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  2. Understanding debt: A key to building wealth Why debt matters in wealth conversations
    Debt is part of life for many Canadians. But not all debt is the same. As an advisor, you can help clients understand their debt and how to manage it. This is key to building wealth and confidence. Financial Literacy Month is a great time to “Talk Money.”

    Types of debt1
    • Secured: This is backed by something the client owns, like a house or car. Its cost of borrowing or interest rate is usually lower.
    • Unsecured: This includes credit cards and personal loans. These debts have no asset behind it and often cost more.
    • Revolving: These are like credit cards. The balance owing can carry over to the next month.
    • Installment: These are like car loans. Clients pay a set amount each month.

    Helping clients manage debt
    • Pay off high-interest debt first:  Credit cards are often a good place to start.
    • Consolidate: One lower-interest loan payment can replace many.
    • Make a budget: Include debt payments and savings.
    • Use insurance-based investments: Segregated funds and Daily/Guaranteed Interest Accounts offer protection and guarantees. These can help clients manage risk while growing wealth.

    Why reducing debt matters
    Less debt can mean more financial freedom. Clients can save more, stress less, and plan better for retirement. It also helps them leave a financial legacy.

    Your role as an advisor
    You do more than sell products. You guide clients to make smart choices. Use this article to start a simple, clear conversation about debt—and how Equitable Individual Wealth solutions might fit into their overall financial picture.

    Talk to your Director, Investment Sales today for more strategies to help clients with debt.

    1 Source : ARC, 2025-03-28
  3. [pdf] DSC and Transfer Fee Reimbursement Request
  4. [pdf] Investment Direction - Legacy
  5. Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – November 2021 In this issue: *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients

    Reminder: Deadline to opt out of New Brunswick biosimilar program*

    Earlier this year, we announced via eNews that on Feb. 1, 2022, we are ending coverage for some originator biologic drugs in New Brunswick in response to the province’s Biosimilar Initiative.* These changes will help protect your clients’ plans from additional drug costs while still providing access to equally safe and effective biosimilars.
     
    Do my clients need to take any action?
    No action is required if employers want to have the originator biologics excluded from their plan. Plan members taking these targeted originator biologics will be contacted directly to allow them ample time to transition to the biosimilar. Any cost savings associated with the change will be factored in at renewal.
     
    All groups, except myFlex clients, who wish to opt out of this change and maintain coverage of these originator biologics for existing claimants in New Brunswick can submit a policy amendment. Amendments must be submitted no later than Nov. 30, 2021.
     
    Advisors with myFlex Benefits clients who wish to maintain coverage of these originator biologics for New Brunswick plan members should speak to their myFlex Sales Manager to confirm their eligibility to opt out of this change.
     
    Groups that opt out of this change are also opting out of any future changes to our New Brunswick biosimilar initiative. This means that their drug plans will continue to cover any additional originator biologics for which we subsequently end coverage as part of the biosimilar program.
     
    Questions?
    If you have a question that isn’t answered here, please contact your Equitable Life Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
     
    * The list of affected drugs or conditions is dynamic and may change.

    Web Reports Quick Reference Guide now available for plan administrators

    A Web Reports Quick Reference Guide is now available for plan administrators on EquitableHealth.ca. This new guide offers a listing of our newest reports available on the plan administrator web. It also provides instructions for plan administrators outlining how to pull the report using the plan administrator portal.
     
    The guide is available under the Quick Links section on both the advisor and plan administrator portals on EquitableHealth.ca.

    Reminder: Review manual allocations for HCSAs and/or TSAs*

    If your client’s Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and/or Taxable Spending Account (TSA) has manual allocations, they need to allocate these amounts to plan members each year. Please review all your plan members’ profiles on EquitableHealth.ca to ensure they have received their allocation(s) for the current benefit year.
     
