Annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference Relocates from San Diego to Canada

The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, an educational organization for the employee benefits industry, announced Monday that it will relocate a premier Canadian pension and benefits conference from California to a location in Canada.

The 58th Annual Canadian Employee benefits Conference was set to be held between November 23 and November 26 in San Diego. The event has often been held in the U.S.; including last year, when it was held in San Antonio, and in 2022 when it was held in New Orleans. In 2023, the conference was held in Montréal.

“After careful consideration, the foundation has decided to relocate the 58th Annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference from San Diego, California to a new location in Canada. The Canadian Board and related committees—as well as consultation with members, speakers and sponsors—helped guide this decision,” the IFEBP said in a statement on its web site.

A spokesperson for the IFEBP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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A new interim final rule from the Department of Homeland Security requires foreign nationals, including Canadians over the age of 14, to register with the government if they are visiting the U.S. for more than 30 days.

The Canadian government had updated its advisories for travel to the U.S., requiring its citizens to register with the U.S. federal government if they are staying for more than 30 days.

The conference relocation also comes at a time when relations between the U.S. and Canada have worsened, with the two countries imposing high tariffs on each other, and President Trump repeatedly has called for the U.S. to annex Canada. Additionally, there have been recent news reports that some Canadian pension funds are limiting the addition of U.S.-based investments to their portfolios.

“For nearly six decades, the Foundation’s mission has been to provide best-in-class education for the Canadian pensions and benefits industry. We look forward to welcoming you this fall to an outstanding 58th Annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference,” the IFEBP said in a statement.

The IFEBP provides educational resources to organizations that represent more than 25 million workers in the U.S. and Canada. The group’s U.S. annual conference is scheduled for November 9-12 in Honolulu.