An Ottawa labour council has set up a hotline to allow employees to report on companies that are cutting paid breaks and other benefits following Ontario’s minimum wage hike on Jan. 1. Sean McKenny, the president of the Ottawa and District Labour Council, says the council started the hotline after hearing about two Tim Hortons franchises in Cobourg, Ont. that […]
Controversy continues to swirl as politicians have started weighing in on moves by some Tim Hortons franchises to cut benefits and paid breaks in response to a hike in Ontario’s minimum wage. The issue began to heat up this week in response to changes at two Tim Hortons franchises in Cobourg, Ont., which are owned by Ron […]
Sun Life Global Investments Inc. has completed its purchase of Excel Funds Management Inc. and Excel Investment Counsel Inc. The company originally announced the acquisition of Excel Funds, an investment manager that specializes in emerging markets funds, in September and completed the purchase on Jan. 2, 2018. Read: Sun Life subsidiary to acquire emerging market manager The […]
It’s not just a new year for SSQ Life Insurance Co. Inc., as the company has a new name as well. It has rebranded as SSQ Insurance, instead of SSQ Financial Group. The name change reflects insurance being the core of its business for almost 75 years, according to the company. “The new brand identity, along […]
From AMPs to SIPPs: Why plan sponsors have a lot on the regulatory plate in 2018.
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is taking a more holistic approach to workplace wellness by putting financial fitness on the same pedestal as physical well-being and mental health. “Traditionally, workplaces have focused on physical wellness and dedicated a lot of resources to it at the expense of overlooking the mental and financial aspects of […]
Poor financial well-being is a growing problem, impacting Canadian employees’ on-the-job performance, health and absenteeism rates, according to a new survey by Willis Towers Watson. Its survey found that 23 per cent of respondents identified themselves as struggling. Among that group, almost half said that worries about finances were preventing them from performing their best at work. More than […]
In its sixth year of offering employees educational workshops during Financial Literacy Month, Western University has changed its approach this time by delivering information on a range of topics rather than just the organization’s pension plans. In the past, the university has used the financial literacy focus to communicate the details of its two defined contribution plans, […]
Although a national pharmacare strategy seems elusive, the Ontario government is making a fairly aggressive investment in that area by spending $465 million to boost its provincial drug coverage by covering residents under age 25 and from 65 onwards. The program, known as OHIP+, begins Jan. 1, 2018. Children and youth under age 25 will by automatically eligible […]
Laugh and the world laughs with you, right? OK, maybe not the world, but what about the workplace? Research has shown humour helps relieve the negative effects of stress, such as tension and anxiety, that can and do surface in the workplace. Other studies show humour can help spur creativity. But work is serious business, […]