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1. Special 5% rate for clients until Pivotal Select FHSA is available  

   Great news for clients saving for their first home! For a limited time, clients who intend on setting up a First Home Savings Account (FHSA) with Equitable Life® can deposit money to a Guaranteed Interest Account (GIA) now and enjoy a special rate of 5.00%.¹ 
    
   The special rate applies only if the client transfers the funds to an FHSA by December 28, 2023; otherwise, the standard Daily Interest Account (DIA) rate will be applied to those funds.
    
   Here’s how to take advantage of this special rate:
    
   For New Clients:

   • Complete an application for a non-registered GIA. On the application select “Daily Interest Account” as the investment instructions and write the amount to be deposited (minimum $500, maximum $8,000).
   • In the Special Instructions section of the application, write “FHSA”.
   • The GIA application form (799) can be found here
    
   
   For Existing Clients - must have a GIA (Compound Interest Only) policy:
   • Submit a letter of direction or complete the Investment Direction form requesting to deposit funds to the DIA for the FHSA promotion (minimum $500, maximum $8,000)
   • Complete sections 1, 3, 4, 12 and 13 of the Investment Direction form, and in the Special Instructions area, write “FHSA”.
   • The Investment Direction form (693ANN) can be found here
    Although DIA is selected, the funds will be deposited to and displayed in EquiNet^® and Equitable Client Access^® as a special 1-year Guaranteed Deposit Account (GDA). Only new lump sum deposits are eligible for the special rate of 5.00%.¹
    
   The GDA will be a non-registered account and any interest earned will be taxable.
    
   Once the Equitable Life FHSA is available:
   • Submit a Pivotal Select™ FHSA application, and request to transfer the funds from the GDA to the Pivotal Select policy.² No Market Value Adjustment fees will be charged.
   • In the Special Instructions section, indicate the source of funds to be “FHSA promotion funds” and provide instructions on where to direct any excess funds in the GIA if applicable.
   • The funds will be transferred to the FHSA.³
   • Any excess funds over $8,000 will be returned to the client as a direct deposit, a cheque, or the client can keep the GIA open.
   Additional information about this promotion
   This is a great opportunity for clients to start saving for their first home today while earning an excellent rate. The advisor receives a reduced upfront commission⁴ for the pre-FHSA deposit to the GDA, in addition to the commission that will be earned by moving the funds to the Pivotal Select FHSA.
    
   This special savings rate promotion is available until the launch date of Equitable Life’s FHSA unless the promotion is ended on an earlier date at Equitable Life’s discretion. The maximum amount on which a client can receive the special savings rate is $8,000.
    
   Clients who do not transfer funds to the FHSA on or before December 28, 2023 will not receive the promotional rate. We will transfer the funds from the special GDA to the DIA account effective as of the date of deposit. As a result, the interest received by the client from the date of deposit to December 28, 2023 will be the DIA rate rather than the promotional rate.
   
   Questions? Please see our FAQ
   
   For more information, please contact your Regional Investment Sales Manager. Additional details about the FHSA can be found on the Government of Canada’s website.
   
    
   ® denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
    
   ¹ The pre-FHSA special saving rate of 5.00% per year compounds daily and takes effect from the date Equitable Life receives the deposit and will end on the date the FHSA Pivotal Select segregated fund product is launched later this year (December 28, 2023 at the latest). In the unlikely event Equitable Life’s Pivotal Select FHSA is unavailable in 2023, the funds subject to the promotion will earn the 5.00% rate for 1 year from the date of deposit through maturity in 2024.
    
   ² The FHSA promotion will only be available as a Pivotal Select Segregated Fund policy. Clients can open a FHSA only if they meet the eligibility criteria when they sign the application.
    
   ³The funds in the Guaranteed Interest Account will be transferred to the FHSA in the form of a contribution of up to $8,000 on or after the date the client signs the FHSA application form. Clients must open a FHSA to receive the special bonus interest.
    
   ⁴ Commission of 0.20% paid upfront for money received and deposited to the policy by September 29, 2023. 0.05% paid upfront for money received and deposited after September 29, 2023, and the earlier of the promotion termination or December 28, 2023.  Commissions are paid through an adjustment to our current 40bps commission on our one-year GDA by way of a chargeback reducing the commission to the rate stated in this note.
   
   Posted June 1, 2023
2. Path to Success modules now available on EquiNet!
   The Path to Success Critical Illness course module PDFs and videos are now available on the Critical Illness EquiNet page. The Path to Success program gives you access to specialized topics about Critical Illness Insurance, why it matters for your clients, and how to make an effective sale.
   
   Learn about:
   - Overcoming objections to Critical Illness Insurance
   - Pivoting from other products to Critical Illness Insurance
   - How to position and design the Critical Illness solution
   …and more!
   
   We have made the expert information from Path to Success available to you to review at anytime. However, if you wish to earn CE credits, you may continue to access the course through our Path to Success program website.
   
