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1. Equitable Life creates guide to accessing virtual healthcare at no cost

   With many health clinics closed and the healthcare system under strain, people are looking to access a doctor and other health providers virtually.

   To make it easier for plan members, we’ve created the Guide to Accessing Virtual Health Care Services on the plan member section of EquitableHealth.ca. This online resource provides information about and links to a range of virtual health services they need to take care of their health and the health of their family during these challenging times.

   The Guide also indicates which services can be accessed for free. In some provinces, online doctor visits are now covered by the public health plan, so there’s no cost to the patient to access them as long as they provide their valid provincial health card. In other provinces, the nominal fee can be claimed on a Health Care Spending Account.

   We will continue to update the Guide as more virtual healthcare providers and services become available.

   View our Guide to Accessing Virtual Healthcare

2. Stay connected with a NEW Web Illustration tool for Equimax

   Equitable Life^® is pleased to announce the launch of our web illustration tool starting with Equimax® participating whole life insurance.
   
   This web illustration tool for Equimax is another way that Equitable Life is modernizing your experience and allowing you more flexibility to keep your business going while you’re on the road or meeting clients. This new illustration site is accessible on a web browser, so you can access it from a mobile device such as your phone, tablet, or iPad, and with MAC or Windows-based PCs or laptops.
   
   Access the new web illustration tool for Equimax by logging in to EquiNet^® and clicking the button in the ribbon called Sales Illustration that now has a Web Illustrations option. Note that you have the option to continue running Equimax illustrations in the desktop illustration software, as it remains unchanged at this time.
   
   For future enhancements, we plan to integrate with EZcomplete^®, to continue to make it easy to do business with Equitable Life.
   
   Visit the New Web illustration tool for Equimax_^® now.
   
   Questions? Please see our FAQ or contact your Regional Sales Manager.
   
   _{^® denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada}

3. New! Digital Beneficiary Change Request option for clients (Individual insurance) Great news! Equitable^® has introduced a new Digital Beneficiary Change Request option for life insurance clients on Client Access. 
   
   Clients with eligible plans can now choose to make beneficiary changes directly online. It is another step in Equitable’s journey of enhancing the client experience.
   
   Which plans are eligible?
   
   Eligible
   • Individually owned plans with revocable beneficiary designations.
   • Plans with policy owners not living in Quebec.
   
   Not eligible
   • Plans with irrevocable or preferred beneficiaries.
   • Plans with policy owners living in Quebec.
   
   Our previous process, using form (#671BCF), has not changed. It continues to be available for those who prefer that option.
   
   
   Note: The new Digital Beneficiary Change Request is currently only available to clients. We will be launching an advisor online option soon. Going forward, we will not make self serve transactions available to clients ahead of advisors.
   
   Learn more: Please contact your local Equitable wholesaler. 
4. Are your clients looking for more Tax-Free Savings Account contribution room?

   Good news!  With the start of the new year comes new additional contribution room. And to make it even better the Government of Canada­­­ increased the annual contribution limit. Effective January 1, 2023, the annual limit goes from $6,000.00 to $6,500.00.   
     
   A Tax-Free Savings Account is a great option for clients to grow their savings with the flexibility to access their money when they need it, before or during retirement. Encourage your clients to start saving today!­
   
   For more information on the options available, please click here.

   
   Posted: January 3, 2023
5. [pdf] Edelivery policy change FAQ
6. EZcomplete Training and Resources
7. April 2023 eNews

   Vision care discounts from Bailey Nelson for Equitable Life plan members*

   We are pleased to announce we are partnering with Bailey Nelson to provide Equitable Life plan members with discounts on prescription and non-prescription eyewear. Bailey Nelson is a leading provider of prescription glasses, contact lenses and sunglasses with locations across Canada, as well as an online store.
    
   All Equitable Life plan members will have access to the following discounts from Bailey Nelson:
   
   
   *Includes anti-reflection and anti-scratch treatment. Glasses offers are based on 2 pairs of single vision or 1 pair of premium progressive lenses. Lens add-ons, such as high-index lenses and prescription tinted lens tints may involve additional costs.
   
   **Non-prescription glasses only. Cannot be combined with 2 for $200 discount.
    
   Plan members can provide their Equitable Life discount code in-store or at online checkout. Your clients may wish to distribute this convenient flyer with an overview of the available discounts to their plan members.
    
   Plan members can bring their prescription to a Bailey Nelson location or provide it online to order glasses and contact lenses. Bailey Nelson also provides eye exams in-store for $99.
    
