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1. Streamline your transactions with EZtransact

   Skip the forms and submit more transactions digitally with EZtransact^® to see how Equitable^® has continued to make it easier for you to do business with us.
   
   What’s new with these updates?

   
   One-time PAD functionality for Daily/Guaranteed Interest Account

   With the recent addition of DIA/GIA PAD to EZcomplete, you can now utilize EZtransact for one-time pre-authorized debits. This means faster processing with one-time deposits for investment instructions to either a DIA and/or GIA (multiple terms) with end-of-term instructions.
    

   Key benefits of these enhancements include:
   •  enhanced rate guarantees to secure the best rates available for clients,
   •  daily updated interest rate guide informs you of the latest rates,
   •  interest rate guarantee valid for three business days, for direct deposits from clients.
   
   Be sure to use EZtransact on your next DIA/GIA one-time deposit request to experience these improvements.
   
   
   Reduce RSP to RIF conversion time

   Reduce time and effort submitting Retirement Savings Plan (RSP) to Retirement Income Fund (RIF) conversion requests. EZtransact is continuing to reduce the amount of time it takes advisors to submit conversion requests.
    
   Features include:
   •  RSP/Spousal RSP to RIF Conversion to effortlessly submit request digitally.
   •   RIF Calculator to easily calculate your conversions.
   
   Save time with our enhanced digital experience.
   
   
   Sort & Filter Enhancements
   We’ve taken your feedback and made it easier than ever to find the contracts and clients you’re searching for. This improved advisor experience ensures you can:
   
   •  Filter “My Clients” By Product Type/ Registration Type
   •  Sort “My Clients” By Contract Number/ Client Name
   •  Filter “Transactions” By Transactions Status/ Transaction Type
   •  Sort “Transactions” By Date

   

   You asked, and we listened! Keep providing us with your feedback on our digital tools. When we grow together, success is mutual.
   
   Get to know EZtransact and accelerate your sales! If you have any questions, please contact your Director, Investment Sales.
   
   Date posted: April 3, 2025

2. Gathering paperwork for a new application
3. [pdf] Online Plan Member Enrolment Quick Reference Guide
4. Market Comments - October 2024
   Key Takeaways for Q3
   · Central banks eased monetary policy by reducing their target interest rates.
   · Bond markets performed very well during the quarter as interest rates fell.
   · Risk markets experienced some volatility, but stock markets had robust returns.
   · Canadian stocks outperformed U.S. stocks in Q3, while the sources of returns in the U.S. market were more balanced and diversified than in the first half of the year.
    
   
   Views From the Frontline
   
   Bond Markets: During the third quarter, interest rates in both Canada and the U.S. moved significantly lower as markets anticipated that the Bank of Canada would continue – and the Federal Reserve would start – cutting rates. Additionally, the expectation became that the central banks would end up lowering rates more aggressively than previously assumed. That’s because inflation data has softened sufficiently to give the central banks the scope to ease policy, and other economic data, especially from the labour market, indicated the need for them to ease policy in order to prevent economic activity from cooling too much. For instance, in Canada, inflation slowed to the Bank of Canada’s 2% target, while the labour market showed warning signs with the unemployment rate rising to 6.6%. The Bank of Canada cut its target interest rate by 0.25% at each of its July and September meetings. Governor Macklem indicated that if growth does not materialize as expected, “it could be appropriate to move faster on interest rates”. In the U.S., the Federal Reserve kicked off its easing cycle by cutting its target rate by 0.50% in September. The growing signs of a cooling labour market amidst slowing inflation motivated the larger-than-typical move. That said, consumer spending in the U.S. continued to be strong, and GDP is still tracking a healthy growth rate.
   
   While interest rates fell, bonds returns were also boosted by solid behaviour of corporate bonds. Credit spreads (i.e. the risk premium for corporate bonds versus government bonds) continued to grind lower over the quarter. Tightening credit spreads reflected the generally positive risk-on tone to the market, despite some volatility.  Lower-rated BBB bonds performed better than higher-quality A-rated bonds.  Credit spreads have now generally fallen back to levels that are largely consistent with the tight post-pandemic levels experienced in 2021.  The on-going appetite of investors for the extra yield offered by corporate bonds over government bonds is indicated not just by falling credit spreads, but also by investors’ enthusiasm to support the primary issuance market. Corporate bond supply continues to be very robust, with $29B (billion) in new issuance during the quarter, resulting in an impressive $119B issued year-to-date, a new record.  Nonetheless, on balance, we do not think the current risk premium adequately compensates for downside risk, particularly in longer-dated corporate bonds, and have a bias towards shorter-dated credit where we view the risk / reward trade-off as being more favourable.
   