    If your clients have Plan Administrator update access on EquitableHealth.ca, they can update these amounts online by doing the following:
    • Select “View certificate”
    • Select “Health Care Spending Account” or “Taxable Spending Account”
    • Select “Update Allocation” in Task Center
    • Enter amount in “Revised Allocation Amount”
    • Override Reason – “Plan Administrator Request”
    • Select “Save”
    If your clients have Plan Administrator reporting access on EquitableHealth.ca, they can determine which plan members have a zero allocation by running the “HCSA Totals by Plan Member” report online by doing the following:
    • Select “Reports”
    • Select “New”
    • Select “Next”
    • Select “HCSA” or “TSA Totals by Plan Member”
    • Select “Next”
    • Enter end date of “12/31/2020”
    • Select “Next”
    • Select “Finish”
    • View “Report”
    To provide us with the amounts to be updated, please have your client contact our Group Benefits Administration Team at GroupBenefitsAdmin@equitable.ca.

    Help your clients take advantage of our convenient digital options*

    We have several digital options available to make it easier for your clients to do business with us and for their plan members to access and use their benefits plan. Over 71% of plan administrators are managing their plan online and 78% of plan members are already using our digital tools.
     
    For plan administrators:
    • Online Plan Member Enrolment tool – allows all groups to add new plan members without the need for paper forms
    • Plan Administrator Portal (EquitableHealth.ca) – plan administrators can easily manage their plan anytime and anywhere
    • Digital Welcome Kits – personalized welcome kits are delivered to plan members via email
    • Easy automated payments – plan administrators can avoid missed payments by setting up pre-authorized debit or electronic funds transfer
    For plan members:
    • Plan Member Portal (EquitableHealth.ca) – plan members get secure, 24/7 access to their claims history, coverage details and health and wellness resources
    • Electronic Claim Payments and Notifications – plan members can get claim updates sooner in their email inbox and payments right into their bank account
    • EZClaim Mobile App – submitting claims from a mobile device is fast, easy and secure
    • Digital Benefits Cards – plan members no longer have to dig through their wallet – they can download their benefits card on their mobile device
    We can help
    We’ve created a brochure and a video guide to help plan members access and use their digital resources. For further assistance, plan members can visit www.equitable.ca/go/digital. They can also contact our Web Services team at 1.800.265.4556 ext. 283 or groupbenefitsadmin@equitable.ca.
  6. Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – February 2022 In this issue: *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients

    Update: Alberta biosimilar coverage changes*
    Four originator biologics added to Alberta Biosimilar Initiative

    In 2022, Alberta’s provincial drug plan is adding four originator biologics to its Biosimilar Initiative. It has ended or will end provincial coverage of these drugs for some or all conditions, as follows:
    • Lovenox: Jan. 10, 2022
    • Humalog: Feb. 1, 2022
    • NovoRapid: April 1, 2022
    • Humira: May 1, 2022

    Patients 18 and over who are using these drugs for the affected conditions will be required to switch to biosimilar versions of the drugs to maintain coverage under the province’s government drug plan.

    How we are responding to protect our clients
    To help prevent this change from resulting in additional costs for our clients’ drug plans while still providing plan members with access to safe and effective medications, we will no longer cover these originator biologic drugs for plan members in Alberta.

    Effective May 1, 2022, claimants currently taking these drugs will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drug to maintain coverage under their Equitable Life plan.

    This is a continuation of the Alberta biosimilar switch program we launched last March, when the province first introduced its Biosimilar Initiative.

    Do my clients need to take any action?
    No action is required by plan sponsors. Plan members taking these targeted originator biologics will be contacted directly to allow them ample time to transition to a biosimilar. Any cost savings associated with the change will be factored in at renewal.

    Groups that opted out of the biologic coverage changes we made last March will automatically be opted out of these coverage changes, as well as any future changes to our Alberta biosimilar switch program. This means that their drug plans will continue to provide coverage to existing claimants for any originator biologics we stop covering as part of our biosimilar program.

