Education Sessions
Day 2
10:15 – 11:15 A.M.
Jeffrey Stinchcombe, People Corporation
Join Jeffrey Stinchcombe, Canada’s leading thought expert in employee benefits to level up your understanding on how to revolutionize your benefits plan and stay ahead of your competition. In this engaging talk, you’ll learn 10 actionable tips you can immediately put into action. Jeffrey’s easygoing presentation style will have you fully engaged as you learn how to set yourself up for success.
Klea Jokic, National Payroll Institute
When Canadian employees work outside of Canada or an organization in Canada plans to hire internationally remote employees, employers are faced with several challenges.
There are:
- Legal risks for employers when employees work from abroad;
- Permits or visas to work abroad;
- Payroll and tax implications;
- Regulatory compliance issues like employment standards and workers compensation;
- Benefits concerns;
- Operational challenges and IT security infrastructure considerations; and
- Reporting requirements.
It is crucial for Canadian businesses to be proactive and involve payroll professionals to understand and overcome these challenges. In this session, we will explore the impact of remote work, address the challenges employers face, and discuss how to stay compliant.
Canada Revenue Agency
Kimberley Fiume, Sability Human Capital Consulting
Effective change management, clear communication, and thorough documentation are essential to the success of any HCM go-live. When business processes and technology are evolving, it’s crucial to equip all stakeholders—Employees, Managers, Human Resources, and Payroll professionals—with the right information and resources.
In this session, we’ll discuss how to guide stakeholders through the new processes by providing clear communications, detailed documentation, and practical tools. This approach helps ensure that everyone understands the updated workflows and feels prepared to manage transactions accurately and on time.
Join us as we examine key communication strategies, explore documentation practices, and build awareness of new system requirements. Our goal is to empower your organization to navigate the transition smoothly and to enable every user to work confidently within the new system.
Johanna Van Bilsen, MaxPeople
In the complex and detail-driven world of payroll, effective communication is crucial—but it’s not just about sending the right message. It’s about truly listening to understand the needs of your team, clients, and organization. Join Johanna Van Bilsen as she explores the art of active listening and its vital role in delivering accurate, responsive payroll services. Learn key techniques to go beyond just hearing words—engage fully in conversations, read important verbal and non-verbal cues, and ensure clear, effective communication in every interaction.
Key takeaways:
- Practical tips and best practices for overcoming common barriers to active listening;
- How to detect subtle cues to better understand messages; and
- Techniques to improve communication flow in a professional service setting.
Janice Gair, eiADVANTAGE
Emotional intelligence is key to success in your personal and professional life. Learn how to hone your emotional skills to gain self-awareness, and confidence, and to enhance your leadership.
Steven Van Alstine, PLP, plus panel, National Payroll Institute and Sability
In today’s evolving workplace, integrating Payroll and Human Resources (HR) functions has never been more critical. This session, Payroll & Human Resources – Effective Collaboration, is a unique opportunity for professionals who navigate both domains, straddling the line between effective payroll administration and managing the HR function within your organization. Attendees will have the privilege of hearing from an expert panel composed of leaders with dual designations in payroll and HR, who will share insights on how to harmonize these essential business functions to optimize efficiency, compliance, and employee satisfaction.
The discussion will explore:
- Strategies for seamless collaboration between Payroll and HR teams;
- The importance of joint payroll-HR knowledge in ensuring compliance with complex legislation and regulations;
- How integrating payroll and HR systems can drive operational efficiency and better decision-making;
- Best practices for aligning employee services and experiences through cohesive payroll and HR functions; and
- The value of having cross-functional expertise in leading strategic initiatives that impact the entire organization.
Manon Amiot et Karima Balfoul, Institut national de la paie
Cette séance sera présentée en deux parties.
La première partie visera à déterminer si vous bénéficiez d’avantages imposables. Qu’est-ce qui détermine si une allocation doit être justifiée ou non? Nous examinerons les cinq avantages imposables les plus courants répertoriés par l’équipe de la Ligne Info sur la paie.
La deuxième partie prendra la forme d’un atelier. Les professionnels de la paie discuteront en groupes des avantages imposables ou des allocations qui les préoccupent.
