CEBS (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist) Course and Study Material Updates Course and Study Material Updates (Canada)

Course Corner—CEBS Study Materials Updates

Christine Vazquez, CEBS

As the employee benefits industry evolves, the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist® (CEBS®) designation’s curriculum is updated to reflect this reality.

In September 2024, the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities (CAPSA) published the following new guidelines.

  1. A modernized Guideline No. 3: Guidelines for Capital Accumulation Plans has replaced the 2004 Guidelines for Capital Accumulation Plans. This modernization was driven by significant developments in the financial services sector over the past 20 years. The 2024 Guideline No. 3 reflects regulators’ views on the responsibilities of capital accumulation plan (CAP) sponsors, administrators and service providers in the current marketplace. It also clarifies expectations surrounding information to be communicated to members.
  2. A new Guideline No. 10: Guideline for Risk Management for Plan Administrators complements the modernized Guideline No. 3. Guideline No. 10 lays out key principles for effectively managing risks associated with pension plans. While the guidance is directed to pension plans specifically, the principles outlined (particularly those related to cybersecurity; third-party risk; and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues) are relevant to CAP sponsors.

CAPSA guidance does not replace applicable legal requirements but is designed to support legal compliance and the development of “best practice.”

The April 2025 Study Materials Updates are being provided to acquaint CEBS students with the modernized Guideline No. 3 and new Guideline No. 10 and to update the course materials for the RPA 1 and RPA 2 courses.

Study Materials Updates have been issued for the following Canadian CEBS courses:

  • RPA 1—Managing Retirement Plans Part 1
  • RPA 2—Managing Retirement Plans Part 2.

Study Materials Updates are required reading for the CEBS program and the national exams for the RPA 1 and RPA 2 courses administered on or after July 15, 2025.

Please view the Study Materials Updates page to access updates for Canadian courses.

Questions?

If you have any questions about study materials, please reach out to our CEBS Customer Service team at cancebs@ifebp.org.

Christine Vazquez, CEBS

Director, CEBS Educational Services Favorite Foundation Product: The CEBS designation gives you a comprehensive understanding of group health and retirement plan design. It’s a career game changer that bolsters your knowledge and skills. The ISCEBS webcasts are also great–they feature cutting edge topics presented by industry experts to keep your knowledge current and even give you credit for staying CEBS Compliant! Benefits-related Topics that Interest Her Most: Behavioral finance, workplace wellness programs, and the future of work. We’re in an exciting time with many changes and the Foundation is a wonderful resource to keep abreast of what’s next. Personal Insight: Christine loves spending time with her daughter and being in nature. She’s also constantly working on fiber art or jewelry projects–she always has an embroidery hoop or a good book in her purse.

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