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1. [pdf] Facts & Figures
2. Start a Conversation with EZstart – Now Available for Equimax Wealth Accumulator Looking for an easy way to explain insurance? We have a digital tool to do just that!
    
   Start a Conversation with EZstart™
    
   EZstart helps to commence those initial client conversations. Think of it like a digital brochure: you start a conversation about life goals, enter a few details - and within a few clicks - get a quick quote on your phone or tablet instantly.
   
   We have a NEW EZstart for Equimax Wealth Accumulator® available. Go to the EZstart for Equimax Wealth Accumulator now.
   
   Don’t forget about our other EZstart tools that are available for you. Learn more. 
    
   _{^® and ^TM denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.}
3. Meghan Vallis named head of distribution for myFlex Benefits and other group benefits updates

   Meghan Vallis named head of distribution for myFlex Benefits

   We are pleased to announce that Meghan Vallis, our Group Sales Vice President for Western Canada, will head national distribution for myFlex Benefits in addition to her existing responsibilities.
   
   As part of her expanded role, Meghan will lead the myFlex Benefits sales team and develop and implement strategies to achieve the growth of this offering. Meghan and the myFlex team will continue to focus on delivering market leading services for our clients and advisors.
   
   Meghan joined Equitable Life in 2020 and brings more than 15 years of experience in the group benefits industry to her expanded role. She is passionate about helping Advisors succeed to transform their clients' employee benefit experience.
   
   myFlex Benefits is one of the most unique and versatile benefits solutions for small businesses in Canada. It is fully pooled, includes a two-year renewal and features a user-friendly portal for plan members to make their benefit selections. And it’s simple to use: Plan sponsors set a budget and choose from a selection of benefit options. Plan members then use flex dollars to select from the options offered by their employer. Any leftover flex dollars are saved in a health care spending account (HCSA).  
    
   If you have any questions or are interested in learning more about myFlex Benefits, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager. 

   Changes to Short Term Disability (STD) benefit calculations for 2023*

   The Canada Employment Insurance Commission and Canada Revenue Agency have announced the 2023 changes to Maximum Insurable Earnings and premiums for employment insurance.
    
   The following changes to Employment Insurance (EI) will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2023:
   
   

   How does this affect your clients?

   Your clients’ STD benefit will be revised with the updated maximums based on the percentage of EI Maximum Weekly Insurable Earnings shown in their policy if:
   • Their Equitable Life Group Policy includes an STD benefit that is tied to the EI Maximum Weekly Insurable Earnings, and
   • At least one classification of employees has a maximum of less than $650.
   The additional premium for any increase from their previous STD amounts and new STD amounts will appear on their January 2023 Group Insurance Billing (as applicable).
    
   If their STD maximum is currently higher than $650 or based on a flat amount instead of a percentage or regular earnings, no change will be made to their plan unless otherwise directed.
    
   If your clients wish to provide direction regarding revising their STD maximum, or if they have questions about the process, they can email Kari Gough, Manager, Group Issue and Special Projects.

   Coming soon: Survey for Plan Administrators with recent disability claims*

   We’ve enhanced our communication processes to help your clients with disability plans manage their workplace absences more effectively. In early December, we will distribute a short survey to plan administrators who may have submitted an approved disability claim in the past six months. The survey will ask recipients about their satisfaction with the frequency and detail of our disability management communications.
   
   The email will come from GBClientFeedback@equitable.ca, and the survey will remain open until the end of the day on December 16, 2022. All responses will be confidential. We plan to use the feedback to help ensure that we’re meeting your clients’ expectations and delivering industry-leading service.
   
   We may also follow up with survey respondents directly, to address any concerns they’ve identified.
   
   * Indicates content that will be shared with your clients.
4. Frequently Asked Questions
5. A New Universal Life Insurance Solution for the 21st Century – Available NOW! Introducing a new universal life solution built for the 21st century: Equitable Generations™ universal life insurance is available for sale NOW!

   
   Check out our Equitable Generations universal life splash page: www.equitable.ca/ul

    
   Our new Equitable Generations universal life insurance
   Equitable Generations is a universal life product that offers investment options that resonate with today’s 21^st century client while reducing every fee possible. It also reduces the cost of insurance to help clients maximize their opportunity to purchase coverage and build tax-advantaged wealth.
   
   NEW: EZstart^TM Generations
   Today we are launching EZstart Generations which is:
    
   • A mobile-optimized tool for advisors
   • Designed to start a conversation and provide a possible universal life solution in under one minute
   • Goals based - you can see how Equitable Generations™ universal life insurance can perform at different stages of a client’s life.
   Give it a try and use this tool as you are starting the conversation about universal life solutions with clients. EZstart links directly to the EZcomplete® online application for an easy digital experience.
    