Des spécialistes animeront la discussion et agiront en tant que membres de l’Institut national de la paie, tandis que les participants joueront le rôle de la Ligne Info sur la paie en déconstruisant les mythes entourant les allocations et les avantages imposables.
11:25 A.M. – 12:25 P.M.
Steven Van Alstine, PLP, CAE, and Kimberley Fiume, PCP, F.NPI, National Payroll Institute and Sability
More and more organizations are looking for ways to retain employees while ensuring overall work life balance. As a result, organizations are bringing health and wellness to the forefront and offering various types of reimbursements under these plans. While the concept is great, the key is making sure your plan is in compliance with CRA and RQ requirements. Each plan can be different and requires a full review reimbursements. Join us for this interactive knowledge session to learn the ins and outs of your spending accounts. It may be helpful to bring your plan particulars so we can help you establish the taxable nature of your programs.
John Wunderlich, John Wunderlich & Associates, Inc
Privacy continues to be an ongoing and developing issue. This session will update you on significant legislative changes (or lack thereof), highlight the past year’s headlines and news related to privacy, and update you on what you need to know to have informed conversations with your stakeholders.
Edward Rajaratnam, EY Global
This session will provide an overview of the Canadian implications of cross-border payroll (both inbound and outbound). The session will address the essentials around assignments and business travelers and the payroll complexities involved. It will also provide insights into engaging with other functional teams and the need to manage risk based on leading practices.
Nikki Browne, Workers Compensation Board of Alberta
Charli Champagne, Payworks
Join us for an insightful presentation on the profound impact of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) on your business! We’ll explore how fostering an environment where employees feel empowered to be their authentic selves can lead to exceptional customer service and meaningful community engagement. Learn about creating inclusive policies, providing essential DEIB education, and taking actionable steps to integrate DEIB into your business practices. Discover how these efforts can attract top talent, enhance customer relations, and build a thriving workplace. Don’t miss this opportunity to make a lasting impact and move forward together.
Jordan Rodney, MaxPeople
Join us for an insightful session on the intersection of HR and Employment Law, essential for payroll professionals, where we will explore the latest developments and their implications for compliance, effective employment agreements, and flexible policies. Learn about human rights considerations, accommodations, and navigating discipline, layoffs, and terminations, while discussing key factors for payroll in hybrid and remote work models, emphasizing the importance of staying updated on relevant legislative and case law developments.
Key Takeaways:
- Payroll-focused employment agreements and policies
- Human rights and accommodations in payroll
- Managing discipline, layoffs, and terminations
- Considerations for hybrid and remote work
- Recent legislative updates impacting payroll
Jennifer Quaid, Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange
Manon Amiot, Karima Balfoul, Institut national de la paie
2:40 – 3:40 P.M.
Laura Angelo, Karima Balfoul, National Payroll Institute
John Wunderlich, John Wunderlich & Associates, Inc
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is sweeping through every category of software, including payroll, HR, ERP, and most other acronyms. This session will provide you with an overview and framework to evaluate the veracity of claims that AI vendors make and manage privacy risks to your employees an customers.
Representatives from ADP
Jim Medlock, APA
Are you concerned that your payroll operation and processes must be operating at peak effectiveness and efficiency? Have you identified the Key Performance Indicators of your payroll operation? Using commonly used payroll Key Performance Indicators, we’ll demonstrate methods you can use to track your payroll process and operation’s trends and identify areas of weakness. In this session, you will learn how to develop a Payroll Dashboard to monitor your Key Performance Indicator’s trends.
Beverly Beuermann-King, R ‘n’ B Consulting – Work Smart Live Smar
Are you overworking yourself to the point where you don’t have a moment to yourself? It’s easy to become addicted to the pressure, however, constant hustling can lead to burnout, negative health effects, conflict and more. Learn practical strategies to prevent and overcome burnout without resorting to quitting your job. In this workshop, we’ll explore the warning signs of burnout, identify effective coping strategies, and develop a personalized plan for resilience. Gain valuable insights into maintaining mental health, boosting energy, and staying focused amidst challenges and uncertainty. Don’t let burnout hold you back—empower yourself with the tools and knowledge to bounce back, thrive, and find fulfillment in both your professional and personal life.
