This year, we redesigned our Group Retirement Services plan sponsor secure site homepage, introducing a simplified and more dynamic format. This makes it easier than ever to navigate the site and access valuable resources and information such as plan balances, news, and quick links. This was an important first step in updating our user experience on the Plan Sponsor site, and we’re excited to continue this journey in 2026.
Leveraging technology to improve the plan member experience and retirement saving outcomes
The digital world doesn’t stand still, and neither do we. We continue to develop new digital capabilities and innovations, from enhancements to our industry-leading mobile app, to digital supports for plan sponsors, to new ways to enrol and make contributions.
These innovations make it easier for plan sponsors and plan members to maximize the value of their plan.
Plan members now have the option to use Interac Verification Service® to provide their banking information securely. Through this process, the Interac system securely verifies and updates banking information directly through the online platform.
This integration improves the security and convenience of the experience by leveraging Interac’s trusted system, minimizing plan member input errors. Currently, participating banks include (but are not limited to): RBC, TD, CIBC, BMO, Scotiabank, and Desjardins.
* For the withdrawal process, this new feature is available to select plan members, depending on their plan rules
We designed the Request Centre to help you track your plan administration activities and requests in one spot. It is the easiest and safest way to submit all your daily inquiries.
In 2025, we continued to enhance the Request Centre by introducing the new outbound message function. This ensures a faster, more efficient and secure resolution process.
The new outbound messaging provides several benefits.
- Notifications. You can now clearly see that there is a new message on the site that requires your attention. And outbound messages from Sun Life are easy to identify on the dashboard (marked with the Sun Life logo beside the message).
- Multiple contacts. We’ll be able to send a notification to multiple contacts in your plan administration team.
- Reports and attachments. These are sent via a significantly more secure way than traditional email. In addition, they’re available in the system for 2 years.
- Convenience. The system provides a convenient way to have two-way conversations with the Operations team and track the status of your request through to completion.
We introduced a revamped my Sun Life mobile app to make it easier and faster for plan members to manage their workplace benefits and support their financial well-being. The new look and feel empowers plan members to take action and make choices that best fit their needs.
Key Improvements include:
- Faster navigation, with a new Home tab giving a total plan overview
- Quick access to recent transactions and contributions
- Access to a plan member’s eligible services and resources within the plan.
To learn more about the updates and to see a preview of the updated look and feel, click here.
Our new Contribution Centre streamlines the process for plan sponsors sending File Transfer Protocol (FTP)* files. It gives you greater visibility and control and eliminates time-consuming manual steps, including follow-ups and email exchanges.
Since launching in August, over 50% of plan sponsors who send FTP files have transitioned to the new process. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive – especially the ability to view and confirm that a file was received on time and in good order.
With the Contribution Centre, you can:
- Access your file totals within two hours of sending the file
- Validate totals easily, with a few steps
- Eliminate the need to email a breakdown
- Make plan member adjustments accurately
- Confirm the process dates and ensure you’ve provided all the information needed to accurately deposit your contribution file.
Stay tuned for more enhancements launching in 2026.
* If you currently send an automated FTP file and don’t have the feature enabled on your account, reach out to your Group Retirement Services Representative.
You can now choose to receive notifications when plan members complete digital enrolment into your plan. This saves you valuable time and lets you promptly reach out to those new enrollees to obtain their payroll deduction instruction.
To learn more about this feature click here.
As part of our work to make the plan sponsor secure site a go-to destination for you, we’ve created a centralized Resource library. This new page is a one-stop reference for all documents, guides and resources needed to support your group plan administration. The page can be found under the Guides and information tab on the plan sponsor secure site. It provides:
- Centralized access, with plan documents and guides in one convenient place
- Time-savings, by letting you quickly find the documents and other resources you need
- Timely support, with step-by-step user guides to help you navigate plan sponsor site tools and features.
In future releases, we’ll be adding more user guides and links to helpful resources to help you further support plan members.
We introduced a digital enrolment experience for Group Choices income products, including:
- Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF)
- Restricted Life Income Fund (RLIF)
- Prescribed Registered Retirement Income Fund (PRIF)
- Life Income Fund (LIF).
This new feature lets plan members complete their Choices income enrolment online, streamlining the process and reducing paperwork. It provides plan members with:
- Visibility into their application status
- Easy access to mandatory forms
- The ability to explore different retirement income scenarios and enrol into income at their convenience.
*While this digital enrolment process is available to most plan members, it’s not accessible to plan members in plans with custom RRIF/LIF or plan sensitivity. It is also not available for annuities or MyRetirement Income.