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  1. Canoe Financial
  2. Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – May 2020

    In this issue:

    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients


    Easy and convenient digital resources for your clients and their plan members

    During this time of physical distancing, people are looking for ways to interact with their providers virtually. We have several convenient digital tools available to make it easier for your clients and their plan members.


    For plan administrators:


    Plan administrator portal (EquitableHealth.ca)

    Our secure portal allows plan administrators to easily manage their plan anytime and anywhere. Instead of printing and mailing forms, they can make real-time updates at their convenience. The site also makes it easy to:

    • View or upload forms and other important documents;
    • Retrieve billing information;
    • Estimate monthly premium costs; and
    • View announcements, tips and reminders.

    Plan administrators can visit www.equitablehealth.ca to activate their account.

    Digital Welcome Kits

    Instead of paper kits that can easily get lost or quickly become outdated, plan members receive personalized welcome kits via an interactive email, including instructions on how to:

    • Activate their online group benefits account;
    • Download their digital benefits card;
    • Submit claims from their computer or mobile device;
    • Review their coverage details; and
    • Explore health and wellness resources.

    Easy automated payments

    Automated payments are a convenient way to avoid missed payments, suspended claims and disruption. Plan administrators simply complete the pre-authorized debit form and send to GroupCollections@equitable.ca. Or contact Group Collections about online banking and electronic funds transfer (EFT).

    We can help

    For assistance, plan administrators can contact their Client Relationship Specialist or our Web Services team at 1.800.265.4556 ext. 283 or groupbenefitsadmin@equitable.ca.


    For plan members:


    Plan member portal (EquitableHealth.ca)

    By logging into EquitableHealth.ca, plan members have secure 24/7 access to their personalized Group Benefits account. They can:

    • View and submit claims;
    • Review their coverage details; and
    • Access health and wellness resources.

    Electronic claims payment and notifications

    Once plan members have activated their Group Benefits account on EquitableHealth.ca, they can easily set up receiving their claim payments via direct deposit, and their claim notifications via email.

    EZClaim Mobile App

    Submitting claims is fast, easy and secure with the Equitable EZClaim® mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Plan members can view and submit health and dental claims and review their coverage details.

    Digital Benefits Cards

    Instead of digging through their wallets, plan members can download a digital version of their benefits card to their mobile device.

    We can help

    We’ve created a video guide to help plan members access and use their digital resources. For further assistance, plan members can contact our Web Services team at 1.800.265.4556 ext. 283 or groupbenefitsadmin@equitable.ca.


    Alberta government delaying biosimilar initiative

    As we announced in the February 2020 issue of eNews, the Alberta Biosimilar Initiative will require patients using several originator biologic drugs to switch to a biosimilar in order to maintain coverage through their Alberta government sponsored drug plan.

    Due to the increased demands the COVID-19 pandemic is placing on healthcare providers, the Alberta government has postponed the switching requirement. Affected patients will now have until January 15, 2021 to switch to the biosimilar version of their drug in order to maintain provincial coverage.

    We continue to investigate appropriate options to help ensure this provincial change does not unreasonably impact Equitable Life groups and patients and will keep you informed.
    For more information about the Alberta Biosimilars Initiative, consult the Alberta government website.


    Yukon increasing Insurance Premium Tax

    The Yukon Government has announced that it plans to increase its Insurance Premium Tax rates effective January 1, 2021. The premium tax rates for group life and accident and sickness insurance are expected to increase from 2% to 4%. The new tax rates will be applied to premiums paid on or after January 1, 2021.


    Manitoba and New Brunswick relaxing drug limits

    In order to protect the drug supply during the COVID-19 crisis, residents of most provinces were temporarily limited to receiving a 30-day supply of drugs when filling a prescription. Normally, doctors prescribe a 90-day supply for most maintenance-type drugs.

    The Government of Manitoba and the Government of New Brunswick are now relaxing this 30-day limit for prescription drugs where shortages do not exist. They will address potential shortages of specific drugs if necessary.

    As the situation continues to evolve, there may continue to be changes to provincial legislation and prescription limits. Plan members should speak to their pharmacist for the most up to date information.


    Free guide to accessing virtual healthcare

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

    As we announced previously, we’ve made it easier for plan members to find the information they need using our Guide to Accessing Virtual Healthcare. 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 are covered by public health plan, so there’s no cost to the patient to access them if they provide their valid provincial health card.
    We will continue to update the Guide as more virtual healthcare providers and services become available.

    The Guide is available on both EquitableHealth.ca and Equitable.ca.


    Homeweb for plan members who are losing coverage

    We know these are difficult times for Canadian employers and their employees. As businesses temporarily suspend operations, some employers have had to make the difficult decision to temporarily lay off employees or put their benefits coverage on hold.

