If you’re a Canadian business owner, HR leader, or plan sponsor, you’ve probably asked some version of this question: What will our group benefits costs be next year? It sounds simple. But for employers, it becomes one of the most frustrating parts of planning for the year ahead.
As 2025 draws to a close, the benefits landscape looks very different from where we started the year. Employers faced tightening budgets, rising expectations from employees, shifting legislative frameworks, and rapid innovation in health and well-being technology. Through all of it, one theme stood out: employees want meaningful, flexible support
When you’re designing a home, you don’t start with the shutters and garden. You start with a solid foundation — the part that supports everything else. Building a strong benefits plan follows the same principle. Without a well-designed base, the lack of strength won't hold up in
October is Small Business Month in Canada — a time to celebrate the ingenuity, resilience, and community spirit of small businesses across the country. From startups redefining industries to family-run firms that have been part of their neighbourhoods for generations, small businesses power 98% of Canada’s economy and employ over
For years, Plan Sponsors have chased a delicate balance: keeping benefits affordable and competitive while supporting the health of their people. On paper, it sounds simple. In practice, it’s never been harder. The 2025 Benefits Canada Report makes that tension crystal clear. Although the Benefits Canada survey, in our
For many trans, two-spirit, and non-binary Canadians, accessing gender-affirming care is not just a nice to have— it’s essential, it’s what makes living as your true self possible. Yet too often, public coverage related to gender-affirming care is patchy, private insurance can be restrictive, and out-of-pocket costs are
Surprising ways small businesses and their teams can use a Health Spending Account (and why more Canadians should).
In today’s workforce, one thing is clear: group benefits are no longer a “nice-to-have.” They’re a non-negotiable. But not all benefits are created equal. As employees demand more flexibility, transparency, and value from their coverage, the limitations of traditional premium-based plans are becoming painfully obvious. That’s why
Stretch every dollar. Support your health. Skip the red tape. In an era of rising costs and shrinking benefit plans, a Health Spending Account (HSA) is one of the most flexible, tax-savvy tools Canadians have at their disposal. But what if your HSA isn’t huge? Here’s the good
As a small business owner, you’re constantly balancing the needs of your team with the realities of your bottom line. Every dollar counts—and every investment must earn its place. So when it comes to offering a group benefits plan, the question isn’t just “Can we afford this?
How an HSA can help Canadian employees achieve their retirement goals When it comes to planning for retirement, Canadians often rely on a mix of savings, investments, and government benefits. As an employer, you may want to help with their savings and set them up for the future. A Group
When it comes to health benefits, Canadian employers have options. The issue is, most employers haven’t been exposed to self-funded solutions like a Health Spending Account (HSA). So how do they compare to traditional premium-based plans we commonly see in real life? Let’s follow the journey of two