What are some common Wellness Spending Account Eligible Expenses?

A Wellness Spending Account (WSA) encourages employee wellness and healthy living. These plans typically provide spending allowances for things like gym memberships, classes, relationship counselling, or that new pair of running shoes. 

Unlike a Health Spending Account (HSA), Wellness Spending Account allowances are a taxable benefit, meaning they contribute to a plan user's total yearly taxable amount (or salary). As a result, eligible expenses are not dictated by the CRA. Instead, they are determined by the WSA provider or employer. 

Take a look at these 5 categories of eligible expenses that you can claim with an Olympia Wellness Spending Account:

Wellness Spending Account Eligible Expenses

Nutrition

1. Nutrition counselling 
2. Over-the-counter vitamins and supplements
3. Specialized food (carb free, Keto meals etc.)
   • Boost
   • Pedisure
4. Weight Management
   
   

Fitness

1. Fitness/Sports Equipment
   • Baseball bat, gloves
   • Bicycle helmet
   • Boxing gloves
   • Equipment rentals such as skis, skates, snowboards, canoe, kayak
   • Ergonomic office equipment
   • Foam roller
   • Frisbee
   • Goggles
   • Golf clubs
   • Hiking boots
   • Hockey bag
   • Hockey pucks
   • Hockey sticks
   • Home free weights
   • Home treadmill
   • Life jacket
   • Outdoor bicycle
   • Personal hockey gear such as shoulder pads, shorts, socks, gloves, helmet, cage, elbow pads
   • Protective gear such as sports helmet, goggles, shin guards, wrist guards, mouthguards
   • Punching bag
   • Rock climbing shoes
   • Rock climbing harness
   • Running shoes
   • Ski hat, gloves, face mask
   • Snorkel gear
2. Courses/lessons/memberships
   
   • Club memberships
   • Dance lessons
   • Fun Run registration fees
   • Golf registration fees
   • Ice hockey arena rental fees
   • Marathon/race registration fees
   • Martial arts lessons
   • Parkour gym fees
   • Personal training fees
   • Self-defense course
   • Skating lessons
   • Ski passes
   • Ski/snowboard lessons
   • Sports team registration fees
   • Swimming lessons
   • Swimming pool entrance fee
     
     

Professional / Personal Development 

1. Books/Software
2. Courses/conferences/seminars
   
   • Continuing education
   • Language training
   • Parking for course
3. Professional membership fee
   
   

Personal / Family Interest 

1. Art classes/supplies
2. Horseback riding lessons
3. Music lessons
4. Pre-natal classes 
5. Sign language classes
   
   

Mental Health

1. Art therapy 
2. Hypnosis
3. Mindfulness
4. Reiki
5. Retreat Registration fees
   • Hiking retreat
   • Meditation retreat
   • Yoga retreat

Want to learn more about the Olympia Wellness Spending Account?

Here is a list of ineligible items under Olympia's Wellness Spending Account. These are commonly mistaken as eligible:

Wellness Spending Account Ineligible Expenses

Nutrition (Ineligible)

1. Blender
2. Body scale
3. Botox injections
4. Cooking classes
5. Cool Sculpt
6. Food journal
7. Food scale
8. Food storage containers
9. Juicer
10. Liposuction
11. Measuring cups/spoons
12. Nicotine gum/patches (eligible under HSA)
    
    

Fitness (Ineligible)

1. Axe throwing class fees
2. Bear spray
3. Bow and arrow
4. Camping registration fees
5. Clip in shoes for stationary bike
6. Ear muff
7. Epipen
8. Epson salts
9. Fishing net
10. Fishing pole
11. Flip flops
12. Foot soaker tub
13. Gas to hockey games
14. Golf bag
15. GPS locator
16. Gym bag
17. Headband
18. Headphones
19. Hiking backpack
20. Hot tub/sauna
21. Hunting rifle
22. Ice/heat packs
23. Lock for locker
24. Massage oils
25. Nintendo Wii accessories/games
26. Nintendo Wii console
27. Personal massager
28. Reflective running/biking clothing
29. Ski jacket
30. Snow pants
31. Socks
32. Sports bras
33. Sports jerseys
34. Sunglasses
35. Sunscreen
36. Sweatshirt
37. Swim suit
38. Tape
    
39. Tens Machine
40. Towels
41. Waist belt for water
42. Water bottle
43. Wireless headphones
44. Work out shirts/tanks/t-shirts
45. Workout pants/shorts
46. Workout videos
    
    

Professional / Personal Development (Ineligible)

1. Art supplies
2. Driving lessons
3. Kids camp registration fees
4. Laptops/computers
5. Movie tickets
6. Pet obedience classes
7. Theater tickets
   
   

Mental Health (Ineligible)

1. Daylight lightbulbs
2. Essential oils
3. Meditation books
4. S.A.D Lightbox

Thanks for reading through these Wellness Spending Account eligible expenses (and ineligible). I hope it helped!

Improve employee productivity with a Wellness Spending Account:

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Related Reading:

Health Spending Account vs Wellness Spending Account [Explained] 

What is a Wellness Spending Account and how does it work?

Top 19 FAQ about an Employee Wellness Program in Canada

Do Employee Wellness Programs Actually Work?