   Questions about the program? Visit the Critical Illness page on EquiNet or contact your local wholesaler.
3. Dialogue Virtual Healthcare now available to add to Equitable Life benefits plans

   We’re pleased to announce we are partnering with Dialogue, Canada’s leading virtual health provider, to offer unlimited and on-demand virtual access to primary healthcare practitioners.   Virtual Healthcare is the latest addition to our HealthConnector suite of health and wellness services. It is available to add to all Equitable Life benefits plans for an additional cost as of July 1, 2023. Features of Dialogue Virtual Healthcare Available 24/7, 365 days a year, Dialogue Virtual Healthcare provides access to unlimited non-urgent medical care for a wide range of health concerns. Plan members get fast access to the largest, most experienced and bilingual medical team in Canada for non-urgent medical issues. They also benefit from in-app prescription renewals and refills, personalized follow-ups after every consultation, and concierge-level navigation support for all referrals to in-person specialists when needed. Dialogue’s industry-leading platform provides an all-in-one patient journey to address health issues, reducing long wait times and time away for doctor appointments. Plan members and their families can access Dialogue Virtual Healthcare through the secure web portal or mobile app. The Dialogue medical team includes doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses. Plan members can use the service even if they’re already receiving care from a family doctor. Benefits of Virtual Healthcare For your clients By providing access to Virtual Healthcare, plan sponsors can help to: Drive employee engagement; Reduce absenteeism related to in-person medical appointments; Manage chronic health issues; Attract and retain top talent; and Build a healthier workforce. For their plan members By providing easier access to primary healthcare practitioners, Virtual Healthcare can offer extra health and wellness support for plan members. It also supports members that may experience barriers to accessing in-person healthcare, such as: Living in a remote location; Work or family obligations during standard medical clinic hours; Mobility challenges related to a disability; and Transportation challenges. Learn more about bringing Dialogue Virtual Healthcare to your clients Click the link to learn more about Dialogue Virtual Healthcare : Welcome to Dialogue! Questions? To learn more about how your clients can add Virtual Healthcare to their benefits plan, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.

4. What you should know about Equitable Generations Universal Life

   Here are five things you need to know about Equitable Generations™ Universal Life

   1. Affordability

   Because Equitable Life is owned by its policyholders, we don’t have to worry about paying shareholders. That means we can focus on offering competitive pricing!

   2. Investments

   Equitable Generations Universal Life is built for the 21^st century with investment options that matter to today’s buyer including Target date, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) funds for sustainable investing.

   3. Fees

   Equitable Generations has eliminated most universal life fund administration fees as well as the policy administration fee.

   4. KIND™

   Equitable Generations has a suite of contractual and non-contractual claims features we call KIND, designed to help your family navigate the claims process with ease.

   5. Flexibility

   With such competitive pricing, fantastic investment options and minimal fees. Equitable Generations Universal Life provides a level of flexibility rarely seen in the Universal Life space.
   
   View our video on Vimeo or YouTube!
   
   See Equitable Generations Universal Life for yourself within one minute - try the EZStart quick quote software for advisors, available on EquiNet!
   
   Please contact your local wholesaler for more information. 
   
   
   
   ^TM and ^® denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada. 

    

5. Clarification: Dialogue Virtual Healthcare available to add to your clients' benefits plans We recently announced that we are partnering with Dialogue to offer unlimited and on-demand virtual access to primary healthcare practitioners.
    
   The announcement indicated that Virtual Healthcare is the latest addition to our HealthConnector suite of health and wellness services and is available to add to all Equitable Life benefits plans as of July 1, 2023.
    
   Please note that there is an additional fee to add the service to your clients’ benefits plans. Our original announcement was not clear enough about this.
    
   We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
    
   If you have questions about Virtual Healthcare, of if you would like to add the service to a client’s plan, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
6. Equimax® Participating Whole Life – A whole life solution for everyone Recently, we made some exciting changes for Equimax Estate Builder^® and Equimax Wealth Accumulator^®.
   
   These enhancements, launched in February, make Equimax the preferred solution for clients and their families. In particular, buying a whole life solution for children gives them a head start for tomorrow. Life insurance on a child gives them:
   - Permanent insurance at children’s rates
   - A stable tax-advantaged investment option
   - A boost in financial planning
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Watch our new Equimax for Children video to learn more. View on Vimeo or YouTube.
   
   Plus, visit our Equimax product page on EquiNet^®, then click on the Marketing Materials tab for the latest Equimax marketing materials.
   
   Need more information? Please contact your local wholesaler.
    

   _{^® denotes trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.}

7. Responding to Ontario’s biosimilar switch initiative

   We are changing coverage for some biologic drugs in Ontario in response to the province’s biosimilar initiative. These changes will help protect your clients’ plans from additional drug costs that may result from this government policy while providing access to equally safe and effective lower-cost biosimilars.

