Basic Group Life coverage provides life insurance benefits to plan members or their loved ones if you, your spouse, or your child passes away. As of June 1, 2026, plan members will be paying less for that coverage.

The rate paid by plan members for their Basic Group Life coverage will be reduced to $0.14 per $1,000 of coverage from $0.15 per $1,000 of coverage effective June 1, 2026. For someone making $75,000 a year, this means Basic Group Life monthly premium costs will drop to $21.00 from $22.50, a savings of more than $18.00 annually. When considering all plan members with Basic Group Life coverage, this will result in combined savings of around $800,000 annually. 

“Providing meaningful, affordable protection for benefit plan members is a core priority,” said Alana Shearer-Kleefeld, Vice-president of Employee Benefits with 3sHealth, the organization that administers the benefit plans. “This improvement offers families the same coverage at a lower expense during a time when a lot of costs are rising.”

These reduced rates are positively impacting over 44,000 plan members each year. All permanent health-care system employees are automatically enrolled in the Group Life plan on their first day of work, while other-than-full-time employees may become eligible after working for 26 weeks. 

Monthly life insurance premiums may be paid by the employer, the employee, or cost-shared between them based on collective bargaining agreements and employer policies. For more information on your benefit plans and answers to frequently asked benefit questions, please visit our comprehensive benefits information page.

This is the second improvement to Group Life insurance plans enacted in 2026.

Dependent coverage increased in January

The trustees also approved a higher level of coverage for Dependent Life insurance, which took effect on January 1, 2026.

This enhancement to the Group Life Insurance Plan provides additional coverage for a benefit plan member’s spouse and children at no extra cost for you or your employer. The enhancement provides added protection for members and reflects the Board of Trustees’ commitment to offering meaningful value in a responsible and sustainable way.

The new amounts are:

• $10,000 for each dependent child (up from $5,000), and
• $20,000 for a spouse (up from $10,000).

“When life is going well, no one wants to imagine losing a loved one,” said Lorne Shiplack, 3sHealth's Director of Benefit Services. “However, having this financial support available can provide added peace of mind during a difficult time.” 

These changes apply to deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2026. 

If you have questions about your benefit plans, call 3sHealth at 1.866.278.2301 or email ebp@3sHealth.ca.