Jan. 17, 2023 - Acera Insurance is pleased to announce that it has merged operations with Fairfield Watson, a leading company in employee benefits, retirement and insurance consulting.

Fairfield Watson will transition to become Acera Benefits with Tony Fairfield coming on board as President, Group Benefits. The Fairfield Watson team will be joining a talented and experienced group of Benefits Advisors and Service Representatives led by Steve Hesketh, who serve hundreds of client organizations across the province and nationwide. Steve will become Managing Director, Group Benefits.

Acera Insurance and Fairfield Watson have a long history of collaboration and partnership as members of Benefits Alliance, a national organization consisting of independent firms who administer over 8,000 employee benefit plans.

“This next step in the evolution of Fairfield Watson will prove extremely valuable to our clients as we begin expanding Acera Insurance’s group benefits products and services throughout Canada,” says Tony Fairfield, founding partner of Fairfield Watson and Acera Insurance’s new President, Group Benefits. “We remain committed to providing an exceptional client service experience at a local level delivered by the same team of professionals they have come to know and trust.”

The merging of operations of Fairfield Watson and Acera Insurance supports the company’s overall vision for growth and scale while strengthening their commitment to independence and providing Canadians and businesses with tailored insurance, group benefits and risk mitigation solutions.

Acera Insurance is one of the largest independent, employee-controlled brokerages in Canada. Its nationwide group of companies include brokerages across Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and the Yukon.

“Having previously made a minority investment in Fairfield Watson, we are excited to welcome them to the Acera Insurance team,” says Lee Rogers, CEO for Acera Insurance. “As we look towards the future, we are pleased to have the team at Fairfield Watson’s expert insights into the group benefits marketplace.”