An article on the structural barriers Indigenous women continue to face in workplace retirement plans and benefits programs 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. Indigenous women face persistent barriers to workplace retirement, benefits plans: expert 2. […]
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 […]
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 […]
Fewer than half of people leaders say they feel equipped to address employee mental-health issues, according to a new report by Telus Health. The report, which analyzed findings from the organization’s 2025 mental-health indexes, found only 62 per cent of workers rate their managers as ‘strongly humane’ and workers who rate their managers as ‘weak’ […]
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 […]
In these uncertain times, there are strategic opportunities to implement mental-health polices, programs and services that provide tangible benefits for both employers and employees. Rebecca Gewurtz, occupational therapist and associate professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University Even during a challenging labour market, it’s important for employers to invest in employee mental-health […]
Known as ‘Inspire,’ Pratt & Whitney Canada’s health and well-being program has evolved since its launch in November 2020, growing with employees’ changing needs, using a data-driven approach and ensuring leaders have the proper tools to provide support. Since the program was rolled out during the coronavirus pandemic, one of its first priorities was to […]