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Sterling Insights
Stay informed and connected with Sterling’s Insight section. Here, you’ll discover industry updates, news, legislations, and the latest happenings within our company. Stay attuned to the ever-evolving landscape, benefit from valuable insights, and stay updated on all things Sterling to empower your decisions and stay ahead in your journey!
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05/19/2026Your HR Action Plan for Mental Health Awareness Month: 4 Steps for Canadian Workplaces
Mental Health Awareness Month in Canada (May) is a chance for HR and leadership teams to move from intention to action. The four steps below give Canadian employers a simple, repeatable plan that supports workplace mental health all year, not just during the month of May. 1. Send a Mental Health Week Kickoff Message A […]
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05/15/2026Mental Health Support for Women at Every Career Stage
When the return-to-office mandate landed at her bank, Supreet Singh, 39, didn’t fight it. After seven years of juggling full-time corporate communications work with caregiving for an ageing parent and two school-aged children, she resigned. The flexibility that had made her career possible disappeared overnight. Her story isn’t unusual. Across Canadian workplaces, return-to-office mandates are […]
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05/14/2026British Columbia National Pharmacare (Plan NP)
On March 1, 2026, British Columbia became the first province to fully implement Plan NP, Canada’s new national pharmacare program. For BC residents, that means three categories of drugs — diabetes medications, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and contraceptives — are now available at no cost at the pharmacy counter, no private coverage required. For plan […]
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05/14/2026Alberta Bill 11: Health Statutes Amendment Act.
The Alberta government has passed Bill 11, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2), with implementation expected to start in summer 2026. The legislation introduces two changes that directly affect employer group benefits plans for both active employees and retirees. Payor of Last Resort: The Alberta government becomes the payer of last resort for […]
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05/11/2026What’s Actually Eating Your HR Team’s Time, and How to Fix It
It’s Tuesday morning at 11 AM. Your HR manager is on their third call about benefits. First call: a new hire’s enrolment forms got lost in email. Second call: an employee’s address change didn’t sync to the payroll system, so their deduction is wrong. Third call: no one knows why the claim was denied, and […]
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05/08/2026Canada’s $110B Mental Health Wake-Up Call
Canadian employers now carry more than $110 billion a year in mental health related costs. That figure comes from a new Canadian Standards Association report, and it points to a problem growing faster than most workplaces can keep up with. The Numbers $110B: annual cost to Canadian employers (lost productivity, disability leave, workplace accommodations) $180B: […]
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05/06/2026Mental Health Awareness Month in Canada
Each May, Canadians come together for Mental Health Awareness Month. It is a time to reduce stigma, support employees, and connect people with the care they need. For Canadian employers, the month is also a chance to review workplace mental health programs and group benefits to make sure they reflect the way teams live and […]
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05/01/2026What’s New in the Canadian Group Benefits Landscape
(1) National Pharmacare (Plan NP) Is Live in BC — But Federal Expansion Is in Doubt As of March 1, 2026, BC residents can access diabetes medications, hormone replacement therapy, and contraceptives at no cost at the pharmacy, with private plans paying only the gap. However, Ottawa’s Spring 2026 Economic Update has effectively halted national […]
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04/27/2026How Much Do Employee Group Benefits Cost in Canada?
Walk into any small business owner or HR manager’s office and ask, “How much do employee benefits cost?” and you’ll likely get the same response: a sigh followed by “Way more than I expected.” The problem isn’t that you’re looking in the wrong place; it’s that most of the information out there is too vague […]
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04/24/2026The Real Cost of a Bad Benefits Plan
Here’s a number most business owners never calculate: the true cost of an employee who leaves because of a benefits package they resented. Not just the recruiting fees. Not just the onboarding time. The full cost, including the six months before they handed in their notice, when they’d mentally already checked out. Canadian HR research […]
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