July 23, 2009 -

Waterloo - Equitable Life® has teamed up with Novus Health™ and Ceridian Canada Ltd. to provide reliable, Canadian health and wellness resources that are offered at no-charge as part of all Equitable Life Group Benefit Plans. EquitableHealth.ca™ connects all Group Benefit clients and their employees with health and wellness information, support and tools through HealthConnector™ and LifeWorks® Online to help them lead healthy and balanced lives.

"Whether online or by phone, Equitable Life's HealthConnector supports our Plan Members by connecting them to the resources that can help them know what questions to ask a doctor, deal with a family or personal medical issue or locate available health resources where they live," explains Karen Mason, Senior Vice-President - Group, Equitable Life of Canada. "It is support and information powered by Novus Health to help navigate the Canadian healthcare system and make more informed health decisions."

It is not just medically related issues that can challenge efforts to balance the often competing demands of work and everyday life.

"An equally important, part of being truly healthy lies in understanding and managing the non-medical factors that can also impact our daily lives. That is why we also integrated Ceridian's LifeWorks Online into EquitableHealth.ca," adds Mason. "This service provides access to the Canadian tools, resources and information that can help deal with workplace issues, stress, financial, legal, family and other personal concerns and lead to a healthier work-life balance."

By embedding access to these resources in all Group Benefit Plans and making these services available to all Plan Members and their families at no extra cost, Equitable Life is also providing employers with a unique edge.

"At the best of times, health and stress-related absences cost Canadian employers billions of dollars a year," explains Norma Crouse, Assistant Vice President - Group Claims. "When you factor in things like troubled economic times, an aging workforce and the pace of our daily lives, absences can increase and impact an organization's productivity and profitability. EquitableHealth.ca gives our Group clients and their employees the ability to take a more active role in managing their health and work-life balance, and this can help reduce absences and increase productivity."