In times of increased economic uncertainty, the number of tough financial choices facing the average person seems to rise exponentially. Clashing priorities battle it out: Will the latest paycheque be swallowed by the mortgage, car payments and bills? Can $100 or more be spared each month for an emergency fund? Or to tuck away in […]
One employee touts the benefits of an ESOP, while an academic notes it depends on individual financial circumstances and plan design. Morgan Zirul, store manager, Starbucks Corp. When I joined Starbucks in 2017, I was 18 and not really thinking about retirement or long-term financial planning. During onboarding, I learned about the company’s benefits, including […]
In its sophomore year under its new branding, the Employee Savings Survey (previously known as the CAP Member Survey) reflects the changing landscape of workplace savings programs as plan members face competing financial priorities and employers step up to expand their offerings. Going even further, some of this year’s results were broken down into different […]
As millennials become a dominant demographic in Canadian workplaces, employers are rethinking how they communicate their savings plans. Indeed, that shift is reshaping how EllisDon approaches communications and engagement with its savings program, says Marie-Lynn Bromilow, the construction services company’s vice-president of total rewards, noting millennials make up a significant portion of its plan membership. […]
As generation Z’s behaviours, motivators and stressors evolve in real time, a joint research project from Canada Life and Deloitte Canada is aiming to help bridge the gap between prudent financial planning and the generation’s legitimate concerns around long-term systemic risks. Speaking during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2026 Defined Contribution Plan Summit, Kate Nazar […]
While the percentage of plan members who describe their personal financial situation as significantly or somewhat better than last year decreased from 42 per cent in 2025 to 34 per cent, the percentage that describe it as significantly worse or somewhat worse has also dropped, from 26 per cent last year to 22 per cent, […]
In these uncertain times, there are strategic opportunities to implement mental-health polices, programs and services that provide tangible benefits for both employers and employees. Rebecca Gewurtz, occupational therapist and associate professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University Even during a challenging labour market, it’s important for employers to invest in employee mental-health […]
With demand for skilled workers in Northern Ontario, Yukon and Nunavut expected to rise sharply over the next two decades, such projections are highlighting challenges for employers in these regions as they rethink workforce development, says Andy Moorhouse, vice-president of economic development at Makivvik, a Quebec-based organization supporting the Inuit of Nunavik. While much of […]
Ontario’s Superior Court is scheduled to decide next week whether to approve a fund the insolvent company will set up to help former Hudson’s Bay Co. workers with expenses. The more than 9,300 workers who lost their jobs last year when the company collapsed weren’t paid severance and some lost access to long-term disability and […]
Canadian gig workers now earn more than a third (38 per cent) of their income from gig work, up from 15 per cent last year, according to a new survey by Securian Canada. The survey, which polled more than 2,000 gig workers in Canada, found 18 per cent reported relying on gig work for their […]