   NEW: SMS
   Effective today, September 26, 2022 when you submit an application, you can opt-in to receive text message updates for your new business applications.
   That’s a text message when:
   • The application is received,
   • A decision has been made by Equitable Life,
   • The policy is ready for delivery, and
   • The commissions have been triggered.
   Please note, this number is not monitored for incoming texts. Please contact Customer Service with any questions.
   Learn more
   
   Find all the exciting details on our virtual launch splash page (www.equitable.ca/ul) and watch our informative videos to get all the information you need to start selling Equitable Generations universal life.

   
   Check out our Equitable Generations universal life splash page: www.equitable.ca/ul

   
   Click on the Marketing Materials tab on EquiNet® for all of our new Equitable Generations marketing materials.

   Please contact your Regional Sales Manager for more information. 

    
   ^TM and ® denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada. 
    
    
6. 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.

7. EAMG Market Commentary April 2024 April 2024
    
   Rates & Credit – Interest rates increased in Q1 2024, giving back half of the decline experienced in Q4 2023 amid consistently positive surprises in U.S. economic data.  The positive economic news also drove a strong risk-on tone to the market, with the risk premium on corporate bonds tightening as economic prospects improved.  In Canada, corporate bonds outperformed government bonds and the broader FTSE Canada Universe Index (FTSE) with a slightly positive 0.07% return, verses a loss of 1.66% in government bonds and a loss of 1.22% for the overall index.  More interest rate sensitive long-term bonds experienced the largest decline, which was partially offset in corporate bonds by the risk-on tone to corporate bond spreads.  On a 6-month and 1-year basis, the FTSE remained positive at 6.94% and 2.10%, respectively.  Within corporate bonds, lower-rated BBBs outperformed higher-rated A bonds, while industries with higher interest rate exposure such as infrastructure, energy, and communications underperformed those with less exposure (notably financials and securitization).
   
   
    
    
   Equity Overview – Throughout Q1 2024, concerns about a recession gradually eased as central bankers adopted a more accommodative outlook on monetary policy. Their growing dovishness reflected confidence that the restrictive monetary measures were effectively curbing inflation as anticipated. Underpinned by prospects of an economic soft-landing, global equity markets rallied to start the year with most major North American indices soaring to new all-time highs during the quarter. U.S. equities continued to outperform other major international markets with the S&P 500 returning 10.6% in USD terms. Major developed economies from Europe, Australasia, and the Far East (EAFE) gained 10.1% in local currency terms, while the TSX added 6.6%. Furthermore, the U.S. economy continued to prove more resilient than most major developed economies, with strong employment and robust output data. As such, foreign investors of U.S. denominated securities achieved enhanced returns, benefitting from a stronger Greenback.
   
    
   U.S. Fundamentals – Corporate earnings beat expectations in Q4 2023, triggering a wave of upward earnings revision. Stable operating margins, cash flows and debt loads continue to attract investors into equities. Investors appear focused on the company’s ability to sustain debt levels ahead of renewing debt obligations. We observed that the number of major companies that expect improving financial performance shrunk to ~19%. This suggests that concentration risks are likely brewing in the equity market, yet again.
    
   U.S. Quant Factors
   Optimistic run-up in equity valuations were mostly driven by the momentum factor. A basket of companies with positive price trends intensified concentration risk in the equity market. We note that momentum factor’ performance sharply contrasted fundamental factors, making us cautious on the market’s complacency. For context, high quality companies, which is typically defined by high Return on Equity (ROE), stable earnings variability, and low financial leverage, placed second in our risk-adjusted performance rankings, and is dwarfed by the ~ 17.9% return observed from the momentum factor.
    
   Canadian Fundamentals – Against the backdrop of underwhelming financial results, ROE – a gauge of how efficiently a corporation generates profits – rebounded in Q4, 2023, after declining throughout most of the year. The improved efficiency metric provided a positive catalyst for dividend investors as the inverse movements of ROE relative to financing costs over 2023 kept investors on the sidelines. In addition, the CRB Raw Industrials Index, a measure of price changes of basic commodities, broke out of recent ranges, providing a tailwind for Canada’s energy and materials sector. Concerns with earnings contraction and macro-economic conditions have subsided.
    
   Canadian Quant Factors – Crude prices soared higher in Q1 2024, with ongoing production cuts from OPEC+ and ramifications of geopolitical conflicts keeping oil markets undersupplied. As such, energy companies benefitted, surging higher and outperforming the broader index, while the low volatility basket – with lower exposure to cyclically sensitive business – underperformed into quarter end. Furthermore, Canadian banks underperformed to start the quarter, giving back some of the sharp outperformance witnessed into the end of Q4 2023. That said, soft inflation data increased expectations of impending rate cuts from the Bank of Canada and, as such, banks performed in line with the broader market throughout most of the quarter. Underpinned by expectations of a dovish switch in monetary policy, investors rewarded dividend payers with a history of increasing dividends, boosting confidence in their ability to support future dividend growth. It is important to note that investors should not let dividend growth’s outperformance overshadow high dividend paying companies’ underperformance; more specifically, investors remain attentive to the businesses’ ability to create value relative to financing costs.  
   
