4:00pm – 6:00pm

• (4:00pm – 6:00pm) Attendee Check-In

• (4:00pm – 6:00pm) Benefits Alliance Welcome Reception

Morning: 7:00am – 12:00pm

• (7:00am – 8:30am) Attendee Check-In

• (7:30am – 8:30am) Networking Breakfast

• (8:30am – 8:45am) IGNITE Conference Opening –  Carolyne Eagan, Benefits Alliance

• (8:45am – 9:45am) Panel Discussion: What you need to know that may impact plan members in 2025 and beyond

• Panel Hosts: Graham Young, CAPCORP and Chair of the Board, Benefits Alliance, Todd Stephen, Selectpath and Chair of BA Advocacy Committee and Gord Hart, Selectpath and Chair of BA Technology Committee
• Panel Members: Martin Papillon, President and Chief Executive Officer, AGA Benefit Solutions and Benefits Alliance Advocacy Committee Member, Jordan Paquet, Vice-President, Bluesky Strategy Group, Kate Julien, Director of Government Relations & Industry Affairs, Canada Life, Joe Whitney, AVP, Government Relations Canada, Manulife, Alyx Holland, Director, Global Government Affairs and Public Policy, Sun Life, James White, President & CEO, Wellmaster

   – (8:45am – 9:10am) The Pulse on Pharmacare – What you need to know and how you can make a difference –  Panel Host: Graham Young, CAPCORP and Chair of the Board, Benefits Alliance

   – (9:10am – 9:20am) Did You Know Virtual Care is at Risk? –  Panel Host: Todd Stephen, Selectpath and Chair of the Advocacy Committee, Benefits

   – (9:20am – 9:35am) METC (Medical Expense Tax Credit): Advocating to help Plan Sponsors implement Proactive & Preventative Health Strategies –  Panel Host: Gord Hart, Selectpath, Chair of the Technology Committee, Benefits Alliance

   – (9:35am – 9:45am) Your Voice Matters: What can you do when meeting with your plan sponsors to help plan members? –  Carolyne Eagan, President, Benefits Alliance and Todd Stephen, Selectpath and Chair of the Advocacy Committee, Benefits Alliance

• (9:45am – 10:15am) Treatment, Technology & Tariffs: Advocating for Better Diabetes Care in Canada –  Glenn Thibeault, Diabetes Canada

• (10:15am – 10:45am) Obesity at Work: Tackling Bias, Reducing Costs, and Building a Healthier Workforce –  Dr. Sandy Van, Lifestyle 360 and Sandra Elia, The Food Addiction Recovery Program

• (10:45am – 11:15am) NETWORKING BREAK

• (11:15am – 11:50am) Panel Discussion –  Veronika Litinski, Pillcheck, Faizan Baig, OTIP and Gavin Mosley, Mosley Group Benefits:

   – Personalized medicine: A solution to the financial strain caused by ineffective therapies and the health burdens of adverse drug reactions.

Afternoon: 12:00pm – 5:00pm

• (11:50am – 12:30pm) Why Fertility Benefits Matters –  Tara Wood, Fertility Matters and Yafa Sakkejha, Beneplan

• (12:30pm – 1:30pm) NETWORKING LUNCH

• (1:30pm – 2:30pm) Why Cancer Matters: Practical Considerations for Advisors and Plan Sponsors –   Chris Bonnett , Ph. D. , H3 Consulting and Allan Smofsky, Smofsky Strategic Planning

• (2:30pm – 3:00pm) The Value of Drug Coverage: Sustainability and Access –  Joe Farago , Innovative Medicines Canada

• (3:00pm – 3:30pm) NETWORKING BREAK

• (3:30pm – 4:00pm) The Daily Dose: What’s different about 2025 drivers of drug spend? –   Martin Chung , Equitable Life

• (4:00pm – 4:30pm) Expensive Drugs for Rare Diseases (EDRDs) – How Insurance is Responding to the Risks –   Gary Walters , GroupHealth

• (4:30pm – 4:45pm) Panel Discussion: Hosted by Rob Green, Green Benefits Group

   – A panel discussion including the three previous presenters, Joe Farago, Martin Chung and Gary Walters will follow. Get ready with your questions!

• (4:45pm – 5:00pm) Closing Comments

Evening: 5:00pm – 10:00pm

• (5:00pm – 6:30pm) BREAK – Time to get ready for the Gala!

• (6:30pm – 7:30pm) Benefits Alliance Gala Cocktail Hour

• (7:30pm – 10:00pm) Benefits Alliance Gala Dinner and Fun Begins

Morning: 8:00am – 12:00pm

• (7:30am – 8:30am) Attendee Check-in

• (7:30am – 8:30am) NETWORKING BREAKFAST

• (8:30am – 9:45am) BA Members Only Session. (PSPs and Sponsors to join at 9:30am COFFEE BREAK)

• (7:30am – 8:30am) NETWORKING BREAKFAST

• (8:30am – 9:00am) Annual General Meeting: Exclusive to BA Member Firms –   Carolyne Eagan & Graham Young , Benefits Alliance

• (9:00am – 9:30am) Gender Disparities in Chronic Disease: Women’s Health in the Modern Workplace –   Krista Hogan , SunLife

• (9:30am – 9:45am) COFFEE BREAK – All attendees joining the conference 

• (9:45am – 10:00am) SPARK Conference Opening –   Carolyne Eagan, Benefits Alliance

• (10:00am – 11:00am) KEYNOTE SPEAKER:  Dr. Dave Williams

• (11:00am – 11:30am) Navigating Addiction and Mental Health –   Lane Quelch, Desjardins

• (11:30am – 12:00pm) Info Session

• (11:30am – 12:00pm) Industry Showcase – Karen Kesteris, Health Solutions by Shoppers Drug Mart and Anu Sharda, Health Solutions by Shoppers Drug Mart

• (11:00am – 12:00pm) SPARK STAGE: 2025 Outlook and Impact to Investors,  James Robertson, Manulife Investment Management

Afternoon: 12:00pm – 5:15pm

• (12:00pm – 1:00pm) NETWORKING LUNCH

• (1:00pm – 1:15pm) Industry Showcase: Dialogue

• (1:15pm – 1:30pm) Industry Showcase: Ingle

• (1:30pm – 1:45pm) Industry Showcase: EHN CANADA

• (1:45pm – 2:00pm) Industry Showcase: ORION

• (2:00pm – 2:30pm) SPARK STAGE: A 360-Degree View of the DC Landscape: 2024 U.S. Defined Contribution Consultant Study, Taylor Pidgeon, T. Rowe Price

• (2:30pm – 3:30pm) SPARK STAGE: Session Title TBA,   MFS

•  (2:00pm – 3:00pm) Revolutionizing Group Benefits: How AI and data are reshaping the insurance experience – Parama Ray, AVP & PO, Advanced Analytics, Canada Life

• (3:00pm – 3:30pm) NETWORKING BREAK  

• (3:30pm – 4:00pm) Canadian health trends and the drivers of change in health programs- Paula Allen , TELUS Health

• (4:00pm – 4:30pm) Grief vs Depression: Helping Plan Sponsors support their plan members –   Shannon McShane-Reed, Penmore and Christine MacDonald, Selectpath

• (4:30pm – 5:00pm) Panel Discussion –   Amr Galal, Bridgewell Financial, Gavin Mosley, Mosley Group Benefits and Jared Reist , Mountainview Benefits:

   – Behind Closed Doors – Exploring the Secrets of Private Healthcare in Canada

• (5:00pm – 5:15pm) Closing Comments