February 2024 Pipewrench

PIPEWRENCH —Your Communication Pipeline

WINTER EDITION

A Message from the Board of Trustees

Dear Members,

With the month of January already behind us, time seems to be flying by faster than ever! Our first newsletter of the year is focused on sharing important updates from AIG Travel Medical Insurance and Green Shield, some reminders regarding your benefits and instructions on how to set up direct deposit for SUB benefits.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all apprentices, active members, retirees, member’s spouses and surviving spouses who attended the 2024 membership meeting last October. Thank you for helping us make it a great event! Attending this meeting is a crucial step towards understanding how the Welfare and Pension Plans are doing and getting the most out of your benefits.

As we continue to prioritize your best interests, we are happy to share that the amount of $750 for the Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) was renewed for 2025. The HCSA gives you the flexibility to pay for eligible benefits services and expenses not otherwise covered under the plan with Green Shield. We encourage you to use this additional coverage to build a plan that suits your needs.

We hope you and your family are well, and wish you good health throughout this winter. Stay safe and warm!

Sincerely,

---

2024 Annual Employee Benefits Conference

Barrington Price, Bill Stanger, Dave Marcus and Frank Benincasa attended the 57th Annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference last November in San Antonio, Texas. In addition, the trustees completed the following in-person certificate programs:

The courses covered in-depth applications and case studies related to pension plans and health and welfare benefits. These certifications equip the trustees with valuable tools to excel in their roles and help ensure our Plans are prepared for future challenges.

---

What's New

GreenShield

Non-emergency claims (such as planned dental work and professional services) incurred outside of Canada are not covered by Green Shield.

This change to the plan was implemented on January 1, 2020 due to Green Shield’s challenges in auditing services from medical foreign providers not included in their registry.

AIG - Travel

AIG will not cover any loss, injury, damage, or legal liability arising directly or indirectly from planned or actual travel in, to, or through Iran, Syria, Sudan, North Korea, or the Crimea region.

Health Care Spending Account

Your Health Care Spending Account was reset on January 1st. You can use the amount of $750 towards any medical expense under the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) Income Tax Guidelines, such as

• Payments to medical practitioners, massage therapy, chiropractor, physiotherapist, hospitals, orthodontics, etc.
• Eyeglasses and contact lenses
• Rehabilitative therapy
• Dental expenses

This list is based on the CRA guidelines and may not be complete. You can find a full list of eligible expenses on the CRA website.

Please note that any unused portion of the maximum amount granted in the HCSA will not roll forward to the next calendar year.

New - Direct Deposit

You can now set up direct deposit to collect your SUB benefit. Please send an email to: local67@reliableadmin.com with a void cheque or a form from your bank stating the following information: bank name, transit number, institution number and account number.

T4A Slips

Tax season is almost upon us. You will soon receive your T4A from Reliable. Your T4A reports the life Insurance premium costs paid by your employer, and Pension and SUB benefits paid by Local 67 Benefit Plans during the year.

---

Friendly Reminders

• Please keep your personal information and forms updated with Reliable. Changes in your address, marital status and/or dependents should be communicated.

• Please note that if a contingency beneficiary is not designated for your life insurance and there are no surviving beneficiaries at the time of your death, the life insurance proceeds will be paid to your estate

• If you are adding a spouse into your Welfare Plan, you must submit one of the following supporting documents for:
  • Legal spouse who has a different last name than you: a copy of the first page of your T1 General (Income Tax Return), or copy of your marriage certificate, or a notarized affidavit as a Statutory Declaration.
  • Common-Law: a copy of the first page of your T1 General (Income Tax Return), or a notarized affidavit as a Statutory Declaration.

You can find a common-law affidavit template at Reliable’s office.

---