The federal government’s 2022 budget, which set out $56 billion in new spending on Thursday, has a few offerings that could impact employers and employees. Dental-care program, pharmacare The budget confirmed the government’s commitment to rolling out a national dental-care program, which was announced in March, by specifying a $5.3-billion investment in its implementation. It also […]
The federal minister in charge of aid to the unemployed says jobless Canadians who refuse to get vaccinated may find themselves blocked from benefits so long as public health concerns remain top of mind. The Liberals have tacked conditions onto a suite of benefits payments saying none can go to workers who lose work or […]
The minister in charge of Canada’s federal social safety net for workers says the government is looking at removing rules that make it difficult for some to get their full parental leave as part of a review of the employment insurance system. Federal Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough says the issue’s particularly acute for new mothers because […]
The federal government is outlining its latest aid package for an economy recovering from the coronavirus pandemic, proposing targeted support to severely affected businesses, locked-down workers and extra weeks of benefits that expired just days ago. The legislation, introduced Wednesday in the House of Commons, is one of four bills the government wants members of […]
The federal government is extending the deadline for its consultations on modernizing the employment insurance program. The online survey, which was opened in August and scheduled to run until October, has been extended to Nov. 19, 2021. In a joint statement, Carla Qualtrough, the minister of employment, workforce development and disability inclusion; Pierre Laliberté, the Canada Employment […]
The federal government has unveiled a $7-billion redesign of pandemic aid for businesses and individuals that kicks in Sunday, which would cut support to almost 900,000 workers and potentially put thousands of jobs at risk in the near-term. The Liberals have long said the federal wage and rent subsidies, along with benefits like the Canada […]
As Canadians head to the polls today, Benefits Canada takes a look at how the federal parties’ campaign promises could impact the human resources, benefits and pension industries. Read: Conservatives, NDP pension promises include super-priority for members The Conservative Party is proposing a plan that would put pension plan members first when the company sponsoring […]
Eighteen months into the coronavirus pandemic and counting, one of its hottest topics is still up for debate. Jim Stanford, economist and director of the Centre for Future Work The lack of adequate and consistent paid sick leave constitutes a gaping hole in Canada’s public health and social security response to COVID-19. As public health […]
The Conservative Party is promising, if elected, to extend employment insurance parental benefits to parents experiencing the trauma of a miscarriage, stillbirth or loss of a child. “Every year, thousands of Canadian parents struggle with the loss of a child, but our current benefits system does not provide the proper support for grieving parents,” said […]
An International Monetary Fund report recently released advises the Canadian government to do a broader review of its employment insurance system to address gaps in eligibility after the Canada Emergency Response Benefit ended. “The crisis exposed gaps in Canada’s social safety net that should be addressed,” said the report. “The lessons from the crisis represent an excellent opportunity to review the EI system.” According to the […]