Since municipalities and provinces fund public services and infrastructure with clear environmental and social benefits, as well as having substantial power to shape policies in their jurisdictions, municipal and provincial bonds are useful tools for institutional investors pursuing a thematic environmental, social and governance approach, according to a new report by the United Nations’ principles […]
Canadian employers say competition for talent (84 per cent) is the No. 1 issue influencing their benefits strategies, according to a new survey by WTW. The survey, which polled around 130 employers, found rising mental-health issues (63 per cent), a focus on inclusion and diversity (48 per cent) and rising costs (40 per cent) are […]
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 […]
The Ontario Municipal Employees’ Retirement System’s private equity arm is backing the series B investment round for a U.S. medical company specializing in surgical and cancer care. Carrum Health, a health-care platform for self-funded employers, secured US$45 million from investors during the funding round, with OMERS Growth Equity serving as the lead investor. The digital platform, which […]
The Pension Investment Association of Canada is praising the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities for addressing the regulatory inconsistencies facing Canada’s defined contribution pension plan sponsors in its draft strategic plan for 2023-2026. “We commend CAPSA for its achievements in engaging with stakeholders to consider evolving regulatory risks and [capital accumulation plan] guideline development,” […]
The average funding ratio for U.S. public pension plans increased to 77.8 per cent in 2022 with the majority (68 per cent) of pensions’ revenue coming from investment returns, according to a new survey by the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems. The 12th annual public retirement systems study received responses from 195 state and […]
A new report from the C.D. Howe Institute says pension plan fiduciaries shouldn’t ignore climate change and other environmental, social, and governance factors that are relevant to financial purposes. However, when plan fiduciaries use ESG factors to prioritize social or environmental concerns, such as those expressed by plan members, they put themselves on shaky legal […]
With close to two-thirds (62 per cent) of the market committed to investing responsibly, environmental, social and governance investing is no longer a fringe activity, said Sean Cleary, chair of the Institute for Sustainable Finance at Queen University’s Smith School of Business, during the Canadian Investment Review’s 2022 Risk Management Conference. A combination of factors […]
As the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities looks to update its capital accumulation plan guidelines, the amendments must reflect the changes in the industry, said Angela Mazerolle, vice-president of regulation at the Financial Services and Consumer Services Commission of New Brunswick, during a session at the 2022 Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute Forum in […]