An article on the federal government’s plan to scrap Canada mortgage bonds and the potential impact on pension funds was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Feds’ plan to discontinue Canada mortgage bonds may limit pension funds’ abilities to mitigate risk: PIAC […]
The federal government’s plan to consolidate Canada mortgage bonds into the Government of Canada bond program could limit pension funds’ ability to mitigate risk through diversification, according to the Pension Investment Association of Canada. In an open letter to Finance Canada, the PIAC said the move may force institutional investors to choose between accepting lower […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is investing in a Quebec-based company that develops, sells and rents pre-fabricated modular buildings for the educational market. According to a press release, the investment will enable AMB Modulaire, in which Lise Bernier and Jacques Latreille have been shareholders for more 15 years, to finalize the transfer process […]
Canadian institutional investors are optimistic about the prospects of emerging markets bonds, with more than half (52 per cent) saying they’re likely to increase their exposure over the next two years, according to a new survey by Vontobel Asset Management Inc. The survey, which polled more than 200 global institutional investors across Asia-Pacific, Europe and […]
Canada Post Corp.’s defined benefit pension plan’s assets declined 6.7 per cent in 2022, according to its latest annual report “2022 was a turbulent year for financial markets,” said Jan Faryaszewski, chief financial officer at the Canada Post pension plan, in the report. “The DB component of the plan fell from $32.3 billion to $29.5 […]
Canadian defined benefit pension plans’ median solvency ratio increased in the second quarter of 2023, according to a new report by Mercer. The report, which looked at the performance of more than 500 Canadian DB plans in its database, found a rise from 116 per cent to 119 per cent during the quarter. Meanwhile, a similar report […]
“I’m here to convince you that fixed income is back as an attractive asset class,” said Benoit Anne, lead strategist of the investment solutions group at MFS Investment Management, during the Canadian Investment Review’s 2023 Global Investment Conference. Two major factors mean allocations to fixed income are becoming increasingly attractive, he added. First, the U.S. Federal […]
At the best of times, selecting an optimal asset mix for a defined benefit pension plan is challenging. The times of today are downright turbulent. Last year, inflation reached 8.1 per cent in Canada as a result of a prolonged period of government stimulus spending to manage the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. In response […]
In 2022, the typical defined benefit pension plan achieved an investment return of roughly negative 12 per cent. However, due to dramatic increases in bond yields and a subsequent decrease in pension liabilities, many pension plans ended 2022 with the same — or better — solvency funded level that they had at the beginning of […]
The median solvency ratio of Ontario defined benefit pension plans rose during the first quarter of 2023, from 112 per cent at the beginning of the year to 115 per cent at the end of March, according to the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario’s latest pension solvency report. During the quarter, pension fund investment returns averaged […]