The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’s win in the Drug/Benefits Plan Innovation category at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Workplace Benefits Awards can be attributed to innovation, of course, but also generosity. According to one judge, the organization’s benefits program is one of the most generous they’ve seen. It includes: 100 per cent coverage on drugs, with […]
Canada’s life and health insurers paid out a record $143.3 billion in health and retirement benefits last year, up from $128 billion in 2023, according to the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association’s annual fact book. “At a time when our country is facing economic uncertainty and our health-care system is under strain, life and […]
Three in five (60 per cent) plan members would choose an extra $10,000 in cash per year over their benefits plan, according to the 2025 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. The survey asked half of 1,000 plan member respondents whether they’d rather receive their benefits plan or an extra $5,000 in cash per year, while the […]
More than four in five (81 per cent) public sector employees had access to medical or dental benefits in 2024, compared to around two-thirds (62 per cent) of private sector workers, according to Statistics Canada. Access to paid vacation leave followed a similar pattern, with more than four in five (82 per cent) public sector […]
While many benefits plan sponsors have traditionally considered moving their plan from an insured arrangement to an administrative-services only model upon reaching a certain threshold of employees, several external factors have impacted this decision in recent years. Todd Stephen, vice-president of employee benefits and pensions at Selectpath Benefits & Financial Inc., says these factors — […]
The union representing roughly 500 employees at General Dynamics Land Systems Canada in London, Ont. has ratified a new three-year contract that includes pension and benefits gains. The agreement provides increased employer contributions to the defined benefit pension plan, including an additional $1 for production employees and an additional $1.20 for skilled trades workers in […]
The union representing roughly 435 employees at Ivaco Rolling Mills in eastern Ontario has ratified two five-year collective agreements that include pension and benefits gains. The agreements include pension improvements to the defined contribution pension plan, with pension contributions beginning earlier upon completion of probation and employer matches of up to four per cent for […]
Six in 10 Canadian (57 per cent) employees say they’re either in the process of moving employers or may seek new employment in the next 12 months, according to a new survey by Aon. The survey — which polled more than 9,000 global workers, including more than 500 Canadian respondents — found a fifth (22 […]
The previous year was an interesting one in the world of employee benefits plans. Over the previous 12 months, employers have navigated the explosion of claims for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist medications like Ozempic, some forward momentum on national pharmacare and some employers changed their approach to diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Here are five […]
The hospitality company’s pension and benefits manager discusses gen Z in the workforce, student debt repayment programs and family vacations. Q: What new programs or initiatives are you looking to implement? A: We’re considering providing more flexibility and inclusive benefits in our health coverage, family support program and paid leave plans to better meet the […]