Latest news in Legal issues

Tax hike inevitable if Canada wants national pharmacare, former PBO warns

Tax hike inevitable if Canada wants national pharmacare, former PBO warns

Former federal budget watchdog Kevin Page will deliver a blunt message to premiers this week about the costs of a future national pharmacare program: if…

Report urges Newfoundland to introduce legislation for work-related stress

Report urges Newfoundland to introduce legislation for work-related stress

A new report is calling on the Newfoundland and Labrador government to establish presumptive legislation for post-traumatic stress disorder and occupational stress, as well as a law that…

  • By: Staff
  • June 15, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 15:50
Have your say: Did human rights tribunal get it right in decision on ending benefits at 65?

Have your say: Did human rights tribunal get it right in decision on ending benefits at 65?

The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal’s recent ruling that it’s unconstitutional for plan sponsors to discontinue benefits for employees after the age of 65 represents a…

  • By: Ryan Murphy
  • June 13, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 15:00
Sanofi survey finds plan sponsors split on issue of medical cannabis

Sanofi survey finds plan sponsors split on issue of medical cannabis

There’s an almost even split among plan sponsors on whether to cover medical marijuana in their health benefits plans, according to the 2018 Sanofi Canada…

  • By: Staff
  • June 13, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 11:06
Quebec passes bill eliminating disparities in pension, benefits plans

Quebec passes bill eliminating disparities in pension, benefits plans

Quebec has passed its bill eliminating disparities in pension and supplementary group benefits plans. The bill was passed on Tuesday with a number of additions to the province’s…

  • By: Staff
  • June 13, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:38
Navigating the ’50 shades of grey’ surrounding marijuana legalization and the workplace

Navigating the ’50 shades of grey’ surrounding marijuana legalization and the workplace

While a recent court ruling has given some relief to plan sponsors concerned about having an obligation cover medical marijuana under their benefits plans, they…

Age discrimination in benefits plans unconstitutional, tribunal finds

Age discrimination in benefits plans unconstitutional, tribunal finds

When Ontario abolished mandatory retirement in 2006, employers could still terminate benefits for workers who turned 65. But in May, the province’s Human Rights Tribunal…

CLHIA announces tweaks to advisor compensation disclosure guideline

CLHIA announces tweaks to advisor compensation disclosure guideline

The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association is tweaking its approach to its compensation disclosure guideline, including a provision to allow advisors to deliver the information…

Taxing health benefits would ‘dramatically’ raise health-care costs: CLHIA

Taxing health benefits would ‘dramatically’ raise health-care costs: CLHIA

While a new report shows that introducing a tax on employer-paid health benefits would add $3.8 billion to the federal government’s coffers in the 2018 tax year,…

  • By: Staff
  • May 24, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 16:00
Reformulary Group to develop cannabis formulary

Reformulary Group to develop cannabis formulary

The Reformulary Group Inc. has formed a cannabis formulary committee that will review evidence for medical marijuana and provide expert opinions and criteria for its…

  • By: Staff
  • May 16, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 15:40
Do employers have a legal duty to address the health effects of sitting at work?

Do employers have a legal duty to address the health effects of sitting at work?

Canadians spend an average of almost 10 hours each day, excluding sleep time, being sedentary. That counts as risky behaviour given studies that have linked…

Have your say: Are new sick day entitlements a concern for employers?

Have your say: Are new sick day entitlements a concern for employers?

Following in the footsteps of other Canadian provinces, Quebec has introduced a bill to amend its labour laws that includes changes to sick leave entitlements. Currently, employees…

  • By: Ryan Murphy
  • April 2, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 16:15
OHIP+ for seniors a ‘significant win’ for employers with retiree benefits plans

OHIP+ for seniors a ‘significant win’ for employers with retiree benefits plans

Ontario’s move to expand its youth pharmacare program to seniors in 2019 could be a significant win for plan sponsors offering retiree benefits. “A company would…

Have your say: Is benefits fraud a widespread problem?

Have your say: Is benefits fraud a widespread problem?

With fraud prevention month underway, just how big of a problem is the issue for plan sponsors? “As an industry, we estimate that benefits fraud…

  • By: Ryan Murphy
  • March 26, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 21:30
Manager in Sudbury benefits fraud case ordered to pay $20M to former employer

Manager in Sudbury benefits fraud case ordered to pay $20M to former employer

A former Atlas Copco Canada Inc. manager sentenced to jail time for his part in a benefits kickback scheme now faces a $20-million bill from his…

Insurers stepping up fight against benefits fraud with analytics, big data

Insurers stepping up fight against benefits fraud with analytics, big data

According to estimates from the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, benefits fraud results in the loss of two to 10 per cent of health-care dollars.…

Learn how legal marijuana will affect the workplace at the Benefits and Pension Summit

With the impending legalization of marijuana in Canada, what do plan sponsors need to consider? How will the workplace be affected by both recreational and medical…

  • By: Ryan Murphy
  • March 16, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:15
Editorial: Benefits, bullying and the minimum wage

Editorial: Benefits, bullying and the minimum wage

The issue of benefits changes at some Tim Hortons outlets in response to Ontario’s boost to the minimum wage to $14 per hour is a…

TTC fraud update: More than 220 employees fired or have resigned, retired

TTC fraud update: More than 220 employees fired or have resigned, retired

Some 223 Toronto Transit Commission employees have been dismissed or have resigned or retired to avoid dismissal as part of an ongoing investigation into benefits fraud,…

  • By: Staff
  • March 15, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 10:01
Ontario sets out pay transparency legislation

Ontario sets out pay transparency legislation

The province of Ontario is tackling pay transparency by introducing legislation that requires employers to track and publish information about compensation in their organizations. The proposed legislation, if passed,…

  • By: Staff
  • March 6, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 16:15
B.C. employers to consider benefits plan design in light of new health tax

B.C. employers to consider benefits plan design in light of new health tax

B.C. plan sponsors will have lots of questions to consider as the provincial government prepares to introduce a new employer health tax. “It’s going to…

  • By: Ryan Murphy
  • February 28, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 15:30
Saskatchewan reinstates tax exemption on health premiums

Saskatchewan reinstates tax exemption on health premiums

Saskatchewan’s announcement that it’s reinstating its provincial sales tax exemption for life and health insurance premiums is welcome news for plan sponsors in the province. …

  • By: Ryan Murphy
  • February 27, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 15:45
Patient advocacy organizations urge government to halt drug-pricing review

Patient advocacy organizations urge government to halt drug-pricing review

A group of 28 patient advocacy organizations are urging Health Canada to stop its review of drug pricing. The federal government announced changes to drug price regulation…

  • By: Staff
  • February 15, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 16:50
Are benefits plan members being exposed to counterfeit pharmaceuticals?

Are benefits plan members being exposed to counterfeit pharmaceuticals?

Counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs are a rising risk to Canadians as they’re appearing in brick-and-mortar pharmacies, rather than just on the street or online, according to a new report…

  • By: Staff
  • February 14, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00
McCarthy Tétrault names new partner in pension, benefits group

McCarthy Tétrault names new partner in pension, benefits group

Deron Waldock has joined McCarthy Tétrault LLP as a partner in its national pension, benefits and compensation group, working out of the firm’s Toronto office.…

  • By: Staff
  • February 9, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:04