The Empire Life Insurance Co. is including a mental-health navigator in all of its group benefits plans beginning May 1. Through the navigator, which is provided by Teledoc Health Inc.’s Best Doctors, plan members are guided by a registered nurse or social worker specializing in mental health. It draws on a care team of clinicians, […]
The Nova Scotia Teachers’ Pension Plan Trustee Inc. has appointed John Rogers as its new chair, effective July 1, 2020. The trusteeship manages the plan, which has a membership made up of teachers in the province represented by the Nova Scotia Teachers Union, as well as school administrators, faculty and professional support staff at the […]
More than four in 10 (41 per cent) Canadian businesses laid off staff in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey by Statistics Canada. The survey, which polled representatives from more than 12,600 Canadian businesses, also found 38 per cent of businesses said they’ve reduced staff hours or shifts. Nearly one-fifth […]
OMERS Ventures, the venture capital arm of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, has closed a US$750 million venture capital fund. The transatlantic fund is investing in companies related to financial systems, insurance, property, logistics, health and workplace technology in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and other countries in Europe, raising series-A to series-C financing. […]
The Nova Scotia Teachers’ Pension Plan Trustee Inc. has appointed John Rogers as its new chair, effective July 1, 2020. The trusteeship manages the plan, which has a membership made up of teachers in the province represented by the Nova Scotia Teachers Union, as well as school administrators, faculty and professional support staff at the […]
Does your organization’s benefits or pension plan communications deserve recognition? Are you leading the way when it comes to supporting your employees’ mental health? Is your company’s financial wellness program award-worthy? Benefits Canada’s annual Workplace Benefits Awards is officially open for nominations. Submit your entries here. As in previous years, the 2020 awards will continue to honour the achievements of […]
The Investment Management Corp. of Ontario reached $70.3 billion in assets under management at the end of 2019, up from $63.3 billion at the end of 2018. In its latest annual report, the organization, which manages assets for certain broader public sector institutions, shared its growth in assets under management, but didn’t report its 2019 investment returns. “It’s important […]
Green Shield Canada is partnering with digital pharmacy PocketPills on a virtual pharmacy app for its group benefits plans. Plan members will be able to chat with a pharmacist, refill existing prescriptions through the app and have their medications delivered to their homes for free. The drugs come pre-sorted into packages by dosage and time, […]
Many employers expect to maintain the flexible and remote-working policies they’ve recently put in place once the coronavirus pandemic is over, according to a new survey by Willis Towers Watson. The survey, which polled 200 U.S. employers, found 59 per cent said they expect their work-from-home policies will remain in effect after the pandemic, while […]
Canadian defined benefit plans saw a median return of negative 7.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2020, after enduring a historic period of market volatility and economic turmoil resulting from the global pandemic crisis, according to both the Northern Trust Canada universe and the RBC Investor and Treasury Services universe. Northern Trust Canada […]