Employee future benefits:



	December 31, 2018		December 31, 2017
Net defined benefit pension plan liability	$	4,215	$	4,794
Net other post-retirement benefit plan liability	84		120
Employee future benefits	$	4,299	$	4,914

The Corporation maintains a defined benefit pension plan covering existing and former employees in the United States. The benefits under the pension plan are based on years of service and salary levels accrued as of December 31, 2009. In 2009, amendments were made to the defined benefit pension plan to freeze benefits accruing to employees at their respective years of service and salary levels obtained as of December 31, 2009. Certain employees in the United States are also eligible for post-retirement healthcare, life insurance, and other benefits.

The Corporation accrues the present value of its obligations under employee future benefit plans and related costs, net of the present value of plan assets.


19.	Employee future benefits (cont'd):

The measurement date used to determine pension and other post-retirement benefit obligations and expense is December 31 of each year. The most recent actuarial valuation of the employee future benefit plans for funding purposes was as of January 1, 2018. The next actuarial valuation of the employee future benefit plans for funding purposes is expected to be performed as of January 1, 2019.

The Corporation expects contributions of approximately $500,000 to be paid to its defined benefit plans in 2019.

The following tables reconcile the opening balances to the closing balances for the net defined benefit liability and its components for the two plans. The expense recognized in profit or loss is recorded in finance income (loss) and other.



	Defined benefit obligation						Fair value of plan assets						Net defined benefit liability
Defined benefit pension plan	2018			2017			2018			2017			2018			2017
Balance at January 1	$	17,603		$	16,253		$	(12,809	)	$	(11,282	)	$	4,794		$	4,971
Included in profit or loss
Current service cost	57			32			—			—			57			32
Interest cost (income)	621			658			(455		)	(464		)	166			194
Benefits payable	—			—			—			—			—			—
	678			690			(455		)	(464		)	223			226
Included in other comprehensive income
Remeasurements loss (gain):
Actuarial loss (gain) arising from:
Demographic assumptions	(49		)	(99		)	—			—			(49		)	(99		)
Financial assumptions	(1,331		)	1,300			—			—			(1,331		)	1,300
Experience adjustment	(2		)	111			—			—			(2		)	111
Return on plan assets excluding interest	—			—			1,075			(1,055		)	1,075			(1,055		)
income
Plan expenses	(35		)	(55		)	35			55			—			—
	(1,417		)	1,257			1,110			(1,000		)	(307		)	257
Other
Contributions paid by the employer	—			—			(495		)	(660		)	(495		)	(660		)
Benefits paid	(609		)	(597		)	609			597			—			—
	(609		)	(597		)	114			(63		)	(495		)	(660		)
Balance at December 31	$	16,255		$	17,603		$	(12,040	)	$	(12,809	)	$	4,215		$	4,794


19.	Employee future benefits (cont'd):



	Defined benefit obligation						Fair value of plan assets						Net defined benefit liability
Other post-retirement benefit plan	2018			2017			2018			2017			2018			2017
Balance at January 1	$	120		$	196		$	—		$	—		$	120		$	196
Included in profit or loss
Interest cost (income)	3			4			—			—			3			4
	3			4			—			—			3			4
Included in other comprehensive income
Remeasurements loss (gain):
Actuarial loss (gain) arising from:
Demographic assumptions	—			(1		)	—			—			—			(1		)
Financial assumptions	(5		)	3			—			—			(5		)	3
Experience adjustment	7			(53		)	—			—			7			(53		)
	2			(51		)	—			—			$	2		$	(51	)
Other
Contributions paid by the employer	—			—			(41		)	(29		)	(41		)	(29		)
Benefits paid	(41		)	(29		)	41			29			—			—
	(41		)	(29		)	—			—			(41		)	(29		)
Balance at December 31	$	84		$	120		$	—		$	—		$	84		$	120



Included in other comprehensive income (loss)	December 31, 2018			December 31, 2017
Defined benefit pension plan actuarial gain (loss)	$	307		$	(257	)
Other post-retirement benefit plan actuarial gain (loss)	(2		)	51
	$	305		$	(206	)

Pension plan assets comprise:



	2018		2017
Cash and cash equivalents	3	%	3	%
Equity securities	59	%	60	%
Debt securities	38	%	37	%
Total	100	%	100	%

The significant actuarial assumptions adopted in measuring the fair value of benefit obligations at December 31 were as follows:



			2018				2017
	Pension plan		Other benefit plan		Pension plan		Other benefit plan
Discount rate	4.16	%	3.96	%	3.60	%	3.27	%
Rate of compensation increase	n/a		n/a		n/a		n/a

The significant actuarial assumptions adopted in determining net expense for the years ended December 31 were as follows:



			2018				2017
	Pension plan		Other benefit plan		Pension plan		Other benefit plan
Discount rate	3.60	%	3.96	%	4.13	%	3.27	%
Rate of compensation increase	n/a		n/a		n/a		n/a


19.	Employee future benefits (cont'd):

The assumed health care cost trend rates applicable to the other post-retirement benefit plan at December 31 were as follows:



	2018	2017
Initial medical/dental health care cost trend rate	n/a	8.0	%
Cost trend rate declines to medical and dental	n/a	5.0	%
Year that the medical rate reaches the rate it is assumed to remain at	2023	2022
Year that the dental rate reaches the rate it is assumed to remain at	2018	2017

A one-percentage-point change in assumed health care cost trend rates would not have a material impact on the Corporation’s financial statements.