IONS is situated in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaw people. Unceded means that the Mi’kmaq have never relinquished, sold, traded, or transferred ownership of their land to European settler colonies, yet land was taken over without their consent through various processes of settler colonialism. This territory is covered by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship, which the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik people first signed with the British Crown in 1726. These Treaties did not involve the surrendering of rights to the lands and resources they had traditionally used and occupied. We are all Treaty People.

We further acknowledge that Nova Scotia is the birthplace of Black culture and heritage in Canada. People of African descent have shared these lands for over 400 years, and over 50 strong and resourceful African Nova Scotian communities exist here today.

We are committed to the struggle against systems of oppression that have resulted in profound inequities and the denial of self-determination rights. We are working actively to deepen our learning at an individual level, provide learning opportunities about anti-racism and decolonization, and to develop partnerships with organizations serving and led by underrepresented groups.

  • ‘Tis the Fiscal Season to Review the Books and Benefits Plan

    A photo of Diane Connors outside wearing a hat, scarf, and jean jacket.

    Diane Connors

    Managing Director at IONS

    “We’ve managed to bring the cost of your plan increase down from 45% to 14%.” The relief of these words was emotional – knowing what it meant for our team and their families. We were bracing for a steep increase to our health benefits plan as another result of the cost-of-living crisis, but our annual adjustment presented a pleasant surprise.

    We were meeting with Nick Mombourquette from NewGround Financial, our partner and health insurance benefits broker, to discuss our upcoming plan renewal. IONS Executive Director, Benny Welter-Nolan, explained that they were anticipating a 30% increase – in alignment with previous experiences with other providers and the current trends. In the face of so many operating cost increases, this news of only a 14% increase was a welcome break.

    The valued relationship and tailored support – taking the time to negotiate with the insurance provider on IONS’ behalf – is one of the many reasons we endorse our Sector-wide Group Benefits Plan partners (NewGround Financial and the Community Services Benefits Trust). This trust was created collaboratively by leaders of community organizations to offer flexible, accessible benefits packages designed to suit our unique needs in the sector.

    Employee Health Insurance Benefits are a valuable asset for organizations in attracting and retaining staff – especially in a time when the need for supplementary health services is high. We know that a reliable, affordable, and accessible option for health benefits is the only way for impact organizations to be able to offer this wellness support to their teams.

    *Statistics from IONS Spring 2025 Possibility Brief: Health is Wealth

    Around 50% of nonprofits in Nova Scotia don’t currently offer some form of health benefits to their staff – which means there’s thousands of organizations in the province that could benefit from this initiative. Now is a great time to start thinking about your next fiscal year, and planning health benefits costs into your budget. For those with another health insurance provider, we suggest connecting with our friend Nick and his team to see if the Community Services Benefits Trust (CSBT) could offer a more sustainable solution for your team:

    • he collective model allows smaller organizations to access plans at lower rates and reduces risks of high premiums.
    • Common coverage includes: dental, vision care, prescriptions, and extended health services like mental and physical therapies.
    • Includes free telehealth access – often an extra cost with other providers.
    • This plan now provides coverage for gender-affirming care.

    We are a sector that focuses on the wellbeing of people – and the wellbeing of the people that work in service of community work is crucial to our impact. At IONS, we believe and demonstrate that supporting the sector workforce is a pillar of how we transform our society. Providing access to employee health benefits is a vital part of that support.

    Want to learn more? See more about our Sector-wide Employee Group Benefits program in the resources below. Want to sign up for a free consultation and get a quote? Contact NewGround Financial to set up an appointment.

    “Making the switch to a new broker and new group insurance provider was a big undertaking for us – we had been with the same broker and company for more than a decade, we had multiple plans for different employee groups, and, well, change can be hard. Change was not hard in this case. From the very first call we felt wholly supported by NewGround Financial. They brought their full team to the table, ensuring they were able to answer all of our many questions and that we felt confident and informed at each step along the way. NewGround Financial has been one of the most responsive companies we have worked with. Whatever our question or request, they address it quickly and thoroughly. Since switching to NewGround Financial, we have not looked back. We are happy as the employer and all of our employees are happy with a plan that offers more, and costs them less.”

    – Executive Director, Cape Breton Nonprofit

    Resources: