Breakfast (Pinnacle Foyer)

The state of group benefits in Canada: Data, disruption and what makes a winning benefits plan (Pinnacle Ballroom)

Group benefits plans are under unprecedented pressure from rising costs, shifting workforce expectations and increased scrutiny from employers and employees alike. This session will present data-driven insights drawn from tens of thousands of Canadian employer-sponsored benefits plans to reveal how plan designs and cost structures have evolved over the past several years and explore recent trends in plan generosity, cost escalation and benefits prioritization. This session will also translate complex market data into clear, actionable insights on what competitive benefits plans look like today.

Speaker:

Rahul Rao, chief executive officer, founder, CloudAdvisors

Supporting employment for individuals living with mental-health challenges

This session will explore the key factors that enable employees living with mental-health challenges to remain engaged and productive in the workplace. Drawing on insights from Desjardins Insurance’ ongoing research with the Douglas Institute, it will highlight evidence-based strategies organizations can implement to support retention and well-being.

Speakers:

Charmaine Alexander, plan sponsor service advisor, Desjardins Insurance

Andrew Wood, regional vice-president, Desjardins Insurance

Networking break (Pinnacle Foyer)

From data to longevity: Personalized benefits for better health

Personalization and technology are reshaping how benefits programs support plan members’ well being and long term health. This session will explore how these advancements are helping people live longer, healthier, better lives while also creating healthier workplaces, more sustainable plans and benefits experiences that deliver deeper, more meaningful value for members.

Speaker:

Jennifer Foubert, head, group benefits, product and growth, Manulife Canada   

The hidden cost of poor sleep and what employers can do about it

This session will explore sleep as a critical driver of employee health and workplace productivity in Canada. It will also uncover the current state of sleep health among Canadian workers, identify which employees face the greatest risks and understand the barriers preventing healthier sleep habits. This session will conclude by discussing actionable strategies for leveraging benefits plans and wellness programs to help organizations foster better sleep health among their employees.

Speaker:

Carmen Bellows, registered psychologist, director, mental health, Sun Life Health

Empowering women at work: Health, wealth and workplace equity

This session will highlight why women’s health and financial well-being should be strategic priorities for plan sponsors. Beyond reproductive care, mental wellness and chronic conditions, the discussion will expand to the financial strengths women already demonstrate — and how benefits plan design can amplify them. This session will also show how gender responsive health and financial benefits can enhance plan performance while creating a more equitable and productive workplace.

Speaker:

Erika Hatherly, strategic leader, drug programs, group benefits and retirement solutions, iA Financial Group

Lunch (Pinnacle Foyer)

The science of integration: Rewiring benefits for better health and better outcomes

Despite significant investment and rapid advancement in digital health, many solutions for benefits plan sponsors still struggle to create lasting improvements in health outcomes, leaving many Canadians feeling disconnected from their care experiences. This session will explore how clinically informed, strategically integrated health and benefits models can improve access, strengthen personalization and drive meaningful behavioural change in employees. Drawing on a behavioural neuroscientist’s perspective, participants will learn how true integration supports the cognitive and motivational mechanisms to unlock new avenues for financial return on investment beyond absenteeism and productivity.

Speaker:

Mike Mousseau, mental-health programs, business development manager, GreenShield Health

Reducing chronic disease, disability and cost through early, integrated care

This session will reframe hormone health as a preventive strategy. It will examine how early identification and treatment can alter disease trajectories and reduce progression to high-cost conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, infertility, chronic pain and mood disorders. This session will also address why fragmented, life-stage-limited approaches miss this window of opportunity and how an integrated, multidisciplinary hormone health model improves outcomes, extends health span and enhances economic sustainability for benefits plan sponsors.

Speakers:

Dr. Kristy Prouse, chief medical advisor, women’s health, Science&Humans

Michele Romanow, brand ambassador, investor, Science&Humans

Connecting the dots to design a truly integrated employee well-being experience

Organizations continue to invest heavily in well-being, yet many employees still experience burnout, confusion and inequity. This session will share the practical steps Vancity is taking to move beyond stand-alone well-being programs toward a more intentional, integrated approach to well-being. Rather than treating well-being as a set of benefits or initiatives, it’s focusing on how physical, mental, financial, social and career well-being intersect across elements of total rewards and intentional communications, as well as how those elements show up in employees’ day-to-day experience.

Speaker:

Ivana Afonso, director, total rewards, Vancity