   If you have any questions, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
    

   Equitable Life helps tackle benefits fraud through Joint Provider Fraud Investigation (JPFI) initiative*

   Protecting your clients’ plans is important to us. That’s why Equitable Life is working with other Canadian life and health insurers to conduct joint investigations into health service providers that are suspected of fraudulent activities through the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association’s (CLHIA’s) Joint Provider Fraud Investigation (JPFI) initiative. This collaborative initiative between major Canadian life and health insurers through the CLHIA is a major step toward reducing benefits fraud in the life and health benefits insurance industry. 

   How the JPFI works

   The JPFI builds on the 2022 launch of a CLHIA-supported industry program. The program uses advanced artificial intelligence to help identify fraudulent activity across an industry pool of anonymized claims data. Joint investigations will examine suspicious patterns across this data.
    
   Through this project, Equitable Life can initiate a request to begin a joint fraud investigation when we: 
   • See suspected provider fraud in our own data or the pooled data, or
   • Receive a substantiated tip about potential provider fraud 
   Other life and health insurers that have joined the JPFI will then have the option to join the investigation if they are also impacted by the provider under investigation. By sharing expertise and resources across insurers, the participating carriers will be able to determine the most appropriate next steps. 

   How Equitable Life protects your clients’ benefits plans from fraud

   Benefits fraud is a crime that affects insurers, employers and employees and puts the sustainability of workplace benefits at risk. CLHIA estimates that employers and insurers lose millions each year to benefits fraud and abuse.
   
   Our Investigative Claims Unit (ICU) consists of security and fraud experts who use data analytics and artificial intelligence to proactively identify and investigate suspicious billing patterns or claims activity to open investigations. We de-list healthcare providers who are engaged in questionable or fraudulent practices, pursue the recovery of improperly obtained funds, and report practitioners to regulatory bodies and law enforcement where appropriate.
   
   Learn more about benefits fraud, or contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager for more information.

   Second phase of TELUS eClaims transition*

   In June 2022, we switched to TELUS Health eClaims as our digital billing provider to give our plan members a faster and more convenient option for submitting paramedical and vision claims. The switch has allowed our plan members to take advantage of TELUS’s extensive network of over 70,000 paramedical and vision providers.
    
   We’ve now begun the second phase of our TELUS Health eClaims implementation. This phase will focus on improving the experience for paramedical and vision providers. We will begin issuing reconciliation statements for the claims they submit on behalf of their patients. These statements will make it easier for them to use the TELUS Health eClaims portal and provide incentive for even more providers to sign up.
    
   Please encourage your clients to remind their plan members about this convenient option. We have created a helpful one-pager that plan members can bring with them next time they have an appointment with their healthcare provider. 
    
   If you have any questions about TELUS Health eClaims, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
    

   Changes to STD application process for COVID-19 cases*

   As the COVID-19 situation evolves, we continue to adjust our disability management practices to ensure ongoing support and a fair experience for all our plan members.
    
   As of May 1, 2023, we will begin managing COVID-19-related short-term disability (STD) claims the same way that we manage disability claims for any other illness or condition. If a plan member is unable to work due to COVID-19 symptoms or a positive COVID-19 test, they must now use the standard STD application, including the Attending Physician Statement portion.
    
   Once we receive the claim, we will adjudicate it according to our standard process.
    
   If you have any questions, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
   
   * Indicates content that will be shared with your clients.
   
   
    
8. Market Commentary April 2025
   Key Takeaways for Q1

   • Economic policy became more uncertain with fluctuating tariff announcements from the U.S. and its trading partners.
   • Global stocks markets experienced heightened volatility year-to-date, reflecting the negative repercussions of tariffs for highly integrated global economies.
   • Within U.S. markets, investors rotated out of growth stocks into value and defensive areas of the market.
   • Bond markets performed well during the quarter as interest rates moved lower.
   • Most central banks continued to ease monetary policy by reducing their target interest rates. The U.S. Federal Reserve was a notable exception, electing to wait for greater clarity before lowering rates further.

