First deadline to implement VRSPs fast approaching

Voluntary retirement savings plans are expected to help 2 million Quebec workers save for retirement

Unless they already offer an eligible retirement or savings plan, all Quebec businesses with 20 or more eligible employees as of June 30 must have a voluntary retirement savings plan (VRSP) in place by year-end. It’s the law.

Time is running out, so Winnipeg-based Great-West Life Assurance Co. has produced a YouTube video to inform Quebec employers about the VRSP product administered by its subsidiary London Life Insurance Co.

In addition to the VRSP, Great-West Life offers more flexible group retirement and savings plans, to meet the needs of a wide range of businesses.

“Certain employers may prefer to offer a group registered retirement savings plan, a registered pension plan, or a tax-free savings account,” explains Anthony Cardone, regional vice president of group retirement services for Great-West Life, in a statement. “Each of these plans is acceptable in Quebec as an alternative to the VRSP.”

Nearly 2 million Quebec workers are without access to an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan. Implementing a group plan gives employers an opportunity to be more competitive in terms of attracting and retaining talent, a key consideration with today’s aging workforce.