    That’s why we were pleased to announce that Homewood Health® and Equitable Life will extend access to Homeweb, a personalized online mental health and wellness portal, for up to 120 days for plan members who have temporarily lost their benefits coverage due to COVID-19.

    Employees and their family members will continue to have access to the Homeweb website and mobile app, including:

    • iVolve, online self-directed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy;
    • Resources to support themselves and their family members through the COVID-19 pandemic;
    • An interactive online Health Risk Assessment; and
    • An online library of tools, assessments and e-courses.

    This will allow businesses undergoing financial hardship to provide some support to employees who are temporarily without benefits coverage.

  3. Colaiacovo to lead Equitable’s Eastern Group Sales Team We are pleased to announce that Sofia Colaiacovo has been appointed our new Group Sales Vice President, Eastern Canada. 
     
    In her role, Colaiacovo will lead the Eastern sales team. She will focus on working with distribution partners to grow our business together while continuing to provide clients and their plan members with a better benefits experience.

    Colaiacovo brings to her role 18 years of experience with Equitable Life, building strong distribution partnerships and delivering exceptional client service.

    She joined Equitable Life in 2005 and has held roles of increasing responsibility in our Group distribution organization.
     
    Since 2011, she has served as our Group Account Executive for the Ottawa territory. In that role, she quadrupled the size of our client base in the region and established strong and lasting relationships with key distribution partners. She was recognized as Equitable Life’s Group Account Executive of the Year three consecutive times – in 2019, 2020 and 2021.  
     
    “Sofia will further strengthen our Group Leadership Team and reinforce our ongoing commitment to building enduring distribution partnerships and delivering great service,” says Marc Avaria, Equitable Life’s Senior Vice-President, Group.
     
    “Sofia’s success has come from taking the time to understand the needs of her partner advisors and their clients,” he adds. “By asking the right questions and listening, she has been able to provide valuable and practical solutions to meet their needs.”
     
    Colaiacovo graduated from Carleton University with a Degree in Psychology. She holds the Group Benefits Associate (GBA) designation through the International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans.
  4. Are Canadians more FHSA-savvy in 2025? Recent insights have shown that a significant number of Canadians are unfamiliar with the First Home Savings Account (FHSA). However, the landscape is gradually evolving. While many are still getting acquainted with the features and benefits of this savings tool, financial advisors and industry experts note that awareness is steadily increasing. The knowledge gap is beginning to close. The largest group of contributors were Canadians aged 25 to 34, accounting for over 57% of all FHSA users1. This suggests that Generation Z and younger millennials are leading the charge in embracing the FHSA.

    Why is this age group so quick to adopt? The FHSA offers a unique blend of benefits. These include contributions that are tax-deductible like an RRSP and withdrawals for a first home purchase are tax-free like a TFSA. Financial author David Chilton even called it “the greatest deal in the history of Canadian savings.”1

    Despite the strong uptake among younger, higher-earning Canadians, there’s still work to be done. Many older Canadians and those with lower incomes remain unaware of the FHSA’s benefits and unsure how it fits into their financial plans. This presents a clear opportunity for advisors to continue educating—especially through digital channels and personalized advice.

    The FHSA is proving to be more than just a niche product—it’s becoming a cornerstone of first-time homebuyers’ strategy. With continued outreach and education, more Canadians will be empowered to take advantage of this valuable savings tool.

    Want to learn more? Speak to your Director, Investment Sales.

    1 Source: https://www.canadianmortgagetrends.com/2025/04/fhsa-sees-strong-uptake-among-young-high-earning-canadians-in-its-first-year/

    Date posted: October 2 2025
  5. EZtransact Training and Resources
  6. New segregated fund sales charge option from Equitable Life of Canada
    On December 7, 2020 Equitable Life® will add a new No Load CB5 (NL-CB5) sales option with a 60-month chargeback schedule to the Pivotal Select™ segregated funds lineup. This new sales charge option complements the recently launched No Load CB (NL-CB) option which has a 36-month chargeback schedule.

    This new sales option for Pivotal Select gives you and your clients five sales charge options to choose from: Low Load (LL), No Load (NL), No Load CB (NL-CB), No Load CB5 (NL-CB5) and Deferred Sales Charge (DSC). The addition of NL-CB5 provides an option for those advisors who want to increase the upfront portion of their commission. The benefit to clients is no Deferred Sales Charge to contend with.  If your client chooses to withdraw funds within 5 years after purchase, there is a chargeback of commission to you.

