Financial stress is an ever-present concern for many employees — among women, it’s even more pronounced. A survey by the Financial Resilience Institute found almost two-thirds (72 per cent) of women said money worries cause them emotional stress, eight percentage points higher than men, while 71 per cent of Canadian women are stressed about not […]
Before bringing employees back to the office, it’s important for employers to clearly communicate their expectations, support employee well-being and ensure there’s adequate space for workers, says Chris Gory, employee benefits advisor at Orchard Benefits. “Employers need to communicate their expectations for when employees are working at the office to avoid any confusion. They should […]
The union representing nearly 125 workers at Community Living Dryden-Sioux Lookout in Ontario have ratified new three-year collective agreements that include pension and benefits gains. The agreements include the implementation of the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology’s DBplus pension plan beginning in 2026. In addition, vision coverage will increase from $100 to $200 for […]
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 […]
Canadian plan sponsors are consistently underestimating the share of their employees living with at least one chronic condition, according to the 2025 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. While three in five (59 per cent) plan members reported having at least one chronic condition, plan sponsors estimated that an average 38.5 per cent of their workforce had […]
As employers and employees grapple with inflation, political turbulence and an economic slowdown, consultants are stepping up to offer support. That uncertainty also extends to broader business operations. Companies in the automotive and steel industries are particularly impacted by the tariffs, but many other sectors remain unsure of what the future holds more generally. The […]
With “disruptive evolution” a strong value for Arc’teryx Equipment, the organization developed its new benefits plan to reflect this mentality, according to Mikkaela Fernandez, manager of total rewards, benefits, wellness, leaves and retirement, during a fireside chat at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Vancouver Benefits Summit. The global retailer, which is based in Vancouver and has 3,000 […]
Plan sponsors are facing the perfect storm of rising benefits costs, a surge in chronic disease prevalence and fierce competition for top talent. All the while, 55 per cent of Canadian workers feel their employee benefits plan doesn’t fully meet their needs, according to Telus Health’s mental-health index. More than 50 per cent of plan members […]
Plan sponsors are facing a chronic disease “tsunami” that is leading to higher benefits and drug plan spend and increasing disability claims. But the three root causes of this growing problem — undiagnosed health issues, the availability of primary and preventative health care and challenges navigating the health-care system — are issues plan sponsors are […]
The union representing more than 5,200 Air Canada pilots has ratified a four-year collective agreement that includes multiple benefits gains, avoiding a possible strike. The agreement includes physiotherapy coverage of up to $5,000 a year per plan member and lifetime coverage for fertility drugs up to $10,000. Employees will also have a choice between $500 […]