— Group benefits · Manitoba

A real benefits plan, sized for a real Manitoba business.

Benefits attract and keep good people — but the plan you need at five employees is not the plan you need at fifty. Galaxy designs group plans that scale with your business.

See what we cover

20+Carriers compared on every file

7Days a week we are open, across three offices

3Languages — English, Hindi, Punjabi

— What's included

What a typical plan covers.

Extended health — Prescription drugs, paramedical (physio, massage, chiro, mental health), medical equipment, vision.
Dental — Basic, major and orthodontic, with different coinsurance levels by category.
Life insurance — Group life and AD&D for every employee.
Disability — Short-term and long-term disability income replacement.
Employee assistance (EAP) — Confidential counselling, financial and legal support.
Health spending accounts — Tax-effective flexible spending on top of (or instead of) traditional benefits.

Two colleagues reviewing benefits on a laptop together

Designed around your team

— Why offer benefits

The case for the spend.

A reasonable group benefits plan costs an employer between two and six percent of payroll, depending on plan design. In exchange, you get a meaningful tool for hiring and retention, a tax-deductible expense for the business, and a tax-free benefit for your employees on most lines of coverage.

For most growing Manitoba businesses, it is one of the better dollars-to-impact decisions on the table.

You do not need to be big.

Most carriers will write a group plan with as few as two or three employees. The plans look different at that scale — more pooling, fewer custom features, sometimes a minimum participation requirement — but they exist, and they work.

We design the plan to fit your team today and adjust it as the team grows.

— Plan design

Flexibility is the point.

Traditional plans — Defined coverage by category, with employer/employee cost sharing.
Flex plans — Employees choose where their benefit dollars go within a budget.
Cost-plus arrangements — For very small teams, expense-based reimbursement.
Health spending accounts — Flexible, tax-effective, increasingly popular with small businesses.

— FAQ

Common questions about group benefits in Winnipeg.

How small can my business be to qualify for a group benefits plan in Manitoba?

Most Canadian carriers will write a group benefits plan for as few as two or three employees, though pricing per employee is usually best once you have five or more. For very small employers, a Health Spending Account (HSA) or Private Health Services Plan (PHSP) often makes more sense than a traditional insured plan. We compare both at the quote stage.

What's typically included in a Winnipeg group benefits plan?

A standard plan usually combines extended health (prescription drugs, paramedical practitioners, vision, medical supplies), dental, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, and long-term disability. Optional add-ons include critical illness, an Employee Assistance Program, and travel insurance. The mix is yours to choose — we build the plan around what your team actually values, not a generic package.

How much do employee group benefits cost per employee in Manitoba?

A reasonable benchmark for a balanced Manitoba small business plan is roughly $100 to $200 per employee per month, depending on the demographic mix, the plan design, and which carrier wins the underwriting. Heavier plans with strong dental, paramedical and disability components cost more; lean plans with high deductibles and lower paramedical caps cost less. We can quote three or four design options side by side.

Can I customize the plan or is it one-size-fits-all?

Group plans are highly customizable. You choose the deductibles, the percentage co-insurance on each benefit category (drugs at 80%, dental at 100%, etc.), the annual and lifetime maximums, the disability waiting period, the life insurance multiple, and whether dependants are included. We walk through every lever and explain what each one costs.

What's the difference between traditional group benefits and a Health Spending Account?

A traditional insured plan is a defined-benefit structure — fixed coverages, fixed premiums, the carrier takes the risk. A Health Spending Account (HSA) is a defined-contribution structure — you allocate a tax-deductible dollar amount per employee per year, and they spend it on eligible medical and dental expenses. HSAs are simpler and cap your cost; insured plans offer broader protection (especially disability and life). Many Winnipeg small businesses run both side by side.

How long does it take to set up a group benefits plan?

From the first conversation to live coverage is usually three to five weeks. Week one is gathering employee census data and current plan documents. Week two is shopping carriers and presenting options. Week three is finalizing the design with you. Weeks four to five are enrolment, employee education, and live coverage. We handle the heavy paperwork; you sign off on the decisions.

Can I bundle group benefits with my commercial property, liability and business auto?

Yes. Galaxy is appointed with carriers across personal, commercial and group benefits lines, so we can sit on the same side of the table for your entire insurance program. One broker, one renewal conversation, and a real view of where your business protection has gaps or overlaps.

Want a benefits review?

Send us your current plan documents and we will tell you, honestly, whether you can do better.

Talk to a broker