For Jocelyn Laidlaw, a former anchor at CTV News, a sudden diagnosis of stage 3A metastatic colorectal cancer revealed not only the emotional toll of cancer but also the systemic gaps in Canadian health care and workplace benefits.
Speaking during a session supported by AstraZeneca Canada at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum, she described the patchwork of cancer drug coverage across Canada, where access to life-saving treatments depends on geography. “What’s covered in British Columbia or Alberta may not be in Ontario, Quebec or the Atlantic provinces. Even those with private insurance can face dangerous delays or coverage gaps.”
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Employers are uniquely positioned to bridge these gaps, argued Laidlaw. “You can ensure that private plans expand their coverage to level the playing field across the provinces and territories. Find out where the holes are in the provincial patchwork of cancer drug coverage and step up to fill them.”
She emphasized that private plans can accelerate access to new treatments, often years ahead of public formularies. “Drugs newly approved by Health Canada can take three years to be covered by provincial plans. Frankly, a three-year delay is enough to cost a cancer patient their life.”
Laidlaw highlighted the promise of precision oncology, which is personalized treatments based on genetic and molecular profiling. “It’s the difference between a laser and a sledgehammer,” she said, noting that, while many targeted drugs are covered, the essential diagnostic tests often are not.
She also stressed the importance of human support for employees. “You need smart people who know your systems to talk to a cancer patient, because they just don’t have the patience for a machine when they’re battling a life-threatening illness.
“I want for you, in your role as benefits providers, insurers, sponsors and advisors, to become an ally and a source of support, strength and survival for those with cancer,” she added.
Employers need to support employees facing cancer now, because for every patient, time is the most precious commodity, said Laidlaw. “A well-designed benefits plan is far more than an employee perk. It’s business continuity. It’s social responsibility. It’s a moral imperative.”
Read more coverage of the 2025 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum.