Rising rates of chronic illness among younger people and women are changing the picture of chronic disease in Canada, according to Sun Life data. Forty-five per cent of Canadians now live with a chronic disease, said Alexandra Dalkie, the insurer’s director of ePharmacy, during Benefits Canada’s 2026 Chronic Disease at Work conference. While older Canadians […]
“Eczema is like a rollercoaster; it’s characterized by flares and remissions and flares and remissions — and the cruelest thing is that it’s unpredictable and the flares come at the absolute worst time,” said Dr. Maxwell Sauder, a dermatologist at the Toronto Dermatology Centre, in a session supported by Galderma during Benefits Canada’s 2026 Chronic […]
Postpartum depression is the most common medical complication of pregnancy and post-pregnancy, according to Dr. Tanya Tulipan, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Dalhousie University. Speaking during a session supported by Biogen at Benefits Canada’s 2026 Chronic Disease at Work conference, she defined PPD as a major depressive episode that begins within the first four […]
Mental and physical health care have long been treated as separate silos, but there’s a growing recognition in the benefits industry that an integrated, personalized care experience can improve health outcomes, manage chronic disease and reduce “ballooning health spend,” according to Matthew Chow (pictured right), chief mental health officer at Telus Health. “We’re moving employee […]
The workplace can play an important role in helping to normalize type 1 diabetes for employees living with the condition and those whose children may be diagnosed, said Michael Vallis, psychologist and associate professor of family medicine at Dalhousie University, during a session supported by Sanofi Canada during Benefits Canada’s 2026 Chronic Disease at Work […]
With chronic hepatitis B under-diagnosed and under-treated in Canada, benefits plan sponsors can help close the gap with education, vaccination and detection campaigns. “Improving access to treatment and testing is something that’s key, recognizing that if we can improve that we can prevent the complications of chronic hepatitis B,” said Jonathan Mapletoft, medical lead for […]
In the 30 years since Symcor’s inception, it has brought in many employees with diverse ages, backgrounds, cultures and experiences. “We want to make sure that, with a workforce as diverse as ours, to have programs that are inclusive, meaningful, relevant and supportive,” said Rachel Wong, the organization’s vice-president of total rewards and human resources […]
Workplace design, not just benefits coverage, may determine whether women remain in the workforce during menopause, according to new research from the University of Ottawa. Madeline Toubiana, professor and Desmarais Chair in entrepreneurship at the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management, says many organizations focus on benefits coverage without examining the structural workplace barriers […]
An article on Derek Dobson’s departure from the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology’s pension plan was the most-read article on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. CAAT CEO departing following leadership crisis, paying back $1.6 million vacation payout 2. […]
Indigenous women in Canada continue to face structural barriers to workplace retirement plans and benefits programs, driven by employment instability, eligibility rules and traditional benefits design that often don’t reflect Indigenous realities, according to leaders at Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services. National labour data highlights the disparity. A Statistics Canada report found the employment rate […]