   Stock Markets: In the U.S., we continue to caution against heavily concentrated sources of market returns and emphasize a diversified portfolio. Last quarter, diversification proved essential as a multitude of factors heightened market volatility. These factors – which included the unwind of the yen carry trade, investor reactions to mixed mega-cap earnings, and concerns of a slowing labour market – drove investors away from mega-cap technology names and into defensive areas of the market. Following the Federal Reserve’s decision to reduce interest rates by 0.5%, sources of investment returns continued to broaden as investors rotated into economically-sensitive baskets. Underpinned by decelerating inflation and easing monetary policy, we believe the rotation away from the mega-cap tech names is likely to persist and we continue to emphasize portfolio diversification. In Canada, high-quality, high-yielding businesses – composed of the financial sector and non-financial dividend payers – outperformed over the quarter as investors rewarded companies that demonstrated a strong ability to sustain dividends, as well as greater efficiency generating profits. While we continue to favour these businesses, we have taken profit on our financial sector dividend exposure after a sharp reversion in the premium between value creation and current yield. In addition, Chinese officials introduced a wave of stimulus to revitalize growth, bringing life back to the metals and luxury goods sectors. Accordingly, Canadian and European equities have benefitted recently.
   
   Market Update
   Rates & Credit: In Q3, interest rates in both Canada and the U.S. decreased significantly, with front-end interest rates declining faster than long-end interest rates amid cooling inflation and a weakening labour market. As a result, the FTSE Canada Universe Index posted a positive return of 4.7%. Coincidentally, Canadian corporate bonds and government bonds each also generated returns of 4.7%, totally in-line with the Universe index. On the other hand, despite short-term interest rates falling much more than long-term interest rates, the higher price sensitivity of long-dated bonds had them outperform shorter-dated bonds, with the Long-Term bond index up 5.8% while the Short-Term bond index gained 3.4%.  Similarly, within corporate bonds, industries that have longer-dated debt (e.g. energy and infrastructure) outperformed those that tend to have shorter-dated debt (e.g. real estate and financials).
   
   Equity Overview: Underpinned by decelerating inflation data and easing monetary policy – including the outsize 50-basis cut from the Federal Reserve – prospects for an economic soft landing increased over the quarter. That favourable outlook spurred global equity markets to all-time highs, with previously lagging areas of the market narrowing the performance gap compared to the U.S. mega-cap technology names that had led returns in the first half of the year. Canadian equities outperformed their U.S. counterpart last quarter, rising 10.5% as strength in the banking and materials sectors pushed the index higher. Major developed markets from Europe, Australasia, and the Far East (EAFE) were more subdued, gaining 0.9% (in local currency terms) last quarter. That said, grand expectations for further interest rate cuts in the U.S. pushed the greenback to its lowest level in over a year, boosting EAFE returns to over 7% in U.S. dollar terms. Within the U.S., sources of market returns broadened as well, with investors rotating out of concentrated AI companies and into more economically sensitive businesses.  
   
   U.S. Fundamentals: Outside of the Magnificent 7, investors are interpreting downside earnings surprises as a normalization of financial performance rather than a deterioration. For example, McDonald’s share price rallied over 17% into quarter-end following its earnings release despite announcing declining sales and contracting earnings per share. Within the AI-ecosystem, investors are beginning to look for opportunities beyond chip manufacturers, such as nuclear energy providers. At an index level, our work shows that members of the Russell 1000 index, excluding the Mag-7, posted a median earnings growth of nearly 9% year-over-year, expanding from the ~6% witnessed in Q2. Furthermore, the number of companies from this group reporting positive earnings growth grew to approximately 67%, up from 60% in the prior quarter. In our view, the ongoing broadening of earnings strength outside of the Mag-7 can provide tailwinds to current market rotations into previously left-behind companies. Within the mega-cap tech space, investors have become more discriminant than in prior quarters, rewarding businesses with greater success monetizing their AI-investments. This trend was evident through the divergence of returns from IBM and Alphabet (Google’s parent company) following their quarterly earnings.
   
    
   U.S. Quant Factors: Decelerating U.S. inflation data prompted a rotation out of highly concentrated areas of the market (growth) and into more economically-sensitive companies (value). Then, concerns of a slowing U.S. labour market and the unwind of the yen carry trade increased market volatility, leading investors to shelter their positions by reallocating to low volatility. As the quarter progressed, expectations of easing monetary policy and stabilizing employment data helped calm return to the market and the rotation from mega-cap tech sector resumed, albeit at a lesser pace. Notably, this “catch-up” trade also benefitted dividend-paying companies, particularly those with a lengthy and established history of increasing dividends, as investors favoured those more mature operations.
   
