Desjardins Insurance is supporting a renewed national initiative to address Canada women's health gap by partnering with the Women's Health Collective Canada (WHCC). The partnership is spotlight new research from the McKinsey Health Institute to spotlight the human and economic impact of the women’s health gap in Canada and make the case for further investment.
The McKinsey analysis found that women in Canada spend nearly 24% more of their lives in poor health than men, much of its during their most productive years. This health imbalance translates into lower workforce participation and higher disability and health benefit costs. Closing the gap could unlock an estimated $37 billion in additional GDP annually by 2040, while also reducing long-term pressures on public and private health systems.
For insurers such as Desjardins, the findings highlighted how benefit plan design and health coverage can directly influence outcomes. “At Desjardins Insurance, we deeply believe that every woman deserves to be supported in her health, well-being, and financial confidence — at every stage of life,” said Chantal Gagné, EVP, life and health insurance, Desjardins. “Our partnership with Women’s Health Collective Canada is a meaningful way to turn that belief into action. Together, we’re helping build a future where women feel supported.”
The initiative also reinforces the growing role of group insurers in promoting gender-sensitive coverage. Insurers are increasingly being called upon to bridge care gaps in areas such as reproductive health, preventive screening, mental health and chronic disease management.
Industry partners emphasized that equitable coverage can improve both health and economic outcomes. Hologic Canada noted that aligning innovation with policy reform is key to ensuring access to quality care, while Organon Canada pointed out that only about 5% of global pharmaceutical R&D is focused on women’s health, and just 1% when cancer-related research is excluded.
Desjardins’ ongoing involvement in initiatives such as WHCC’s represents a shift within the insurance sector toward proactive, prevention-based care models.
