The Ontario Energy Board is ordering Ontario Power Generation Inc. to cut a substantial amount from its pensions and benefits costs by 2021. In a report published last…
In 2016, more than 20,500 Canadians benefited from the private insurance drug pooling systems, according to the Canadian Drug Insurance Pooling Corporation (CDIPC). Further, CDIPC’s…
At least 1,460 Canadians have died from opioid-related overdoses in the first half of 2017 — a number that’s expected to rise, as not all…
Manitoba’s finance minister says he and his counterparts will take another look at changes to the Canada Pension Plan amid concerns that low-income workers and…
As the debate continues over the potential impact of new labour reforms in Ontario, a fast-food operator has come under the spotlight for some of…
One of the biggest topics in the health and benefits industry in 2017 was the federal government’s new 18-month parental leave option. Three stories on this…
Quebec employers are expressing concern about the business impact of the province’s move to eliminate disparities in pension and supplementary group benefits plans. “It’s an…
Enrolling new employees in life insurance policies can involve a number of steps for employers. Not only do they have to ensure workers understand their coverage options…
As Ontario prepares to roll out its new pharmacare program for youth on Jan. 1, plan sponsors and members will be watching to see how the transition to…
The annual deductible in group benefits plans is a long-standing strategy for sharing costs with employees and encouraging more responsible consumption of benefits. But in…
With many of its plan members based in Alberta, the manager of Mercon Benefits Services was hoping to stay ahead of longer-term issues resulting from a turbulent…
The average cost increases for employer-sponsored health-care plans are set to increase at a faster rate than inflation in 2018, according to a new report by Aon.…
Green Shield Canada will offer plan sponsors more options for including medical marijuana in their group benefits plans in early 2018. The insurer said its new offering has a…
It seems to happen a lot. Seemingly daily, someone will say they can save a plan sponsor money on its group benefits plan. My not-so-subtle reply is…
The Ontario government may be spending more than it needs to on generic drugs, according to the auditor general’s latest annual report. Auditor general Bonnie…
From migraines to metabolic syndrome, speakers at Benefits Canada’s Calgary Drug Trends Summit provided plan sponsors with solutions to the many challenges they face around…
Despite rising health-care costs, there’s a gap when it comes to seeing the results of all of that spending, according to a speaker at the…
While Canadians hear about the high cost of drugs all of the time, “the sky is not falling,” said Jim Favaro, senior manager for private…
Keeping private drug plans sustainable is key for all Canadians. While measures such as mandatory generic substitution and prior authorization are standard solutions in many…
Green Shield Canada is launching a new mindfulness training program that will be available for free to all of its plan members. The program, which…
The federal government has announced sweeping changes to drug price regulation in Canada that it estimates will deliver $12.6 billion in net benefits over 10…
Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd. and Unifor Local 2027 have ratified a four-year collective agreement that includes moving to a defined contribution plan for future…
With the new Alberta dental fee guide taking effect on Jan. 1, 2018, many plan sponsors will likely be taking a look at their benefits…
It’s said that laughter is the best medicine. At consultancy Accompass Inc., a good belly laugh, among other activities, is earning employees extra points they…
Manulife Financial Corp. is has announced a series of pilot projects aimed at improving health outcomes for group benefits plan members dealing with mental-health issues,…