   Economic and Market Update

   Economic Summary: In the U.S., the latest GDP data confirmed solid economic growth in 2024. However, as President Trump pushes forward his economic agenda, uncertainty surrounding fiscal policy and global trade have dampened market sentiment. Inflation pressures persisted, with the rate of inflation remaining above the central bank’s 2% objective. The labour market in the U.S. remained resilient, with unemployment rate staying low compared to historical norms. The Federal Reserve shifted to a more cautious approach, holding the policy rate steady through Q1 at the range 4.25% - 4.5%. The central bank raised its inflation forecast, lowered growth projections, and warned that “uncertainty around the economic outlook has increased.” U.S. bond yields were lower for most maturity dates during the first quarter, as the market priced in more growth concerns and anticipated more rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.
   
   
   
   In Canada, recent GDP data showed stronger-than-expected growth. The inflation rate remained close to the 2% target but rose more than expected in February, and the labour market showed signs of improvement. U.S. tariffs continued to be a significant concern, and it is prompting businesses and consumers to become more cautious and slow their spending. The Bank of Canada warned that the economic impact of the tariffs could be “severe” and expected weaker growth in the coming quarters. For those reasons the Bank of Canada continued its easing cycle, cutting rates by 25 basis points at each of the January and March meetings, bringing the policy rate to 2.75%. Bond yields in Canada were also lower, with short-term interest rates decreasing faster than long-term interest rates as the Bank of Canada’s rate cuts outpaced market expectations.
   
   
   
   Bond Markets: During Q1 2025, the FTSE Canada Universe Bond Index returned 2.0% as interest rates declined across all tenors. Although interest rates fell, this was partially offset by higher credit spreads (i.e. the extra yield on corporate bonds versus government bonds to compensate for their extra risk). Consequently, while corporate bonds still generated a positive return on the quarter, they underperformed government bonds.  Widening credit spreads reflected the risk-off tone to the market, with on-off-on-off-on(?) tariffs contributing to the uncertainty. Lower-rated BBB bonds generally performed worse than higher-quality A-rated bonds.  While credit spreads are higher than they were in December and January, they are still expensive compared to longer term averages. Corporate bond issuance remained robust up until the last week of March, as investor demand kept deals well supported. Overall, the market took in $40 billion in new issuance, the second highest on record, spread over 82 bonds. While corporate bonds are more attractive than in January 2025, we believe the more likely path is towards higher credit spreads as U.S. tariffs impact global growth.  We have maintained our conservative view with a bias towards shorter-dated credit but remain ready to invest in longer dated corporate bonds as valuations become more attractive. 
   
   
   Stock Markets – Overview:
   Uncertainty surrounding the scope and severity of new tariffs led investors to reassess global economic growth prospects and weighed on risk sentiment. As a result, the S&P 500 declined 4.3% over the quarter, underperforming Canadian and international markets. Within the U.S., investors rotated out of previously favoured growth stocks with loftier valuations – including members of the Magnificent 7 – into less volatile and value-cyclical companies. Meanwhile, Canadian equities returned 1.5% in Q1 despite ongoing trade negotiations and uncertain economic growth forecasts. Surging commodity prices helped the materials and energy sectors outperform, offsetting weakness in the technology and industrials sectors. Elsewhere, major developed markets from Europe and Asia (EAFE) were supported over the quarter by the introduction of a new German fiscal stimulus package and signs of improving Chinese economic growth. Following the quarter end, President Trump announced global tariffs on April 2^nd, prompting some trading partners to hit back with retaliatory tariffs. The S&P 500 lost a record $5.2 trillion over two trading sessions and re-entered correction territory, with other global equity markets moving in tandem.
   
   U.S. Equities: While the impact of tariffs has made investors more apprehensive, we have yet to witness a deterioration in financial performance. In fact, U.S. earnings continued to exceed forecasts last quarter, with approximately 70% of companies beating expectations. Furthermore, our bottom-up analysis shows that the skew of corporate earnings surprises continues to tilt positive. That said, we note that companies are providing more cautious guidance amid the increased economic uncertainty and that these earnings largely reflect conditions in 2024, not 2025. Notably, consumer stocks like Walmart have lowered growth forecasts for 2025, citing concerns surrounding consumer confidence and macroeconomic conditions. In addition to clouding the outlook, geopolitical shocks like sweeping tariffs may risk changing how companies choose to operate, including the structure of supply chains and sources of revenue. At this stage, it is still unclear how long these trade tensions will last, as that depends on how other countries choose to respond. If the tariffs are rolled back quickly, many companies may be able to absorb the temporary extra costs without serious damage to profits, and the broader economy could avoid lasting harm. But if the tariffs remain in place for a long time, the consequences could be much more serious; companies might have to change how they operate, restructure supply chains, and raise prices to deal with long-term pressure on profits.
   