   Views From the Frontline
    
   Rates – Interest rates in both Canada and the U.S. increased across all bond tenors in Q1 2024. U.S. inflation data surprised to the upside, remaining stubbornly higher than hoped, while labour market and consumer indicators underscored the economy's continued strength.  In Canada, inflation data fell below forecasts, but early 2024 GDP readings exceeded expectations. The market now anticipates a 'soft landing' for the U.S. economy; however, the Canadian economy continues to slow. North American central banks have signaled that we are at the peak for policy rates. The market is currently pricing in approximately two-to-three, 25 basis point interest rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve in the second half of 2024, much fewer than the six-to-seven 25 basis point interest rate cuts that the market had been anticipating even just three months ago.  As the Swiss central bank led the way with the first rate cut among developed countries, central banks in major developed economies will closely monitor upcoming data and market developments to determine the timing and pace for rate cuts.
    
   Credit – The risk premium for corporate bonds (versus government bonds) continued to tighten over the quarter, with a strong risk-on tone to the market as investors priced in renewed economic growth in 2024 as compared to previous expectations.  Corporate bond supply was robust, with $38.2bn in new issuance, the second strongest first quarter on record.  On the 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 dynamic as being more favourable.
    
   Equity – We favour a combination of the Dow Jones and the S&P500 for our broad market exposure. The Dow, a price-weighted index, should have some value and low volatility tilt as it tracks mature large companies.  As explained above, concentration risks are brewing in the equity market, and during Q1 this risk was exacerbated by investors rushing into a basket of companies with positive price trends, thereby pushing valuation metrics further into the expensive territory.  In our view, it is well-suited to use a combination of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 for broad U.S. market exposure given the heightened concentration risk. Looking forward, we expect companies to exhibit stable operating margins and therefore, we are shifting our focus toward the balance between upcoming corporate debt refinancing requirements and reinvestment in projects intended to drive future growth. In plain words, we are tactically adding to companies with stable cash flows and decreased debt loads outside of the mega-cap group. In Canada, we expect a modest earnings growth and remain attentive to how efficiently a corporation generates profits relative to their financing cost. We caution against the overly optimistic, commodity driven, “catch-up” trade vs. our southern neighbour. Therefore, we tweaked our investment strategy by rotating out of the low volatility factor and adding to higher yielding quality companies in Canada.
    

   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.
    
    
8. [pdf] myFlex Options Guide
9. Announcing Equitable Life's National Biosimilar Program Beginning March 1, 2024, we are expanding our biosimilar switch program nationally** to protect all our clients and to make our coverage consistent across Canada.
   
   Our national biosimilar initiative will simplify drug plan coverage, replacing our provincial programs with one program across the country.
    

   Why now?

   Over the past few years, most provinces have introduced policies to delist some originator biologic drugs. They require most patients to switch to biosimilar versions of those drugs to be eligible for coverage under their public drug plans. Soon, it is expected that all provincial drug plans will cover only biosimilars.
   
   In response, we have implemented biosimilar switch initiatives in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to align with these provincial changes. Our initiatives are designed to protect our clients from additional drug costs that may result from these government policies while providing access to equally safe and effective lower cost biosimilars.
    

   How will this affect clients’ drug plans?

   Because we have already introduced biosimilar switch initiatives in most provinces, the impact of this change will be minimal. It will primarily affect plan members in provinces or territories where we haven’t already required the switch to biosimilars, and plan members who are taking biosimilars that were not originally included in the switch initiative for their province. 
   
   Regardless of where they live, plan members across Canada 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. Plan members already taking the originator biologic will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drug to maintain coverage under their Equitable plan. We will support their transition with education, personalized communication, and resources.
    

   Will this change affect 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.
    

   Advance notice

   We will be communicating with affected claimants in early December to allow them ample time to change their prescription and avoid any interruptions in their treatment or their coverage. 
   
   If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Account Executive.
   
   
   **Excludes plan members in Quebec who participate in a separate provincial program. 
10. Redefining Trust in Financial Advice: AI and Mental Health Discover how AI is shaping client relationships, mental health and the advisor’s role.
    
    Join our April Master Class, “Redefining Trust in Financial Advice: AI and Mental Health.” As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more common in financial services, advisors are facing a new reality. Advanced technology now sits alongside very human needs. Clients want more than speed and smart tools. They want advice built on trust, empathy and understanding.
    
    In this session, we’ll explore:
    •    How AI is changing the advisor client relationship and what that means for trust.
    •    The link between money, mental health and client decision making.
    •    Practical ways advisors can use technology while staying empathetic and ethical.
    
    Why attend?
    •    Build stronger trust and confidence in client conversations as AI plays a bigger role.
    •    Better support clients dealing with financial stress and emotional uncertainty.
    •    Learn practical strategies you can use right away without losing the human touch.
    
    Join Joseph Trozzo, Vice President, National Investment Sales at Equitable, in conversation with Gabrielle Provencher, M.Sc., R.S.W., R.M.F.T. (AMHP), Director, Enhanced Mental Health Care & Workplace Support, Homewood Health.
    
    Don’t miss this opportunity.
    
    Learn more