By recognizing cultural differences, organizations ease stress and allow people to bring their authentic selves to work, improving well-being, performance and retention, says Eddy Ng, professor of equity and inclusion in business at Queen’s University. “If employees don’t feel like they belong, they don’t feel safe. They’re constantly paying what I call the inclusion tax […]
An article on recent private equity investments by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board 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. CPPIB increases stake in environmental services firm, receives approval for energy provider takeover 2. Solvency […]
While nearly all (97 per cent) large U.S. employers say they offer mental-health coverage, fewer than half (47 per cent) of employers are measuring whether these benefits are delivering timely, effective care, according to a new survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. The survey, which polled more than 400 employers, found just 22 per […]
Employer-sponsored health benefits costs are set to increase by 9.8 per cent in 2026, according to a new report by Aon. The report pointed to a return to single-digit growth for the first time since 2023, but also underscores the reality that price inflation, advanced medical technologies, increased benefits utilization and rising prescription drug costs […]
While climate change is exacerbating employees’ pre-existing health challenges, workers aren’t always making the link between these health impacts and the support provided in their group benefits plan, says Marie-Chantal Côté, senior vice-president at Sun Life Health. “Employers have a great opportunity to continue to support employees by raising awareness of the supports available. A […]
In both an in-person and virtual format on Sept. 16, the inaugural Toronto Benefits Summit brought together more than 300 employers, consultants, industry providers and other key stakeholders for a full day of exploring trends in the benefits and wellness space. The packed agenda, which was presented to a sold-out room, included panel discussions presenting […]
Inconsistency in public health care and private benefits coverage for vision care could be keeping many Canadians from getting their eyes checked regularly, according to Tracy Weng, an optometrist and clinical consultant at Specsavers Canada, during Benefits Canada’s 2025 Toronto Benefits Summit. About 60 per cent of Canadians have private insurance and, among that group, […]
While society’s understanding of women’s health has significantly evolved in the last few years, employee benefits plans haven’t yet caught up. “We expect men and women to interact with their plan in the same way and that’s just not true,” said Erika Hatherly, strategic leader for drug programs, group benefits and retirement solutions at iA […]
As effective weight management drugs come to market, it’s time to move beyond outdated approaches to obesity care and towards holistic treatment strategies, said Marie-Hélène Dugal, national pharmacy strategy lead for Medavie Blue Cross, during Benefits Canada’s 2025 Toronto Benefits Summit. Obesity is a progressive, relapsing and complex chronic disease characterized by abnormal and excessive […]
While roughly half of Canada’s provinces now provide some form of public coverage for fertility treatments such as in-vitro fertilization, the cost is still too prohibitive for many people. Employers are starting to help bridge the gap, “but there’s definitely still room for improvement,” said Tara Wood, principal of Purpose PR and co-founder of Fertility […]