Fewer than half (45 per cent) of Canadian employees say they’re satisfied with their employer’s benefits plan, according to Telus Health’s latest mental-health index. The survey, which polled roughly 3,000 employees, found the average mental-health score was 63.5 in December, virtually unchanged from November (63.4). Anxiety (56.8) continued to be the lowest mental-health sub-score, followed […]
Amid the ongoing tariff dispute between Canada and the U.S., employers can support employee mental health by reminding them of available mental-health benefits and being transparent in their communication, says Kim Siddall, national vice-president of client strategy at People Corporation. She notes the impact of the trade war on employee mental health is two-fold, encompassing […]
The cumulative cost of mental illness is estimated to reach $2.5 trillion by 2041, according to a report by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation. The coronavirus pandemic led many to seek out help, which subsequently increased mental-health costs. “We saw people who were obviously quite isolated,” says Dr. Donna Ferguson, a clinical […]
An article on a series of court cases dealing with remote working arrangements in Quebec was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Quebec’s approach to remote workers’ rights holds lessons for other provinces: lawyer 2. How […]
Between 2018 and 2023, prescription drug expenditures in private drug plans grew at a compound annual growth rate of 7.1 per cent, according to a new report by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. It found in 2023, prescription drug expenditures for private plans rose by 12.9 per cent, returning to the pre-pandemic growth trend. […]
In the five years since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus pandemic, Canadian benefits plan sponsors have adapted their offerings and continue to apply many of the lessons learned over the course of the health crisis. Chris Zelasko, president of Peak Benefit Solutions Inc. says while his plan sponsor clients initially focused on the […]
Rio Tinto Group is appointing Ayman Alvi as general manager of benefits. Alvi was previously vice-president of global pension and benefits at Scotiabank. Prior to that, he was a senior manager and consulting actuary at KPMG in Canada, a manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers, an actuarial associate at WTW and a senior pension specialist at Fidelity Canada. […]
For the past 10 years, Benefits Canada’s Chronic Disease at Work conference has examined the current trends in chronic disease in Canada and what they mean for plan sponsors. Hosted in a virtual format on Feb. 12, the 2025 conference explored several chronic diseases, as well as their impacts on the workplace and the role of employers […]
Chronic disease rates are rising and cases are becoming more complex, with a higher share of plan members experiencing multiple co-morbidities. This growing trend necessitates an approach to chronic disease management that promotes self-management and healthy lifestyle choices, as well as helps plan members better navigate the health-care landscape, said Jeffery Chan, assistant vice-president of […]
Obesity is one of the most misunderstood diseases, with stigma and judgement contributing to the misconceptions, said Lisa Schaffer, executive director at Obesity Canada, during a session supported by Eli Lilly Canada at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Chronic Disease at Work conference. Obesity is associated with more than 200 chronic illnesses and nearly one in three […]