Industry Advocacy
The evolution of the benefits industry in Canada is happening at a faster pace than ever before. Our advocacy mission is to be the leader in directing those changes to benefit Canadian employers, employees, and our advisors.
What We’re Working On
National Pharmacare Open Letter
August, 2023
Employer plan sponsors’ who we work with, along with many others, have chosen employer to setup, fund and manage a comprehensive benefits plan for their employees, at considerable cost. This allows for nearly 4 out of 5 adult Canadians to have access to insured pharmaceutical coverage through their employee benefits plan. Our advisor firm members, and the benefit plan sponsors they work with, are key stakeholders in discussing strategies to expand coverage to those 1 in 5 Canadians without access.
An Investment Toward Enhanced Consumer Outcomes
December, 2022
Prior to the Financial Professionals Title Protection Act (the Act) anyone could call themselves a Financial Advisor or Financial Planner. The absence of any legal or regulatory control over title use exposed consumers to risk as there were no educational or licensing requirements establishing standards for those holding out, nor safeguards for the use of these titles. The Act ensures that only those who have achieved the appropriate level of education and training, and who are members in good standing of an approved credentialing body will now be able to use the titles, Financial Advisor and Financial Planner. This is a positive outcome for consumers and the industry.
Pharmacare Update
December, 2022
Employers are altering the way they cover their employees as high-cost drugs are being allocated to private drug plans. Costs vary between private plan sponsors and patients based on province, resulting in an overall increase in drug expenditures. This lack of harmonization means that some life-saving or life-altering therapies may be available and covered in one Canadian jurisdiction, but unavailable in another. This inequitable treatment of Canadians is contrary to the concept of universal access to treatment.
Submission to CAPSA Guidelines #3
August, 2022
We are highly selective in who qualifies to join BA, and prospective firms are peer nominated. Given the important role that Group Advisors play in the lives of all Canadians from coast to coast only the best Group Advisors who are committed to the highest levels of professionalism are invited into our membership.
We welcome the opportunity to provide comments on the CAPSA Guidelines No. 3 – Guidelines for Capital Accumulation Plans.
Advocacy Updates
We’ve got your back, plan sponsors
National dental benefits, unemployment insurance, pharmacare, a national strategy for drugs for rare diseases—these are among the policy discussions that affect private group insurance plans, yet plan sponsors rarely
EI Update: What you need to do
As of December 18, 2022, employees can collect sickness benefits from Canada’s Employment Insurance (EI) plan for an additional 11 weeks, bringing the total period of coverage to 26
Canada’s Two Dental Programs: Get the Facts
The federal government has formally begun the process of creating the Canadian Dental Care Program (CDCP) by 2025; however, it’s not to be confused with the Canada Dental Benefit
What’s going on at the PMPRB?
The federal government established the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) in 1987 with a mandate to protect Canadian consumers from excessive prices for patented medicines. Many stakeholders consider
Changes to OHIP+ Effective April 1, 2019
The Ontario government is making changes to its OHIP+ Children and Youth Pharmacare program, as you know. The changes affect Ontario residents aged 24 and under, as follows: Those with prescription drug
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