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What GDPR, PIPEDA mean for Canadian employers’ data protection

With privacy and data protection laws in Canada and abroad evolving, these changes serve as a reminder to employers to be more stringent in safeguarding the information entrusted to them, particularly by their employees. Employers collect a myriad of personal information from their employees, including health details, spousal status, marriage breakdown information and union membership for plan administrative purposes, noted […]

  • December 4, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00

Ontario should act cautiously in allowing private label drugs: CLHIA

The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association is asking the Ontario government to act cautiously in welcoming private label products under the provincial drug program and allowing them to be interchangeable with other products. Presently, the Ontario Drug Benefit Act doesn’t list private label products as drug products, meaning they’re not eligible for public funding under the drug benefit program. […]

  • November 30, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 09:00

Telecommuting becoming standard in Canadian workplaces: survey

Part-time telecommuting is becoming the norm for many global workplaces, with 50 per cent of Canadian employees working at least 2.5 days a week outside the office, according to a new survey by IWG. The survey, which polled more than 18,000 professionals in 96 countries, found 74 per cent of Canadians work away from the office at least […]

  • November 28, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 08:45

A look at the challenges of an increasingly mobile workforce

As the world is getting smaller, its workforce is becoming more mobile. In 2017, 66.2 million people travelled to live abroad, up from 52.8 million in 2013, according to research by Finaccord Ltd. That figure is expected to balloon to 87.5 million in 2021. In Canada alone, about 2.8 million people live and work abroad, […]

  • November 23, 2018 September 13, 2019
  • 08:53

What’s the landscape for private benefits plans around generic drug prices?

In late June, the Quebec government revealed plans to issue tenders for generic drugs in order to lower costs incurred by the provincial prescription drug insurance plan. The province hoped to elicit bids from manufacturers and grant those offering the lowest prices a three-year contract as the exclusive supplier to the government. The Canadian Generic […]

  • October 10, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 08:58

A look at the Netherlands’ proposed new DC model

The Netherlands has long had a reputation for having a strong two-pillar retirement system that provides retirees with an income replacement rate of at least 80 per cent from the country’s national and occupational pension schemes. And until relatively recently, Dutch workers were equally as confident about their occupational plans as they were about the […]

  • October 10, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 08:54

A look at Mars’ pet-friendly workplace policies

At Mars Inc., every day is a take-your-dog-to-work day. The food manufacturer allows employees to regularly bring their dogs into its three office locations in Canada and provides several benefits to pet owners. The company’s headquarters in Bolton, Ont., have a courtyard where dogs can run and play, and employees can take eight hours of […]

  • September 5, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 08:59

India a hot destination for pension fund dollars

Four years ago, some investors were hesitant to invest in India due to poor economic fundamentals, currency depreciation and government bureaucracy. But while many hit pause on making investments, long-term institutional investors like the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board ignored the pessimism and started putting plans in motion for future ventures. “Before [Prime Minister Narendra] […]

  • September 5, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 08:56

B.C. company builds on familial culture through matching donations to compassion fund

When Richard Cayer’s car was stolen in April, he didn’t expect his employer to get involved, much less help him cope with the situation financially. But that’s exactly what B.C. moving company BigSteelBox Corp. did when it granted Cayer $1,500 through an employee-led compassion fund that helps staff members cope with emergencies and unexpected financial challenges. […]

  • September 1, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:41

B.C. report still shows ‘some sense of discomfort’ with target-benefit plans: prof

Despite British Columbia’s introduction of provisions for target-benefit pension plans in 2015, a report from the province’s regulator suggests the option has seen a slow uptake. Only 30 pension plans with target-benefit components were registered as of Dec. 31, 2016, according to a report released by the Financial Institutions Commission of British Columbia on Wednesday. Many of […]

  • September 1, 2017 September 13, 2019
  • 09:18