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UNITED STATES  
Disclosure of employee benefits [text block] ifrs-full_DisclosureOfEmployeeBenefitsExplanatory Employee Future Benefits
A. Description 
The Corporation sponsors registered pension plans in Canada and the US covering substantially all employees of the Corporation in these countries and specific named employees working internationally. These plans have defined benefit and defined contribution options, and in Canada there is an additional non-registered supplemental plan for eligible employees whose annual earnings exceed the Canadian income tax limit. Except for the Highvale pension plan acquired in 2013, the Canadian and US defined benefit pension plans are closed to new entrants. The US defined benefit pension plan was frozen effective Dec. 31, 2010, resulting in no future benefits being earned. The supplemental pension plan was closed as of Dec. 31, 2015, and a new defined contribution supplemental pension plan commenced for executive members effective Jan. 1, 2016. Current executives as of Dec. 31, 2015, were grandfathered into the old supplemental plan.
The latest actuarial valuation for accounting purposes of the US pension plan was at Jan. 1, 2019. The latest actuarial valuation for accounting purposes of the Highvale and Canadian pension plans was at Dec. 31, 2016. The measurement date used for all plans to determine the fair value of plan assets and the present value of the defined benefit obligation was Dec. 31, 2019.
Funding of the registered pension plans complies with applicable regulations that require actuarial valuations of the pension funds at least once every three years in Canada, or more, depending on funding status, and every year in the US. The supplemental pension plan is solely the obligation of the Corporation. The Corporation is not obligated to fund the supplemental plan but is obligated to pay benefits under the terms of the plan as they come due. The Corporation posted a letter of credit in March 2019 for the amount of $83 million to secure the obligations under the supplemental plan.
The Corporation provides other health and dental benefits to the age of 65 for both disabled members and retired members through its other post-employment benefits plans. The latest actuarial valuations for accounting purposes of the Canadian and US plans were as at Dec. 31, 2016, and Jan. 1, 2018, respectively. The measurement date used to determine the present value obligation for both plans was Dec. 31, 2019.
The Corporation provides several defined contribution plans, including an Australian superannuation plan and a US 401(k) savings plan, that provide for company contributions from 5 per cent to 10 per cent, depending on the plan. Optional employee contributions are allowed for all the defined contribution plans.
B. Costs Recognized
 
The costs recognized in net earnings during the year on the defined benefit, defined contribution and other post-employment benefits plans are as follows:
Year ended Dec. 31, 2019RegisteredSupplementalOtherTotal
Current service cost   10  
Administration expenses —  —   
Interest cost on defined benefit obligation19    23  
Interest on plan assets(12) (1) —  (13) 
Curtailment and amendment gain(3) —  —  (3) 
Defined benefit expense13    19  
Defined contribution expense —  —   
Net expense22    28  
Year ended Dec. 31, 2018RegisteredSupplementalOtherTotal
Current service cost   12  
Administration expenses —  —   
Interest cost on defined benefit obligation18    22  
Interest on plan assets(13) —  —  (13) 
Defined benefit expense15    22  
Defined contribution expense10  —  —  10  
Net expense25    32  


Year ended Dec. 31, 2017RegisteredSupplementalOtherTotal
Current service cost   10  
Administration expenses —  —   
Interest cost on defined benefit obligation20    24  
Interest on plan assets(15) —  —  (15) 
Defined benefit expense14    21  
Defined contribution expense11  —  —  11  
Net expense25    32  
C. Status of Plans
 
The status of the defined benefit pension and other post-employment benefit plans is as follows:
As at Dec. 31, 2019RegisteredSupplementalOtherTotal
Fair value of plan assets373  13  —  386  
Present value of defined benefit obligation(543) (99) (22) (664) 
Funded status – plan deficit(170) (86) (22) (278) 
Amount recognized in the consolidated financial statements:    
Accrued current liabilities(3) (5) (2) (10) 
Other long-term liabilities(167) (81) (20) (268) 
Total amount recognized(170) (86) (22) (278) 
As at Dec. 31, 2018RegisteredSupplementalOtherTotal
Fair value of plan assets368  13  —  381  
Present value of defined benefit obligation(514) (80) (25) (619) 
Funded status – plan deficit(146) (67) (25) (238) 
Amount recognized in the consolidated financial statements:    
Accrued current liabilities(5) (5) (1) (11) 
Other long-term liabilities(141) (62) (24) (227) 
Total amount recognized(146) (67) (25) (238) 

