Since 1920, people have been depending on Equitable Life of Canada for financial protection. As one of the largest mutual life insurance companies in Canada, Equitable Life is dedicated solely to its policyholders. Everything we do is focused on providing them with personalized service, security and wellbeing.

Through Advisors across Canada, we offer a wide selection of competitive Individual Life and Health, Savings & Retirement and Group Benefits products to meet a range of financial planning and health needs.

Our Financial Strength

Equitable Life takes a conservative approach to risk, and we focus on longer term strategies that foster ongoing stability and growth for our policyholders and business partners. This approach has paid off as Equitable Life delivered a strong financial performance again in 2010.

Our Commitment to Employees

Equitable Life is proud to be named one of the Waterloo Area's Top Employers for four years in a row and has been recognized by Waterloo Region with a Silver Award for workplace health. This is the first year the Region has run its Healthy Workplace Awards Program to profile workplaces that demonstrate a strong commitment to improving the health of their employees.

Our Corporate Citizenship

At Equitable Life, we believe in giving back to the communities in which we operate, and we support various charitable initiatives. Most notably, our annual United Way campaign helps strengthen our community and improve the quality of life for those living in Waterloo Region. In 2010, our employees also demonstrated tremendous generosity through a "Movember" fundraiser for prostate cancer research and awareness, and our annual Adopt-a-Family initiative to support local needy families during the holiday season.

Equitable Life also provides financial support to a number of other educational and healthcare institutions in Waterloo Region, including:

  • John M Harper District Branch Library,
  • Waterloo Region Hospital Foundation,
  • Wilfrid Laurier University, and
  • The Museum

Our History

Sydney Tweed started The Ontario Equitable Life and Accident Insurance Company in a 2nd floor office in Waterloo, Ontario in November 1920. Within the first week, the Company had a solid footing with $300,000 of insurance in force. By the end of the first year, the Company had more than $7 million of insurance in force, a record unequalled by any Canadian life insurance company at that time. A philosophy of growth and a commitment to our policyholders was instilled from the beginning. During the Great Depression the Company pioneered an inexpensive family income policy offering security to families during insecure times. In 1936, the name changed to The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada, demonstrating the commitment to provide all Canadians with protection.

Equitable Life's key milestones:

  • 1963: Adopted a mutual ownership structure
  • 1968: Achieved $1 billion of life insurance in force
  • 1971: Opened our new Head Office at One Westmount Road North in Waterloo
  • 1994: Acquired the Group Life and Health business of the Allstate Life Insurance Company of Canada
  • 1999: Acquired a block of Metropolitan Life business from Clarica Life Insurance Co.
  • 2010: Surpassed $2 billion of assets under administration and $60 billion of life insurance in force


The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada is a member of Assuris.  Assuris is the not for profit organization that protects Canadian policyholders in the event their life insurance company fails.  Details about Assuris' protection are available at www.assuris.ca or by calling the Assuris Information Centre at
1-866-878-1225.