    Advisors with clients who wish to opt out of our Alberta biosimilar program, or who previously opted out and want to opt back in, should speak to their Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.

    Communication to plan members
    We will be communicating these coverage changes with affected claimants in early March to allow them ample time to change their prescriptions and avoid any interruptions in their treatment or their coverage. Thus far, the transition to biosimilars, has been smooth and continues to be successful.

    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 also biologics. 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.

    Preferred Biosimilar Program*

    As part of our ongoing efforts to help ensure the sustainability of your clients’ drug plans, we continue to engage in strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical manufacturers. 

    We are pleased to announce a partnership to make Hyrimoz our preferred biosimilar for Humira. This partnership will generate additional savings for plan sponsors.

    Plan members will still have the choice to use Humira biosimilars other than Hyrimoz. However, in the absence of alternative sources of reimbursement, this may increase their out-of-pocket amount.

    The Preferred Biosimilar Program will take effect March 1, 2022 for all new claimants across Canada who start using a Humira biosimilar. It will take effect May 1 for existing claimants in Alberta who switch to a Humira biosimilar, to align with changes to the provincial plan.

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

    Responding to Quebec’s biosimilar policy

    Last year, the Quebec government announced it is phasing out coverage of biologic drugs. Beginning April 13, 2022, patients in Quebec using originator biologics will be required to switch to the corresponding biosimilar covered on the province’s public plan in order to maintain coverage.

    The following populations are excepted from this new policy:
    • Pregnant women, who should be transitioned to biosimilars in the 12 months after childbirth.
    • Pediatric patients, who should be transitioned to biosimilars in the 12 months after their 18th birthdays.
    • Patients who have experienced two or more therapeutic failures while being treated with a biologic drug for the same chronic disease.
    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.

    We are actively investigating the impact of this new policy on private drug plans in Quebec. We plan to implement further enhancements to our biosimilar programs in Quebec later this year to help prevent this change from resulting in additional costs for our clients’ drug plans. We will provide more details in the coming months.

    Dental fee guide updates

    Each year, Provincial and Territorial Dental Associations publish fee guides. Equitable Life uses these guides to help determine the reimbursement limits for dental procedures. For your reference, below is the list of the average dental fee increases for general practitioners that will be used by Equitable Life for 2022.*

    Dental fee guide increases over 2021*
    Province/Territory Average Fee Increase
    Alberta 3.9%
    British Columbia 7.35%
    Manitoba 5.79%
    New Brunswick 5.9%
    Newfoundland and Labrador 5%
    Nova Scotia 7.05%
    Northwest Territories 3%
    Nunavut 3.1%
    Ontario 4.75%
    Prince Edward Island 4.75%
    Quebec 5%
    Saskatchewan 5.99%
    *Data for all provinces and territories was not available at the time of publication. This chart will be updated on EquitableHealth.ca as more information becomes available.
     

    Reminder: Review manual allocations for HCSAs and/or TSAs*

    If your client’s Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and/or Taxable Spending Account (TSA) has manual allocations, they need to allocate these amounts to plan members each year. Please review all your plan members’ profiles on EquitableHealth.ca to ensure they have received their allocation(s) for the current benefit year.
     
    If your clients have Plan Administrator update access on EquitableHealth.ca, they can update these amounts online by doing the following:
    • Select “View certificate”
    • Select “Health Care Spending Account” or “Taxable Spending Account”
    • Select “Update Allocation” in Task Center
    • Enter amount in “Revised Allocation Amount”
    • Override Reason – “Plan Administrator Request”
    • Select “Save”
    If your clients have Plan Administrator reporting access on EquitableHealth.ca, they can determine which plan members have a zero allocation by running the “HCSA Totals by Plan Member” report online by doing the following:
    • Select “Reports”
    • Select “New”
    • Select “Next”
    • Select “HCSA” or “TSA Totals by Plan Member”
    • Select “Next”
    • Enter end date of “12/31/2020”
    • Select “Next”
    • Select “Finish”
    • View “Report”
    To provide us with the amounts to be updated, please have your client contact our Group Benefits Administration Team at GroupBenefitsAdmin@equitable.ca.

