements and contact CAAT if there are any discrepancies.

Read this if: You are an Ontario college employer

CAAT has begun the transition of DBprime employers to payroll-based reporting (PBR). PBR allows employers to report member payroll and demographic data to CAAT in alignment with employers’ existing payroll schedules, replacing the annual year-end reporting process.

PBR testing has been completed with a pilot group of employers. Thank you to all participants – your feedback has helped our team develop a standardized model that will be used to partner with employers on future implementations.

We have reached out to the next group of employers that will be transitioning to PBR and look forward to connecting with you during our upcoming kickoff meetings. Please reach out to your Pension Analyst for any questions.

Employer Education Sessions (for employers working directly with CAAT)

September 10: Contribution Choice – Annual Election

• Employers with DBplus only and Contribution Choice – 1 p.m. EDT

This webinar is designed specifically for CAAT participating employers who have the DBplus plan design under the Contribution Choice model. The session will provide a clear and concise overview of the annual election process, including key timelines, responsibilities, and support resources.

October 1, 2026: Leaves and Purchases

• For employers with DBprime and DBplus – 10 a.m. EDT

Register

• For employers with DBplus only – 1 p.m. EDT

Register

This webinar will provide information about administering leaves of absence and pension purchases.

November 5, 2026: Pensionable earnings, contributions and pension adjustments

• For employers with DBprime and DBplus – 10 a.m. EDT

Register

• For employers with DBplus only – 1 p.m. EDT

Register

This webinar will cover pensionable earnings and review the calculation methodology for contributions and pension adjustments.

Wondering what makes a CAAT pension different from other workplace pension plans? Looking for ways to boost employee engagement and recruitment? Strengthen your pension expertise through the Power of Your Pension webinar this fall!

The Power of Your Pension helps CAAT employers understand and communicate the value of their pension to employees, new hires, and potential candidates. In this one-hour webinar, you’ll explore what makes the CAAT Plan unique and flexible, and how our educational resources support you and your employees from recruitment to retirement.

With our first session kicking off in September and more coming in November, connecting with our pension experts is easier than ever:

September 30, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (EN)

Register

CAAT’s member learning webinars are delivered by pension experts, ready to answer questions on a range of topics, including:

• A future you can count on: Your CAAT Pension
• Retirement planning
• DBprime service purchases
• DBplus pension purchases
• GROWTHplus

We’ve just added a new 30-minute session on inflation protection to our series of shorter, topic-based webinars, with ongoing sessions on GROWTHplus and survivor benefits. These focused webinars and more will also be featured in the fall webinar series, kicking off on September 16.

Share this with your employees through your channels:

Learn more about your CAAT pension

Register for CAAT’s member learning sessions to learn more about your DB pension! Whether you’re looking for 30-minute sessions on topics such as survivor benefits and inflation protection, or a general overview of retirement and pension planning, there’s a session that’s just right for you. 

This month, we’re demystifying pension purchases with quick one-minute videos designed to help your employees understand their options and get started on the process. Visit the DBprime purchases and DBplus purchases pages to watch the videos and share them with your organization.