A look at the best of the Internet, from an SPP point of view

Workplace pensions disappearing, putting savings onus on you
Writing in the Financial Post, Jason Heath notes that while most Canadian retirees think they saved enough for retirement (42 per cent said they had saved enough, 44 per cent wished they had saved a little more), much of that saving – about 25 per cent on average — came from their workplace pension plans. That’s a problem going forward, Heath writes, because workplace pension plans are becoming quite scarce.

“There have been trends in Canada towards reducing employee pension coverage, shifts towards temporary and contract workers and an increase in self-employment,” he writes. “These all put more personal responsibility onto today’s workers to save proactively to be tomorrow’s happy retirees.

Many of us already know that the Saskatchewan Pension Plan provides a great way for us to save on our own. Those savings can augment your company’s plan or can represent your own personal retirement plan. Sign up today – visit saskpension.com for more details.

What are the best places to retire in Canada?

MoneySense magazine recently put together a video on how to choose a place to retire in Canada.

The magazine says that retirees want to live somewhere that is close to an airport, has a thriving arts and culture scene, good weather, and good healthcare.

What places made their list? Number 1 choice was Victoria, B.C. MoneySense says B.C. has the warmest weather in Canada, and Victoria, while a bit pricey (over $574,000 for the average home), is steeped in history and culture and blessed with fine hospitals.

Taking second place was Ottawa, a larger city with more than 974,000 residents, which has many museums and art galleries, a good and mid-sized airport, and excellent healthcare. Housing is still a bit expensive, with the average price around $481,000.

Number 3 was Orillia, Ontario, which is about two hours’ north of Toronto. This beachfront town of 32,000 has lots of history and culture, a large casino nearby, and boasts affordable housing averaging under $300,000.

An unofficial runner-up selected by the Save with SPP blog might be Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, a fine, young-feeling university city with great healthcare and those long, sunny, and non-humid summer days of bright sunshine. Northern lights in the winter, too.

Written by Martin Biefer

Martin Biefer is Senior Pension Writer at Avery & Kerr Communications in Nepean, Ontario. After a 35-year career as a reporter, editor and pension communicator, Martin is enjoying life as a freelance writer. He’s a mediocre golfer, hopeful darts player and beginner line dancer who enjoys classic rock and sports, especially football. He and his wife Laura live with their Sheltie, Duncan, and their cat, Toobins. You can follow him on Twitter – his handle is @AveryKerr22

By Sheryl Smolkin

Editor’s note: If you came here looking for “10 things you need to know about enhanced CPP benefits” post follow this link: http://wp.me/p7Idrl-1ir.

An article I read in the Globe & Mail this week noted that the Canadian tourism industry is grappling with a demographic problem that could threaten its future. Apparently millennials are spending far more of their travel dollars outside the country than at home. One reason cited is that it is so expensive to fly within Canada, it makes sense to go further afield.

I can understand that most of us would love to be able to jet off somewhere warm to get away from our frigid winters. But in spite of seasonal mosquitoes and black flies in some parts of the country, Canadian spring and summers at their best are not to be missed.  So in the hope of persuading more of you to spend at least a couple of vacation weeks a year exploring closer to home, here are eight reasons in no particular order why I think you should consider some domestic travel along with the international adventures on your bucket list.

1. Mobility rights
   You don’t need a passport or a visa to travel from one end of our vast country to the other. With the exception of arcane laws forbidding the import of alcohol between provinces, you can buy anything you want and take it home without worrying about declaring your goods or paying duty. Medicare insurance coverage varies from one province to another, but your health card will generally be accepted across the country. Nevertheless, travel insurance is still a good idea to fill in any coverage gaps like air ambulance in the case of illness or an accident.
2. See Canada first
   Tourists come from all over the world to see our country, but many of us are looking for “exotic experiences” elsewhere. The fact is that every region in Canada has its own unique attractions. Unless you have seen the snow-capped Rockies, skated on the canal in Ottawa or visited Peggy’s Cove you cannot fully appreciate the beauty of this diverse country and how well it compares with foreign destinations.
3. They speak your language(s)
   Travelling in Canada can be so much less complicated than going to Europe or Asia because you don’t have to worry about making yourself understood. Even if you decide to visit Quebec, most of us studied some French in school and can get by. And if Air Canada loses your luggage or you need to see a doctor for an unexpected ailment, you will be able to explain the problem without the benefit of an interpreter.
4. Spend Canadian dollars
   In January of this year, the Canadian dollar sunk to new lows. It has bounced up and down since then, but the fact is if you have to exchange it for U.S. dollars or euros to pay for a trip, it’s going to cost you a lot more than a few years ago. It’s a great time to see your country and support our economy.
5. Meet great people
   Whether they live north, south, east or west, your Canadian neighbours are great people. They will go out of their way to show you around, invite you into their homes and make sure you have a terrific visit. With few exceptions, you can feel confident that whether you travel alone, with a companion or as part of a family you are vacationing in a safe, welcoming place.
6. Festivals and special events
   Theatre, music, comedy, film and literary festivals abound. Whatever you are interested in, you can time your visit to catch concerts and live performances. Here is a listing of the top ten summer music festivals in Saskatchewan, but from the Symphony Splash in Victoria B.C. to the Stratford Shakespearean Festival in Ontario to the Shelbourne County Lobster Festival in Nova Scotia there are hundreds of local events across the country you can plan your vacation around.
7. The great outdoors
   Frequently whether we travel at home or overseas, we just fly from one city to the next. But there are about 2.6 million lakes and 5 mountainous ecozones in Canada. To really see the country, get into your car and drive in any direction. Whether in a tent, yurt, airstream, pod, igloo, hut, villa, cabin, cube, teepee or treehouse, camping or glamping (upscale camping) are excellent ways to experience the great outdoors.
8. Multi-cultural cites
   Canada recently welcomed over 25,000 Syrian refugees. That is in addition to the thousands and thousands of immigrants and refugees from all over the world who have found a home here over the last 149 years. As a result, you can sample the cuisine and experience the culture of their homeland right around the block or down the street. Within walking distance of my house in Toronto I can eat Chinese, Indian, Iranian, Japanese, Hungarian, Korean, and Greek cuisine and then head over to a Jewish delicatessen.

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Do you have a Canadian vacation planned this summer? Send us your favourite pictures with a short paragraph telling us where you went and describing the high points. With your permission, we’d love to share your images and your story.