Bio

Cynthia is the leader of the Pensions and Benefits Practice. She has extensive experience in pension and benefits law, policy and strategy - for 25 years, she has exclusively worked in pension and benefits from a broad range of perspectives, starting with private practice representing unions, employees and administrators. Cynthia also worked within the Ontario government, within a large jointly sponsored public sector plan and most recently, with Ontario’s new pension regulator on strategic projects. 

During her time with government, she was seconded to be counsel at the Ontario Expert Commission on Pensions, chaired by Professor Harry Arthurs and resulting in the first comprehensive report on the pension system in Canada in 20 years. Her policy and strategy work has focused on effectively pursuing changes to pension legislation and pension plans, as well as anticipating and managing impacts of changes on plan design, innovation and pension coverage. 

Cynthia provides legal, policy and strategic advice to her clients, including guidance on governance and compliance issues. She excels at practical and timely problem-solving, tailored to the nature of the plan (whether multi-employer, jointly sponsored, single employer) and stakeholders, with a priority on resolving disputes before they escalate. She also represents unions, employees and plan administrators in pension and related litigation.

Cynthia has been appointed by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority as a member of its Technical Advisory Committee on Public Sector Pension Plans and is the Chair of the Board of Regents of Victoria University (within the University of Toronto). . She has written articles related to pension issues and was co-author of the Chapter on Canadian pension law in Tolley’s International Pension and Benefits (reference book). She has a Bachelor of Laws from University of Western Ontario Law School and Master of Laws from University College London, and is a solicitor of England and Wales, as well as a lawyer in Ontario.

Education

  • Called to the Ontario Bar, 1996
  • University of College London, LLM, 1999
  • University of Western, LLB, 1995
  • University of Toronto, BA, 1990

Memberships

  • Ontario Bar Association, Pension and Benefits Section
  • Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute
  • International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans
Best Lawyers Award Badge

Related News

News/25 August 2022

Twelve Cavalluzzo Lawyers Recognized in Best Lawyers 2023 Edition

Recognized in Six Different Practice Areas

News/1 November 2021

Cynthia Crysler announced as new Chair of the Board of Regents

Victoria University names Cynthia Vic 9T0

News/26 August 2021

Eleven Cavalluzzo Lawyers Recognized in Best Lawyers 2022 Edition

Cavalluzzo LLP also been named “Law Firm of the Year”

News/27 July 2021

Cavalluzzo LLP launches class action against Enbridge Inc and Enbridge Gas Inc.

Enbridge employees across Canada who have taken a parental or pregnancy leave since 1990 may be missing years of service in their pension plans

Related Events

Event/Jun 3, 2021

Cynthia Crysler Speaks at 2021 CALL Conference

Participates in panel "ABC of Pensions"

Cynthia Crysler participates in panel "ABC of Pensions" at the 2021 CALL Conference discussing key concepts in pension law from a social justice/labou...
Event/Dec 3, 2020

Cynthia Crysler Spoke at Lancaster House Pension Conference

Cynthia Crysler spoke at the annual Lancaster House Pensions Conference on December 3, 2020.  She spoke on “Pension Plans and the Pandemic:...

Related Blogs

Blog/23 March 2023

Ontario’s long-awaited Consultation on Target Benefit Plan Funding is released

Consultation includes governance and funding policy requirements, communications requirements and some flexibility on funding

Ontario Consultation Paper, “A Permanent Framework for Target Benefits” has been released. It includes governance and funding policy requirements, co...
Blog/7 November 2022

Belmont case: Repayment of Pension Money Paid in error

In October, the Nova Scotia court released a decision dealing with repayment of amounts paid in error to a pension plan member (Belmont Financial Serv...
Blog/24 June 2022

CAPSA releases Draft Consultation on ESG Considerations in Pension Plan Management

Draft includes three principles which could add clarity to pension plan fiduciaries on ESG issues

CAPSA has released a Consultation for comment which addresses ESG considerations and is seeking any comments by September 15, 2022.
Blog/29 April 2022

BC Decision Addresses Fiduciary Duties of Pension Plan Trustees

Larkin v Johnson, 2022 BCSC 603

In the recently released case, Larkin v. Johnson (2022 BCSC 603), the BC Court made several helpful comments related to the fiduciary duties of plan t...