Defined contribution pension plans face a growing challenge as more Canadians retire without a clear strategy for converting savings into income.

Sebastien Betermier, executive director of the International Centre for Pension Management, says many plan sponsors stepped away from retirement-income responsibility when shifting from defined benefit plans.

Published: 19 August 2026

Rwanda’s Ejo Heza savings program is expanding retirement coverage among informal workers, who represent more than 80 per cent of the country’s workforce.

Sebastien Betermier, associate professor of finance at McGill Desautels, says the program’s flexible contributions address the income volatility and employment uncertainty these workers face.

Members can save through mobile phones, access insurance benefits and withdraw limited funds for emergencies, while government backing strengthens credibility.

Published: 19 August 2026

McGill University has launched its Master of Management in Finance in Luxembourg, strengthening connections between academic research and one of Europe’s leading financial centres.

Patrick Augustin, associate professor of finance at McGill Desautels and director of the McGill Luxembourg Centre for Finance, is helping lead the initiative.

Published: 19 August 2026

Anjali Mishra has been recognized as one of Poets & Quants’ 2026 Best & Brightest Executive MBAs. A Montreal-based engineer and urban planner, Mishra is Project Director for the Blue Line Extension at the Société de transport de Montréal.

During the McGill-HEC Montréal EMBA, she strengthened her ability to bridge public and private-sector perspectives, applying management frameworks to create public value and improve organizational performance.

Published: 19 August 2026

 

 

Published: 19 August 2026

The arrival of generic semaglutide in Canada significantly improves the cost-effectiveness and affordability of recommended treatments for up to 2.1 million Canadians living with Type 2 diabetes who face a high risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a simulation study led by researchers at McGill University and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre.

Published: 19 August 2026

58 McGill research projects were awarded funding through CIHR’s Spring 2026 Project Grant competition, to support high-potential health research across all areas and career stages.  

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) announced a total national investment of $412 million through the CIHR Spring 2026 Project Grant competition, funding 439 grants. In addition, 19 Priority Announcement grants were funded for a total amount of $1.9 million.

Published: 18 August 2026

New pick-up locations for IT equipment loans

To provide more flexibility and convenience, we’ve added new pick-up locations for IT equipment loans (formerly Audiovisual loans). 

Equipment can now be picked up by appointment at more locations across campus.  

Published: 18 August 2026

The last bargaining session was held on July 9, 2026, during which the parties continued discussions on outstanding monetary issues. Discussions remain ongoing, and both parties continue to work toward reaching a first collective agreement. Negotiations are expected to resume in the fall.

Published: 18 August 2026

The Parties met on July 6 and July 23 to continue non-monetary discussions on outstanding articles and begin discussing their respective views on other articles. Negotiations are scheduled to resume September 29. The University remains committed to engaging in constructive discussions with the goal of reaching a negotiated collective agreement.

Published: 18 August 2026

On August 5, 2026, McGill University and the Confederation of Faculty Associations of McGill (COFAM) held a scheduled bargaining session. During the meeting, COFAM presented additional counterproposals on nine collective agreement articles. COFAM indicated that further counterproposals, including new articles and proposals on monetary matters, will be presented at upcoming bargaining sessions. The parties also discussed scheduling additional bargaining dates for the remainder of 2026 and into 2027 to support the continuation of negotiations.

Published: 18 August 2026

Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador announced an energy deal this week that will triple the capacity of the Churchill Falls generating station. The deal was made in collaboration with the federal government: Ottawa is to contribute $10 billion toward upgrades, alongside related projects. The deal replaces the 1969 pact and the 2024 memorandum of understanding between Hydro-Québec and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, which jointly own the station. 

A McGill University expert is available to comment on this topic: 

Published: 18 August 2026

Congrats to Louis Dudek Award recipients, Teaching Assistant Taylor Rousselle and Professor Amber Rose Johnson!

Last April, the Department of English Student Association announced the winners of the Louis Dudek Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Teaching Assistant Award for Excellence.

Published: 18 August 2026

Yolande Chan, Dean and James McGill Professor at McGill Desautels, has joined the EFMD Global Board of Trustees following her election at the organization’s 2026 General Assembly.

Published: 18 August 2026

Despite strong stock market gains driven by artificial intelligence, La Caisse is maintaining a diversified investment strategy to protect the long-term retirement savings of millions of Quebecers.

Sebastien Betermier, associate professor of finance at McGill Desautels, explains that its portfolio combines public equities with infrastructure, real estate and private assets to withstand changing market cycles.

Published: 18 August 2026