    By offering five sales charge options, the choice between three distinct guarantee classes (Investment Class (75/75), Estate Class (75/100) and Protection Class (100/100)), and a diverse selection of investment funds, the Pivotal Select contract provides the flexibility to build an investment solution that meets the needs of your clients.

    Need to meet with your client online? Our EZcomplete® application makes it easy to process your non-face-to-face applications and do business with Equitable Life. EZcomplete gives you the option to conduct your non face-to-face business easily and quickly, enabling your clients to provide their signature remotely on their own device.

    For more information about Equitable’s NL-CB5 or any of Equitable’s products, contact your local Regional Investment Sales Manager or our Advisor Services team at 1.866.881.7427 Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. ET or email savingsretirement@equitable.ca.
     

    To learn more, click here. 

  7. Equitable Life webcast series presents Mackenzie Investments featuring Arup Datta


    Arup will discuss Equitable Life® Mackenzie Emerging Markets Fund Select along with the fund's people, philosophy, process and performance. 

    Join your host, Cam Crosbie, Vice President, Savings and Retirement, and Arup Datta, MBA, CFA, Senior Vice President, Head of the Global Quantitative Equity Team for Mackenzie Investments.

     

    Learn More


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    Equitable Life continues to spotlight various aspects of our competitive fund lineup and product offerings. This series gives advisors an opportunity to: 
    •  learn more about products and product features, 
    •  hear from industry professionals, 
    •  learn about investment strategies; and so much 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.

    ® denote a registered trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada
  8. Begin the year with clarity and insight Join us for an engaging and informative session hosted by Joseph Trozzo, Vice President of Investment Sales at Equitable®.

    Featured speakers

    Cam Crosbie, Executive Vice President, Individual Wealth
    Opening the session with “How Are We Feeling About 2026?”, Cam will share key insights on strategic initiatives, Equitable’s product roadmap and organizational priorities for the year ahead.

    Dave Irwin, AVP, External Fund Management
    Dave will lead a dynamic panel discussion on portfolio strategies and our exciting new product lineup for 2026, featuring the following distinguished fund managers:

    - Sajan Bedi, CFA, VP & Co‑Portfolio Manager, Canoe Equity, Asset Allocation & Enhanced Income
    - John Burrello, CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager, Invesco Global Strategies, Global Equity Income Advantage
    - Bill Zox, CFA, Portfolio Manager, Franklin Brandywine US High Yield Fund

    Closing highlights

    Joseph Trozzo will wrap up with an interactive Q&A, guiding the panel as they address your questions and share insights. We’ll conclude with an introduction to the Step Up Your Wealth and Elite Advisor programs for 2026.

    Learn more
     
    Continuing Education Credits
    This webcast has been submitted for continuing education (CE) approval for all provinces excluding Quebec via the Insurance Council of Manitoba and Alberta Insurance Council. Upon approval, you will be sent an email notification to come back to the webcast 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. It is the advisor's responsibility to ensure Continuing Education credits being offered are accepted by their licensing body. Alberta Insurance Council (AIC) credits are valid in Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Insurance Council of Manitoba (ICM) credits are valid in Manitoba only.

    This webcast is available in English only.
     
  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. Earth Day: A simple way to talk about sustainable investing Earth Day is a great time to talk with clients about investing with purpose. This year’s theme—Our Power, Our Planet—highlights the impact of individual and collective choices, including how we invest.

    Many Canadians are interested in sustainable investing, which looks at environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors alongside long term returns. Clients want to understand how the power of their money can support positive change—without sacrificing performance. Sustainable investing can look at things like reducing carbon impact, supporting fair workplaces, and encouraging strong company leadership.

    Watch out for greenwashing
    Not all investments labeled “sustainable” are the same. Some products may use the term without real environmental efforts or strategies. This is known as greenwashing.
    That’s where advisors can add value. By understanding how funds are built and what they hold, you can help clients make informed choices they feel confident about.

    How Equitable can help
    Equitable® offers sustainable investing fund options that include ESG considerations as part of a disciplined investment approach. Take this opportunity to review available options and fund details.

    You can also support sustainability through how you work with clients. Equitable’s paperless tools help reduce paper consumption and improve efficiency:
    •    Equitable Client Access® for online account viewing
    •    EZtransact® for fast, digital transactions
    •    EZcomplete® for easy, paper free applications

    Take action
    Earth Day is a great time to:
    •    Start simple conversations about sustainable investing
    •    Share Equitable’s sustainable fund options with clients
    •    Promote paperless tools that are better for clients and the environment

    Small steps—done consistently—can make a meaningful difference for clients and the planet. If you have questions, speak with your Director, Investment Sales.

    Date posted: April 22, 2026