Toronto, August 2026 – Club Vita has published a new research paper, The Value in Pension Plans Using Gender Data, examining the role of gender data in pension plan longevity modelling and the potential implications for pension plans if gender information becomes less available or more restricted for actuarial purposes. The paper was produced in collaboration with OPTrust and Eckler.
The report explores how evolving societal attitudes, data privacy considerations, and changing regulatory frameworks may affect the use of gender data in pension plan management. Using Club Vita's Canadian pension dataset and factor-based mortality modelling techniques, the research compares gender-specific and gender-neutral approaches to estimating longevity risk.
Erik Pickett, SVP, Head of Actuarial Content at Club Vita, said:
"As member expectations and regulatory environments continue to evolve, it is important that the pensions industry understands the implications of reducing or removing key demographic data. Our research shows that gender remains a significant driver of longevity differences and plays an important role in measuring pension liabilities and managing funding risk."