Highlights of the 2021 ARTA AGM
Vi Oko | Governance Committee
Due to the ongoing pandemic , all ARTA board and committee meetings this year have been online , including the annual general meeting that began on October 5 , World Teachers ’ Day .
A total of seventy-eight delegates and staff members along with six guest speakers met virtually to receive executive , committee , branch , and liaison organization reports , as well as to elect officers and committee members . ARTA is pleased to welcome Mary McDougall ( Communications ), Gordon Cumming ( Health Benefits ), Ron Thompson ( Governance ), Blair Lowry ( Pension and Financial Wellness ), Carl McColl ( Strategic Planning ), and Erika Foley ( Wellness ) as new committee members . The three returning ARTA officers and five of the six committee members were elected by acclamation . Highlights from this year ’ s AGM follow , while the full 2020-21 Annual Report can be viewed at arta . net /
annualreport .
● To facilitate the move to self-administration of the benefit plans , the Communications Committee oversaw the development of MyARTA , a new member portal , so members could manage their own benefit information .
● Plan improvements , effective November 1 , 2021 , were approved by the ARTA Board of Directors to ensure that ARTA continues to offer the best retiree plan in Canada .
● New benefit plans were introduced by the Health Benefits Committee — Comprehensive Coverage plans for retirees under age 65 and ARTARx , a pharmaceutical program that will provide home delivery of prescriptions along with a range of other services .
● The Governance Committee awarded a total of $ 40,000 to twelve of this year ’ s 101 scholarship applicants .
● The Pension and Financial Wellness Committee shared advice with prospective ARTA members through the ARTA marketing booklet , and with active ARTA members with book reports in each edition of news & views , and virtual seminars throughout the year .
● The Strategic Planning and Advocacy Committee hosted two Joint Committee Chairs meetings and a virtual retreat and advocated on behalf of active and retired teachers regarding emerging issues .
● The Wellness Committee submitted articles and activities to news & views that aligned with the specified theme for each issue . Lower participation in the annual Wellness Challenge was noted .
ARTA MEMBERSHIP GROWTH RATE ( 2020 – 2021 )
6.12 %
MEMBERS WHO ARE 100 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER
24
AVERAGE MEMBER AGE
71.4
20 | arta . net CONNECTING