   Canadian Fundamentals: Investors returned to the Canadian market after Canadian companies showed signs of recovery last quarter with earnings expanding by more than expected. With inflation showing clearer signs of deceleration and the outlook regarding the path of monetary policy increasingly implying lower interest rates going forward, investors are allocating toward high-quality, dividend-paying companies. From a sector level, surging gold prices provided a tailwind for Canadian miners, helping the materials sector outperform over the quarter. More recently, the materials sector has benefitted from elevated base metal prices following the arrival of Chinese stimulus. In contrast, oil prices declined over 16% last quarter as fears of an oversupplied market swelled following speculation that OPEC+ would look to dial back production cuts. As a result, investors looked past lingering geopolitical risks and the energy sector underperformed.
   
   Canadian Quant Factors: Amid an improving Canadian macroeconomic backdrop and clearer outlook on the trajectory of monetary policy, dividend-yielding businesses became sought after. More specifically, investors continued to emphasize dividend sustainability last quarter, rewarding dividend-paying businesses that demonstrated strong financial performance and the ability to support future payouts. For example, the major Canadian banks sharply outperformed in Q3 after reporting earnings growth that mostly exceeded expectations. In essence, investors have become more constructive on this high-yielding group as their ability to create value relative to financing costs improves.
   
   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.
   
    
5. [pdf] Investing in technology to make benefits easier
6. Insights from a pandemic: COVID-19 and group benefits plans

   We’ve received numerous questions about the impact of COVID-19 and what it will mean for benefits plans in the months ahead. Below is a summary of what we’re seeing so far. In the coming weeks, we’ll explore each of these topics in greater depth.

   Disability

   Initially, as COVID-19 started to spread, we saw STD claims ramp up quickly. Since then, we’ve seen the number of COVID-19-related STD claims slow significantly. As for LTD, we believe both the incidence and duration of those claims will increase in both the short term and medium term due to COVID-19.

   Health and Dental Claims

   We saw an overall spike in the volume and paid amounts for drug claims in March as plan members rushed to stock up on their medications. This was followed by a drop in April after most provinces put 30-day refill limits in place. One exception was claims for asthma drugs which surged in March but had no drop in April. Overall, the April plunge will be short-lived; drug costs have already begun to rise in May.

   While paramedical and dental claims are down, we are seeing an increase in claims for virtual treatments and emergency dental services. We expect that claims will spike once the current pandemic restrictions are lifted. We’ve already started to see claims rise in provinces that are allowing health providers to re-open.

   Despite the shift to more virtual services, we haven’t seen an increase in fraudulent activity. But we continue to be vigilant. Our investigative practices – verifying with the plan member that they received the treatment and have a valid receipt, and that the practitioner has treatment notes – remain the same whether treatment is provided in person or virtually.

   Technology

   During this time of physical distancing, people are looking for ways to interact with their providers virtually. Fortunately, our business model is almost entirely electronic, and we have several convenient digital options available for plan members and plan sponsors. Our focus in recent weeks has been to remind clients and plan members about these tools and make it as easy as possible for them to activate and use them. And we are continually adding functionality that will allow us to serve our customers even better.

   Mental Health/Wellness

   Usage of i-Volve, Homewood’s online cognitive behavioural therapy tool, increased significantly in March before levelling back down in April and May. And while EFAP cases fell in April and early-May, the number of cases has begun to climb in recent weeks, particularly for anxiety. In the coming weeks and months, we expect an eventual increase in marital and family issues, as well as depression. We’ve also seen an increase in mental-health-related prescriptions.

   Plan Design

   It’s too early to predict how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact benefits plan design and how it will change in the coming months. We would love to get your feedback and insights about how benefit plans will evolve and what new features or provisions they should include.

   Please share your thoughts and suggestions with your Group Account Executive or myFlex Marketing Manager. Or, you can email your ideas to GroupCommunications@equitable.ca.

7. Introducing Equitable EZBenefits: A better group benefits solution for your small business clients If you serve small business owners, chances are they’re looking for a group benefits solution that’s affordable, sustainable and easy to manage. That’s why we introduced Equitable EZBenefits™. It’s a unique group benefits solution designed with you and your small business clients in mind.
    