Jordan Rodney, MaxPeople
Join us for an engaging Hot Seat session with the MaxPeople and Rodney Employment Law team., featuring an open-mic Q&A format! Get insights from experts on key issues for payroll and HR professionals. Whether you have pre-submitted questions or want to participate live, come ready to discuss:
- Navigating employment agreements and policies;
- Managing hybrid workplace challenges;
- Addressing the skills gap in leadership;
- Overcoming employee relations issues;
- Attracting and retaining top talent;
- Understanding accommodations in payroll;
- Handling discipline, layoffs, and terminations; and
- Staying updated on employment law and HR trends.
Trina Myatt, Robert Half
Shifting employee expectations, a competitive labour market, and the proliferation of digital tools mean that flexible environments, digital workflows, and ongoing reskilling have become business as usual across every division, including payroll, of Canadian companies today. To ensure your teams can help your employer adapt to whatever challenges it faces both now and in the future, this one-hour presentation provides an eight-step plan for embracing changes, balancing remote, hybrid, and in-office teams, redefining hiring, management, and compensation strategies, and much more.
Agence du revenu du Canada
3:50 – 4:50 P.M.
Laura Angelo, Karima Balfoul, National Payroll Institute
Terminations — Part 1 and Part 2 — part 1 is the legal considerations and documentation best practices and part 2 to have a breakout to calculate final payments for 3 jurisdictions — using case study examples Salary and Wage overpayments – using case study examples — legal fra.m.ework, types of overpayments and recovery options. Case studies on different overpayment scenarios, Role-playing exercises for discussing overpayments with employees, Calculating repayment amounts (net vs. gross).
Tina Beauchamp, National Payroll Institute
A short case study will be presented for an organization with both remote and in-office employees who have been experiencing an increase in payroll errors. As a group, we will discuss the possible root cause of the errors and some possible solutions that are legislatively compliant. Participants will have the opportunity to share their experiences and learn what their peers with similar issues have done to resolve payroll errors.
Canada Revenue Agency
Jim Medlock, APA
Analytics are key to the success of 21st-century payroll professionals. How can analytics be used to tell a successful payroll story? What payroll and non-payroll-related data is required to develop helpful payroll analytics? How can analytical tools be used to improve a payroll department’s effectiveness? What is required to plan the development of payroll analytics? How can the use of payroll analytics help detect and prevent payroll fraud? How can payroll analytics be presented to senior management? These questions and more will be answered in this session.
Beverly Beuermann-King, R ‘n’ B Consulting – Work Smart Live Smar
Effective leadership communication is the cornerstone of success. Ineffective communication can lead to a toxic and unhealthy environment, affecting mental health and productivity. This workshop equips you with the strategies to navigate communication challenges, bias, and stigma, fostering a healthier, more resilient workforce. Learn to mitigate stress and uncertainty by building trust, creativity, and stability through your communication. Dive into understanding communication biases, emotional barriers, and the art of navigating difficult conversations. Elevate your people skills by honing your communication style and problem-solving techniques.
Julie Ruben Rodney, MaxPeople
Join this session to discover how to become a “change agent” in payroll amid inevitable changes like new legislation and shifting priorities. Learn to navigate transition phases, leverage your strengths, and lead your team confidently through challenges. Gain practical strategies for overcoming obstacles and techniques to inspire and motivate employees, empowering you to foster resilience and adaptability in your role. Key takeaways include understanding transition phases, leveraging strengths, overcoming challenges, and engaging employees during change. Leave equipped to thrive in an evolving workplace.
Representatives from ADP
Manon Amiot, Institut national de la paie
Cette session expliquera l’incidence des changements apportés à la politique relative à la province d’emploi sur les employés et les employeurs. Elle vous aidera également à comprendre comment déterminer la province d’emploi dans toutes les situations. Lors de tables rondes, nous demanderons aussi aux participants s’ils se conforment à la politique; dans le cas contraire, les présentateurs expliqueront comment remédier à la situation
Day 3
2:45 – 3:45 P.M.