   Canadian Equities: Against the backdrop of worrisome trade developments, the Bank of Canada continued to ease monetary policy. While lower rates have helped Canadian companies report better-than-expected profit growth, consensus earnings expectations for 2025 have been revised 2% lower since the beginning of the year, reflecting the expectations for tariff headwinds. Falling bond yields made high quality, high dividend paying companies more attractive, helping this group outperform. Furthermore, the price of raw industrials – a basket of commodities – surged higher over the quarter and as a result, commodity-oriented companies benefitted. More specifically, the materials sector performed strongly with gold prices reaching new all-time highs throughout the quarter. However, if trade frictions continue to escalate and weaker growth projections materialize into a real economic slowdown, the Canadian market, given its cyclical nature and heavy reliance on commodity-driven businesses, remains particularly vulnerable to external headwinds. Moreover, given Canada’s weaker fundamental backdrop, we caution that the recent outperformance of Canadian equities relative to the U.S. may prove short-lived, particularly if trade tension persists.
   
   Bottom line:
   Heightened uncertainty surrounding global trade policies, coupled with deteriorating economic growth projections, continued to weigh on investor sentiment. Bond prices benefited from the flight to less-risky assets, with lower interest rates in anticipation of weaker economic conditions. In equity markets, the introduction of broad-based tariffs increased market volatility and drove major indices sharply lower year-to-date. Looking forward, we remain cautious of the recent outperformance of Canadian and international markets relative to the U.S. While tariffs began as a U.S. policy move, the ripple effects extend far beyond American borders, reflecting the systemic fragility that underpins global trade. If trade barriers persist, businesses may be forced to make structural shifts in their operations and review their current business models. Until markets achieve greater clarity on global trade policies, we continue to prioritize exposure to diversified large-cap stocks in the U.S., over defensive or growth-heavy positions. Within Canada, we continue to favour high quality, high dividend paying names with less sensitivity to downgrades in global growth.
   
   Downloadable Copy
   
    

   Mark Warywoda, CFA VP, Public Portfolio Management	Ian Whiteside, CFA, MBA AVP, Public Portfolio Management	Johanna Shaw, CFA Director, Portfolio Management	Jin Li Director, Equity Portfolio Management
   Tyler Farrow, CFA Senior Analyst, Equity	Andrew Vermeer Senior Analyst, Credit	Elizabeth Ayodele Analyst, Credit	Francie Chen Analyst, Rates

   ADVISOR USE ONLY
   
   Any statements contained herein that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements represent the portfolio manager’s best judgment as of the present date as to what may occur in the future. However, forward-looking statements are subject to many risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, and are based on the portfolio manager’s present opinions and views. For this reason, the actual outcome of the events or results predicted may differ materially from what is expressed. Furthermore, the portfolio manager’s views, opinions or assumptions may subsequently change based on previously unknown information, or for other reasons. Equitable® assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained herein. The reader is cautioned to consider these and other factors carefully and not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Investments may increase or decrease in value and are invested at the risk of the investor. Investment values change frequently, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Professional advice should be sought before an investor embarks on any investment strategy.
    
9. Equitable Life Savings & Retirement Webinar Series features Global Equity Investing Using a First Pr
   In 2022, Equitable Life’s® S&R team will continue to spotlight various aspects of our competitive fund lineup and product offerings. Each webinar in the series features a new topic. This series gives advisors an opportunity to:
   • learn more about various products and product features,
   • hear from industry professionals,
   • learn about investment strategies; and so much more.
   
   This month, Equitable Life welcomes Michael Hatcher, CFA, Head of Global Equities and Director of Research for the Invesco Canada Equity team. Join your host Taylor Stavenjord, Regional Vice President and Invesco Canada.
   
   Equitable Life is pleased to highlight access to Invesco Global Companies Fund, Invesco International Companies Fund, and Invesco Europlus Fund in the Pivotal Select™ segregated fund lineup.
   
    

   Learn more

   
   
   Continuing Education Credits
   This webinar has been submitted for continuing education (CE) approval with the Insurance Council of Manitoba and Alberta Insurance Council for all provinces excluding Quebec. Upon approval, you will be sent an email notification to come back to the webinar presentation console to download your personalized certificate from the tool bar. To be eligible for CE credits, you must register individually, watch the webcast in full and complete a short quiz. This webcast is available in English only.

10. [pdf] EZtransact FAQ