The average Canadian defined benefit pension plan returned 0.6 per cent during the fourth quarter of 2025, down from 4.4 per cent in the previous quarter, according to a new report by the Royal Bank of Canada Investor Services. It found the average DB plan returned 7.9 per cent for the full year, down from […]
An article on the future of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero and its impact on institutional investors was the most-read investment story on BenefitsCanada.com this year. Here are the top 10 investment stories of 2025: 1. Unraveling of Carney-led GFANZ doesn’t spell end of global climate action: expert 2. Financial markets resilient in […]
Heightened volatility could make defined benefit pension plan sponsors pause before deciding how to approach the use of favourable financial positions resulting in surpluses. While Canadian DB plan sponsors have been in surplus on a going concern basis for a significant amount of time, many are now facing a surplus situation on a solvency basis, […]
On Sept. 30, more than 80 defined contribution pension plan sponsors, consultants, asset managers and other industry stakeholders met at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto for the 2025 DC Investment Forum to glean insights into the tools and strategies that plan sponsors can use to guide members into the future and support their […]
Canadian financial institutions are staring down the barrel of a new world dynamic between Canada and the U.S. and Mark Zelmer, former deputy superintendent of financial institutions at the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, wonders if they’re prepared. “What is becoming increasingly clear is that certainly our relation to the U.S. [is] going […]
The current uncertainty around tariffs and trade policy is dominating institutional investors’ macro view of fixed income, said Alexander M. Mackey, co‐chief investment officer of fixed income at MFS Investment Management, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2025 Risk Management Conference. To reduce the noise of the uncertainty, his day-to-day focus is dominated […]
A changing world is challenging investment organizations’ established approach to risk management, said Dervish Halil (pictured left), senior managing director and head of credit and capital markets risk at the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, during a panel session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2025 Risk Management Conference. “I think one of the challenges is to […]
The Canadian pension risk transfer market reached record-breaking demand in 2024 with $11 billion in deals at the end of the year, eclipsing the $7.8 billion combined total of annuities transactions in 2023 and 2022. Indeed, the fourth quarter of 2024 alone saw $5.2 billion of overall transactions, split between $1.5 billion in buy-ins and […]
Increasing periods of heightened volatility are demanding composure and trust from investment professionals for their long-term roadmap, according to Josée Mondoux (pictured middle), chief investment officer at the Canadian Medical Protective Association, during a panel session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2025 Global Investment Conference. Investment professionals are being tested and could be asked to […]
An article on how pension plan sponsors can manage risk amid economic and geopolitical instability was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Expert panel: Risk management tips during economic, geopolitical uncertainty 2. Institutional investors reconsidering ESG […]