The Canada Dental Care Plan will help make dental services more accessible for unionized employees who don’t currently have a dental program within their contract, says Sandeep Kakan, director of pension governance at Unifor. Kakan, who until recently was the union’s director of pension and benefits, says the new program has established a standard from which […]
Ontario’s Ministry of Health is consulting on the role of preferred pharmacy networks in the province’s employer-sponsored drug insurance sector to determine how these agreements impact plan members’ costs, choice, accessibility and access to medicine and quality of care. In its draft consultation paper, the ministry said a common concern among consumers is when PPNs are closed and […]
If Canadians aren’t able to access single-family housing, then by necessity they have to move to rentals, said Aaron Pittman, senior vice-president and head of Canadian institutional investment at Equiton, during the Canadian Investment Review‘s 2024 Global Investment Conference in April. Surging population growth, stalled housing completions and a shrinking middle class are creating challenges […]
The use of obesity medications among Canadian employer-sponsored benefits plan members has grown substantially, with claims increasing 42 per cent in 2023 and roughly 92 per cent since 2020, according to a new report by Manulife Financial Corp. The report, based on aggregate claims data, found more women are using obesity drugs than men (79 […]
While the concept behind the federal government’s universal pharmacare plan is well intentioned, the program would make a larger impact for employers by focusing on high-cost and specialty drugs, says Pam Martin, vice-president and senior consultant at Baynes & White Inc. In theory, the way that the government is rolling out the program in small […]
PepsiCo Canada is baking flexibility into its retirement savings benefits to support employees’ financial security amid the rising cost of living. To help employees reach their retirement savings goal, the food and beverage company is matching employees’ bonuses up to 3.5 per cent, with the employer contribution automatically directed into their defined contribution pension plan. […]
More than two-thirds (68 per cent) of working mothers are concerned about losing the level of flexibility they have at work in 2024, according to a new survey by Robert Half Canada Inc. Over the last 24 months, more companies have mandated employees to work onsite more frequently and that’s a big concern for working parents, […]
The organization’s chief inclusion officer discusses building an inclusive learning roadmap, the adoption of AI in the HR space and finding ways to nourish her soul amid life’s daily demands. Q: What top challenges do you face in your role? A: Harmonizing company objectives with internal and external expectations — which are influenced by cultural […]
Nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) of women say inadequate compensation increases is their biggest concern in 2024, according to a new survey by Robert Half Canada Inc. The survey, which polled more than 760 workers, also found three-quarters (75 per cent) of women cited wider economic changes as a major concern. It’s important for employers […]
While preferred pharmacy networks have been around for nearly a decade, most benefits plan members aren’t aware that these arrangements have become standard, says Suzanne Lepage, a private health plan strategist. Preferred provider networks are common arrangements that businesses across a variety of industries enter into to help deliver consistent value, quality and cost containment, said the Canadian Life […]