Alison Wood

Roundtable: Plan sponsor considerations around medical cannabis coverage

When the federal government signed the Cannabis Act into law in 2018, legalizing recreational cannabis, it also committed to providing patients with better access to medical cannabis and to more extensively researching the trends, use patterns, patient impact, potential therapeutic treatments and adverse effects of cannabis and cannabinoids. The legislation also prompted new conversations in […]

  • December 20, 2019 March 4, 2021
  • 08:55

Mental health first aid at Western

Mental illness accounts for about 30% of disability claims at Western, making it an important issue in the school’s quest to provide a safe and secure environment for the almost 40,000 faculty, support staff and students in its community. This is why the university implemented the mental health first aid (MHFA) training program, which teaches […]

  • April 19, 2011 September 13, 2019
  • 13:30

Simply put at the DC Plan Summit

There’s no question that designing, communicating and administering a DC pension plan is complex. So why was Keep it Simple the theme of this year’s DC Plan Summit? Because among other discouraging statistics, 36% of people surveyed in a recent Ipsos poll spend less than five minutes understanding the information in their statements, explained Anna […]

  • February 24, 2011 September 13, 2019
  • 13:22

Being Mindful

It’s no surprise to employers that mental health is a considerable issue in the workplace. It is a major disability and one that is often difficult to identify and care for. According to Health Canada, “About 11% of men and 16% of women in Canada will experience major depression in the course of their lives.” […]

  • October 26, 2010 September 13, 2019
  • 00:00

Big Picture

It is too easy to become immersed in the busy daily upkeep and management of our various jobs. After all, that is what we are skilled at and what we are paid to do. But there is an advantage in stepping away from our immediate responsibilities to get a wider view of what is happening […]

  • September 24, 2010 September 13, 2019
  • 00:00

Making change

Our industry is ripe for change. Take what’s been happening with drug reform. Alberta kicked off the action in April by introducing the Alberta Pharmaceutical Strategy. Ontario picked up the ball with its own changes to generic drug pricing and professional allowances for pharmacists. Since then, British Columbia has joined the action and entered into […]

  • August 16, 2010 September 13, 2019
  • 00:00

Let’s talk

Since I stepped into the editor’s role at Benefits Canada in April, I have been immersed in many compelling discussions, ranging from pension reform to containing benefits costs. Although the topics have varied widely, I have noted a common thread: communication, and the pursuit thereof. Take the recent Education Initiative Report by the Association of […]

  • June 25, 2010 September 13, 2019
  • 00:00