Paramedics in British Columbia are seeking increased mental-health support and psychological training amid increasing challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic and the opioid crisis. Troy Clifford, provincial president of the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. and president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 873, says the province’s paramedics are currently reimbursed for just $100 […]
This year, Canadian employers are marking Bell Canada’s Let’s Talk Day by addressing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the mental health of employees. The annual event, which began in 2010 to encourage discussions about mental health, is built on four pillars: mental-health research, workplace leadership, ending stigmas around mental health and advocating for mental-health […]
As the phenomenon of coronavirus long-haulers — individuals who display symptoms for months following infection — becomes more prominent amid the ongoing pandemic, plan sponsors are taking a flexible and individualized approach through their human resources practices and benefits offerings to support impacted plan members. Mike Mousseau, national well-being and engagement consultant at Arthur J. […]
The union representing employees at a Loblaw Co. Ltd. distribution centre in Ajax, Ont. has ratified a new four-year contract that will increase employer contributions to a group registered retirement savings plan. For workers with five or more years of service, the employer’s RRSP contribution match will increase to five per cent from 3.5 per […]
As talks at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference winds down, 2022 is poised to become the “show me” year for environmental, social and governance factors and sustainability measures, says Eugene Lundrigan, president of Sun Life Capital Management Inc. This year’s conference, dubbed COP26, brought world leaders and thousands of delegates from participating countries to Glasgow, […]
The future has arrived — it’s just not evenly distributed yet,” wrote science fiction author and futurist William Gibson. It’s a favourite quote for Chris Evdaimon, investment manager of private companies at the investment management firm Baillie Gifford. He likes it so much that, during his presentation at the 2021 Global Investment Conference, he used […]
The Royal Bank of Canada is focusing on mental health to engage and retain employees as the bank shifts to a hybrid work model. While the bank already began upgrading its mental-health benefits in 2018, the coronavirus pandemic highlighted the need to continue supporting employee mental health, says Andrejka Massicotte, senior director of benefits and wellness […]
Canadian Forest Products Ltd.’s ongoing support for employees’ savings and retirement goals resulted in a win in the Financial wellness category at Benefits Canada’s 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 14. Launched in September 2020, Canfor’s three-year financial education program was initially offered to 1,100 salaried employees in Canfor’s defined benefit and defined contribution pension […]
Scotiabank’s focus on making essential pension information more accessible to plan members was recognized at Benefits Canada’s 2021 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 14. The bank won in the Pension plan communications category for its streamlined approach to pension statements. In 2020, Scotiabank restructured its defined benefit pension plan statement into two versions — a simplified four-page […]
A Toronto-based software developer is offering additional workplace flexibility to employees, leading to increased productivity and growth. Marco Osso, vice-president of employee success at Tulip.io Inc., says the company launched a shortened work week in August, allowing employees to work four or 4.5 days depending on their personal schedules. Read: Employers prioritizing mental health, permanent hybrid […]