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 […]
The Bank of Montreal is supporting women’s health through information sessions and an enhanced resource hub. The bank is hosting the latest session in its women’s health series at the end of March on women’s cardiovascular health, a virtual and in-person event that will discuss heart health and how it impacts women differently. Sarika Gundu, […]
This year marks Benefits Canada’s fifth annual Mental Health Issue, an initiative introduced in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic as employers ramped up their focus on this crucial topic. It hasn’t slowed down since. In fact, I’d argue employers’ attention to creating thoughtful and relevant mental-health resources and support for employees will continue its […]
When the return-to-office mandate arrived, 39-year-old Supreet Singh, a corporate communications manager at a bank, didn’t argue, escalate it to human resources or request an accommodation. After nearly seven years of balancing full-time work with caregiving for an ageing parent and two school-aged children, she resigned. The company had been clear there would be no […]
While more than half (57 per cent) of Canadian women agree that International Women’s Day initiatives can have a meaningful impact in the workplace, 64 per cent believe employers treat the day as a celebration rather than an opportunity to assess how they support women, according to a new survey by Benchmark Benefits Solutions Inc. […]
Glucagon-like peptide-1 therapies remain a major cost driver of employer-sponsored drug plans and will further contribute to costs as they become approved for uses beyond managing obesity and diabetes, according to a new report by Alberta Blue Cross. The report, which reviewed more than 440 new drug and supplemental submissions made to Health Canada in […]
Skip is enhancing its fertility and mental-health coverage, as well as its focus on menopause, to help employees stay engaged and feel supported throughout their careers, says Cailey Brown, the employer’s head of human resources. The delivery service has expanded its fertility coverage from drugs only to include fertility treatment coverage with a $20,000 lifetime […]
An article on changes to Newfoundland and Labrador’s employee leave legislation was the most-read benefits story on BenefitsCanada.com this year. Here are the top 10 benefits stories of 2025: 1. What Newfoundland and Labrador-based employers need to know about changes to employee leave legislation 2. How national health-care legislation could impact benefits plan sponsors’ virtual […]
Among the 21 million Canadians in the workforce, eight million are women over the age of 40. “We have a large workforce that’s going through the journey of menopause,” said Shawna O’Hearn, co-director and founder at Menopause Society of Nova Scotia, in a session sponsored by Astellas during Benefits Canada’s 2025 Healthy Outcomes Conference. A 2023 […]
Cancer rates among Canadian women age 50 and younger are twice as high as those of men in the same age group, according to a new report by Sun Life Financial Inc. The report analyzed health claims data from more than three million plan members and 20,000 employers. It found cancer continued to drive a […]