    Mental health resources for plan members*

    As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, many Canadians are experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Through our partnership with Homewood Health®, all of our clients and their plan members have access to a number of health and wellness resources designed to provide guidance and support. These resources include a number of webinars which discuss various COVID-19 and mental health-related topics. The webinars are pre-recorded so plan members can stream them at their convenience.
     
    Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Your Mental Health
    English webinar
    French webinar
     
    COVID-19: Loneliness & Isolation Fatigue - Self-Care Strategies 
    English webinar
    French webinar
     
    COVID-19: Dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder
    English webinar
    French webinar
     
    Reducing Anxiety & Managing the Transition Back to the Classroom - for Teachers
    English webinar
    French webinar
     
    COVID-19: Specialized Mental Health Support for Health Care Professionals
    English webinar
    French webinar
     
    COVID-19: Supporting Children’s Mental Health
    English webinar
    French webinar
     
    Additional resources, including articles, tools, videos and podcasts, are available at Homeweb.ca/Equitable. Please encourage your clients to share these resources with their plan members.
     
  7. [pdf] Facts & Figures
  8. The top individual insurance marketing materials! In 2025 there were five marketing pieces that advisors turned to most. If you haven’t seen them yet, now’s your chance to catch up. We want to help you connect with clients. These materials help make important topics easy to explain.

    Top five individual insurance marketing materials:
    1. 1024 Guide to individual underwriting. This guide shows how medical and non-medical conditions can affect insurance approvals.
    2. 1038 Understanding participating whole life. Explains Equimax® participating whole life insurance. It also discusses the Participating Account, how dividends are calculated, and how they can impact a policy.
    3. 1343 Evidence of insurability. Includes a chart showing the underwriting rules for life insurance products.
    4. 1530 Temporary resident underwriting guidelines. This is a list of the documents temporary residents need when applying for individual insurance.
    5. 1505 Dividend scale interest rate 30-year historical performance. This chart shows Equitable’s dividend scale interest rate history. It also compares our dividend scale rate to other major economic indicators.

    For a list of all our marketing pieces visit our marketing materials page on EquiNet.

    Have further questions? Your Equitable Wholesaler is here to help!
  9. New Individual Wealth tools to support client conversations


    Equitable has new resources now available on EquiNet® — each designed to help support client conversations and make it easier to explain investment strategies in a clear and meaningful way. 

     

    New case studies to help support client conversations  *NEW*
    We know some financial concepts can be tricky to explain. To help, we have created a set of straightforward, advisor‑focused case studies designed to deepen your understanding and help you better grasp the mechanics of our product options, understand the “why,” and translate that knowledge into clear, client-friendly conversations.


    The four new case studies cover:

    • Asset rebalancing

    • Householding

    • Resets

    • Segregated funds vs. mutual funds



    Introducing our fund manager spotlight pages 

    You can now find spotlight pages for every fund manager on the Equitable Guaranteed Investment Funds™ platform. Each page will help you get to know each manager’s vision, investment philosophy and mission. 

    Quickly access: 

    • An overview of each fund manager  

    • Mission and investment approach 

    • Available funds on Equitable GIF 

    • Additional value-added content — including videos, helpful links and more. 

     

    New sample portfolios to help guide client discussions

    A new set of sample portfolios designed to help illustrate how different investment styles might align with a client’s goals are now available. These are not recommendations — they are conversation starters. Use them to help clients visualize: 

     

    • How their strategy could look in practice. 

    • Trade-offs between different investment styles. 

    • How various approaches could support long‑term planning. 


    Have questions or want support navigating any of these new resources? Contact your Director, Investment Sales today. 

  10. Path to Success Module 4