   Options to fit every need
   Available to organizations with between 2 and 25 employees, EZBenefits offers a range of plan design options to match different needs and budgets. * Whether your client owns start-up or a growing company, we’ve got them covered. Plan options include a mix of Life, Health and Dental coverage. ** Clients can also add Long-Term Disability (LTD) coverage or a Health Care Spending Account (HCSA).
    
   Embedded services to support health and wellness
   To provide employees with added support for both their physical and mental wellbeing, all our plan design options include:
   • Anytime, online access to medical professionals through our Virtual Healthcare solution from Dialogue,
   • Access to professional counselors – via the telephone, the web or in-person – through our Employee and Family Assistance Program from Homewood Health®, and
   • Online resources to help manage health, financial and family challenges through Homeweb, Homewood Health’s online wellness portal.
   Extra HR support for your clients
   EZBenefits also comes with built-in HR support through Equitable Life’s partnership with HRdownloads® This takes the heavy lifting out of common human resource tasks with HR support tools and services, including:
   • HR Technology: An award-winning cloud-based human resource information system to provide help from onboarding to offboarding and everything in between.
   • HR Content: Access to a library of over 3,000 HR documents, templates, compliance resources and articles, with 25 free document downloads.
   • HR Training: A free Workplace Diversity and Inclusion online training course.
   • HR Support: One free Live HR Advice call with a seasoned HR expert.
   A streamlined process to optimize your time
   We know that advising small business clients can be challenging. We’ve created a streamlined benefits process that provides rapid quotes, hassle-free plan implementation, simplified renewals and that is easy to administer. That way, you can spend more time advising your clients and building your business – and less time with administrative back and forth.
    
   Pricing stability for long-term stability
   When it comes to attracting and retaining talent, we know your small business clients are competing with larger organizations that have big budgets and lots of resources. That’s why we’ve designed EZBenefits to provide long-term pricing stability for health and dental benefits.
    
   Find out more
   Watch this video to learn how EZBenefits can help you and your clients. You can also visit info.equitable.ca/ezbenefits for more details or to request a quote. If you have questions, contact your Equitable Life Group Account Executive. If you don't have an Equitable Life Group Account Executive, email us at EZBenefits@equitable.ca.
    
   
   * Not available in Quebec.
   ** Dental coverage is not included with the Bronze plan design option.
8. About
9. 2025 – Celebrating a year of growth!

   Individual Insurance roundup

   Kicking off 2026 with excitement— we’re proud to reflect on the wins Equitable’s individual insurance team achieved in 2025! We added nearly 50,000 new policies, serviced over 450,000 existing insurance clients, and paid more than 1,300 claims. But there’s more! 
   
   Through the year, we introduced new digital tools and smart ways of working that made things easier for advisors and clients alike. It was a year of remarkable growth and impact. 
   
   Here’s a recap of some of our best moments of 2025.
   ● Faster juvenile policy approvals
   We launched a new way to approve juvenile policies. Families can now get insurance faster, and advisors spend less time waiting. This lets you and your Equitable underwriters focus on approving more complex insurance applications.
   
   ● Easier payment updates online
   Our new “update payment” feature on Client Access and EquiNet made it simple for clients to change banking details and payments online — no paperwork needed. Updates are made within three business days, giving clients more choice in the way they connect with us.
   
   ● Better fund information
   With Fundata, we created an enhanced web page for universal life policy investments. Now, advisors and clients can easily find fund performance details and use simple “favourite funds, search, and compare” tools. This makes it easy for clients to stay informed on their UL investments.
   
   ● More choices for universal life (UL) clients
   Our new 30/65 Rider for Equitable Generations™ UL plans gives clients more choice and flexibility—an affordable new way to add more coverage to their policies when needed.
   
   ● Flexible term exchange options
   New term 30/65 exchange option — a great addition! It provides more choice for clients that need to change their coverage as their needs evolve.
   
   ● Stable dividend scale interest rate
   We kept our market-leading dividend scale interest rate of 6.40%, providing participating policyholders with confidence and stability.
   
   ● New web tool for UL illustrations
   This new online tool puts UL sales illustrations at your fingertips online. You can view and save them from your laptop, making it easier than ever to manage your UL business. Try the new web illustration tool here.
   
   ● New term insurance rates
   In November, we introduced new term insurance rates. Our term rates are now among the best available! This makes it easier for clients to get the insurance coverage they need.
   
   Looking ahead
   In 2025, Equitable showed that trying new ideas, making things easier, and putting clients first truly matters. As 2026 begins, we’re focused on continuing this exciting momentum.
   
   Thank you for being on this journey with us and wishing you a very happy and successful year ahead!
10. [pdf] B2B Investment Loan Product Brochure