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The Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System’s real estate arm is entering into a $1 billion co-investment in a British residential company.

Oxford Properties Group, along with real estate investment firm Delancey and its client fund DV4 Ltd., are investing in Get Living, which is looking to build on its current assets of residential properties in London and other cities in Britain with a target of 12,500 homes.

The real estate arm of OMERS, is boosting growth in Get Living, a British residential company, with an over $1 billion co-investment with Delancey and its client fund DV4 Ltd. the two organizations are calling Delancey Oxford Residential, or DOOR.

“Oxford is delighted to be partnering with Delancey and DV4 on our first investment into the private rented sector in the U.K.,” said Paul Brundage, executive vice-president and senior managing director for Europe and Asia-Pacific at Oxford Properties, in a press release. He noted the housing crisis is a key issue in Britain and the partnership, called Delancey Oxford Residential, is aiming to make a real impact.

“We are extremely pleased that Oxford Properties, one of the most forward-thinking and rigorous, global institutional real estate investors and operators has chosen to work with Delancey and DV4 . . . on what we believe remains a compelling investment opportunity in U.K. real estate,” said Jamie Ritblat, founder and chief executive officer of Delancey, in the release.

In other investment news, OMERS’ private equity arm has completed its acquisition of U.S. health-care company Premise Health, which has more than 600 health and wellness centres in 44 states, as well as in Guam and Puerto Rico.

“We are thrilled to partner with Stu Clark, CEO of Premise, and his management team for the company’s next phase of growth,” said Tim Patterson, managing director of OMERS private equity, in a press release. “Premise is a clear leader in the worksite health-care space, and we are eager to work with Stu and his team to pursue the exciting growth opportunities ahead.”

Michael Graham, head of North American private equity at OMERS, added that the investment is part of the pension fund’s growing health-care services portfolio.