Financial Reporting

Accounting Standards for Pension Plans

Stay informed of new standards and recent changes to Accounting Standards for Pension Plans together with exposure drafts. Please also see the webinars, training courses and resources from the relevant standard-setting boards under the Resources tab for each item as well as Accounting Standards for Pension Plans non-authoritative guidance.

• Revised Standard - Improvements to Presentation and Disclosure of Investments for Pension Plans

Revised Standard - Improvements to Presentation and Disclosure of Investments for Pension Plans

The AcSB revised Section 4600, Pension Plans to improve the presentation and disclosure of investments held by pension plans. The amendments:

• require pension plans to provide the disclosures required by IFRS 13, Fair Value Measurement in Part I of the Handbook;
• introduce requirements to disclose the nature and extent of a pension plan’s interests in investment vehicles (other than master trusts) and the associated risks;
• amend the presentation of administrative expenses to include two categories – “investment expenses” and “pension administration and other expenses”;
• include a definition of “investment expenses” and require disclosure of the nature of investment expenses; and
• introduce qualitative disclosure requirements regarding what investment income types include embedded investment expenses and the details of those embedded investment expenses.

Effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2027, with early application permitted.

Additional non-authoritative guidance

To stay ahead of the curve, find additional non-authoritative guidance to help you navigate the application of the Accounting Standards for Pension Plans.

Resources available by subscription from CPA Canada

• AcSB summaries of discussed application issues and related decisions on the Guidance Framework project page (AcSB, 2026)
• Financial Reporting Alert: Amendments to Section 4600, Pension Plans (CPA Canada, 2023)

Disclaimer

Certain links on this site take you to other websites, resources or tools maintained by third parties over whom CPA Ontario has no control. CPA Ontario provides these links only as a convenience and is not responsible for the contents of any linked website. CPA Ontario makes no representations or warranties regarding, and does not endorse, any linked website, the contents thereof, the information appearing thereon or any of the products or services described thereon. Links do not imply that CPA Ontario sponsors, endorses or is affiliated or associated with the entity that owns or is responsible for any linked website. If you decide to visit any linked websites, you will do so at your own risk. CPA Ontario bears no responsibility whatsoever for the content, accuracy or security of any websites that are linked (by way of hyperlink or otherwise).