As cost-of-living pressures continue to shape employee expectations, holiday gift-giving in the workplace is becoming less about tradition and more about equity, flexibility and psychological safety. For employers, the challenge is balancing recognition with restraint at a time when discretionary spending feels heavier for many employees. At IKEA Canada, that balance starts with consistency and […]
UAP Inc. is supporting employee financial well-being during the holidays by communicating advice and tips on effective spending and saving, says Geneviève Hébert, the company’s senior director of global compensation. “The holidays bring a lot of joy, but there’s a lot of expenses as well, and for some people, it might be stressful to overspend […]
Quebec’s finance minister presented an economic update on Tuesday that offered modest savings to taxpayers, as he painted an optimistic picture of the province’s finances heading into an election year. Eric Girard’s update includes decreases to payroll deductions for the provincial pension plan and parental insurance. The reductions, along with adjustments to how personal income […]
A continued rally in equity markets in the third quarter of 2025 strengthened retirement income outcomes for capital accumulation plan members, according to a new report by Eckler Ltd. Optimism around trade negotiations, a U.S. Federal Reserve rate cut and steady enthusiasm for artificial intelligence supported markets through the period. As a result, the consultancy’s […]
KPMG in Canada is aiming to boost plan member engagement with its retirement savings programs with a host of changes, including a refreshed defined contribution plan investment lineup, a new first home savings account, financial education programming, digital tools and switching record keepers. The changes, launched in early October, stemmed from a review of the […]
The majority of Canadian employees (70 per cent) say their productivity has declined due to worsening mental health, according to a new report by Telus Health. The report, which analyzed employee responses from the company’s 2024 and 2025 mental-health indexes, found 40 per cent of workers are living with constant stress, with those younger than […]
In a year marked by an ongoing trade war and threats of tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump and against a backdrop of rising costs, Canadian employers are reconsidering their total rewards and talent management strategies. “A lot more attention is being paid to total rewards, such as how we’re paying people,” says compensation and […]
A record number of benefits plan members are dealing with extreme levels of daily stress, according to the 2025 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. The 27th edition of the survey, which polled 1,000 Canadian group benefits plan members and 500 plan sponsors earlier this year, found two in five (39 per cent) members said they experience […]
Vancouver City Savings Credit Union is using its internal benefits and employee data to react to the financial realities that workers are facing amid the rising cost of living, says Ivana Afonso, the organization’s director of total rewards. “We know the cost-of-living crisis is hitting our core-aged employees hardest, especially those balancing housing, childcare and […]
A rebound in public equities markets in the second quarter of 2025 has positively impacted retirement outcomes for capital accumulation plan members, according to a new report by Eckler Ltd. The consultancy’s latest CAP income tracker found a typical male member retiring at the end of June 2025 achieved a gross income replacement ratio of 65.9 per […]