Starting October 1, 2026, Alberta Bill 11 will change how prescription drug and select health-care expenses are coordinated for Albertans with private or employer-sponsored benefits. Under the new rules, private plans will pay first, with government programs such as Alberta Blue Cross Seniors and Non-Group coverage acting as the second payer. Employers, retirees, and employees age 65+ should review their benefits strategy now to understand potential cost impacts and ensure they are prepared for the transition.

Managing employee leaves of absence can be complex, but having a clear internal benefits policy makes all the difference. A well-defined approach helps ensure compliance with Alberta regulations, supports employees during important life events, and streamlines administration for your HR team. By outlining benefit continuation, employee responsibilities, and return-to-work procedures, organizations can reduce confusion, manage costs effectively, and provide peace of mind for both employees and employers.

At the Couillard Group we frequently talk about the concept of “legacy”.  In fact, it is really the foundation of most of the work we do.   We discuss a legacy as how you want to be remembered, what your mark on society might be and what you want to leave behind.  In our experience, the concept of legacy is often associated as something that is thought of only later in life and typically for those who have accumulated substantial wealth.   We would like to break down this stereotype. 

Couillard Group, in partnership with Parker PR, is running the Souls for Sisters Drive kicking off on March 8, 2023 in honor of International Women’s Day. The donation drive is in support of Heart Home Network and is especially focused on filling the gap for high-priority items like sanitary pads, tampons, baby diapers, deodorants and shaving kits. These items are often overlooked in donation drives and are in high demand and we hope that this drive with provide basic necessities to women and children so that they are empowered to reach for opportunities that we otherwise take for granted. 

As many of us spend time in the New Year refocusing our goals and making plans for ourselves for the coming year ahead, we would like to provide another focus for some of your thinking…the next generation. If you’re reading this, it is likely that you have put material time and energy into your own financial and estate planning. But what does the planning look like for the next generation in your life? As a multigenerational business ourselves, we understand the nuances that go into this work. Here are some things to consider:

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week and the Canadian Mental Health Association reports that 40% of Canadians say their mental health has worsened since the start of the pandemic. Employers have a unique role to play in helping their employees stay mentally strong and helping them access support when they need it.

A group benefit plan is one of the single most important tools that an organization can use to help employees. Many group plans have specific components that employees can access to help stabilize and improve their mental health,

What is juvenile life insurance and how do I know if it is an appropriate planning tool for my children and family?

Purchasing life insurance for your children, or even your grandchildren, is a strategy that creates significant value for you, your children, and the generation beyond.

When I think about why I have this product for my own kids, it goes far beyond simply having a basic life insurance plan in place. One of the most important benefits of juvenile insurance is the protection of future insurability and the creation of a foundation of life insurance that can be built on into the future. Regardless of what happens in my children’s lives, a juvenile insurance policy will ensure that they always have coverage that increases over time and gives them options in their adult years to increase coverage at guaranteed standard rates, no questions asked.

“The bad stuff is easier to believe. You ever notice that?” says Julia Roberts’ character, Vivian, in Pretty Woman (1990)

In a world filled with a 24-hour negative news cycle, the stress of a rapidly growing “third wave” of COVID-19 and a population that reports increasing levels of fatigue and unmanageable stress, many of us have experienced recurring negative emotions, thoughts, and moods. The Couillard Group recently had the opportunity to sit in on a virtual seminar with Dana Couillard (brother to Hal), a well-known human performance coach (www.rippledynamics.com).

"The feeling of progress is one of the best feelings of all. This is true even when progress is small." ~ James Clear

There are a million reasons for putting off important work. This “work” could describe any aspect of our lives; from getting healthy or working on a relationship, to finally getting around to insurance or financial planning, starting to invest for the future, or completing our wills. When we rationally examine the reasons (or sometimes excuses) why we put off work that we know to be important to our long-term success, we find that they fall into one of two categories: fear or priority.