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, […]
Three in five (60 per cent) plan members would choose an extra $10,000 in cash per year over their benefits plan, according to the 2025 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey. The survey asked half of 1,000 plan member respondents whether they’d rather receive their benefits plan or an extra $5,000 in cash per year, while the […]
The union representing 1,750 employees at Extendicare’s long-term care facilities across Ontario has ratified multiple three-year collective agreements that include benefits gains. The agreements include increasing vision coverage from $350 to $400 every 24 months, as well as increasing parental leave to a maximum of 78 weeks from 52 weeks. In terms of sick leave, […]
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 […]
The union representing 60 employees at Maple Leaf Foods in Port Perry, Ont., has ratified a four-year collective agreement that includes pension and benefits gains. Vision coverage will increase from $280 to $315 in the first year and coverage for paramedical services will increase from $380 to $410 in the first year and to $420 […]
The union representing more than 1,300 employees at General Motors’ assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ont. has ratified a two-year collective agreement that includes pension and benefits gains. On Aug. 3, 2025, employees hired on or after Sept. 17, 2013, and currently participating in the defined contribution pension plan will be enrolled in the Colleges of […]
Canada’s life and health insurers paid out a record $128 billion in health and retirement benefits last year, up from $114 billion in 2022, according to the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association’s annual fact book. “The benefits that life and health insurers provide through workplace plans and individual policies contributed significantly to Canadians’ health […]
The union representing more than 1,600 faculty, librarians, archivists and post-doctoral researchers at York University has ratified a three-year collective agreement that includes multiple benefits gains. The agreement includes an increase in coverage for eyeglasses from $850 to $935 every 24 months, as well as an increase for paramedical services from $3,000 to $3,200. In […]
The British Columbia Teachers’ Pension Plan is increasing coverage for several optional retirement health benefits, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Vision care coverage will increase by $100 to $400 every two calendar years, while hearing care is set to rise from $1,400 every four calendar years to $2,000, according to a press release, which noted plan members […]
The unions representing more than 9,000 Canada Border Services Agency employees have ratified a four-year collective agreement that includes pension and benefits gains. The agreement with, the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Customs and Immigration Union, includes a pensionable $2,500 one-time, lump-sum payment for all employees upon the date of signing. For members […]