To Be Announced
To Be Announced
To Be Announced
Day 4
9:30 – 10:30 A.M.
Manon Amiot & Klea Jokic, National Payroll Institute
This session will be presented in two parts.
Part one will focus on determining if we have a taxable benefit. What is an accountable and non-accountable allowance? We will review the five most common taxable benefits from the Infoline.
Part two is structured as a workshop-style session. Payroll professionals will work in groups at a roundtable, presenting what taxable benefits or allowances kept them up at night.
Subject matter experts will facilitate and act as members of the National Payroll Institute, while the participants will take the role of the Payroll Infoline, debunking the myth of taxable benefits and allowances.
David Elzinga, Delta Consulting Group
Fraud is like the awkward relative who always shows up during the holidays – no one wants to acknowledge them, but they can’t be avoided. The reality is that fraud happens and often occurs in organizations where the corporate culture breeds complacency. However, knowledge is power and once acknowledged, organizations can arm themselves with the tools to know what to look for and can mitigate the risks of falling victim to these fraudulent schemes. Led by a seasoned forensic accountant and citing real-life cases, this engaging session will explore the profile of a typical fraudster and what drives people to cross ethical boundaries. It will consider the types of payroll and related fraud schemes that have victimized organizations, address recent fraud trends in general and payroll fraud in particular as well as best practices in fraud prevention, detection, and investigation.
Ginette Clark, Payroll.org
Karima Balfoul, National Payroll Institute
Stephanie J. Allen, Gateway Development
Lack of clarity and purpose costs time, money, and energy and overtime effects the health and relationships that are most important. Discover how creating a life balance re-stories the “all work and no play” mentality that is the antidote to loneliness, anxiety, and even illness. In this session you’ll discover:
- The three steps to evolve your wellness;
- Find greater meaning and purpose to “Why” you do what you do; and
- Growth through joy and inspiration to live a meaningful rich life.
Julie Develin, UKG
This interactive and upbeat presentation will discuss how payroll is vital to the overall employee experience, from ensuring fair compensation to leveraging payroll data for strategic insights. By truly understanding payroll’s value (and your own personal value!), payroll can help businesses in fostering loyalty and productivity, ultimately playing a key role in transforming the workplace into a vibrant, engaged environment. We all know that payroll isn’t just about crunching numbers and cutting checks; it’s a key player in boosting employee satisfaction and engagement. Getting payroll right—accurate and on time—builds trust and eases stress. Let’s do this, payroll!
Oladunni (Dunni) Harriman, Federated Co-operatives Limited
A walkthrough of steps to building a high-performing payroll services team.
- Introduction: What makes a payroll team effective? Pillars of success (Vision/Framework/3Ps)
- Understand your client’s story: unpack the needs of the organization using review tools such as questionnaires, cross-functional process maps and other tools. (Exercise: Learn to create a process map).
- Bridge the gap: identify process improvement opportunities and create actionable steps to mitigate them.
- Build your framework and establish service levels (Your payroll support model; Overview of your payroll cycle; Create a communication plan)
- Simulate, Test and repeat.
- Questions
Sophie F. Marcil, MaxPeople
Dans le monde de la paie qui se veut complexe et axé sur les détails, une communication efficace est essentielle. Cependant, il ne s’agit pas seulement de transmettre le bon message, mais d’écouter véritablement pour comprendre les besoins de votre équipe, de vos clients et de votre organisation. Rejoignez Sophie F. Marcil qui explorera avec vous l’art de l’écoute active et de son rôle crucial dans la prestation de services de paie qui se doit d’être précis et adaptés. Apprenez des techniques clés pour aller au-delà des mots entendus : engagez-vous pleinement dans les conversations, décryptez les indices verbaux et non verbaux importants, et assurez une communication claire et efficace dans chaque interaction.
Points à retenir :
- Conseils et meilleures pratiques pour surmonter les obstacles courants à l’écoute active;
- Comment détecter les signaux les plus subtils pour mieux comprendre les messages; et
- Techniques pour a.m.éliorer le flux de communication dans un environnement de services professionnels.
10:40 – 11:40 A.M.
