February 7, 2025
Coming Up
Changes to UTS Benefits Plan
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to announce that our group benefits plan will be transitioning to Canada Life effective March 1, 2025.
The change from Manulife to Canada Life is taking place due to steep increases in Manulife’s premiums. Our new agreement with Canada Life will provide the same level of benefits with an overall 27% reduction in premiums and a cap on subsequent increases over subsequent annual cycles until the 2028 renewal.
If you are eligible for benefits, you will receive a welcome letter from Canada Life which will include our new Canada Life Policy number and your ID. Please note that your Canada Life Employee ID will reflect your UTS employee ID #.
The current coverage remains with Manulife until midnight on February 28, 2025. The online Manulife member site will no longer be available to submit claims effective March 1, 2025.
All eligible claims incurred up to and including February 28, 2025, must be submitted online to Manulife for reimbursement. Claims incurred before March 1, 2025, but submitted after February 28, 2025, can be sent to Manulife in two ways:
Paper Claim: They can complete a claim form and mail it to Manulife with corresponding receipts.
Email Submission: They can call Manulife customer service at 1-800-268-6185 and provide their email address. A representative will send them an email, and they can reply with the completed claim form and any corresponding receipts.
Manulife's final submission deadline is 90 days after the termination date (May 29, 2025) to submit claims.
Additional information will be provided in the coming weeks. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns regarding this change or your coverage.
Staffing Announcement
Dear Colleagues,
We are sad to inform you that Neuton Watson is moving on from UTS. Neuton joined UTS in 2009 and was an integral part of our Student Life program, as a supervisor of co-curricular activities and a basketball coach. He also helped chaperone countless co-curricular trips over his 15 years at UTS, and there is no doubt that he will be missed.
We wish Neuton contentment and fulfillment through the years ahead.
Operational PD at UTS
We are working to develop operational PD opportunities.
Please help by filling out this five-minute survey by the end of the day Wednesday, February 12.
Although you must fill out the survey while logged into your UTS Chrome user, the survey does not track your email or your Chrome user information.
Yes, we are incorporating feedback from the USW survey on operational PD as well!
Thank you,
Your Business & Operations PD Committee
Sherley, Emma, Sharon, Kim T., Carole
Panorama Survey
On Tuesday, February 11, 2025 during period 2 teachers will be asked to distribute and supervise students as they complete the 2024-25 Panorama Survey. As done for the last three years, this equity and inclusion climate survey is designed to give us a sense of and pulse on how students are feeling, relative to equity and inclusion in the school community. The online survey should take a minimum of 45 minutes to complete.
More details are linked here for period 2 (Block G) teachers.
Please let Nasreen Khan (nasreen.khan@utschools.ca) know if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you in advance for your support as we continue to work to make UTS an even more inclusive space.
Transportation Update
E-scooter ban
Please be aware that e-scooters are banned by the City of Toronto. Staff should not be using e-scooters to ride to and from school, and cannot store them in the bike room at UTS.
E-bikes
E-bikes are permitted in the Bike Room. If they are stored in the Bike Room, lithium batteries must be third-party tested and certified by a Canadian safety organization such as ULC (Underwriters Laboratories of Canada) or CE (Conformité Européenne). In alignment with U of T policy, e-bikes may only charged onsite in extenuating circumstances, with permission from Facilities.
Please Help UTS Plan for a Bursary Campaign
On Tuesday afternoon, a survey was sent to staff from the Eureka! Institute at UTS email address, eureka@utschools.ca, inviting you to complete an important survey to help shape the future of UTS. Completing this survey will help enhance our bursary program and ensure that exceptional students can continue to access the transformative UTS experience that has produced countless leaders, Nobel Laureates, and changemakers. If you haven’t received this, please check your spam folder in case it was caught by your email’s filters. If the email is not in your inbox or spam folder, please contact advancement@utschools.ca to get your unique survey link. You are asked to respond by February 14. Thank you!
