Canada Life, Great‑West Life and London Life are now together as one company – The Canada Life Assurance Company™.
The Great-West Life Assurance Company
On Jan. 1, 2020 The Great-West Life Assurance Company, London Life Insurance Company, The Canada Life Assurance Company and two holding companies came together to form one company – The Canada Life Assurance Company.
Each of the companies has a vibrant and proud history, spanning more than 125 years.
Together as one company, we look forward to continuing to deliver on our purpose – to improve the financial, physical and mental well-being of Canadians.
View Great-West Life’s history below, or view the history of Canada Life and London Life.
On January 1, 2020, Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life come together to form one company – The Canada Life Assurance Company.
We celebrate 125 years!
Winnipeg employees are treated to a Ferris wheel, carnival games, mini doughnuts and more in honour of United Way! The Winnipeg office achieves an all-time high in contributions to United Way.
The Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace is launched, supporting initiatives and research and developing tools and resources designed to help with the prevention, intervention and management of workplace mental health issues.
Canada Life - the country’s first life insurance company - joins our group of companies. The acquisition is announced by Great-West Lifeco President and CEO, Raymond McFeetors (pictured above, left), and Canada Life Chairman and CEO, David Nield (pictured above, right).
London Life Insurance Company joins our group of companies - a watershed event in Canada’s life insurance industry. The acquisition is announced by London Life president and CEO, Fred Tomczyk (pictured above, left), and Great-West Lifeco president and CEO, Raymond McFeetors (pictured above, right).
On May 25, 1983, our new head office in Winnipeg opens its doors. More than 630 employees previously housed in offices on the outskirts are joining their colleagues in the sprawling complex.
The company’s U.S. headquarters open in Denver.
Power Corporation becomes Great-West Life’s significant shareholder.
The company registers the Great-West Life key trademark as its corporate symbol.
The first computer is installed. The IBM 650 is the first of its kind in Western Canada.
Great-West becomes the first Canadian company to enter the accident and health insurance business.
The “Mother and Child” billboard campaign is introduced, becoming one of the company’s most popular.
Mrs. I.A. Joness of Fort William, Ontario becomes the first female member of the Hundred Thousand Club, which celebrates Great-West agent sales success.
Great-West enters the new field of group insurance - one of the first Canadian companies to do so.
The company’s first head office is built in Winnipeg’s Exchange District, on the corner of Rorie St. and Lombard Ave.
The first U.S. office opens in North Dakota.
Great-West Life is now represented in every province across Canada.
The first death claim is submitted in July, for an insured who was killed in a bicycle accident. The $1,000 his wife receives reportedly saves her from destitution.
The Great-West Life Assurance Company launches in Winnipeg by founder Jeffry Hall Brock as a western-based alternative to eastern competitors. The company is incorporated on August 28.