D. Plan Assets
 
The fair value of the plan assets of the defined benefit pension and other post-employment benefit plans is as follows:
 RegisteredSupplementalOtherTotal
As at Dec. 31, 2017416  12  —  428  
Interest on plan assets13  —  —  13  
Net return on plan assets(25) —  —  (25) 
Contributions   12  
Benefits paid(42) (5) (1) (48) 
Administration expenses(1) —  —  (1) 
Effect of translation on US plans —  —   
As at Dec. 31, 2018368  13  —  381  
Interest on plan assets12   —  13  
Net return on plan assets40  —  —  40  
Contributions   11  
Benefits paid(50) (5) (1) (56) 
Administration expenses(2) —  —  (2) 
Effect of translation on US plans(1) —  —  (1) 
As at Dec. 31, 2019373  13  —  386  
The fair value of the Corporation’s defined benefit plan assets by major category is as follows:
Year ended Dec. 31, 2019Level ILevel IILevel IIITotal
Equity securities    
Canadian—  66  —  66  
US—  28  —  28  
International—  102  —  102  
Private—  —    
Bonds    
AAA—  40  —  40  
AA—  68  —  68  
A—  37  —  37  
BBB 21  —  22  
Below BBB—   —   
Money market and cash and cash equivalents—  19  —  19  
Total 384   386  

Year ended Dec. 31, 2018Level ILevel IILevel IIITotal
Equity securities    
Canadian—  65  —  65  
US—  26  —  26  
International—  101  —  101  
Private—  —    
Bonds    
AAA—  48  —  48  
AA—  64  —  64  
A—  39  —  39  
BBB 21  —  22  
Below BBB—   —   
Money market and cash and cash equivalents(2) 14  —  12  
Total(1) 381   381  
Plan assets do not include any common shares of the Corporation at Dec. 31, 2019, and Dec. 31, 2018. The Corporation charged the registered plan nil for administrative services provided for the year ended Dec. 31, 2019 (2018 - $0.1 million).
E. Defined Benefit Obligation
 
The present value of the obligation for the defined benefit pension and other post-employment benefit plans is as follows:
 RegisteredSupplementalOtherTotal
Present value of defined benefit obligation as at Dec. 31, 2017561  87  27  675  
Current service cost   12  
Interest cost18    22  
Benefits paid(42) (5) (1) (48) 
Actuarial gain arising from demographic assumptions—  —  —  —  
Actuarial loss arising from financial assumptions(35) (7) (2) (44) 
Actuarial gain (loss) arising from experience adjustments—  —  (1) (1) 
Effect of translation on US plans —  —   
Present value of defined benefit obligation as at Dec. 31, 2018514  80  25  619  
Current service cost   10  
Interest cost19    23  
Benefits paid(51) (4) (1) (56) 
Curtailment(3) —  —  (3) 
Actuarial loss arising from demographic assumptions—  —  (2) (2) 
Actuarial (gain) loss arising from financial assumptions57    68  
Actuarial (gain) loss arising from experience adjustments  (4)  
Effect of translation on US plans(2) —  —  (2) 
Present value of defined benefit obligation as at Dec. 31, 2019543  99  22  664  

The weighted average duration of the defined benefit plan obligation as at Dec. 31, 2019, is 15.6 years.