Manon Amiot & Klea Jokic, National Payroll Institute
This session will be presented in two parts.
Part one will focus on determining if we have a taxable benefit. What is an accountable and non-accountable allowance? We will review the five most common taxable benefits from the Infoline.
Part two is structured as a workshop-style session. Payroll professionals will work in groups at a round table, presenting what taxable benefits or allowances kept them up at night.
Subject matter experts will facilitate and act as members of the National Payroll Institute, while the participants will take the role of the Payroll Infoline, debunking the myth of taxable benefits and allowances.
Ginette Clark, Payroll.org
Tina Beauchamp, National Payroll Institute
In 2025, we have reached the end of the implementation schedule for enhanced C/QPP contributions. During this session, we will review the changes payroll professionals have managed over the past seven years and cover some tips to ensure compliance going forward.
- Ensuring the accuracy of the first and second contributions
- The impact enhanced contributions have on income tax withholding
- Pro-ration of the first and second contributions
- Managing employee transfers in and out of Quebec
We will demonstrate the Verify CPP contributions and EI premiums tool in the CRA’s Payroll Deductions Online Calculator (PDOC).
Participants will also be encouraged to share their experiences in answering employee questions and the challenge of explaining complex information in an easy-to-understand way.
Stephanie J Allen, Gateway Development
Are you ready to ‘BE’ living a life that is not about “Doing” more, but knowing you are already enough?
What does balance look like in a World that is radically changing with greater uncertainty?
We are being called to embody a “new” paradigm of life that nourishes both our work lives and our personal life.
With so much ‘unknown’ we need new skills to hold possibility for greater connection with peace in our personal and professional world. The Myth of WYrk /Life Balance (work with a ‘Why’) requires a new way of unfolding our gifts to live a better life with harmony.
In this session, discover what ‘Balance’ means and how we can create a life that nourishes us – inwardly and outwardly?
Join this experiential session for:
- Re-storying yourself and awakening your understanding between your inner and outer self.
- Building a loving connection with the “Great Unknown” for peace.
- Take away the 3 concepts to help you live from a new empowering perspective.
Representatives from Avanti
Payroll is about more than just processing payments; it’s a critical part of building trust, maintaining compliance, and ensuring organizational efficiency. This discussion will explore the importance of accurate payroll management and its impact on compliance, cost-effectiveness, and employee satisfaction.
Common Payroll Challenges
Managing payroll can be complex. This session will address key challenges, including:
- Adapting to evolving regulations.
- Avoiding costly errors in data handling.
- Managing payroll for geographically distributed or diverse teams.
Best Practices for Effective Payroll Management
- Automate Processes: Save time and reduce errors by automating calculations, compliance checks, and reporting.
- Enhance Security: Safeguard payroll data with encryption and secure systems.
- Empower Employees: Provide self-service options for accessing pay details and updating personal information.
- Integrate Systems: Combine time tracking and payroll tools for seamless operations.
- Leverage Reporting: Use analytics to inform decisions, maintain compliance, and monitor trends.
Payroll as Part of a Broader HCM Strategy
Payroll connects to broader human capital management (HCM) systems. Integrating payroll with tools for talent and performance management can improve efficiency and reduce redundancies.
Practical Tips for Today
- Conduct regular audits to ensure accuracy and compliance.
- Stay informed about legislative updates.
- Embrace continuous learning to keep up with payroll advancements.
Interactive Q&A
An open forum for discussing questions and challenges in payroll management.
Summary and Next Steps
We’ll wrap up with actionable insights and guidance for implementing best practices to simplify your payroll process and ensure success.
Michael O’Leary, Robert Half
L’évolution des attentes des employés, un marché du travail compétitif et la prolifération des outils numériques signifient que des environnements flexibles, des flux de travail numériques et une requalification continue sont devenus la norme pour les entreprises canadiennes. Pour s’assurer que vos équipes puissent s’adapter aux défis actuels et futurs, cette présentation propose un plan en huit étapes pour embrasser le changement, équilibrer les équipes à distance, hybrides et en présentiel, redéfinir les stratégies d’embauche, de gestion et de rémunération, et bien plus encore.