The $2 million philanthropic partnership focuses on behavioural research to foster well-being in the workplace and advance critical studies on thriving organizations
OTTAWA, ON, April 30, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, Intact Financial Corporation, Intact Canada CEO Louis Gagnon and the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa announced a $2 million donation to support research on human behaviour at the Triple I Lab. The cutting-edge research will, in turn, help more organizations create happy, healthy workplaces.
Louis Gagnon, Intact Canada CEO, joins Triple I Lab co-founders (from left to right) Jennifer Dimoff, Jane O’Reilly, Silvia Bonaccio, and Meredith Rocchi, for a gift announcement on April 30. (CNW Group/Intact Financial Corporation (News Releases))
The contribution allocates $1.75 million to the lab over five years, leveraging its key technologies to develop new theoretical and practical research on inclusion and well-being. Research topics include workplace mental health, employees living with invisible disabilities, and how to enhance employees' sense of belonging in the workplace. This initiative also allocates $250,000 to supporting Telfer's highest priorities, including scholarships for top talent.
Located at the Desmarais building on uOttawa's main campus, the Triple I Lab is one of the largest, most advanced behavioural research labs in Canada. It is equipped with state-of-the-art observational technology to conduct research in simulated work and social spaces. The lab was co-founded by a women-led research team in 2024 as part of Telfer's vision for a happier Canada, in which accessible workplaces and employee well-being are a priority.
"All organizations big and small must prioritize the well-being of their staff to thrive over the long-term," says Jaques Frémont, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Ottawa. "I welcome this partnership with a prominent Canadian corporation to advance knowledge and insight into inclusive practices. Inclusion and well-being are at the core of our University's values."
Jane O'Reilly, Director and Co-Founder of the Triple I Lab, says, "By asking critical research questions and developing evidence-based insight into how organizations can improve their inclusive practices, our lab aims to have a real impact on how organizations operate in Canada and beyond."
For Louis Gagnon, Intact Canada CEO, this partnership aligns with Intact's purpose to help people, business and society prosper in good times and be resilient in bad times, as well as its objective to engage employees and be a best employer. "Supporting the Triple I Lab's research is close to our hearts because we genuinely care about the well-being of our employees – and the well-being of all Canadians. It aligns with our values of respect, including how we view diversity as a strength, and builds on our commitment to build resilient communities." says Gagnon.
Recognizing that health, productivity and workplace happiness are mutually dependent, Telfer School of Management Dean Stéphane Brutus says this philanthropic partnership with Intact will help ensure that peer-reviewed research continues to inform practice and policy in Canada.
"We are grateful for Intact and Louis's leadership in supporting workplace well-being because there is a profound need for data-driven insights to guide decision-making and strategy in this ever-evolving world," says Dean Brutus.
Additional Quotes
"Our partnership with Intact will help leverage the lab's unique capabilities, attract high-end talent through scholarships at the PhD and graduate level, and fund avenues for timely and meaningful knowledge dissemination so that the results of this research can reach the necessary decision makers throughout public and private sectors in Canada. The lab will become a flagship space for Telfer and the University of Ottawa to attract world-renowned researchers and students, and to conduct cutting-edge behavioral research that informs better organizational practice."
Jane O'Reilly, Director and Co-Founder, Triple I Lab, Ian Telfer Fellow in Workplace Wellbeing
"In five years, we hope to see the lab maturing into a hub of multidisciplinary research collaborations and close industry partnerships, fostering a research community in which fundamental evidence is gathered, interpreted, and shared in top-tier publications as well as with employers and communities locally and abroad. This will help create more inclusive environments where people don't merely survive, they thrive."
Jennifer Dimoff, Co-Founder, Triple I Lab, Kathryn Tremblay Professor in Workplace Mental Health and Wellness Leadership
"With cutting-edge technology that allows us to observe both student and instructor behaviours in real time, we are uniquely positioned to identify what supports equity in learning and where hidden barriers may exist. This insight allows us to design more inclusive teaching practices that meet learners where they are, rather than expecting them to conform to outdated norms using outdated practices."
Meredith Rocchi, Co-Founder, Triple I Lab, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication
"As we accelerate our lab activities, we will be training students at all levels, from undergraduate research assistants to doctoral and postdoctoral scholars. They represent the next generation of researchers but also managers and supervisors. It is our intention to equip them with tools that allow them to implement the best practices of inclusion in their own workplaces."
Silvia Bonaccio, Vice-Dean, Research, Telfer School of Management, Co-Founder, Triple I Lab, Ian Telfer Professor of Workplace Psychology
About Intact Financial Corporation
Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC) is the largest provider of Property and Casualty (P&C) insurance in Canada, a leading Specialty lines insurer with international expertise and a leader in Commercial lines in the UK and Ireland. The business has grown organically and through acquisitions to almost $24 billion of total annual operating direct premiums written (DPW).
In Canada, Intact distributes insurance under the Intact Insurance brand through agencies and a wide network of brokers, including its wholly- owned subsidiary BrokerLink. Intact also distributes directly to consumers through the Belair Direct brand and affinity partnerships. Additionally, Intact provides exclusive and tailored offerings to high-net-worth customers through Intact Prestige.
In the US, Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions provides a range of Specialty insurance products and services through independent agencies, regional and national brokers, wholesalers and managing general agencies.
Across the UK, Ireland, and Europe, Intact provides Personal, Commercial and/or Specialty insurance solutions through the RSA, 123.ie, NIG and FarmWeb brands.
About the Triple I Lab
Launched in 2024, the Triple I Lab is a collaboration between researchers from the Telfer School of Management and the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ottawa. The three "I's" stand for inclusion, interaction, and intervention. Designed using living lab principles, the lab conducts research to create a better, more inclusive Canada by studying social interactions that facilitate inclusion. It also tests theory-driven intervention strategies that aim to enhance social inclusion across a variety of spaces, including workplaces and classrooms.
About the Telfer School of Management
The Telfer School of Management is a bilingual, research-intensive business school that anchors the nation's capital with skilled graduates and data-driven insights. With over 5,000 students, 218 faculty and staff, and 35,000 alumni, Telfer's programs and research initiatives contribute to a greener, healthier, happier, wealthier, and more prosperous future for all.
Louis Gagnon, Intact Canada CEO, joins Telfer Dean Stéphane Brutus and uOttawa President Jacques Frémont, for a gift announcement on April 30. (CNW Group/Intact Financial Corporation (News Releases))