F. Contributions
 
The expected employer contributions for 2020 for the defined benefit pension and other post-employment benefit plans are as follows:
 RegisteredSupplementalOtherTotal
Expected employer contributions   10  
G. Assumptions
 
The significant actuarial assumptions used in measuring the Corporation’s defined benefit obligation for the defined benefit pension and other post-employment benefit plans are as follows:
 As at Dec. 31, 2019As at Dec. 31, 2018
(per cent)RegisteredSupplementalOther RegisteredSupplementalOther
Accrued benefit obligation      
Discount rate3.0  3.0  3.0  3.9  3.8  3.9  
Rate of compensation increase2.8  3.0  —  2.5  3.0  —  
Assumed health-care cost trend rate      
Health-care cost escalation(1)(3)
—  —  7.0—  —  7.1
Dental-care cost escalation—  —  4.0  —  —  4.0  
Benefit cost for the year      
Discount rate3.9  3.8  3.9  3.3  3.3  3.4  
Rate of compensation increase2.5  3.0  —  2.6  3.0  —  
Assumed health-care cost trend rate      
Health-care cost escalation(2)(4)
—  —  7.4—  —  7.6
Dental-care cost escalation—  —  4.0  —  —  4.0  
Provincial health-care premium escalation—  —  —  —  —  —  
(1) 2019 Post- and pre-65 rates: decreasing gradually to 4.5% by 2030 and remaining at that level thereafter for the US and decreasing gradually by 0.3% per year to 4.5% in 2027 for Canada.
(2) 2019 Post- and pre-65 rates: decreasing gradually to 4.5% by 2027 and remaining at that level thereafter for the US and decreasing gradually by 0.30% per year to 4.5% in 2027 for Canada.
(3) 2018 Post- and pre-65 rates: decreasing gradually to 4.5% by 2029 and remaining at that level thereafter for the US and decreasing gradually by 0.30% per year to 4.5% in 2027 for Canada.
(4) 2018 Post- and pre-65 rates: decreasing gradually to 4.5% by 2027 and remaining at that level thereafter for the US and decreasing gradually by 0.30% per year to 4.5% in 2027 for Canada.

H. Sensitivity Analysis
 
The following table outlines the estimated increase in the net defined benefit obligation assuming certain changes in key assumptions:
 Canadian plansUS plans
Year ended Dec. 31, 2019Registered    
Supplemental     
Other PensionOther
1% decrease in the discount rate84  15     
1% increase in the salary scale14  —  —  —  —  
1% increase in the health-care cost trend rate—  —   —  —  
10% improvement in mortality rates22   —   —  
Disclosure of defined benefit plans [text block] ifrs-full_DisclosureOfDefinedBenefitPlansExplanatory Assumptions
 
The significant actuarial assumptions used in measuring the Corporation’s defined benefit obligation for the defined benefit pension and other post-employment benefit plans are as follows:
 As at Dec. 31, 2019As at Dec. 31, 2018
(per cent)RegisteredSupplementalOther RegisteredSupplementalOther
Accrued benefit obligation      
Discount rate3.0  3.0  3.0  3.9  3.8  3.9  
Rate of compensation increase2.8  3.0  —  2.5  3.0  —  
Assumed health-care cost trend rate      
Health-care cost escalation(1)(3)
—  —  7.0—  —  7.1
Dental-care cost escalation—  —  4.0  —  —  4.0  
Benefit cost for the year      
Discount rate3.9  3.8  3.9  3.3  3.3  3.4  
Rate of compensation increase2.5  3.0  —  2.6  3.0  —  
Assumed health-care cost trend rate      
Health-care cost escalation(2)(4)
—  —  7.4—  —  7.6
Dental-care cost escalation—  —  4.0  —  —  4.0  
Provincial health-care premium escalation—  —  —  —  —  —  
(1) 2019 Post- and pre-65 rates: decreasing gradually to 4.5% by 2030 and remaining at that level thereafter for the US and decreasing gradually by 0.3% per year to 4.5% in 2027 for Canada.
(2) 2019 Post- and pre-65 rates: decreasing gradually to 4.5% by 2027 and remaining at that level thereafter for the US and decreasing gradually by 0.30% per year to 4.5% in 2027 for Canada.
(3) 2018 Post- and pre-65 rates: decreasing gradually to 4.5% by 2029 and remaining at that level thereafter for the US and decreasing gradually by 0.30% per year to 4.5% in 2027 for Canada.
(4) 2018 Post- and pre-65 rates: decreasing gradually to 4.5% by 2027 and remaining at that level thereafter for the US and decreasing gradually by 0.30% per year to 4.5% in 2027 for Canada.