Three-quarters (74 per cent) of employers cite cost as the most important aspect to consider when designing and reviewing their benefits plans, followed by employee attraction and retention (63 per cent), according to a new survey by MBWL International Ltd. and Normandin Beaudry. Daniel Drolet, a senior partner at Normandin Beaudry, says while employers focused […]
The union representing 120 employees at Metro Inc. warehouses in Ottawa has ratified a five-year agreement that includes multiple benefits gains. The agreement includes a 100 per cent increase for vision starting in 2023 — up to $500 per member and dependants — and a $1,000 increase to major dental care coverage, up to $2,500 […]
Peterborough, Ont.’s Peak Benefit Solutions Inc. and companion company Park Place Financial Ltd. are expanding operations in southern Ontario. The companies merged with employee benefits provider Howell Financial Corp., based in Belleville, Ont., and they’ve acquired Kingston, Ont.-based benefits provider Manley Financial Group. The expansion follows the 2018 merger of Peak Benefit Solutions and Park […]
An article on how pension plans are approaching risk management was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Expert panel: Is risk management the new frontier in pension governance? 2. Sun Life completes acquisition of U.S. dental benefits provider 3. 44% of employers believe remote […]
3M Canada’s two 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards wins are empowering employees to take control of their health and wellness journey, says Jacqueline McLennan, the company’s benefits specialist. The organization’s revamped, targeted mental-health strategy won the mental-health program award for employers with fewer than 5,000 employees. The strategy built on 3M’s existing mental-health programming and includes […]
Scotiabank is marking Pride Month by setting new targets for LGBTQ2S+ representation and connecting employees with volunteering opportunities in a range of communities. Dominic Cole-Morgan, senior vice-president of total rewards with responsibility for diversity and inclusion, says the bank is working toward a representation target of seven per cent in Canada by 2025, noting the […]
The union representing 225 part-time workers at Metro Inc. warehouses in Etobicoke, Ont. has ratified a three-year agreement that includes multiple benefits gains. Unifor members voted overwhelmingly in favour of a collective agreement that includes a prescription drug plan for all eligible part-time workers. The plan offers single coverage with a three-year maximum of $6,000, […]
The Heart and Stroke Foundation is marking Stroke Awareness Month by promoting employee preparation and workplace wellness initiatives. Ontario Power Generation is among the employers preparing its employees to recognize the signs of stroke, says Tanya Hickey, OPG’s senior manager of health and safety strategies. She recalls a recent incident where this preparedness paid off. […]
Employees everywhere are redefining what work means to them and redrawing their expectations of employers. Mental-health supports and flexible working options are now imperative if an organization is to remain competitive. To these ends, workplaces need a mental-health strategy. But a workplace mental-health strategy isn’t ping pong tables and a snack bar. It requires real […]
It’s become a common sight: jubilant Starbucks Corp. workers celebrating after successful votes to unionize at dozens of U.S. stores. But when the celebrations die down, a daunting hurdle remains: to win the changes they seek — like better pay and more reliable schedules — unionized stores must sit down with Starbucks and negotiate a […]