Enrolment

Single and Family Coverage

There are two types of coverage: single or family. You must enrol in the Healthcare and Dental Plans according to your current, true family status. Therefore, if you have eligible family members, you must enrol in family coverage.

Eligible family members include your:

• Spouse: a person who is legally married to you.

Note: In the case of separation, the former spouse is no longer eligible for coverage.

• Common-law partner: a person who has continuously resided with you for at least one full year and whom you’ve represented as your partner.

If you have lived together for one year or more at the time of enrolment, you must enrol in family coverage and declare your common-law partner immediately. He or she will be eligible for coverage at the same time as you are.

If you have lived together for less than one year at the time of enrolment, you must enrol in family coverage and declare your common-law partner, even though he or she will not be eligible for coverage until you have lived together for one year.

Note: You will pay premiums for single coverage until your partner becomes eligible for coverage, unless you have other eligible family members.

• Dependant children. The following will be considered dependant children:

- Natural children.
- Legally adopted children.
- Stepchildren.
- The children of your common-law partner, provided the children are living with you either full-time or in a shared custody arrangement.
- Children for whom the employee or spouse/common-law partner is the legal guardian. 

To be eligible as a dependant under the Plan(s), children must be unmarried and financially dependent on you.

Children under age 21 who are living with you either full-time or in a shared custody arrangement are considered eligible dependants regardless of their employment status. Coverage ceases at the end of the month in which the child turns age 21.

Children (full-time students) under age 25 are eligible if they are unmarried and attending an accredited educational institution, college or university full-time, regardless of their employment status. Children temporarily residing elsewhere while attending school are still considered eligible.

Children over 21 years of age are eligible if they are unmarried, and dependent on you by reason of a mental or physical disability, provided the disability began before age 21; or before age 25 if the child is a full-time student.  

You must notify your human resources or benefits department within 60 days of a change in your eligible family members (e.g., resulting from marriage, separation, start or end of a common-law relationship, death, birth, adoption, or a change in student status) using a Change Form. Failure to do so may result in restrictions to coverage.

You must declare your family members even if they live outside of Canada. You will not be charged family rates until they arrive in Canada and have valid provincial healthcare coverage. When they do arrive, you must complete a Change Form with your employer within 60 days and provide a copy of their provincial healthcare card. Their coverage will begin the first of the month following their provincial health effective date.