   Ontario’s provincial biosimilar initiative
   Announced in December 2022, Ontario’s biosimilar switch program ends coverage of eight biologic drugs for Ontario residents covered by the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB). The transition to biosimilar versions of these drugs began on March 31, 2023. ODB recipients using these drugs will be required to switch to biosimilar versions of these drugs by December 29, 2023, to maintain their provincial coverage

   Equitable Life’s response
   To ensure this provincial change doesn’t result in your clients paying additional and avoidable drug costs, we are changing coverage in Ontario for most biologic drugs included in the provincial initiative.
   
   Beginning October 1, 2023, plan members in Ontario will no longer be eligible for most originator biologic drugs if they have a condition for which Health Canada has approved a lower cost biosimilar version of the drug.** These plan members will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drug to maintain coverage under their Equitable Life plan. 

   Communicating this change to plan members
   We will inform any affected plan members in early August of the need to switch their medications so that they have ample time to change their prescriptions and avoid any interruptions in treatment or coverage. 

   Will this change impact my clients’ rates?
   Any cost savings associated with the change will be factored in at renewal.

   What is the difference between biologics and biosimilars?
   Biologics are drugs that are engineered using living organisms like yeast and bacteria. The first version of a biologic developed is known as the “originator” biologic. Biosimilars are highly similar to the drugs they are based on and Health Canada considers them to be equally safe and effective for approved conditions

   Questions?
   If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.

   ** The list of affected drugs is dynamic and will change as Ontario includes more biologic drugs in its biosimilar initiative, as new biosimilars come onto the market, and as we make changes in drug eligibility.
8. Responsible investing classification on Equitable Life Pivotal Select funds

   Recently, the Canadian Investment Funds Standards Committee (CIFSC) classified responsible investing funds under its RI identification framework. The goal of the framework is to help investors and advisors identify and compare responsible investing funds.
   
   We’re pleased to share that the following funds have been assigned multiple responsible investment classifications:

   •   Equitable Life NASDAQ 100 ESG Index Fund Select

   •   Equitable Life S&P 500 ESG Index Fund Select

   •   Equitable Life S&P/TSX Composite ESG Index Fund Select

   •   Equitable Life ClearBridge Sustainable Global Infrastructure Income Fund Select

   •   Equitable Life Fidelity® Climate Leadership Balanced Fund Select

   •   Equitable Life Fidelity® Climate Leadership Fund Select

    

   You can find the new responsible investment classifications for our funds by visiting our Fund Information webpage. After selecting a fund with the “Sustainable Investment” icon, the classifications can be found on the right side of the webpage or fund profile PDF:

    
   ™ or ® denote registered trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
    

   Posted: June 26, 2023

9. New Dividend Scale Effective July 1, 2023! Equitable Life’s Board of Directors has approved a change to the dividend scale* for the period July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
   
   - The interest rate we use for the dividend scale will go from 6.05% to 6.25% on July 1, 2023.
   - Other factors used to decide the dividend scale will stay the same.
   - The interest rate for participating whole life policies with dividends on deposit will stay the same at 2.25%.
   - The policy loan interest rate** will go from 6.20% to 6.50% on June 30, 2023
   
   More good news!
   Once the next dividend scale year starts, we expect policyholder dividends to be close to $105 million until the end of June 2024.
   
   Learn more
   - Advisor Dividend Scale Notice
   - Client Dividend Scale Notice
   - Dividend Information Page
   
   
   
   
   Did you miss our virtual Spring Update & 2023 Dividend Scale Announcement? Watch it now:
     
   (*The French and Chinese events will be partially in English, with sub-titles on screen).
    
   
   TOGETHER – Protecting Today – Preparing Tomorrow™
   As a MUTUAL we provide financial security DIFFERENTLY by focusing exclusively on our CLIENTS.
   
   *Dividends are not guaranteed and are paid at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors. Dividends may be subject to taxation. Dividends will vary based on the actual investment returns in the Participating Account as well as mortality, expense, lapse, claims experience, taxes, and other experience of the participating block of policies. Changes in the dividend scale do not affect the guaranteed premium, guaranteed cash values, or guaranteed death benefit amount.  A copy of Equitable Life’s Dividend Policy and Participating Account Management Policy can be found on our website at www.equitable.ca.
    
   ** This applies to all new and active policy loans, including automatic premium loans. This change is for Equimax^_® policies that have a 9-digit policy number beginning with a “3” or an “8”. Some older policies may have other loan rates as they are based on the prime interest rate.
10. A message from Cam Crosbie, EVP, Savings and Retirement, Equitable Life

    The first half of 2023 has been an exciting and busy year for us at Equitable Life^®.  
    
    In this short video, I share with you some of the things we’ve done to show our commitment to you and some of the great things we’ve got planned for the remainder of the year.   
    
    I want to thank you again for your continued support and trust in us. We value our partnership and are always working hard to make things better. 
    
    
    
    
    Please take a few minutes to watch the video.  

    
    
    Thank you, 
     
    Cam Crosbie, Executive Vice-President, Savings and Retirement Division 
    Equitable Life of Canada 
    
    Posted: July 6, 2023
    
    ® denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.