Bell Canada has launched two new support programs under its employee assistance program. Its new peer support referral program connects staff and their family to support groups for a variety of mental health-related issues, and its online group counselling for anxiety program uses cognitive behavioural therapy. Both are available through its provider, Morneau Shepell. The new programs, […]
In its first federal budget last month, the Liberal government said it would seek additional funding from Canada’s pension funds as it looks to invest more than $120 billion in infrastructure over the next decade. As noted in the budget, the government plans to “engage public pension plans and other innovative sources of funding.” According to a story […]
Kickbacks for health benefits billed to multinational industrial company Atlas Copco Canada Inc. are at the centre of a criminal trial underway in Sudbury, Ont., that’s being billed as one of the largest frauds in northern Ontario history. The case, R. v. Plate, which is before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Sudbury, alleges the company’s former […]
The Ontario Registered Pension Plan Administration Corp. will begin an extensive education campaign about the ORPP for employers this summer and a verification process for all companies enrolling in it as of Jan. 1, 2017, will begin in the fall. Marc Sharrett, director, strategic stakeholder relations, ORPP Implementation Secretariat at the Ministry of Finance, provided the update […]
As multinational companies expand into new markets, services such as employee assistance programs are taking off on a global level as well. “At a macro level, there is a general trend towards globalization, especially in the multinational segment,” says Richard Albert, vice-president of global business development at Morneau Shepell, following the announcement of a strategic alliance with one of India’s […]
IMAX Corp. has extended its long-term incentive plan to all of its employees and managers. The company has extended the program, which had previously been available to those at the director level and above, to all employees can be a shareholder in the company. “We want all our employees to feel like owners of the company, […]
In recent years, Canada’s largest companies have struggled with the inherent ups and downs of managing risk in their defined benefit pension plans. Two employer-sponsored pensions in particular — despite experiencing similar types of labour strife, government intervention and plan redesign — have so far embarked on very different investment strategies to suit their businesses […]
With Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne vowing to implement major reforms to political fundraising in Ontario, what has the pension and benefits industry been up to when it comes to donations to political parties? According to the Elections Ontario database of political donations, the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) and the Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan […]
The Toronto Transit Commission has hosted its first diabetes screening campaign, making the onsite screening available to its 12,000 employees in December. Dr. Alain Sotto, occupational medical consultant at the TTC, said the campaign was introduced after the organization had seen a higher frequency of type 2 diabetes and its related complications among its employees. […]
GE Canada is embarking on the third stage of its mental-health strategy with a focus on leadership behaviour and helping employees to better cope with stress. “We’ve talked about the fact that we’ve done the hardware and now we need to do the software,” said Diana McNiven, manager of compensation and benefits at GE Canada, at Benefits […]