President's message
Welcome to the 2017 Edition of the CLHIA's Canadian Life and
Health Insurance Facts. The Canadian life and health insurance
industry is a major contributor to both the lives of Canadians and
our economy, and the information contained in this year's Edition
continues to bear this out. The industry continues to grow and
evolve to better meet the needs of our customers.
The life and health insurance industry provides peace of mind for
Canadians by providing them and their loved ones with financial
security and access to healthcare when they need it the most.
We also play a critical role in helping to build Canada's economy
for the future.
The industry's products and services are a key complement to many of the public policy goals
set by governments. For example, we manage the large majority of private-sector pension
plans in Canada – helping Canadians to effectively plan for and attain their retirement goals.
As well, we provide a significant source of financing to help renew and replace Canada's
aging infrastructure, whether it be hospitals, roads, bridges, or other crucial infrastructure.
As much as we've done already, we are ready and able to invest even more going forward.
Finally, the industry continues to supplement Canada's Medicare system by providing access
to critical healthcare services like medications or paramedical supports – something that is
essential to help keep Canadians healthy and at work.
I hope that you find the 2017 Edition of our "factbook" informative and useful.
Stephen Frank
President & CEO