While many of the investment strategies and resources at the disposal of the Maple 8 — Canada’s eight largest public pension plans that represent more than $2.1 trillion in assets under management — are out of reach for medium- and small-sized plan sponsors in the country, the path carved by the most sophisticated investment organizations […]
The Pension Investment Association of Canada supports closely aligning the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board disclosure standards with the International Sustainability Standards Board’s requirements but recommends it only make necessary Canadian-specific modifications to the guidance. In an open letter to the CSSB, the PIAC noted alignment between financial and sustainability reporting supports “a connectivity that is essential […]
The average projected solvency ratio for Ontario defined benefit pension plans was 122 per cent as of March 31, 2024, up three per cent from Dec. 31, 2023, according to a new report by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario. It found 90 per cent of DB plans were projected to be fully funded […]
The University Pension Plan generated a net return of 10.2 per cent in 2023, up from a 9.1 per cent loss in 2022, according to its latest annual report. As of Dec. 31, 2023, the investment organization’s net assets increased to $11.7 billion, up from $10.8 billion in 2022. It also reported a funded status […]
The Medicus Pension Plan, a defined benefit multi-employer pension plan designed exclusively for incorporated physicians in Canada, reported a funded status of 158 per cent on a going-concern basis and a 115 per cent funded status on a solvency basis as of Jan. 1, 2024. The plan, which launched in May 2023, is designed to […]
During a panel discussion at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Global Investment Conference in April, three pension plan sponsors shared their perspective on plan design and the changing patterns for employees close to retirement. Nearly a decade ago, Via Rail Canada Inc. began allowing payments of lump sums to individuals up to age 65 to […]
An article on the federal government’s national pharmacare bill receiving approval in the House of Commons was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the past week: 1. Pharmacare bill passes in House of Commons, heads to Senate 2. 32% of Canadian SMEs facing […]
Roughly seven in 10 (73 per cent) Ontario Pension Board plan members believe environmental, social and governance factors should play a critical role in the plan’s investment considerations, according to a new survey included in the investment organization’s inaugural ESG report. The survey, which polled roughly 10,000 plan members, found nearly two-fifths (39 per cent) of […]
The Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology pension plan saw a net return of 9.5 per cent for 2023, with net assets of $20.1 billion, up from $18.2 billion in 2022, according to its latest annual report. As of Jan. 1, 2024, the investment organization maintained a healthy funding level of 124 per cent on a going-concern […]
As an institutional investor, Asif Haque knows the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Pension Plan has a responsibility to meet the rising challenge of climate change through responsible capital deployment. “[We] have a gigantic role to play in using our ownership and influence to engage with companies on their transition to a low-carbon future,” […]